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You are here: Home / Maps / DIY Heart Map Ornament & Brooch

DIY Heart Map Ornament & Brooch

29th November 2016 by Claire Armstrong 58 Comments

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Do you want to personalize a decoration or gift for someone special? Then make a DIY map ornament. You can use maps of where they are from, a favourite holiday or for a couple where they met.

Maps are my favourite way to personalize my crafts. Maps make things look fantastic. Not only that they can make the most mundane of objects all of a sudden a lot more interesting and even turn them into a conversation piece.

My easy map table mats and my very popular IKEA lamp map hacks are great examples of this.

Heart-shaped maps only add the specialness of maps. I’ve made treat map hearts for Valentine before. This time I decided that I would use the heart shape for some Christmas ornaments.

DIY Heart Map Ornament, Brooch, Keyring and Tag

I was so pleased how my Christmas heart map ornament was turning out. I got a bit carried away with them and made some brooches, keyrings and even Christmas tags out of them. They were so easy to do and added that extra something special to my Christmas decorations and gifts.

Who doesn’t like a Christmas gift that’s been personalized for them?

DIY Heart Map Ornaments

This post contains Amazon affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to see my disclosure policy.

What You Need to Make a Heart Map Ornament

  • Wooden heart shapes – These are really cheap to buy and come in a variety of shapes. You can easily get them on Amazon or eBay.
     
    I bought large ones with pre-drilled holes for may ornaments, keyrings and gift tags. For the brooches, I used smaller hearts.
  • Keyring chains
  • Self-adhesive brooch pins
  • Red Velvet Ribbon
  • Decoupage glue – such as mod podge
  • Paper scalpel and cutting mat.
What you need to make a heart map ornament, brooches and tags.
What Maps To Use
  • And of course maps. I save old maps and have quite a collection, I use out of date road maps and keep city maps from trips. If you don’t have any maps or maps for the places you want you can either download. Pictureboxblue has a vast collection of lovely printable vintage maps.
     
    Another good source for maps is to use map wrapping paper. Cavallini has a really lovely range of vintage map wrapping papers from around the world and many cities in the US and worldwide.
     
    You can of course just look up that special place on google maps and print out the map you want. That way you get to choose how much detail you want for your map.

How to Make a Map Ornament, Brooch and Keyring.

1. First, decide on what sized wooden heart you are going to use. Larger ones for the map ornament and keyring, smaller ones for the map brooch.

2. Next, place your map on a cutting mat and then place the heart shape on top of the map where you want.

placing heart on map

3. Next, using a paper scalpel (craft knife) carefully cut around the heart.

cutting out map heart

3. Next, paste both the wooden heart shape and the map cut out with decoupage glue. Then, carefully stick the map heart to the wooden heart.

4. Then, apply a layer of decoupage glue or varnish to the top of the map. This will seal your map ornament and protect it.

I recommend 2 coats allowing them to dry in between each coat.

Finishing off the DIY map ornament, keyring, brooch or tag…

For the map ornament, you will need to stick a map to both sides of the wooden heart and attach the red velvet ribbon for hanging.

DIY heart map ornament for that extra special personalised gift.

For the map brooch, you will need only a map on the front. On the back of the heart attach the self-adhesive brooch pin.

For a lovely gift make a simple map heart brooch of their favourite places.

For the map keyring, like with the map ornament a map on both sides and then attach a keyring chain.

DIY heart map keyring, for that personalised touch.
DIY map heart ornament, keyring and brooches.  Great for a handmade personalised gift.

To use your map ornament as a gift tag, only stick a map on the front. Then you can write the recipient’s details on the back of the wooden map heart.

I’ve also used these wooden heart shapes to make some cute felt flower brooches or Valentine’s day.

Ideas of Maps to Use

For the map ornaments, you can use maps of where you have spent past Christmases. Up until the age of thirty, I spent most of my Christmas’s in Hong Kong. Then my family moved to Portugal but I live in the UK. I aim to have a heart map ornament for everywhere I’ve spent Christmas, which is Hong Kong, Portugal, Newcastle Upon-Tyne, and Staffordshire.

Another idea for a heart map is to have on one side a map of where you were born and on the other a map of where your husband or partner was born.

For the brooches, you can use maps of your favourite places and cities.

