Christmas Card Scenes

Kid Created Christmas Ornament

I was going through some of the beautiful Christmas cards we received last year, and the year before, and I ran across some from my Grandparents. I lost all my Grandparents within 18 months of each other, and seeing their greetings, handwriting, and love again was a sweet and emotional experience for me. I wanted a way to include them in my family’s Christmas celebrations. So, we made these Christmas card scenes as kid created Christmas ornaments.

Materials: (for one ornament)

4 craft sticks
Cotton yarn
1 Christmas card
Clear, acid-free tape
Christmas embellishments – such as: bells, buttons, floral pieces, ribbon, etc.
Wire for hanging

Method:

Begin by using the yarn to tie the craft sticks together so they make house-type frame.
This is done by laying two sticks across each other so they form a large angle and tying the ends together.  Make an X with the yarn over and across the two ends, then tie the yarn off on the back. This makes the “roof” of the house. Repeat this process with the two remaining craft sticks to make the “walls”.

 

Next, center the frame over the picture on the Christmas card. Trace the outside edges of the frame. Cut on those lines.

Turn the frame and picture over and center one of the edges on the craft-stick frame with the Christmas card edge that matches it. Continue centering and taping each side. Some sides will need trimming to fit. Also, the frame has a little give built into it, so the walls can be stretched to hold the card. I would recommend starting with the roof of the frame and then working toward the walls.

Once the card is taped in place, it’s time to add the sentiment and signature from the inside of the card.

To do this, simply cut around the part of the inside of the card that you want to keep and display in a gentle, organically shaped way. Tape the sentiment to the bottom front of the card and frame. It will look a little like a cloud.

Finally, it’s time to add the embellishments to the frame.  This is an especially fun part for children to help with. I limited my children to three embellishments per ornament – but everyone has their own style and creative spark. Although, I recommend painting before taping in the card, if children want to paint the craft sticks.

We did this to all the special cards I had saved from my Grandparents, as well as other cards, and I have their wonderful love displayed on my Christmas tree. This was an ornament that needs a lot of adult supervision for younger children. I actually had each child make an ornament one-on-one with me, instead of in a group. They seemed to enjoy the personal attention, as well as making the ornament.

What are some ways you use Christmas cards? Let me know! If you have pictures, I’d love to display them on my Facebook page.