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DIY Fridge Photo Frames

Written by: | Published: July 19, 2014 | Updated: June 22, 2022

Today’s project is part of a fun Cricut Challenge call Cricut Design Space Star AND YOU could be entered for a chance to win your own Cricut Explore cutting machine. Keep reading to get the whole scoop.

Cricut Design Space Star

I have a million photos, on my computer. I rarely print them or display them. Makes me wonder why I force my kids to smile at me all the time if I’m just going to horde the images to myself. So I decided it’s time to pull the photos out and show them off. My kids might be tired of looking at me, working at home all the time. But I love looking at them, especially when they are smiling…

Magnetic Fridge Frames design by Jen Goode
Magnetic Fridge Frames design by Jen Goode

The kitchen is the central hub for all activity in our home. Plus I spend most of my days works in the kitchen. So, the refrigerator is the perfect place to post our favorite photos. So, fridge frames are the first choice for our family photo gallery. I decided to make my own fridge frames – of course, right?

Once I got started, I ended up creating little word art magnets too. I think it would be realllly fun to make some of word poetry magnets too!

Fridge photo frames on my refridgerator
Fridge photo frames on my refridgerator

That’s the most uncluttered my fridge has been in YEARS. Don’t worry, it won’t last long. Usually the fridge is covered in pictures and notes and reminders. I’d like to make more of these frames and then maybe some custom decorative magnets to make all that family busy-ness look nicer all the time.

My Fridge frames all cut out and ready to use
My Fridge frames all cut out and ready to use. My Fridge frames all cut out and ready to use

These fun paper frames feature both cut out shapes and hand drawn style doodles. What I really love is the black in on white, but the frames could be created on any kind of paper or cardstock. I prefer the white because then the photos become the feature.

Photo Frames designed by Jen Goode
Photo Frames designed by Jen Goode

This entire project was created on my Cricut machine. I created art and frame designs using Adobe Illustrator and then uploaded my finished design file to the Cricut Design Space. I love the idea of being able to swap out pictures as we take new favorites and magnet frames make that process really easy. These frames are easy to rearrange and the photos don’t need to be attached to the fridge or the frame, they just stay up with the magnets. Best of all, because I made these frames with my Cricut machine, I can make more to match if I’d like.

Drawing love with the Cricut Explore
Drawing love with the Cricut Explore

I also made little word art pieces to go along with the fridge frames. The words and the cut out shapes were all created by the Cricut. I still love watching this machine draw, it amazes me every time!

I drew up a design using my wacom tablet and Adobe Illustrator. I  saved the art and cutting path as an SVG file and then uploaded the file to Design Space .  Once I set the design pieces how I wanted them (cut, score and draw settings), the machine did all the work. I used a thick white cardstock at 8.5×11″ size and the black (midnight) fine point Cricut pen.

More drawing designed by Jen Goode with the Cricut Explore
More drawing designed by Jen Goode with the Cricut Explore

The machine draws, then scores then cuts. With the choice of pens I could have made all this art a metallic gold on black if I wanted. Or whatever combination… there’s a great selection of pen colors available, but my favorite is still the black, it’s very similar to the black pens I actually draw with.

Word Art Magnets designed by Jen Goode Created with the Cricut Explore
Word Art Magnets designed by Jen Goode Created with the Cricut Explore

Once everything was cut out, I just added magnets to the back and VOILA! ready to go. I used a thick round magnet with a sticker like adhesive on one side. Depending on how heavy the paper is, different magnets work better. I also used some thinner round magnets and some magnet tape. I’d really love to be able to cut out magnet sheets, I’m sure the Cricut blade can handle the cutting, but the mats aren’t sticky enough to hold on to the slick magnet sheet. That’s on my list to play with.

Magnets I used on my fridge frames
Magnets I used on my fridge frames
Add magnets to the back of your cut out frames
Add magnets to the back of your cut out frames

Leave the magnets off and you can use the frames for all kinds of photo decorating… like photo banners, photo walls and just photo decorating for your Instagram photos…  Insta-YAY!

Finished fridge frames by Jen Goode
Finished fridge frames by Jen Goode

And the Challenge Begins

Today’s project is also a part of a challenge hosted by Cricut. I’m participating as part of a team of amazing bloggers and challenged to create a monthly project. This month’s challenge project was to create a project using my Cricut machine to make either a home decor or a paper craft project (hello, why yes, these are paper frames decorating my home?). My team also was required to come up with our own theme to go along with the challenge. This was really tricky because most of us don’t know each other so we spent half out time trying to connect and find out who was who and who was where. But we are on our way now!

We are Cricut Team 5 < crowd cheers! >  Because we are Team 5, we decided to make something with the focus on the number 5 for our first Cricut challenge. So, my fridge frame project is actually a 5 fridge photo frame decor set – although you could make your own 1 single frame or maybe 15 frames. 5 also happens to work great for me because we are a family of 5. Handy huh? I’ve created this home decor project using a fabulous thick, textured cardstock, my own digital art doodles and my Cricut Explore.

What do you think?

Drawn and cut on the Cricut Explore
Drawn and cut on the Cricut Explore
Making fridge frames with my Cricut
Making fridge frames with my Cricut

I’d love to hear what you think about this Cricut project.  I’d really get excited if this inspires you to make your own frames too. Right now my frame designs aren’t available in the Cricut Design Space – they will be soon!  So in the meantime, check out all the frame frame designs available in the Cricut Library and make your own awesome fridge photo frames! Check back later and I’ll share some printables and project files of my own design for you to use.

Cricut IMadeIt Challenge

Now about that chance to win a Cricut Explore – Oh Yes!

Every Day until the end of July, Cricut is GIVING AWAY a brand new Cricut Explore.

To be entered for your chance to win:

  1. Upload a photo of ANY project you’ve created (with or without a Cricut machine)
  2. Tag#cricut and #imadeit on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
  3. Tag me in your post so Cricut knows you heard about this from me. (Facebook @100directions, Twitter @jgoode, Instagram @jgoodedesigns)

For more information, see these posts for official rules and FAQ.

More projects from Cricut Team 5:

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Jen is Passionate about Creativity. She is the owner and "doodle in charge" of JGoode Designs, a Denver based design studio. She is an illustrator, mixed media artist and creative lifestyle blogger. Jen has been a creative professional since 1998 but says she's been an artist since she was old enough to eat glue.

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