It happens every year. You invite friends and family to celebrate your kiddo’s birthday and after everything is said and done, you have a pile of thoughtful birthday cards that your child has already forgotten. You don’t want to toss them but you also don’t feel like storing them in a box for years to come. Find out how to turn birthday cards into picture frames that capture your child’s birthday and become a fun piece of decor for your home.

I was compensated by Dollar Tree for this post. This post also contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. Read the full disclosure here.

[bctt tweet=”Do you have a stack of birthday cards you feel too guilty to throw out? Find out how to turn birthday cards into picture frames that you’ll want to keep! #ad” username=”diyadulation”]

Let’s face it, when you spend your hard earned money on something, you don’t really want to think about it being carelessly tossed away. Too often this happens with birthday cards.

That’s why I’m so excited about Dollar Tree carrying Expressions from Hallmark for $1 each and Heartline from Hallmark for 2 for $1! Seriously, I am a bit of a Dollar Tree addict. If I can get it at my local store, I probably am.

Expressions and Heartline Cards by Hallmark

These new cards, available starting today, are absolutely gorgeous and available for a multitude of occasions all without breaking the bank. Even better, they are high quality and sturdy. Some even come with my personal favorite embellishment: glitter!!

You can also find them with your kid’s favorite characters on them. It makes them the perfect budget-friendly option for all of those birthday parties you get invited to during the school year.

When you aren’t blowing your budget on cards, it makes it so much easier when you think about them getting tossed or shoved in a drawer somewhere. Of course, you can prevent that in your own house now. Keep reading to find out how how to turn birthday cards into picture frames with this easy tutorial.

Materials

Kids Birthday Card
Circular Object to Trace (Or whatever shape you want)
Pencil
Awl
Scissors
Puff Paint (it doesn’t have to be fabric paint that is simply the only puff paint I own)
Picture of Birthday Boy or Girl
Glue Runner

Step 1

First, determine where you want your photo to show on your card front.

Step 2

Then trace a circle in that spot in pencil on the front of the card.

Step 3

Next, punch a hole in the center of the circle with your awl.

Step 4

After you punch your circle, carefully wedge your scissors in the hole and cut out your traced circle.

Note:

You can recycle the cut out circle. You don’t need it for this project.

Step 5

Then, test your photo behind your cutout to ensure that the opening is sufficient. If not, trim it as needed.

Step 6

Remove your photo and place your card open, with the inside facing down, on a scrap piece of paper.

Tip:

The envelope is perfect for this step. Simply make sure that your cut out opening is centered on the envelope.

Step 7

Now, add a line of puff paint around the edge of your cut out area to create a “frame”.

Step 8

Carefully lift your painted card from the scrap paper and set the opening over a can or bowl to dry.

Note:

That red tray I used above totally came from the Dollar Tree too. I told you I was obsessed!

Note:

You don’t want the opening to touch anything as it dries otherwise it will stick.

Step 9

After your paint is dry, center your photo in the cutout opening and tape into place.

Step 10

Then use your glue runner to attach the inside of the card together.

Step 11 (Optional)

Lastly, place your card in a picture frame and hang it on the wall.

Now that you know how to turn birthday cards into picture frames, you can feel better about that stack of cards after every birthday party. Now that you can get amazing, high quality Expressions and Heartline Hallmark cards from Dollar Tree, you can feel good about your budget. It’s a win-win!

Check out the amazing designs now on the Dollar Tree Website and let me know which is your favorite in the comments! (If you can pick just one, that is. I certainly can’t.)

See where I’m linking up!

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More Dollar Tree Ideas You’ll Love:

Gorgeous Budget Friendly Fall Wreath
Super Cheap Homemade Large Pepperoni Pizzas
DIY Gold Foiled Luminary
DIY Dollar Store Pumpkin Topiary – Our Craft Mom

Do you know how you automatically make something a thousand times cooler? You make it mini! Logically, that means when you take something that’s already awesome and make it mini… omgosh! It is coolness overload. That is exactly what this glittery and colorful unicorn birthday card delivers.

Affiliate links may be used in this post. Ordering a product through these links may result in a commission at no extra cost to you. Read the full disclosure here.

[bctt tweet=”Know anyone in your life who acts like the little girl from Despicable Me over unicorns? This glittery and colorful unicorn birthday card is for them!” username=”diyadulation”]

For the longest time, I was fairly blase about unicorns. They were fine but not something that pulled out my giddy girl squeal. I blame it on my reservations (borderline down-right fear) of horses.