DIY map heart ornament for that extra special personalised gift.
Make a personalised Christmas decoration for your tree with these DIY heart map ornaments.  They also make a lovely gift.
Yield: heart map ornaments and booches

How To Make Heart Map Ornaments & Brooches

DIY map heart ornament, keyring and brooches. Great for a handmade personalised gift.

Make a personalized gift for a loved one by using maps of places special to them. With these wooden hearts you can make a hanging map ornament, a map brooch or map keyring.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Active Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Difficulty Easy
Estimated Cost $5

Materials

  • Blank wooden craft hearts
  • Old maps
  • Decoupage glue
  • Keychain
  • Self-adhesive brooch pin
  • Ribbon

Tools

  • Craft knife
  • Cutting mat

Instructions

  1. Place the heart on the area of the map you want
  2. Using a craft knife cut the map around the heart
  3. Stick the map to the wooden heart and seal with varnish
  4. Attach either ribbon, keychain or pin depending on what you are making. Map ornament, brooch or keyring.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

  • CEWOR 100pcs 2.4" Wooden Heart Slices Wood Heart Embellishments for Wedding Crafts Art Making (50 Predrilled and 50 Undrilled)
    CEWOR 100pcs 2.4" Wooden Heart Slices Wood Heart Embellishments for Wedding Crafts Art Making (50 Predrilled and 50 Undrilled)
© Pillarboxblue

If you liked these map ornaments then you should check out some of my other map crafts and DIY’s

  • Repurposed Wood Map ornaments
  • Vintage Map Heart Garland
  • Pretty Map Luminary Bags
  • Repurposed Map Decorations
  • Make Your Own Christmas Crackers With Maps
Map heart ornament

Filed Under: christmas, Crafts, Maps, Seasonal, Valentines Tagged With: brooch, christmas, decoration, decoupage, heart, keyring, map, map ornament, maps, ornament

Previous Post: « Brilliant DIY LED Deer Christmas Decoration
Next Post: How To Make A DIY Branch Christmas Tree »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Calypso in the Country

    12th December 2017 at 2:29 pm

    Very cute idea! Our whole family loves maps so this would be a fun project!
    Shelley

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      12th December 2017 at 4:40 pm

      Thank you, good luck with it.

      Reply
  2. Sharon@bluewillowhouse

    9th December 2017 at 4:56 pm

    Love your map ornaments, brooches, key rings and tags. Thanks for sharing at Snickerdoodle and I am featuring them at the party today.

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      9th December 2017 at 6:06 pm

      Thank you so much I look forward to seeing them.

      Reply
  3. Kim

    16th October 2017 at 2:09 pm

    Love these! If printing maps, what weight paper would you suggest using? Cardstock, regular printer paper, photo paper?

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      16th October 2017 at 2:25 pm

      Thank you, you don’t want the paper to be too heavy for this project so regular printer paper is fine.

      Reply
  4. creativejewishmom/sara

    7th January 2017 at 11:19 pm

    love these, so much fun any time! thanks for sharing on craft schooling sunday, great to reconnect in 2017!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      8th January 2017 at 8:07 am

      Thank you so much, glad craft schooling Sunday is back.

      Reply
  5. Julie

    19th December 2016 at 8:40 pm

    I love all these ideas, especially the brooches. I’ll be pinning this as I think I know a few people for whom this would be a great gift. I saved a few old road map books (now we are all sat navs these days a road map seems very old school doesn’t it?) and I’ve used it for some pictures and cards. Hopefully I’ll have the right pages left for some brooch making in the new year. Thanks

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      19th December 2016 at 10:52 pm

      Thank you, I’m giving a few as gifts this year too.

      Reply
  6. Cristina at Ava's Alphabet

    11th December 2016 at 5:35 pm

    I just love these sweet little map ornaments. I have kept coming back to look at them all week. Pinned and sharing! Thank you for joining us at Family Joy Blog Link-Up Party.

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      11th December 2016 at 9:21 pm

      Thank you, hope you make one for your tree.

      Reply
  7. Charlene Asay

    8th December 2016 at 7:05 pm

    These are cute. Thanks for sharing with us at Family Joy Blog Link Up Party this week.

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      8th December 2016 at 8:00 pm

      Thank you.

      Reply
  8. Liz

    6th December 2016 at 3:21 pm

    So sweet! I love the map ornament!!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      6th December 2016 at 6:38 pm

      Thank you !

      Reply
  9. Coombe Mill - Fiona

    6th December 2016 at 3:05 pm

    So pretty and a lovely way to upcycle a plain wooden heart. Pinned!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      6th December 2016 at 6:37 pm

      Thanks and thanks for the pin.

