Easy DIY photo gift ideas - DIY keyrings/ key chain

Do you need a quick and easy DIY gift idea to make it an hour? I got you covered. Try this photo DIY Keyring or key chain using shrink film. I love making gifts with photos as it is 1.Great memory keepsake for the recipient, 2. Not regiftable 😛 and 3. It is always nice to receive something with your photo on it. If you think my points are valid then you should be making this DIY photo gift for your loved ones this holiday season. Lets see how. 

Materials used:

• Shrink film
• Inkjet printer
• Hole punch
• Keyring making Kit
• Pliers
• Scissors

Step 1: Open a blank canvas in Canva.com. Click elements on the left sidebar and chose a frame design. Drag it on to the blank canvas. 

Step 2: On the left sidebar, select "Upload" and upload the photos you want to use from your computer. Drag the photo you want to use and drop it on the frame to take the shape of the frame. 

Note: If you want a solid border like I have used, Chose the same design under shapes and select a solid color. Place the shape on the top of the frame. Right-click, select "Send it to back". To achieve the border effect, the shape should be slightly bigger than the frame size. Adjust it accordingly. 

As shrink film will shrink to almost 50%, adjust your size accordingly. I used 4 photos per 8.5" X 11" canvas. 

Step 3: Once the photos are arranged on the canvas, you can save the picture in .jpg . Load your printer with a shrink film. Then open the picture and send it to the printer for printing. 

Step 4: Allow the ink to dry on the shrink film. Then use scissors to cut the film along the outline of the shapes and use a hole punch to punch holes for the keyrings. (This has to be done before baking)

Step 5: Place the shapes in between the parchment paper. Bake in the oven at 300F for 2-4 mins or until it has completely shrunk. (Refer to the package instructions).

Step 6: Once the photos come of the oven, use something flat like a cup and press it on top to make it flat. 

Step 7: Use pliers to open jump rings and add the photo film(you just made), chain part to one jump ring and add the other jump ring to other part of the chain along with the key ring . Close the jump rings to complete the DIY photo key chain. 

Alternate ideas:

• Avoid the hole punching step, add magnets to the back to make it as DIY Fridge magnets
• Add it to a Zipper pull to convert a simple purse/bag to personalized version. 
• Make it big and add it to a Canvas to create your own Picture frame.
• Use Letter frames in canva to make the key chain in the starting letter of your recipient with a photo inside. 

Important notes:

• If your picture looks dark on the screen, it will look darker once it is shrunk, so I advise you to lighten the photos before printing. 
• If you are planning to make fridge magnets, glue the magnets in the darker spots at the back as it is slightly transparent, magnets might be visible in the front.
• Avoid using any marker or pen to write at the back as it will be visible at the front - Lesson learnt from my trials ( If you take a closer look at the picture, you can see the writing on the diamond shaped key ring.My husband got too excited and wrote my son's nickname at the back of the shrink film after it is baked using ballpoint pen while I was baking the next batch of key rings😭. You can see how challenging it is for me to make a DIY with an active toddler and my husband who does unexpected things like this 😉😋)

Hope you like this simple DIY photo gift idea. Do try it and share it with us in any of the social media linked above. We would love to see it. As always do comment you thoughts on this ideas below. 

Other Photo gift ideas you might like:

DIY magic folding photo cube

DIY Mini Pallet photo magnets

DIY photo magnets

DIY photo transfer on wood