Remember When Puzzle Tin
September 1, 2011 in Toys, Education & Activities by Grandma Shelley
Grandparents Day is fast approaching. Remember those special moments you have shared with your grandkids this Grandparents Day by crafting a Remember When Puzzle Tin with your grandchildren. You can get your fingers sticky along side your grandchild while making this special little keepsake together or you could easily send all of the supplies and the directions to them if you are unable to be together this Grandparents Day.
(If you are a grandchild I’ve got a tiny little secret for you. I happen to know that grandma’s and grandpa’s would be absolutely thrilled to receive this project as a gift on Grandparents Day or for that matter any other day of the year!)
Remember When Puzzle Tin
Object of the Project: To create a tin of “Remember When…” photo puzzles.
Supplies Needed:
- 4×6 photo prints
- Craft sticks (natural color or a variety of colors)
- Glue stick (acid free is best)
- Scissors
- One tin can
- Paper to cover can
- Colored markers
- Optional: Card stock backing for photos, other craft items to decorate the tin.
To Make:
- You may back the photo with a colored card stock to create a narrow and even border around all sides of the photo. (You need to somehow mark the puzzle pieces so that you know which puzzle pieces go together within the tin. Backing the photo’s in different colors of card stock is one option.)
2. Turn your photo face down on a clean and dry surface.
3. Lay out the craft sticks (use all of the same color of colored sticks as another option to match up the puzzle pieces) evenly spacing (allowing enough space for scissors to cut between the sticks) them across the entire back side of the photo. Line up the top edge to be flush with the top of your project. Now you are ready to glue your sticks into place.
4. Using the back of the photo as your “to-go-to” line. Apply glue to the stick and glue into place. Allow to dry completely.
5. If you have not used one of the other options to mark your puzzle pieces you may now, do so by using colored markers to make a matching letter, number, or shape on the front bottom of the natural colored craft sticks.
- You may add a date, a description of the event, or a special message to the back of one or more of the craft sticks.
6. Carefully cut between each craft stick to create your puzzle pieces.
7. The finished puzzle.
8. Repeat instructions to make more “Remember When” puzzles. Five or six photo’s make a nice Remember When Puzzle Tin.
9. To make the tin, you can re-purpose a tin can of your choice. Be careful that there are no sharp edges. Cover and decorate the tin as you like with the words “Remember When…” printed on the front.
Grandma Shelley
Grandma Shelley, author of Grandmaslittlepearls.com, is a native of Arizona and a longtime stay-at-home mother. She enjoys bonding with her close-knit family which includes ten adorable grandchildren. She has spun her maternal wisdom into her award-winning blog and is thrilled to now be associated with GrandmotherHen.com. Grandma Shelley loves sharing tips, ideas, and resources to inspire your own creative thoughts. Who knew you could have so much fun doing something so simple?
What a great project! I can’t wait to try it out at home.
Shelley – How fun. Thank you – Sara
I love that it is such a simple project yet so meaningful. The same idea could be used for so many different occasions…. my mind is just buzzing with ideas!
You always come up with such cute ideas!
Cool way to honor the other set of grandparents, too, by including photos of everyone with the grandchild!
Such a cute idea!! Can’t wait to see what else you post!!
gmacorn, what a great idea! I think I will add this project to my Grandkid’s Christmas Day Camp this year. It would be a win, win, win. It would be a craft project, a gift, and a very nice holiday gesture towards the other grandparents!
I think this is such an incredibly adorable, simple, entertaining idea! Wish I had known about it when MY kids were little.