Let’s get into the holiday spirit with this festive DIY photo frame craft! This Christmas craft has a specific theme: embracing the bond between grandparent and their grandkids. The craft includes a free printable coloring page of Grandma and Grandpa celebrating Christmas, so kids can get artistic with their handmade photo frame. The result is a beautiful, sturdy picture frame with a kickstand – a lovely DIY grandparents’ Christmas gift!
This printable Christmas craft is all these things:
- A fun, creative holiday activity for kids
- A thoughtful grandparents Christmas gift that grandkids can make at home
- A way for grandkids to express and appreciate their bond with their grandparents
Christmas with Grandma and Grandpa
If the sentiment of cherishing moments with grandparents on Christmas resonates with you, then you might like my Christmas with Grandma and Grandpa Activity Book. This printable activity book features the same Grandma and Grandpa characters from the photo frame craft, and is full of activities for grandkids. There are puzzles like Maze, Word Search, Spot the Difference, Crack the Code, Color the Picture and more, all themed around the warmth and joy of grandparents’ love. It’s available for download in my Etsy shop. Take a look:
* This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you. See my disclosure to learn more.
DIY Photo frame Christmas craft
This DIY photo frame is designed for a picture sized 4 x 6 inches (or 10 x 15 cm). The printable template is set on letter size paper, but you can also print it on A4 paper, without scaling. Let’s get started!
You will need:
- This printable template
- White cardstock for printers
- Colorful cardstock
- Coloring materials
(I used Amazon Basic Premium colored pencils)
- Scissors
- Glue (I use glue stick)
- Transparency film (acetate Sheets)
- Sturdy craft paper or an empty cereal box
* (Amazon Affiliate links)
Steps:
Print out the free printable template, color the picture, and cut it out of the page.
Glue the picture on colorful cardstock, slightly larger than the picture itself.
Cut out the window in the picture.
Cut a rectangular piece of transparency film and glue it behind the window.
Add pieces of cardstock that will keep the photo in place: Cut two small stripes of cardstock, apply glue only to their edges (so the middle part stays clean), and glue them across the bottom corners of the window.
Add the backing of the photo frame: Apply glue to the left, right, and bottom edges of the backside of your photo frame. Then, attach it to a piece of colorful cardstock that’s slightly larger than the frame. Remember, don’t apply glue on the top edge – this creates a pocket at the top where you can slide your photo in.
Once the glue is dry, slide your photo between the paper stripes.
Next, we’ll create an additional backing that will make the DIY photo frame firm and sturdy:
Cut a rectangle out of thick paper (I used a cereal box). Make it slightly smaller than your photo frame.
Wrap one side of the thick paper in colorful paper. I used the same green cardstock that I used for my photo frame’s backing.
Glue the thick paper to the back of your photo frame, with it’s colorful side facing up:
Next, let’s make the photo frame’s stand:
Cut a rectangular piece of the thick paper. I used the whole side of a cereal box, which was 13.4” x 15.4” (34 x 39 cm).
Wrap the thick paper in colorful paper or cardstock. This will be your photo frame’s stand material.
Place the stand material horizontally, with its nicer side (if there is one) facing down, and fold it like so:
- First Fold: Take one edge and fold it upwards. Press firmly along this fold because the material is thick.
- Second Fold: Fold the opposite edge downwards, aligning its tip with the edge you just folded. Essentially, you’re folding the material in half.
- Unfold the Second Fold: Gently unfold the material after the second fold. You will now have a central crease dividing your stand material. The picture below shows dashed lines indicating where the next folds should approximately be.
- Fold Along the Top Dashed Line: Lift the central crease upwards, then create a new fold along the top dashed line indicated in the picture.
- Fold Along the Bottom Dashed Line: Lastly, bring the lower part of the stand material upwards. Make sure that all the edges of the stand material are aligned, then press to fixate your final fold. The central crease now becomes sandwiched between the folds, forming the stand’s structure.
- Your photo frame stand is folded!
Glue the top of the stand to seal it:
Glue the stand to the back of your photo frame:
DONE! Add a memorable photo of the grandparents with their grandkids, and you’ll have a lovely, heart-warming Christmas creation:
Up for more printable Christmas crafts? Don’t forget to grab my Free Printable Nativity Set! Subscribe to my Newsletter to get it:
More Christmas freebies
Here are some more awesome Christmas freebies you’ll love:
Printable nativity set – See how to make my paper nativity set and grab your free printable template.
Printable gingerbread house – Color, fold and assemble this adorable gingerbread house ornament.
Christmas coloring pages – Coloring pages for a festive, yet relaxing activity.
Mermaid Christmas coloring page – Celebrate Christmas with the mermaids!
Kawaii Christmas cookie labels – Printable labels that will look fabulous as gift tags too!
Snowman tag and party favor kit – This printable snowman craft comes with a bag topper and colorful instructions, ready to becomes a Christmas party favor craft kit.
DIY Christmas coloring book – Learn how to make a Christmas coloring book in Microsoft Word. Bind your book with the free printable cover template.
Christmas wish list – A cute Christmas wish list that comes in two sizes. Perfect for your planner!
* All the free printables in my website are for personal, non-commercial use only. Kindly refrain from sending them directly to others. Instead, feel free to share the link to the relevant post. Thanks!
