How to Make Photo Holders (Simple DIY Guide)

Do you know how easy it is to make photo holders?

Not only are they easy to make, but they’re also very versatile. You can make them for yourself or as a present.

If you’re looking for more original ways to display your photos, I’ll show you how to make photo holders that can match your style and personality.

In this article, I’ll show you how I made my own rustic photo holders in five easy steps.

If rustic isn’t your thing, you can follow the same steps using different materials—I’ll even give you some ideas at the end of the article.

Photo holders aren’t just a way to decorate your house, they’re also fun party favours.

So, let’s get crafty!

Materials for Making Photo Holders

There are many ways to create photo holders, using many styles and different materials. I like the rustic look, so I decided to use wood.

However, I’ll give you some ideas for alternative materials at the end of the article.

• Wooden base
• Skewers
• Small Clip
• Glue
• Drill and drill bit the size of the skewer

Process for Making Photo Holders

Step 1

Drill a hole in the base. In my case, it doesn’t matter which side I use because it’s a flat surface. However, if you’re using a different base, make sure you drill the hole opposite the flat side.

To do this, you can use a drill with a drill bit that’s the size of your skewer. Alternatively, you can use a self-tapping screw and a screwdriver to make the hole.

Make sure the hole is deep enough without it going over the other side.

Step 2

Now, you need to cut the skewer to the right size. This depends on the size of the photo it will hold and the size of the base. Remember that you’ll need a deeper hole if the skewer is too long so it doesn’t fall.

A wooden skewer is easy enough to cut with your hands. However, if you prefer, you can use an X-acto knife or even scissors.

If you intend to put your photo holder on a bookshelf, make sure you measure it so the size, including the photo, isn’t too tall.

Step 3

Put some glue on one side of the skewer and attach the wooden clip to it. You can use super glue, a hot glue gun, or whatever you have at hand.

Make sure there’s enough surface for the clip to be stable on the skewer. If you glue it on the tip, it might not hold.

Then, wait for the glue to dry – the time depends on the glue you’re using.

Step 4

Next, you need to glue the other side of the skewer to the base. Simply put a drop of glue in the hole that you drilled.

Then, push the skewer in and hold it for a few seconds (or minutes, depending on the glue) until it’s dry.

Once the glue is dry, check that everything is stable enough and put your photo on the holder.

If the glue spills out, you can always use sandpaper to refine the looks.

Step 5 (optional)

You can further decorate your photo holder by painting it or writing something on it using an engraver pen. For example, if you’re using the photo holders as party favors, you can write the date on them.

• More photo wall ideas

Photo holder ideas

I made my photo holders using wood to give them a natural, rustic look that fits my taste and decor. However, there are multiple ways to create a photo holder.

In the above photo, you can see a glass sugar bowl lid created by Cindy Albright. You can check her Flickr account for ideas, as she upcycles many household objects for this purpose.

Alternatively, here are some other ideas.

• A dice from an old game board.
• A small toy or figurine.
• A wine bottle cork.
• A small bell.
• 3D print your own.

Other materials can be used for more than just the base. You can use a small dry tree branch, for example, to stay on the rustic side.

Otherwise, you can use bendable wire—to handle this, you’ll need wire cutters. Then, you can bend the tip with a couple of loops, holding the photo between the loops. You can bend the wire into a heart if you’re crafty enough.