Create a heartfelt tribute with a personalized cardinal ornament. Perfect for remembering a loved one, this keepsake adds meaning to your holiday décor.
When my dad passed away, I wanted to make some ornaments in memory of him to give to loved ones at the reception after the funeral. This is what I came up with and I absolutely love it.
I have several different designs that I created; you’ll need to decide which one you like the most.
I’ll create a heading for each one and a little description of how to make them using the design. They all use a laser cutter to cut out the shapes and engrave the text/design.
If you don’t have a laser cutter, but would like to make this yourself, a lot of times, there are Maker Spaces that you can use to do these type of projects for a small fee. Our local library even has one!
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Please read the whole post so you don’t miss any important information!
DIY Cardinal Ornaments
Project Supplies
- xTool M1 Laser Cutter http://shrsl.com/3v9vq
- Honeycomb Riser http://shrsl.com/3yxwg
- Air Assist http://shrsl.com/3yxv6
- Balsawood 3mm http://shrsl.com/40aun
- Twine/String
- Wood Glue https://homedepot.sjv.io/5b4JQo
- Optional Items:
- Set of 15 Art Paint Brushes with Paint Brush Case. https://amzn.to/3Iy6rGe
- Acrylic Markers: https://amzn.to/4hYeU6j
- FolkArt Jewel Tone Acrylic Craft Paint Kit, 15 Piece Set Including 12 Metallic Colors and 3 Premium Paintbrushes https://amzn.to/4qCf0Vq
- Vintage Christmas Sheet Music: 36 Decorative Sheets Scrapbook Paper For Collage, Scrapbooking, Junk Journaling, Paper Crafts and Decoupage https://amzn.to/4nvqmHU
- Rustoleum 2x https://homedepot.sjv.io/Ean04Q
- Mod Podge: Gloss https://amzn.to/43fij9C
- Mod Podge: Matte https://amzn.to/3uZFoRf
Simple Cardinal Ornaments
There are two versions of this ornament and the nice part is that you can cut both at once.
The laser cutter cuts out a circle ornament with the precut hole. The circle has a cardinal cut out in the middle.
The cardinal in the middle comes up and you could also use that as a separate ornament if you want to.
I added an option to the file where you can have the central cardinal come out with a hole for the twine or not. If you don’t want to use the cut out for an ornament, they make great cutouts for other types of crafts.
I also have a file in the package, not pictured, where the laser cutting doesn’t have any names or information, but has a cardinal with the “Cardinals appear when loved ones are near” engraving. I apparently didn’t take a photo of that one.
I Am Always With You Cardinal Ornament
I did a couple of versions of this ornament.
In one, I used the score option to outline the design, although I engraved the name, date of birth, and date of death. Then I used acrylic markers to color in the main design. I think it would have looked nice to engrave the tree branch too and then just highlight the cardinal with the color.
In the right ornament, I painted the wood with white acrylic paint and let it dry. Then I engraved the whole design. This has a very classic farmhouse look which I like. The white also looks nice against the green…. although some may prefer the raw wood color.
Gone But Not Forgotten Ornament
This ornament is cut in two layers. With the white base, I painted the wood with white acrylic paint before cutting and engraving the “gone but not forgotten,” as well as the custom details.
I cut the top layer separately, painted it, then let it dry. Afterwards, I use a q-tip to apply wood glue to the back of the top layer and carefully placed the layer on top.
Tip: I like to use q-tips to remove any excess paint or glue on projects.
Buy the Laser Cut File
Tips for DIY’ing These Ornaments
- The white was painted on with acrylic paint before engraving. This made for a really nice engraving. Just be careful about any potential toxins while cutting wood that has already been painted.
- When working on several ornaments, using spray paint after cutting works well to color in pieces of multi layer designs. Just don’t spray paint over your engraving.
- The backs of the ornaments could be laser engraved with a photo of your loved one, painted, kept plain, or you can also mod podge some scrapbook paper over the back.
Drop a comment and let me know which one is your favorite!! I made a bunch of these and let people pick what they wanted. Everyone loved them, but if it hadn’t been such a sad day, I would have loved to see which were most popular.
Please share and pin this post! You can also post your project and tag me on Instagram @doityourselfdanielle; I love seeing everything you make!
