DIY Picture Ornaments (Using Your Cricut)

Make some DIY picture ornaments with your Cricut machine and some mat board. This is a simple DIY project that you will love hanging on your tree!

DIY Picture Ornaments Video Tutorial

If you are a visual learner, here is a video of the entire craft. Watch how to make these DIY picture ornaments below.

Can’t watch the video or missed some of the steps? Just follow along below.

How To Make DIY Picture Ornaments

These picture frame ornaments are perfect for Christmas or even as gifts to hang on year-round holiday trees.

To do this, I love to use my Cricut. If you are thinking about getting a cutting machine, definitely get a Cricut! You won’t regret it. It made it so quick and easy to make my picture frames.

NOTE: This project works with any cutting machine.

Supplies Needed To Make DIY Picture Ornaments

• 4-ply mat board in various colors
• Cricut Maker (click here to see why I love the Maker)
• Knife blade (click here to see how to use it)
• Scoring wheel (click here to learn more)
• Hot glue and a glue gun
• Twine
• Craft knife
• Self-healing mat
• Photos
• Scissors
• Cricut cut file (click here to access)

Step 1: Open The Frame Cut Files

The first thing you’ll need to do is log in to Design Space and go to my profile. Then scroll down to the “Christmas Picture Frame Ornaments” to access the files. You could also pick or design your own frames, just make sure to also cut a backing piece from the mat board.

Step 2: Cut The Frame Pieces

Cut the frame pieces out with your Cricut Maker and the knife blade, adding the score lines with the scoring wheel.

TIP: Pick a 4-ply mat board when cutting and follow all instructions on the screen.

Check your cuts before removing your project from the machine! If they are not cut all the way through, send for another pass through the machine, or remove and use a craft knife and self-healing mat to finish the cuts.

NOTE: Don’t Get Too Intricate With Embossing

Now, a few words about the score lines. The two frame ornaments that I ended up making work perfectly with the scoring wheel and adding those embossed details.

However, if you get too intricate with your embossing (like on the red example below), the mat board will start to crack, and you will have the white core showing through.

Just a word of caution when you are designing your project! The two frames on my cut file did not have any issues, so feel free to cut away on those.

Step 3: Add Photos To The Frames

Once everything is cut, print some pictures to add to your frame ornaments.

Trim the pictures to the size of the frame using scissors.

Step 4: Assemble DIY Picture Ornaments

Then assemble the entire thing with your glue gun.

Start by adding a loop of twine to the back of your frame.

Next, use hot glue to attach your picture to the back of the front piece.

Then run a bead of hot glue all the way around the back.

Assemble the entire thing together.

Finally, all that is left is to hang your DIY picture ornaments on your tree.

Just look at those embossed details and what they add to the project!

I am in love with the idea of adding score lines to the mat board, and now I am wondering what other projects I can make with this same technique.

Fill up your tree this year with frame ornaments and all of those memories you have made throughout the year!

Tips and Tricks for DIY Picture Ornaments

Now that you’ve seen these fun DIY picture ornaments, are you ready to make your own? Here are a few tips and tricks to ensure your project goes as smoothly as possible!

• Use Any Cricut Machine – For this project, I used my Cricut Maker, but you can use any Cricut machine that you have to make these ornaments!
• Print Your Photos At Home – You can have your photos professionally printed if you prefer, but I find that it’s much easier and cheaper to print your photos at home onto photo paper!
• Get Creative With Your Picture – When making your ornaments, remember that you can put anything in the frame! Below are a few picture ideas that would make for great ornament gifts.
  • Photos from big life events: Weddings, Birthdays, Graduations, etc.
  • Pet Photos
  • Photos of Celebrities (this would be a funny gift to give if you know someone who loves a certain movie star or musician)
  • Landscapes
  • Quotes
  • Scriptures
• Use Thin Ribbon or Embroidery Thread – When assembling my DIY picture ornaments, I used twine for the hangers. However, you can use thin ribbon or embroidery thread instead!

5 More Cricut Ornament Crafts

Did you love these DIY picture ornaments and want more Cricut ornament crafts? Then check out the projects below!

• Make Plaid Christmas Ornaments with a Cricut
• DIY Wood Slice Christmas Ornaments with Cricut
• DIY Leather Ornaments with the Cricut
• Make Personalized Cricut Ornaments with Craft Foam
• Making Vinyl Christmas Ornaments with a Cricut

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