Easy Photo Frame Ornaments

Looking for a last-minute gift idea? These photo frame ornaments look great and are super easy to make. Plus, the costs involved are minimal. All you need is the canning lid from a glass jar (the canning lid with 2 pieces), a photograph, some ribbon, and glue!

I hope that I am not the only one who still prints photos. J and I took a great photo together on my birthday this month, so I was looking for a way to use the photo after printing it. I decided that this easy photo frame ornament was the way to go. If you don't have any recent pictures, of course you can use old family photos too! How do you like the one of me and my siblings from when we were kids? Funny how our personalities shine through in the photograph.

To make this easy ornament, simply get a canning lid from a glass jar. There should be a frame piece and a circular piece that inserts into the frame. The circular piece is where you will glue the photo.

First you need to position the frame over your photo to decide where to cut the picture.

Once you have decided where to cut, mark your spot, and then use the smaller piece of the lid to trace a circle onto the photo. If you traced the larger frame, your photo would be too big for the circular piece.

Once you have traced your photo, you can begin cutting out the circle. You will glue this to the lid piece, with a ribbon between for hanging.

Add glue to the top of the circular lid piece. I like Elmer's Glue All or Aleene's Tacky glue for this project, but any liquid glue would work fine.

Cut about 6 inches of ribbon and loop, gluing the end pieces down on top of the lid.

While the glue is still wet, place the photo on top of the ribbon. Let the glue set for about 1 minute.

Next, add some glue to the inner rim of the frame before placing the photo piece into the frame.

Place the photo face down inside of the frame, pressing and holding for twenty seconds.

Let the ornament dry before using it. Once the ornament is dry, you can hang it on your tree or make more and give them away as gifts!

These ornaments make fun mementos and are easy last-minute gifts for friends or family! Instead of photographs, you could also frame wrapping paper scraps or old Christmas cards. Such a cute way to recycle! I am planning to give two of these ornaments to my brothers as part of their Christmas gifts. I hope it makes them laugh! I smile just looking at this photo. That is the best present in my opinion!

Happy Holidays!

Fun Confetti Gift Tags

One of the things I think about when wrapping presents for Holidays and birthdays is what the package will look like. The outer wrapping is the first thing people see, and it can add excitement to the gift giving (and getting) experience. I wanted to come up with a fun and simple way to add some interest to a package and created these fun confetti filled gift tags. They are so easy to make!

For this project you will need:

-1 Circle punch

-1 blank card

-1 vellum/plastic bag

-Confetti (I used sequins)

-Tape

-Gluestick

The first step is to punch a circle out of the top part of the card. Next, cut a small vellum or plastic bag to fit the height of the inside of the card.

Tape one end of the small baggie to the inside of the card. Fill the other end with sequins, glitter, or confetti. Next tape the bottom of the baggie to close the opening. Tape the sides to secure the bag to the inside of the card.

Using a glue stick, coat the entire inside of the card with glue (except for the part with glitter). Press the card shut and hold. When this dries, it will become a flat gift tag. The last step is to decorate it with stickers or a marker.

The idea is that the circular window is a pretty glass ornament filled with sparkles. I used a marker to draw a bow and the top of the "ornament" on the tag. See how easy that was? I hope you enjoy this project and will consider adding these fun confetti gift tags to your Holiday gifts to make them extra special.

Last Minute Gift: Fleece Scarf

Last-minute gifts can be stressful, but not these fleece scarves! They are simple and sure to please any recipient! All you need is some fleece fabric and scissors for fringed scarves, or fleece, scissors, and thread and needle for scarves with pockets.

For the fringed scarf:
Cut out a long rectangle from your fleece fabric (Fleece can be found in numerous patterns or solid colors at local craft stores).

The scarf I made is 76 inches long (I measured this based on my desired length) and 9 inches wide.

After you have the scarf size you want, simply make vertical cuts every few inches to add fringe.

Holly the doll is a fan of this hounds-tooth fleece fringe scarf.

The other option aside from the fringe scarf is the pocket scarf (pictured at right below).


To make the pocket scarf, repeat the above steps minus cutting the vertical fringe pieces.


Take a coordinating piece of fleece fabric (like this solid black) and cut two pockets. My pockets measured 6.75 inches tall and 5.25 inches wide. Again this was based on my personal hand size.
Pin these squares about 5 inches from the bottom of each end of the scarf, and sew along the bottom and right and left sides, leaving an opening on the top for your hands.

I can actually fit my whole hand in each pocket (although with my thumbs out in the picture it looks deceptively small).

These pockets are perfect to keep your hands safe from the cold and chill as you walk outside this Winter. The fleece is super warm and so versatile, which is an ideal quality for these scarves.

I'd love to see yours if you make them. Comment here or post a photo to my facebook page!

Last Minute Gift: Marker Mugs

Christmas is exactly one week away! It is hard to believe, but don't worry--it's not too late to make an awesome handmade gift for a friend!

These marker mugs are so easy and can be customized for each person! All you need is a plain ceramic mug (be sure it is oven and food safe), a pencil, and permanent markers!

First, clean your mug and then pencil sketch your idea. The pencil marks can be erased or cleaned with soap and water if you mess up. When you are ready, use a permanent marker to draw directly onto the cup. Last, heat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake your mug for 30 minutes to set the ink. This gift would be perfect with a bag of coffee to the caffeine fanatic that you know and love. Maybe you will make one for yourself!

If hand washed, these mugs will last a long time. The possibilities are endless!

It's fun to use metallic markers too!

What is the best last-minute gift that you've ever made? Share your Handmade Holiday experiences in the comments.