When I started this mini-diorama craft, I pulled out plastic animals, twine, and little pebbles. I’m thrilled with a miniature landscape any day, really, but I guess my more sentimental chords got the best of me.

These easy photo dioramas are made using upcycled box lids, cheese wheel lids, thick jar caps, and even a sardine can! They are so fun to plan out and easy to make. You can get super creative by adding extra elements, like moss underfoot or maybe a moon hanging above. And glitter, much to most people’s dismay, is always a good idea!

Here are the instructions for making these DIY mini photo dioramas…I swear, you will want to fill a wall with these cuties!

What you’ll need:

• Jar or box lid or cleaned food can or cardboard round gift boxes
• Black and white photograph, printed on cardstock
• Scissors
• Decorative paper
• Aleene’s Tacky Glue stick (my fave!)
• Scrap cardboard

1.Cut out your photo.

2. Trace your box onto the decorative paper and cut out. You’ll likely need to trim it down to make it fit inside since you are tracing the outside! (Just a little craft geometry!)

3. Glue the paper to the inside of the back with your tacky glue stick.

4. Cut small pieces of cardboard from a box making sure that they are small enough to not be seen behind the photo. Glue them into the box, and then glue the photo on top.

5. Now hang or stand your little dioramas on a wall or shelf!

DIY photo dioramas are a great activity to do with a group of people (as long as they either come with a printed photo or they send you one in advance). Think family reunion activity, birthday party, office ice breaker…you name it!