Father’s Day Craft: Picture Puzzles

If you aren’t paying attention to the calendar, heads up! This Sunday is Father’s Day. Somewhat less advertised but equally as special, Father’s Day is the time to show your guy (father, grandfather, husband) just how important and loved he is. And what says “I love you” more than a handmade gift? Last year I built Levi a wall-mounted bottle opener because you know, dads drink beer and all. But this year I wanted to create something Levi could do with the kiddos. Away to Pinterest I went!

Picture puzzles are pretty simple to make and fun for kids from ages 3-33 and beyond. I already had most of the supplies in my craft cupboard, so this project was super budget-friendly.

Materials:

• Popsicle sticks
• All-purpose glue
• 4×4 or 4×6 photographs
• X-acto knife
• Fabric paint, stencils, brush (optional)

Step 1

Line up the popsicle sticks so they are all touching. For a 4×4 picture, use 11.

Step 2

Cover each stick with a thin line of glue.

Step 3

Place your photograph on the glue-lined sticks. Double check that your sticks are lined up before the glue dries. Tip – use the Walgreens app to order prints directly from your Instagram account. (Some filters turn out better than others!)

Step 4

Use a heavy book as a clamp to ensure that your photograph attaches evenly to the sticks. I recommend ‘The New Food Lover’s Companion’. Or you know, any heavy book that you won’t be tempted to flip through mid-drying. 10 minutes is enough time to let it dry before the next step, and in the meantime you can make more puzzles.

Step 5

Flip your glued-together puzzle face down and use an exacto knife to separate the sticks. Make sure you have a think surface underneath your puzzle, such as an old notebook, so you don’t scratch your work surface.

Step 6

Put your puzzle together!

I tied my puzzles up with twine and placed them in a cloth baggie I found at the craft store. Customize the baggie with any phrase related to puzzles or Father’s Day. My inspiration for this project came from All For The Memories, and I used her phrase “love you to pieces”.

By the way, you could use photos of your kids, your father, your grandfather, or anyone under the sun. I can’t wait to see Levi doing these puzzles with Isaac, and hopefully with Finley someday too. Happy crafting!