Homemade Christmas Gifts with Photos

Homemade Christmas gifts are the perfect way to save money and add your own special touch to every present you give.

One of the best things about having children- aside from the unconditional love and the constant companionship and the general adorableness- is the endless gift-giving possibilities. You can get away with giving all kinds of presents that are unacceptable when you’re childless: crayon scribbles that will lovingly be referred to as art and photos that will be cherished for years.

While framed photos are nice, they’re also boring.  For just a little extra effort, you can create custom gifts that are both functional and sentimental. Because if there’s anything parents and grandparents love more than hanging photos of their grandkids on their walls, it’s covering every available surface with them.

DIY Photo Monogram

Supplies

A wooden or cardboard letter or shape (mine is wooden and from Craft Cuts)
Photos- enough to cover the surface of your letter
Mod Podge
Foam paint brush
Scissors
Wax paper to protect your work surface

Instructions

Begin by deciding a basic layout for your photos on top of the letter. You don’t have to make any cuts yet, but you need an idea of what fits where. When you’ve got that figured out, flip the photo and the letter over and use the edge of the letter to trace a line on the back of the photo. This is where you’ll cut the picture to fit on the letter.

Cut the photo and double check that it’s the right size. Continue cutting and measure all your photos, until you have the letter covered. It’s wise to begin gluing the photos after you’ve made sure you’re happy with the layout. Spread a layer of Mod Podge on the letter where the first photo will go. It doesn’t have to be perfect or precise.

Press the photo onto the Mod Podge. It’s okay if it oozes out the sides. Continue gluing until all photos are in place and the letter is covered. If you don’t have enough photos, or if you have a strangely-shaped letter, you could use tissue paper or decorative napkins on the tricky areas.

To finish up, apply a layer of Mod Podge to the entire front of the letter (and the side, if your pictures wrap around).

The whole thing will look a little cloudy for several hours as the Mod Podge dries completely, but when it’s done, you’ll be left with a subtle shine. The brush streaks will disappear, too.

That’s it! I made this for J- duh- for Father’s Day and it’s sitting on his desk. You could hang it on the wall, use it as a paperweight, or do two initials for bookends. It would also be a lovely wedding gift.

More photo ideas?

Maybe you love the idea of homemade Christmas gifts with photos, but you aren’t digging the monogram look. Here are a few more suggestions using the same Mod Podge technique:

Attach photos to inexpensive 4 inch by 4 inch tiles to make coasters

Cover 6 inch x inch tiles to make trivets for the kitchen

Mod Podge photos around a picture frame, a dry erase board, or a reusable calendar

Decorate several letters to spell a word, or numbers to represent a date

More Homemade Christmas Gifts?

I’m so excited to team up with a few fellow bloggers to bring you even more homemade gift ideas!

Head over to Setting My Intention to see Angela’s list of list of over 25 idea for experience and homemade Christmas gifts.

Check out Cooking’ Mimi for some sweet homemade Christmas gifts from the kitchen.

What’s your favorite gift to make at home?

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