Did you lose a pet this year? This dog memorial ornament is a nice way to honor a lost pet during the holiday season.
In June, we lost our sweet pup, Honey to lung cancer. To remember her during the holidays, Dan and I decided to make some super easy dog memorial ornaments to add to our Christmas tree. We created ours to have a clean look using black and white photos and a punch of red through the bow and printable. However, you could make these as decorative as you like by adding more embellishments!
How to make a dog memorial ornament
Supplies needed for the ornament
- Plain wood, chalkboard or plaster ornaments (Amazon | Walmart)
- Printer paper
- Ribbon
- Mod Podge Matte (Amazon | Walmart)
- 1″ Foam brush (Amazon | Walmart)
- Scissors
- Hole punch
Choosing your photos
Dan and I both chose photos to use for this project. We picked out ones with just Honey, and ones where she was with one of us. After we narrowed down our choices, we printed them out in black and white. This helped us realize which photos had too many dark colors to work. Then we held each photo up to the heart-shaped ornament to see what parts of the photo would be removed when clipping to fit the shape. We also took note of where the hole for the twine would be in the photo. Once we had our finalists, we got started.
Dog memorial saying
The other side of the ornament has the saying “No longer by my side but forever in my heart” with Honey’s name. You can download your own copy of this saying by using the form below. You will receive one sheet with the words in the shape of a heart, and another with the words in the shape of a circle. That way you can choose an ornament in the shape of a ball if you can’t find one in the shape of a heart.
Instructions
Step 1: After you’ve chosen your photos, size them to the width/height of your ornament and print them in black and white. Prepare your ornament by removing the twine and making sure the surface is
Step 2: Trace the shape of your ornament onto your photo and then cut ¼” in from trace line. This will allow some of the ornament to show. If you don’t want this, just cut along the trace line. Punch a hole where the twine will go through the ornament.
Step 3: Print out the saying for the opposite side of the ornament and add your dog’s name. Note: you can download a copy of the saying using the form before the instructions.
Step 4: Trace the ornament on the saying and then cut ¼” in from trace line. This will allow some of the ornament to show. If you don’t want this, just cut along the trace line. Punch a hole where the twine will go through the ornament.
Step 5: Using the foam brush, apply a thin layer of Mod Podge to the ornament. Once it is covered, quickly place the cut-out photo on the ornament and smooth into place making sure the holes line up.
Step 6: Let dry for at least 15 minutes and then apply another thin layer of Mod Podge over the photo.
Step 7: Once dry, repeat steps 5 & 6 with the saying on the other side of the ornament. Then re-tie the twine in place.
Step 8: Add embellishments. I decided to add a red bow I tied from leftover ribbon and put it in place with glue dots. You can add anything you like; get creative!
All you have to do is hang your ornaments and enjoy them year after year!
How do you remember your lost pet during the holidays?
Make an ornament for your first Christmas as a married couple!