As they grow in popularity, though, something awesome is happening. They are full of bright rainbow colors and sparkles and pretty much everything that speaks to me on every level.

When something aligns that much with your personality at its core, how can you not get sucked in? If you have a friend, daughter, coworker… pretty much anyone who acts like the little girl from Despicable Me over unicorns, then this is the perfect handmade card for them!

Note: This looks like a lot of steps but most of them go by incredibly fast. The longest time commitment is in the coloring phase. Once you finish that, the rest flies by.

Materials

1 Sheet of White 8.5 x 11 inch Cardstock
Paper Cutter
Lawn Fawn You’re Claw-some Stamp Set
Small Clear Acrylic Block
Black Pigment Ink Pad
Hot Pink Pigment Ink Pad (Similar Set)
Teal Pigment Ink Pad
Magenta Pigment Ink Pad
Colored Pencil Set (This is the set I used)
Black Fine Tip Marker
Stickles
Birthday Stamp Set
Corner Rounder
Teal Cardstock (Can be a scrap piece)
Glue Runner
Bright Yellow Card Form
Large Adhesive Foam Dots

Step 1

First, cut your piece of white cardstock in half, bisecting the 11″ edge. Set 1 half aside. You need it in step 13.

Step 2

Next, take the clear unicorn stamp from your set and mount it to your acrylic block.

Step 3

Then stamp your unicorn with black pigment ink throughout the entire half sheet of cardstock.

Step 4

Clean your stamp and place it back with your stamp set. Then attach the small star stamp from the set to your acrylic block.

Step 5

Stamp your star throughout your half sheet of cardstock using hot pink pigment ink.

Step 6

Again clean your stamp but leave it attached to your acrylic block. Use it to stamp more stars on your cardstock using teal pigment ink.

Step 7

Finish stamping your stars by cleaning your stamp again and adding the last stars with magenta pigment ink.

Step 8

Next, pull out your colored pencils set and pull out pencil colors that match the stamped stars and also a bright yellow, gold, and silver colored pencils.

Step 9

Use your pencils to color in your stamped unicorns, alternating between colors. I used 1 main color for each unicorn then rotated between combining the main color with bright yellow, gold, or silver on the horns.

Step 10

After you finish coloring your unicorns, go back over the stamped outlines with your black fine tip marker.

Step 11

Then cut your stamped and colored cardstock piece in half again.

Step 12

Choose one half (whichever is your favorite) and add Stickles to each of the stamped stars. Set the sheet aside to dry.

Step 13

Pull out the second half of white cardstock and cut a small rectangle from it that is slightly larger than the “Surprise” stamp in your birthday stamp set.

Step 14

Attach the “Surprise” stamp to your acrylic block and stamp it with black pigment ink in the center of your white piece of cardstock.

Note:

You can clean and out your stamp away after this step.

Step 15

Round the corners on the word-stamped piece of cardstock.

Step 16

Then color each letter of the word with the same colored pencils you used on your unicorns.

Step 17

Next, mat your stamped and colored word onto teal cardstock using a glue runner. Trim any edges so that they look as pictured above.

Step 18

Again, round the edges of the teal cardstock to match the white cardstock.

Step 19

Now, darken the outline on your word “Surprise” with a black fine-tip marker.

Step 20

Add Stickles to the stars on the word “Surprise” as you did on the stars in step 12. Allow them to dry.

Step 21

After your Stickles have dried, pull out your stamped elements and a bright yellow card form.

Step 22

Use your card form as a measure to determine how much, if any, you need to trim from your unicorn stamped cardstock and trim it.

Step 23

Now, attach your unicorn stamped cardstock to the front of the yellow card form, centered, with your glue runner.

Step 24

Next, flip over your matted teal cardstock and add an adhesive foam dot to each each corner. Also add one to the center for support.

Step 25

Lastly, attach it to the center of your unicorn card as pictured above.

Seriously, how much fun is this glittery and colorful unicorn birthday card?! Plus, since it says “Surprise” you could use it for other occasions outside of birthdays. Give it as thank you card and write, “You’re Awesome!” Pretty much any occasion you can think of to say surprise will absolutely work for this card. By the way, if you aren’t already following my on Instagram head over there now for sneak peeks into upcoming awesome projects like these!

See where I’m linking up!

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More Ideas You’ll Love:

Easy Handmade Thank You Cards
DIY Floral Notecards
DIY Whalecome Baby Card
Get Crafty with Cards: Engagement Card – C’mon Get Crafty

Fall is full of festivals, parties, tailgating, and a myriad of other celebrations. It is a pretty spectacular time of year. Of course, all of these events tend to have built-in fun for adults leaving you searching for a fun fall kids game idea to include. This DIY pumpkin pillow fight game is the perfect one for indoor and outdoor events alike.

