If you’re looking for an easy DIY gift idea that uses minimal supplies (you probably have most of them at home already), check out this idea! I saw this idea on Instagram and knew it would make the perfect Father’s Day gift for my dad. If you’re crafty, want to learn more about watercolor painting, or if you want fantastic art ideas that can involve your kiddos, you should follow @andrea.nelson.art on IG. She is so fun and creative and I love the ideas she shares!
I love DIY photo gifts, especially for grandparents. Having photos of the kids at different ages is such a fun way to look back and remember different stages and holidays!
DIY Supplies Needed
- Photos of kid(s) – could definitely be black and white. My black and white photos from our printer were not great quality, so I ordered 5×7″ color prints from Walgreens.
- Sturdy paper to glue photos on (I used old watercolor paper; card stock is great, too!)
- Scrap paper (construction paper, scrapbook paper, even old paintings/colorings/scribbles) from which to cut balloons
- Glue
- Scissors
- Marker
- Optional: frame (I bought this frame at Walgreens while I was there picking up the prints I ordered!)
I love a good, easy DIY project that utilizes what I have at home and don’t require a trip out to buy a bunch of extra supplies that I’ll only use once or twice. I’m all for budget crafting!
Step 1: Take your pictures!
Unless you happen to already have pictures that will work, it’s time to snap some photos of your kids in a balloon-holding position. My girls were all over it and knew what to do right away! I told them they didn’t have to smile at the camera, either. For once, haha! They decided to look upwards, toward their hands and the sky.
We had to encourage little brother to pose for us, but with some prompting from his sisters he did a great job, too! I was thankful for my phone’s ability to take pictures in that moment, since we definitely had a few takes before we got one that worked.
Step 2: Cut out child from picture
My kiddos wanted their whole bodies on the finished picture, so I cut them out from head to toe. We also considered gluing them on from the waist, up!
I went ahead and cut out their bodies from the prints myself. Depending on the age of your kids, they might want to do this themselves!
Step 3: Cut out balloons
This is a great opportunity to talk about symmetry!
If you fold your scrap paper in half, you can cut out a curved-ear shape (that’s what it looks like to me, anyways!) that tapers to a point and open it up to reveal a heart. Cut a “U” shape on the fold, and you’ll have an oblong ellipse shape. We had fun experimenting, seeing what our cut-out shapes looked like when we opened up the paper!
Step 4: Arrange photos and balloons
It’s time to plan what your finished product is going to look like! Before gluing, arrange the photo(s) of your child(ren) towards the bottom of your paper. Place your balloons on the paper as well to get an idea of how everything is going to fit on your page.
Step 5: Start gluing!
Use your glue of choice to stick everything down. We chatted about how you have to glue the background balloons down before the foreground ones if you want them to look layered! My girls wanted to use the hot glue gun. They’ve had some practice with it, and hot glue is great to use with watercolor paper, so we proceeded with caution and used the hot glue gun. You could use any kind, though!
Step 6: Finishing touches
Draw some lines using a marker to connect the balloons to the kiddos’ hands. You can also write a message on it, like we did for Father’s Day! You can frame it, or give it as is. No matter what you choose to do, the recipient of your sweet gift is guaranteed to love it!
Time to make your own!
Take your pictures and get to gluing and cutting! It would be fun to make these in seasonal themes, using different colored paper for different colored balloons. I’m also picturing a Halloween version: kiddos in their costumes, balloons that are pumpkin-shaped! So many fun variations!
Feel free to pin this to Pinterest! I have a “Gift Ideas” board that I have set to secret where I save ideas like this one. If you make your own fun and easy DIY balloon picture, be sure to take me on Instagram @_graceupongrace_blog. I can’t wait to see what you make!
This is so cool! Love it!!