Baby's First Footprint Ornament
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I usually don’t go all out for Christmas. The holiday has always been an over-scheduled vacation that ultimately leaves my husband and I more exhausted than before. Don’t get me wrong, we love every minute of it, but it’s always felt like a rushed affair as we try to fit in as many family members and events as possible.
This year we finally got into the Christmas spirit and it’s 100% because we now have a kid to share it with… even though she won’t remember any of it! I don’t know why but Christmas is just fun and silly again. We started shopping for presents earlier, put our tree up before Thanksgiving, and bought every “baby’s first Christmas” item we’ve stumbled upon—my current favorite is a santa bear from Target we named Nick (St. Nick, get it?).
As any first time parent, I wanted an ornament to commemorate Ellis’ first. And I wanted one with her footprint, but not one in clay. 1) They have a high risk of not working out if you don’t use the right clay and 2) I didn’t want to worry about it breaking years later.
Instead, I decided to stamp her foot on one of her onesies and put it in a clear ornament. And I plan to replace the footprint each year as she gets older. The process was super easy and I’m really happy with how it turned out, so I decided to share just in case someone else is looking for ideas.
Supplies Needed:
Fabric paint, like this.
Child’s onesie or shirt (I used plain white so the print would stand out more. If it’s too big to fit into the ornament, I suggest cutting out a piece of the fabric and use that).
Art sponge, like this.
Clear, fillable ornament, like this.
A ribbon or decorative cord that will fit inside ornament’s hole.
Paper bowl/plate.
Scrap cardboard.
A happy partner to help!
Steps:
Take the scrap piece of card board and place it inside the onesie/shirt to prevent the footprint from bleeding on the other side.
Pour some fabric paint into a paper bowl/plate.
Make sure child’s foot is clean of dirt or fuzz.
Dip sponge in paint until one side is generously covered (there should be some bubbles).
Have partner hold child (or help them keep balance if they’re old enough).
Sponge enough paint to cover child’s foot and immediately place on desired spot on fabric.
Hold steady for at least 5 seconds (if you can!) and then wash child’s foot with soap and water.
Let dry for at least 30 minutes and then place in ornament so the footprint faces outward.
Tie ribbon on ornament and hang (or save as a gift!).
I’m pretty sure I’m going to cry next year when I pull out her onesie and see how small she was. I haven’t figured out what I want to do with all of her footprints once I take them out, so if you have any ideas, please share! Right now, I’m thinking of turning them into a blanket when she gets older, but we’ll see. My sewing skills are definitely not the greatest!
-J