      Reply
  10. Angie ~ ambient wares

    6th December 2016 at 12:07 am

    I love the versatility of this idea! Superb 🙂 Thanks for sharing it with us at Funtastic Friday!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      6th December 2016 at 1:36 pm

      Thank you !

      Reply
  11. Helen at Pleasures of the NW

    5th December 2016 at 2:23 pm

    What a great idea – and a great way to commemorate a trip! Thanks for sharing at the Pleasures of the NW’s DIY party!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      5th December 2016 at 8:28 pm

      Thank you, I keep the maps of the places I visit for crafts.

      Reply
  12. Amanda

    5th December 2016 at 1:40 pm

    Love this and love maps, we are addicted to travel, the only problem is I’d hate to cut up any of our maps… I’ll have to keep an eye out for second hand maps for sale! Thanks for sharing @practicalmum link up

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      5th December 2016 at 3:49 pm

      Thank you, you could always photocopy or scan and print your old maps.

      Reply
  13. SWAPNA

    5th December 2016 at 10:20 am

    This is gorgeous! I love maps! Pls do share at #practicalmondays too!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      5th December 2016 at 10:52 am

      Thank you and thanks for the invite.

      Reply
  14. Cecilia MyThriftStoreAddiction

    5th December 2016 at 12:52 am

    So clever and cute! Thanks for sharing @Vintage Charm!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      5th December 2016 at 7:57 am

      Thank you!

      Reply
  15. Kim Too Much Time on My Hands

    4th December 2016 at 3:14 pm

    These are just awesome! I absolutely love them. Great job

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      4th December 2016 at 4:56 pm

      Cheers and thank you!

      Reply
  16. Lindsey

    3rd December 2016 at 9:06 pm

    What a cute idea! Thanks for sharing for the Home Matters Link Party.

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      3rd December 2016 at 9:27 pm

      Thank you.

      Reply
  17. Katrin

    2nd December 2016 at 9:32 pm

    Claire you’re so clever and your map style is so cool! I actually have the, how it looks, exact same wooden hearts that I want to change up a bit on the weekend, but with wrapping paper…. I love your idea of making key chains and brooches!!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      2nd December 2016 at 10:26 pm

      Thank you Katrin. Look forward to seeing your wooden heart transformations.

      Reply
  18. Kari Wagner Hoban

    2nd December 2016 at 1:24 pm

    These are adorable. I have seen lots of these on Etsy but they are really expensive.
    Pinning!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      2nd December 2016 at 4:03 pm

      Thank you, they are very easy and cheap to make.

      Reply
  19. Sarah Bell

    1st December 2016 at 10:04 pm

    I love this idea! I’m actually planning a bridal shower in January and theme is travel, these would be a perfect decoration for it! Thanks for sharing 🙂
    #TADA!ThursdaysLinkParty

    Sarah Bell
    Trendy & Tidy

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      1st December 2016 at 10:08 pm

      Thank you, they would be great for your shower.

      Reply
  20. Julie Bagamary

    1st December 2016 at 1:41 pm

    GREAT idea. My daughter in Berlin would love this!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      1st December 2016 at 5:55 pm

      Thank you, I’m sure she will.

      Reply
  21. Susan

    1st December 2016 at 12:58 pm

    As a military family that moves every couple of years, these map decorations would be a lovely way to chronicle our travels. Thanks for sharing at the #ThisIsHowWeRoll Link Party.

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      1st December 2016 at 5:54 pm

      That sounds like a really lovely idea.

      Reply
  22. Colleen

    1st December 2016 at 12:33 pm

    Just adorable…these would make great stocking stuffers!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      1st December 2016 at 5:54 pm

      Thanks, I’ve made some for the stocking too.

      Reply
  23. Mary-the boondocks blog

    1st December 2016 at 8:32 am

    Claire, I love your use of maps on everything. It has become y our trademark.

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      1st December 2016 at 11:07 am

      Thanks Mary, yes I have a bit of a thing about maps and denim !

      Reply
  24. Name*

    9th December 2018 at 1:57 am

    The map ideas, which are fabulous, could also be used in making your children’s school art projects, school papers, pictures etc. Great Idea!

    Reply
  25. Claire Armstrong

    9th December 2018 at 8:22 am

    Thank you. Yes I love to use old maps in so many crafts.

    Reply

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