DIY Photo Ornaments from Happy Glampers

Our last guest post is from Laura of Happy Glampers. I am thrilled to have her here because she is one of my favorite people in the entire world, and civilization isn't as much fun when your best friend isn't there to enjoy the easy access to lattes and shopping next to you. Laura and her equally awesome husband write the blog Happy Glampers, about their adventures camping in an airstream with their girls. You can find them at their blog, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. 

It is truly an honor to guest post on Hearth and Homefront.  We were stationed in Oklahoma with Moira and her family, and I’m so thankful for our time together, we all miss you already! Dust storms are more fun when you can call your friend and ask if the air is purple over at her house too.  Moira and I spent lots of time together messing around with crafts and our cameras over coffee or drinks (not dependent upon time of day), and here’s a little project that can bring these two hobbies together.

This year my grandmother celebrates her 90^th birthday with a family reunion.  Now, my grandmother is pretty much the Minnesotan Martha Stewart--she’s a consummate creator and is always making some lovely craft.  I totally idolize her.  My grandmother has lived a very interesting life full of love and giving, and I knew I wanted to make something special for her using photos.  So after much thinking and a few failed attempts, I made photo ornaments that our family will present to her on a “tree of life” with our thoughts and memories written behind the photos. 

You could do this project with lots of different themes: a year in photos, memories of a trip or vacation, children’s Christmas presents, etc. 

Materials:

Photo paper

Photo printer

Cardstock or other heavy weight paper

Mod podge

Paint brush

Adhesive spray glue

Circle cutter

Hole punch

Ribbon

Method:

First, select photos that will look good in squares, and pay attention to the corners, 3anything there will be lost when you make the circles. 

Print square photos to desired circle diameter, I selected 3-inch circles.

Paint a layer of mod podge over the printed photos.  Watch your brush strokes and create a lovely texture over the photos.  Apply another coat(s) if desired (I applied two coats).

Once the mod podge is dry, spray the cardstock with spray glue and then fix the cardstock to your photo page. 

After the glue is dry, use your circle cutter to cut out the photos. 

Punch holes in the tops of the ornaments and string your ribbon through for hanging.

Thanks again, Moira, for hosting us!  Please feel free to visit our blog for more DIY projects and discussions on glamping and family travels. 

-Laura