I made this photo cube for my brother's family last year, as the homemade portion of their Christmas present. I sent a smaller version (a flatter, two-sided square) to my grandma, and when my mom saw it, she wanted one, too!
I have been wanting to try making this photo cube puzzle ever since I saw a kit on sale about 10 years ago. I had that instinctive reaction, "I can make that, I don't need a kit." Perhaps I wouldn't have waited 10 years if I had not had that thought. Last winter, I finally went to Hobby Lobby and JoAnn's and bought everything I thought I needed.
The key for me was that I bought a Fiskars square hole punch (at JoAnn's), then went over to the wood aisle at Hobby Lobby, and found wood the same size as the punch. This made cutting out the pictures easy, fast, and neat. You can just stick to a paper cutter if you want to save a few bucks. Remember, craft stores usually have 40% off coupons so just print one off before you head over, and you won't spent much on the tools, like the hole punch.
I have been wanting to try making this photo cube puzzle ever since I saw a kit on sale about 10 years ago. I had that instinctive reaction, "I can make that, I don't need a kit." Perhaps I wouldn't have waited 10 years if I had not had that thought. Last winter, I finally went to Hobby Lobby and JoAnn's and bought everything I thought I needed.
The key for me was that I bought a Fiskars square hole punch (at JoAnn's), then went over to the wood aisle at Hobby Lobby, and found wood the same size as the punch. This made cutting out the pictures easy, fast, and neat. You can just stick to a paper cutter if you want to save a few bucks. Remember, craft stores usually have 40% off coupons so just print one off before you head over, and you won't spent much on the tools, like the hole punch.
Actual investment time in this project is probably about 45 minutes of shopping and 2-5 hours of cutting and gluing, but this is spread out over time as you need to wait for glue to dry. Just make sure you have some work space available to leave your project sitting out.
1. Buy a square hole punch (or use a paper cutter but that sounds tedious to me), a couple of sponge brushes, Modge Podge (it's magical glue!), and nine wooden cubes.
2. Print out your pictures large enough to cover the nine cubes.
3. Use your hole punch to carefully cut your image into nine squares. Since this is a hole punch, there will be some space between each image so use your judgement and keep the squares close together - and it will look fine.
4. Spread a THIN layer of Modge Podge on one square. Place your photo onto the first cube. Do this all the way through until you've completed a single image on nine cubes. Spread a thin layer of Modge Podge over each of these glued-on images. Walk away and give it five minutes to dry.
5. Carefully turn your cubes all one turn, the same direction. You want to be systematic so your images don't get "tangled," as you are working on multiple images on multiple sides of the cube. Follow step 4 again.
6. Do Step 5 on all but one side of the cube. This is the side the cube will sit on while you let it air dry over night.
7. The next day, apply the last image on the last side of the cube. Let it air dry.
8. Now, have fun and take a few days to apply additional coatings of Modge Podge over your picture. Careful not to overdue it or you will get bubbles in your pictures.
