Summer Memories Ornament

Summer Memories Ornament

Posted by DecoArt on Jul 20th 2014

Have you been making sweet summertime memories? If you're like me, you want to hold onto those memories when the sunshine days of summer fade into the crisp chilly days of late autumn. Today, I want to show you this easy Summer Memories Box/Ornament!

This little box can sit on a table until it's time for the holidays and then it's perfect for tucking between the branches of your Christmas tree...

And best of all, if you have little ones, this would be a great end of summer craft for them!

Items Needed:

  • Paper Mache Boxes
  • Paint Brush
  • Water Basin
  • Copy Paper
  • Printer
  • Summer Mementos
  • Scrapbook Paper
  • Twine
  • Decorative Tape

Instructions:

First paint your box inside and out...

Instruction Image #1

When your box is dry,  paint on the DecouPage Photo Transfer Medium where you want to put your image...

Instruction Image #2

Press image onto your box--smooth out any bubbles or wrinkles, but don't get the photo transfer medium on the back side of the image...

Instruction Image #3

Let it dry overnight or 8 hours- when it's completely dry...

Brush or sponge water onto the back of the image and let it sit for a couple of minutes...use a soft cloth, sponge or your fingers to gently rub away paper layers. Let it dry....and repeat until the paper has been removed...

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I rubbed a little extra around my edges to give my photo a vintage look and avoid straight edges...

Now it's time to decorate the box - use your decorative tape to add interest-

Instruction Image #6

After your box is decorated, make a hole in the back center of the box...

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Put a long piece of string through the hole...the string will need to extend a few inch's on both sides. To keep it in place, tie a double knot right at the site of the hole on both sides...***this string will be 1/2 of the string to hang your ornament/box!*** 

Make other holes in the bottom of the box to hold/tie your other mementos ... (I had 3 holes w/ string)

Instruction Image #8

Make another hole in the lid of the box ...

Instruction Image #9

Put string in the hole and tie off...***this string will be the other 1/2 of the box/ornament hanger***

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I added a little more decoration and tied my little mementos onto the strings...

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If you want to, with the pretty paper, cut a rectangle and write down your favorite memories of your trip/summer or ask your little one what their favorite memories are-

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Won't it be fun to revisit these summer memories in December when you're decorating your Christmas tree?

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