Easy Homemade Holiday Gifts

Before cutting your photos, you can crop them and resize them using a photograph editing program, if needed. I wanted close-up shots, so I made the photos larger and cropped them into nice face shots. In addition, you can fix any imperfections in the photos, such as red eyes, in the program.

Before gluing anything down, layer your papers and photos in the correct order to be sure everything fits properly and looks the way you want it to look. Then adhere the bottom layer of paper to the CD, gently positioning until it’s evenly centered on the CD. (I use repositionable adhesive called Dotto for most of my projects just in case I need to move something after it’s been “glued” down. Dotto allows you to lift paper and photos up without ripping and ruining a project, then reposition them elsewhere. If the paper where you removed something is sticky, gently rub the tiny dots of glue away using your finger.)

When the first layer is centered, press firmly so it adheres tightly. Adhere the second layer next, followed by the third layer and then the photo. Repeat with remaining CDs.

When all of your CDs are finished, place them on a flat surface and cover them with wax paper. Set a heavy book on each to help seal the adhesive and press out any air bubbles. Allow them to set for several hours or overnight.

When the adhesive has sealed tightly, turn over each CD, design-side down. With a craft knife, carefully cut around the CD. Don’t worry if the edges are rough because the next step is to use a metal fingernail file and gently file the edges, using a downward motion so you don’t push the paper up and risk the adhesive coming loose. When the edges are smooth, use a foam brush and cover each CD with a thin layer of decoupage. This will seal everything so the project will last for years.

Once everything is completely dry, it’s time to “tie” the CDs together. To do this, select your ribbon and tape it to the back of the CDs, making sure the space between the CDs is even. Next, tape a piece of hemp string to the back of the top CD so the finished project can be hung on the wall.

If you want to use four CDs and group them into a square, use Popsicle sticks to connect the CDs because they’ll need support to hang horizontally. Before taping the Popsicle sticks to the backs of the CDs, using regular Scotch tape, use double-sided craft tape to cover the Popsicle sticks with ribbon. Using four CDs and arranging them in a square grouping will make the wall hanging a little heavier, so it’s a good idea to double the hemp string for added strength.

These wall hangings can be scrapbooked digitally or by hand. While I enjoy scrapbooking the old-fashioned way, digital scrapbooking can be just as fun — and it’s much faster, so if you’re in a hurry, give it a try.

Similar designs are great for old vinyl records, either 33 1/3 LPs or the smaller 45s, turning them into wall or table décor. You can do this digitally or by hand, in the same fashion as the CD wall hangings. Because they are larger than CDs, it’s best not to attach multiple records together, but instead to design only one and place it in an easel.