Crafting Handmade Christmas Cards Out of Photos

Handmade Christmas cards are a great personalized addition to the holidays, and making them is quite easy with a few basic supplies. All you will need are prints of your photos (4 by 6 inches is recommended), a box set of stationary cards with envelopes, and a can of spray adhesive--found at photography or art supply stores.

Select Your Cards

Decide if you want to use a set of Christmas cards with sayings already in them or if you want to use blank ones to write a personal message to each recipient. Box sets of either kind are available at office supply stores and are relatively inexpensive. It is usually best to avoid most specialty stationary stores for this project; the prices are generally higher for the same quality cards. Be sure to pick cards made from thicker paper; they tend to hold up better to spray adhesive, but try not to get cards with slick glossy finishes either because these make it more difficult for the adhesive to dry with the photo completely straight.

Pick Your Photos

Digital photography has made it much easier to select only the number, sizes, and types of printed pictures you want. Gone are the days of having extra prints stashed in a box because the photo printer required you to buy a set of all twenty-four when you only like eight of them, for example. Most photo centers now have self-serve computerized kiosks where you can upload and select the photos you want to use for your cards. If you have a larger camera you do not want to take to the store, load your pictures onto a flash drive and take that instead. There is also the option of ordering prints from one of several online photo-printing sites. When selecting the shots for your cards, consider if you want glossy or matte finishes. Glossy is a bit more eye-catching, and matte is a bit more sophisticated.

Glue on Photos

When you get your adhesive spray from the photo supply store, pick a pair of white cloth gloves as well. These will protect your photo prints from smudges and your hands from the adhesive. Spread out old newspaper on any table or other surface you will be using to make your Christmas cards, and make sure it is in a well-ventilated area. A patio table works well. Lay your card face-up and your photo face-down, and lightly hold up one corner of the photo; this will make it easier to pick up.

Spray adhesive in a circular pattern on the back of your photo, and do not get any directly on the edges. Spraying close to the edges is fine, and a little spray adhesive goes a long way. Lift up your photo carefully by the edges and lay it face-up on your Christmas card. If you like, enlist a friend to help you by holding one edge and double-checking the print is completely straight before laying down so the adhesive sticks. Apply light pressure to make sure it all completely adheres, and let dry for twenty-four hours if possible.