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Make DIY Photo Ornaments That Capture Holiday Joy

Create a DIY photo ornament to personalize your Christmas tree! This easy craft is perfect for cherishing holiday memories in a unique way.

DIY Photo Christmas Ornament Perfect for Your Tree

Mini wreaths are all the rage this holiday season, popping up in everything from door decor to gift toppers. But why not put a fresh twist on this trend? That’s exactly what I did by turning the concept into a DIY photo ornament!

This simple project combines the charm of a miniature wreath with the sentimental touch of personal photos, creating a one-of-a-kind keepsake perfect for any Christmas tree.

These ornaments make meaningful gifts for everyone on your list! Grandparents will love seeing their grandchildren’s smiling faces hanging on their tree, while newlyweds can capture the magic of their first holiday together.

Beyond gifting, these ornaments are a fun and creative way to personalize your holiday decor. Imagine a tree filled with tiny moments from the past year, or a set of matching ornaments that bring a cohesive, handmade touch to your festive theme.

diy ornament with photo

Ready to get started? Below you’ll find all the supplies and step-by-step instructions you need to create your very own DIY photo Christmas ornaments.

They’re as easy to make as they are fun to gift – and they’ll become treasured keepsakes for years to come!

Supplies

  • Flat wooden rounds
  • Pictures
  • Scissors
  • Glue or Mod Podge
  • Template for wreath leaves – download them here
  • Green cardstock
  • Ball-tip tool or similar tipped object
  • Red grosgrain ribbon

A bunch of these would look perfect on grandma’s tree with a picture of each of her grandkids. In fact, these are great Christmas ornaments for kids to make and gift.

diy picture christmas ornament

Get the printable how to for this project below:

diy picture christmas ornament
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5 from 1 vote

DIY Photo Ornament

Learn how to make a photo Christmas ornament using a cute wreath theme! This is a very easy holiday craft.
Prep Time10 minutes
Active Time1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 40 minutes
Type: Christmas Crafts
Yield: 1 ornament
Cost: $2

Equipment

Materials

  • Laserjet photo printed to fit a 3″ circle
  • Flat wooden round
  • Mod Podge
  • Template for wreath leaves
  • Cardstock green
  • Fun foam
  • Grosgrain ribbon red

Instructions

  • Cut out the photos – use the flat wooden rounds (mine was about 3" in diameter) as a guide. Make sure your photos are centered on the ornament.
    black and white circle photos cut out with a pair of scissors
  • Adhere the photo onto the circle round with glue and smooth. Let dry for 20 minutes.
    Bottle of glue and a black and white photo on a wood circle
  • Apply a layer of glue on top to secure your photo and to further protect it from elements (this is specially important if you just printed your photos using a home printer).
    Glue covering the top of the photo on the circle
  • Cut out your leaves on green cardstock paper – you can definitely cut this by hand, or use a die-cutter for convenience. You can trace the template provided! Alternatively, you can purchase leaf embellishments at the craft store or online.
    Cut out leaves and a pair of scissors
  • Burnish your leaves to give them a more natural feel, using the ball tip tool. I used the tip of my calligraphy pen to burnish my leaves. You also want to burnish it on top of something smooth, such as fun foam.
    using the tip of a calligraphy pen to burnish the leaves
  • Adhere the leaves around the photo using the glue.
    Gluing leaves around a circle
  • Adhere a second layer of leaves going the opposite direction of the first layer to add more dimension and a natural feel to your wreath.
    Gluing down leaves in the opposite direction to create a wreath
  • Attach a grosgrain ribbon on the back of the ornament to hang.
    Adding red ribbon to the back of the wreath

Notes

  • If you only have an inkjet printer, use hairspray or acrylic sealer on both sides of the printed photo so the Mod Podge doesn’t bleed.
  • To give the ornament a more finished back, add a felt circle with craft glue.

I hope you enjoyed this photo ornament tutorial – and I hope I see you visiting my blog or social media for more crafty inspiration, free downloads and more! Happy crafting, friends! Check out some of our other easy Christmas ornament ideas below:

Candy CaneCookie CuttersCrochet AngelCrochet BellCross StitchCupcakesDIY GnomesDIY Snow GlobeMandalaMetallic KeysOrigamiPoinsettiaPolymer ClayTemporary TattoosWasher StarWood BeadWood Bead SnowmanWood Bead StarWood SliceYarn Wrapped

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)
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Paige

Monday 30th of November 2015

These ornaments are way cute!

Paige https://www.thehappyflammily.com/

Aki @ Minted Strawberry

Wednesday 2nd of December 2015

Thank you! :)