Heart Picture Frame Crafts
by Mary
(ElderOneStop)
These simple heart picture frame crafts are made with a cookie cutter! You can use them to frame an anniversary or wedding photo, or photo of family and friends. Even a favorite pet. Make them into keepsakes for yourself and others. There are endless uses and ways to decorate them!
I had to jump into this Share forum myself too, and share a quick craft I devised with a heart shaped cookie cutter. In this sample I framed a photo of my daughter's wedding. But they will look beautiful for seniors and elderly who may be celebrating a special anniversary, and the cookie cutter can also be painted white. Also consider using them as a memento of a loved one who has passed on.
Here is how you make them:
The materials I used:
Heart shaped cookie cutter, with a wide rim or edge
A favorite photo
2 wooden heart shapes as dangles at the bottom
Heart shaped doily
Craft glue (I used Tacky glue) - you can also use a glue gun
Hammer and nail (to make holes in the dangling heart shapes)
Needle and thread
Acrylic paint (pink, or red and white mixed to make pink)
Paint brush
Rag and bowl for water when you paint
Heart sticker
If you are planning on painting the cookie cutter another color, do it first.
Next nail a little hole into the tops of the wooden hearts, to string them. Paint the hearts on both sides, and let them dry.
With a needle and thread, run a thread through the smallest heart (which hangs on the bottom) and then through the bigger heart. Then loop the thread and tie it around the bottom of the cookie cutter. This will hang the 2 hearts from the cookie cutter bottom. Put a small dab of glue over the thread on the back side of the hearts to hold it in place. Let the glue dry.
Also tie a thread at the top of the cookie cutter, to hang it from on the wall. I found it easier to have all the threads tied in place, before I glued the photo on to the back of the cookie cutter.
At this point, if you want to paint the heart cookie cutter another color, make sure it is done before attaching the photo. For instance, for an anniversary or wedding momento, you could spray paint it white.
Carefully place the cookie cutter (it has the 2 hearts dangling from it) over the photo, and center it as desired. Trace around the outside of the cookie cutter shape onto the photo. Cut the heart shape out of the photo. Trim it as needed.
Put a thin line of glue along the back side of the cookie cutter, that has the widest rim. (You need a cookie cutter with a wider edge in order to have a surface to put the glue on). Press the photo in place on the back of the cookie cutter, and let the glue dry. Then put another thin line of glue along the back edge, and press it onto the doily.
Lastly, I glued a small sticker at the bottom tip of the cookie cutter heart. There are many other ways you can decorate these! If you don't have wooden heart shapes to use as dangles, perhaps cut double-sided hearts out of fancy wrapping paper or an old greeting card. Glue the back-to-back hearts together. Then hang them from the cookie cutter instead. Or hang small artificial flowers. Perhaps you'd like to hang ribbon or a bow. Or beautiful beads. See what you have around -- then decorate!
As various seasons come and go, you can find specially shaped cookie cutters for all occasions, not just heart picture frame crafts. Other themes would include winter and Christmas shapes (which make hand-made personalized tree ornaments) and Halloween. Such shapes are also perfect to hang from the ceiling, or even use a place markers at a party -- all with a photo in them. Or instead of a photo, use little pieces of original art or cut-outs from magazines. These cookie cutter frames have many possibilities.