Affiliate links may be used in this post. Ordering a product through these links may result in a commission at no extra cost to you. Read the full disclosure here.

[bctt tweet=”Let kids have fun knocking towers over with this easy #DIY pumpkin pillow fight #game!” username=”diyadulation”]

There is weird trait I’ve noticed that is present in both children and adults. We love knocking things over. That’s why games like bowling and Jenga are timeless classics in the world. Essentially, if we can make a game where we get to destroy the crap out of something, we’re all for it.

Ironically it doesn’t seem to matter whether the object is to do so (as in bowling) or prevent it (as in Jenga). As long as something crashes we’re in. That’s how you know your kids will love this easy little game.

It lets them exercise that destruction-loving trait inside. You set ’em up and knock ’em down. It takes no batteries, no crazy wires… none of it. Even better? It is super easy to make so you can whip it up last minute if you need to.

[bctt tweet=”Keep kids entertained during all of your fall events with this DIY pumpkin pillow fight game! It’s easy to whip up and travels easily!” username=”diyadulation”]

Pumpkin Pillow Fight Game Materials

6 Small Cardboard Pumpkin Boxes
Orange Acrylic Paint
Brown Acrylic Paint
Green Acrylic Paint
Black Acrylic Paint
Paint Brushes (1 Flat Brush and 1 Detail Brush)
White Fabric (I used an old tank top)
Stuffing
6-8 Marbles
Needle and White Thread
Straight Pins
Scissors
Spray Acrylic Sealant

Step 1

First, remove the lids from your pumpkin boxes and set them aside. You don’t need them for this project but they are perfect for this Halloween banner project.

Step 2

Next, paint the outside of your pumpkin boxes with a coat orange acrylic paint and allow it to dry.

Step 3

Add a second coat of orange acrylic paint to your pumpkins so that no cardboard show through.

Step 4

Again, allow you paint to dry completely before moving on.

Step 5 (Optional)

Flip your pumpkins over and paint the inside of the pumpkin boxes with black acrylic paint. I think this gives them a cleaner, more finished look. Of course, if you’re in a hurry or simply like the natural cardboard look, you can skip this step.

Step 6

Next, flip your pumpkins back over and paint stems on your orange pumpkin boxes with brown acrylic paint.

Step 7

While your brown paint dries, add the sleeping faces to the front of your pumpkins with black acrylic paint.

Step 8

Finish your pumpkin design by painting green leaves on the pumpkins by the painted stems and set them aside to dry.

Step 9

While your pumpkins dry, pull out your fabric and cut it into 6 rectangles that are 3 inches by 2 inches.

Tip:

If you are using an old tank top as I did, measure 3 inches up from the bottom and cut straight across. Then cut them into 2 inch pieces, leaving the sewn seams attached.

Step 10

Next, line up the edges of 2 cut rectangles, right sides together, and pin along the edges.

Note:

Do this to all of your fabric pieces. This should give you 3 pinned “pillows”.

Step 11

Next, sew around each of your pillows leaving a small gap to turn the fabric right side out after sewing. Be sure to pull out the pins as you stitch your edges.

Step 12

Once all of your pillows are sewn, turn them right-side out through the small gap you left when sewing.

Step 13

Then use that same unsewn gap to fill each pillow with Poly-Fil.

Step 14 (Optional)

Add 2-3 marbles inside each pillow to give the pillows some weight.

Tips:

Adding the marbles makes it much easier to knock down the pumpkins, especially from short distances. If your kids are older, you can omit them to make the game more challenging.
You can also use beans or dry corn in place of the marbles to add weight, I just prefer not to use food.

Step 15

Finish your pillows by sewing the gap closed on each pillow.

Step 16

Lastly, pull your now-dry pumpkins back out and spray both the front and back with acrylic sealant. Let the sealant dry completely before playing.

This is such an easy fall kids game idea that kids of all ages will love. Let them enjoy that super satisfying feeling when they knock something over and it’s allowed! Now you can quickly whip up this DIY pumpkin pillow fight game to keep kids entertained during all of your fall events. Store it in a gallon resealable bag to make it easy to travel with to outside events, too!

See where I’m linking up!

Don’t Forget to Pin It!

More Ideas You’ll Love:

DIY Tabletop Zombie Bowling Game
DIY Mini Pumpkin Lanterns
Glow in the Dark Ghost Handprint Shirt for Kids
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