I was in the store looking for an ornament for a picture.
You know the ones, you slip your picture in a slot in the back. For the life of me, I couldn't find one.
And if you found one, well frankly the ornament sucked!
So I was wondering through the store and I saw these cute clear ornaments and I thought to myself "Now why can't they make picture ornaments out of cute little things like that...?"
Well, you could have smacked me with a Christmas Tree.
The top comes off and could back on again....
I was going to make my own.
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| My self make Picture Ornament |
So the tools you'll need...
1 pair of sciccors
1 spool of appropriate colored thread/fishing line
Tape
2 Wallet pictures or 1 wallet picture and something decorative for the back side (wrapping paper, fancy written happy holidays etc etc)
1 (or more if making gifts) mostly clear ornament with removable and replaceable top
1 piece of paper to make a size template out of. )any paper will do)
1 pen/pencil
Hole punch (or anything the cuts a little hole for the thread)
The first thing you want to do is make your template. I looped some thread around a pencil, held it at the center of the ornament and pulled the length out till the tip of the pencil hit the out most edge. The I held it on a piece of paper, held it taunt as I drew a circle around my finger. Now I was smart. I rolled it up and dropped it in the ornament to make sure it fit. It was a hair to big and I trimmed it down, but you see the point. Better to re-cut your template then to waist a photo.
Next you'll want to place your 2 photos back to back. I stick a little piece of rolled up tape in between them so they wont move when I cut them out with the template.
Next center you template over the and give a little clearance over the head so you can put a little hole in the top when your done. You can use a larger photo and make it the size of the entire circumference, but I found I like the look of the straight edge on the sides when it's in the ornament. But you make prefer the full circle.
Now I found these cute little ornaments at Walmart. Mostly clear with fake snow in the bottom. Really cute and the trees on the outside give it a little 3-D effect. It was 1.99$
You can get pictures made for a dollar at the 1 hour at walmart. Or use those left over wallet size pictures from the school photos. Don't be stuck on exact instructions. It can be a photo you took yourself and really like. I take my own photos and have a little photography site
Tashee Photography .
Don't let that keep you from thinking that you can't take a great photo. You have to be creative. If you look a little piece of the world and think how lovely that would be if they made it all over. Take your picture there and and close enough you can't see all the stuff around that you don't like.
Ok back to the subject...
Next make a hole for the thread/string.
At the top of the photo.
(You can also tape the string between the two photos if you don't want that hole, but it does have a habit of coming out while you're working with it)
Tie the string in a knot through the hole. Leave plenty of length.
You can make a smaller hole. (I just happened to miss with the hole punch I was using.) Use and exacto knife or a sharp steak knife. I used a hole punch cause it was easy.
Note: I've also taped the string in between the photos and a little dab of Elmers glue if you don't want the hole.
Now in order to get the photo in the ornament, you need to roll it to the size of the hole. Don't fold it. You'll ruin the photo and never get it to flatten out in the ornament. (Yes my other half said and you folded it to get it in there).
Put it in the ornament and push it in.
Right now you're wondering what the string is for. It's to keep the photo from twisting all around the ornament. I learned on the first one I made. They move!
This is what the top looks like. You have the wire that's bent to make it springy, so when it's put in it won't fall out. The wire is put through two holes. You too are going to use these two holes. You have two ends of string. You'll put one through each hole so you can tie the photo to the top after it's put back on. This will keep it from rolling around and turning upside down. Cut the end short, but not so short it could slip the knot
(You can also put the top back on and weave it through the metal leaves rather than poking it through the hole, but unless you use thin thread it will be visible)
The finished product.
So you can basically make inexpensive ornaments with photo in them (that personal touch).
I gave one to a woman yesterday and she just went nuts to have her daughters photo in an ornament like that.
I made one for our tree because my son begged me to do so after seeing the one I made for someone else.
I have just made one for my mother-in-law with my son and another one of her grandchildren in it. She should love it!
This is the ornament that now sits on my tree. With my hansome little boy to go on it year after year.
You could do a baby's first Christmas on one with a paint pen and some good handwriting.
I think the whole thing with buying wallet photos cost from 3$-4$ and my time.
Forever Keepsakes are priceless to most of us with kids.
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