Wood Slice Ornament DIY
Hello! I know a lot of teachers look for relatively inexpensive ornaments/gifts to make with or give to their students! Here is one of my favorites! (Please note this post contains some affiliate links for Amazon)
Wood Slice Photo Ornaments
Supplies: Wood slices, ribbon, Mod Podge, Paintbrush, Pictures, Scissors, Pencil
Step 1: Purchase wood slices from a craft store or online. I bought these from Amazon, and they came with the hole already drilled! You can get Mod Podge at almost any store– I usually buy the regular “matte” kind, but any kind should work.
Step 2: Take photos of students– use the “square” setting on your iPhone (Instagram sized photos) and upload them to your computer (sometimes I just email them to myself if my Dropbox is being slow!) I recommend taking the picture not super close up because you want space to trace around the person and not have to cut off pieces of their heads. (Or do a practice one first to see if you are taking it from the correct distance)
Step 3: Measure wood slice width and height (this helps you size the photos for printing)
Step 4: Open Microsoft PowerPoint (or whatever program you prefer– PowerPoint is easier to move photos around/size them– so I highly recommend it over Microsoft Word!) Change the slide layout to “blank” then you can open your files and drag/drop your photos onto the slide (or use the insert photo function). You can always add more slides if you have a lot of pictures.
Step 5: Size your photos to be the same size as your wood slice. So if your wood slice is 2.5″– make your photo that size. You can also make is slightly larger if you plan to trim it down a lot. To size your photo in PowerPoint– right click the photo and select “size and position” from the choices. You can then type the size in and it will automatically adjust.
Step 6: Print photos. I think they look great in black in white, or sepia, or color– it’s really up to you!
Step 7: Lay wood slice ornament over photo and trace around the outside. Then use scissors to cut around your markings. You can always trim it down further to make it fit better.
Step 8: Use paintbrush to apply a layer of Mod Podge directly to the wood slice (be sure to use the wood slice you traced with– since each slice is shaped slightly differently). Put photo on the wood slice and rub it down on the glue. Apply a thin layer of Mod Podge OVER the picture (don’t worry– it’ll dry clearly)
Step 9: After the glue dries, use a pencil to poke through the hole– and use thin twine or ribbon to hang. Add date, student name, class name, etc. on the back of the wood slice using a paint pen (markers may bleed)
Step 10: Let students create wrapping paper using butcher paper– or buy some cheap bags and tissues paper from the dollar store. Have students help you wrap– and you are all finished!
Parents will love keeping these ornaments as years go by! I hope you enjoy making these with your students! Pin the image below to save it for years to come:
