My gorgeous little nephew just turned 2 and I wanted to make something for him as part of his present. He's just starting to say a lot more, trying to get our names right and coming up to the age for learning to sit and play a simple game so I thought I could make him some memory game cards from family photos.

It came out kind of cool (if I do say so myself) so here's what I did if you want to have a go.

Let me warn you know there now follows a weird mix of metric and imperial measurement - sorry, I am a UK child of the 70's, what can I say!

You need:

• A photo of each family member

• Thick 250 micron A4 laminating pouches

• Wrapping paper

• Scissors or a guillotine

• Corner punch (optional)

I used Picmonkey to get my photos ready. Update : you now have to pay for Picmonkey so I mostly use iPiccy to edit my photos but other site exist. The instructions are not identical to the Picmonkey ones below but it is very similar

• Open Picmonkey (or your choice of photo editing sites) and select Collage

• Upload two of the photos you want to use

Change the type of collage by clicking the little symbol on the right

Select "Cards" 5x7 and the one with just 2 photos

Rotate the canvas (red arrow) and pull the dividing line to the centre (green arrow)

Then you can just drag and drop your two photos, one in each rectangle. Save and then repeat for the next pair of photos.

I had 4 of each photo printed at a photo place. (I thought it would use too much printer ink at home) They ended up with a white border, not sure why but the photo is 5"x7" so each individual picture is 5"x3.5"

I cut them out with the guillotine, trimming them so they were all exactly 82mm x 122mm

I rounded the corners with my corner punch. Next I cut the wrapping paper into A4 pieces and layered them in the laminating pouches with the photos spaced out on the plain side.

Then they just rolled through the laminator.

I cut them out, allowing an even border round the photos then rounded the corner again.

Then we had a quick play, just to make sure it worked.

Wooo, it's a pair!

Now I just needed a cute box for him to keep them in. I had a sturdy little box from Ikea, the smallest of a nesting set with a twirly design on the lid. (no before photo sorry, don't know what happened there)

I painted the lid with black paint

Then added some writing with a tipex pen

There are 9 in Luke's family and 5 of us so that's 14 people, and I made 4 of each card. 56 cards is plenty. I thought only 2 of each might make the game too hard to play. If you have less people in the family you could have Grandparents, Aunts & Uncles, Cousins etc. 

Don't try to use card instead of wrapping paper, if it's too thick you end up with an air gap all round the photos when they are laminated. I don't think they would last as well.

Luke's big sisters have had lots of fun playing with the cards and promise to teach him to play the memory game once he is a little bit older.

These cards can also be used for simple matching up and grouping games, something like "Find Auntie Julie?", Snap and other things I've not even thought of.

I wondered about doing Domino Cards too but that will only work for 6 people. Unless people doubled up in the photos, humm, maybe next time...

This post is part of a Blog Hop/Series with 14 other amazing Bloggers all sharing lovely Gift ideas that you can make yourself. The collection has all sorts of ideas suitable for all sorts of potential recipients so have a little browse though and see if you are inspired to make a gift or two this year. 

Just click on the links below to see tutorials on how to make these other great gift ideas.

Romantic Stamped Clay Pendant - Whistle and Ivy

Handmade Rustic Coaster - Making It To The Mountains

DIY Key Holder - Hawthorne and Main

DIY Tea Towels - Meet the B's

Family Memory Card Game - Sum of Their Stories

Texture Infinity Scarf - Persia Lou

DIY Felt Stuffie - Feathers Flights

Bow Earwarmers - The Cwafty Blog

DIY Copper Pipe Tray - Upcycled Treasures

DIY Gold Accented Trinket Trays - For My Love Of

Burberry Bag - Delineate Your Dwelling

DIY Bracelet - Kraft and Mint

DIY Miniature Wall Hangings - TheGathered Home 

Leather Accented Cutting Boards - Sisters, What!

Hand Painted Recipe Box - Anderson and Grant

Bah Humbug Disclaimer: Normally I would be bemoaning that fact it is far too early for anything Christmas related but if you want to make gifts you probably do need to start thinking about it, gathering supplies, making a start - sorry!

Julie

I'll be linking up this project at all these lovely link parties