The cold, aesthetic holiday decorations are becoming a theme of the past. Now, everyone wants to feel those nostalgic, homey feelings during the festive season, which may give more “cutesy Christmas vibes” than picture-perfect aesthetics.
And creating that familial, Hallmark-esque holiday look is easier than ever thanks to the wide variety of DIYs available. After all, it seems like everyone is working on a tighter budget this year.
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Holiday decorator, DIYer and TikToker Aurelie Erikson shared a DIY she says is “Little Women charm meets Polaroid magic.”
@aurelie.erikson Who knew a little fabric and a Polaroid printer could make the sweetest handmade gift? 🎁 A touch of Little Women charm, a dash of cozy cottage vibes… and suddenly you’ve got the most thoughtful gift they’ll cherish forever. All you need are a few scraps, a few minutes, and your favorite holiday movie. 🎅🏼🎥🎄 #diychristmas #vintagechristmas #polaroid
What I love about these is that they can easily be hung on a wall or used as a tree ornament—and they’d make the perfect gift for a close family member, friend or loved one.
How to Do It
To make these adorable keepsakes, all you need is:
- Embroidery hoops
- Polaroids or small photos
- Various fabric scraps
- Ribbon
- Glue
- Needle and thread (optional)
Related: Aldi Is Selling Gold-Framed Landscape Paintings for $10—and They Give Total Vintage Vibes
First, Erikson overlays the fabric between the hoops to “fill it in.” The result is the hoop acting as a frame, and the fabric acting as photo matting. You should be able to take apart the inner part of the embroidery hoop, place the fabric inside, put the hoop back together and finally trim the excess fabric from the border.
Then she takes her photos and glues the back of them onto the fabric. While actual Polaroids give that “vintage-feel” and are the perfect size, you could easily print photos in a similar size (4.2 by 3.5 inches) and use them instead.
Finally, if making it an ornament, loop some ribbon through the metal loop of the embroidery ring, and you’re done!
If you want to be a little extra, however, you can always do what Erikson did and thread each corner of the photo into the fabric, so it looks like the thread is holding it up. While not necessary, it adds a little extra to the project’s homemade feel.
“This Is So Cute”
With nearly 50,000 likes, one thing is for sure about this DIY—people love it! One commenter wrote that it would be “perfect for a gallery wall.” Another added that it would be the cutest gift to commemorate their father, as he had passed away earlier this year.
Whether you want to add this project to your own ornament lineup, give it to a family member or make it a fun project to do with friends or family, this little memento is such a sweet way to decorate and celebrate the season.
Related: Turn Dollar Tree Gift Bags Into Cozy Christmas Wall Art With This Easy DIY
