Mini Framed Memories
The perfect pre-holiday craft — if you can print it, you can frame it with polymer clay ✨
Tomorrow I’m flying back home to see my parents! Yay! I wanted to make them something just like I would when I was little, with my hands. So making these mini photo frames came to mind. After an easy scroll back in my photo album I was able to find so many photos over the years of my parents, friends, and furry friends. I printed them out on a piece of paper then got my hands and table messy with clay!
There’s one I particularly adore. It was the one with my parents over a big plate of deep dish pizza and I told them to make a funny face when I took the photo. It was 10 years ago in Chicago celebrating my college graduation! How time flies!
Handmade + sentimental, isn’t that the best combo for gifts?! Anything you can print out of a printer works for this idea. Here is the nitty-gritty of how I made mine!
Tools that you need:
a printer, inkjet or laser both work for this one
printer paper
scissors
liquid clay in the color “clear”
polymer clay, color of your choice
a heat gun (or hair dryer)
basic sculpting tools (dotting tool, needle tool)
exacto knife
working surface like a silicon mat
magnet or twine for finishing
an oven
uv resin (optional)
How-to steps:
Upload your photos into Canva and print them on regular printer paper. Try to leave a little white space around each photo.
Next, spread a thin layer of clear liquid clay over the printed area of each photo. A card works great for spreading it evenly.
Use a heat gun to set the liquid clay until it’s dry.
Roughly cut out your photos, keeping some of the white space around the edges.
Take a sheet of clay that’s a bit bigger than your photo and lightly mark the corners of the photo with a pointy tool so you know the size.
Cut out the outside shape of your frame, then cut the inside opening. Lay it over your photo to see how it looks and adjust if needed.
Once you’re happy with the base, start decorating the surface however you want!
When the design is finished (and if you’re making an ornament, don’t forget to poke a hole for the twine), bake it in the oven with the photo attached for 10 minutes.
After it cools, flip it over and work on the back of the frame. Just like the front, cover the back with liquid clay and set it with a heat gun—this helps fully attach the photo.
Then seal the back by covering the photo paper with clay. This part can be simple, just enough to cover everything.
Bake the whole piece for 20 minutes to fully set it.
Last step (totally optional): add a thin layer of UV resin over the photo area. The liquid clay on top already helps protect the photo from leaching, which is pretty cool!
A Little Christmas Memory
Christmas is more of a commercial holiday in China, so it isn’t really celebrated or held with the same sentiment as it is in America. But one of my favorite childhood memories is the day my mom came home with a fold-up tree that was taller than I was, plus two giant bags of ornaments. She dropped the bag on the floor with a pleasant sigh of relief, and said“Okay, we’re celebrating Christmas this year.”
We spent the next two days putting up ornaments and decorating the tree. Because of her—and my time spent in the West—I’ve always felt fond of this holiday. I really do love it.
What are some of your favorite holiday memories? I’d love to read them in the comments.
Thank you for being here and reading this far. If you enjoyed this post, feel free to share it with a friend 🤍
I hope you have a very cozy and crafty holiday! I would love to see what you make if you tag me :)
ins: warmclayco
Until next time!
Suzzy