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?

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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 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 I save old maps and have quite a collection, I use out of date road maps and keep city maps from trips.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.

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

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

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.

Yield: heart map ornaments and booches

How To Make Heart Map Ornaments & Brooches

Print

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.

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

• Repurposed Wood Map ornaments
• Upcycled road map paper moths
• Vintage Map Heart Garland
• Pretty Map Luminary Bags
• Repurposed Map Decorations
• Make Your Own Christmas Crackers With Maps