I hate throwing duplicate pictures into a storage container and letting the containers sit and collect dust. To avoid having to do so I try to find unique ways to display or present my favorite shots. The following are few simple and affordable ways you can put those extra pictures to good use. What’s more, the projects are easy enough for kids to get in on the action.
PHOTO PLACEMATS
This project makes a great gift for grandparents who live in a different state or nice present to give a friend who is moving to a new city.
I use 12 pictures per placemat, but you could cut up twice as many and create a photo collage. Choose poster board or heavyweight craft paper and trim it to the desired placemat size (14 inches by 19 inches is standard). Next, arrange your photos. I crop my pictures and lay them out in a pattern that best tells a story without words. Once you’ve decided where you want to place the photos, coat the back of each picture with adhesive (photo adhesive or hot glue) and place it on the craft paper, carefully smoothing the photo to avoid bumps. Once that’s dry I glue ribbon to each edge of the placemat to create a more polished look. Finally, I apply decoupage glue to the entire placemat. You could also run the placemat through a laminator to seal it. I find this makes the placemat last longer than using the decoupage glue.
PHOTO VASE
This is a great gift idea for a family member or friend who is feeling under the weather. If you are planning to bring them flowers you might as well do so in an extra special vase. (I am in the process of making one for my grandma who recently suffered a stroke and has spent the last few weeks in the hospital.)
I gathered all of the photos I have of my grandma posing with my 3-year-old daughter. You could collect a bunch of summer themed photos – road trips, days at the beach, or items specific to summer. Either way I think the end result is classier if you use pictures that share a common theme. Next, trim the pictures to the desired sizes and glue the photos to vase. (If you can find a square or cube vase this process is much easier.) You want to make sure you have enough pictures to cover the entire surface of the vase. Then, cut a piece of ribbon to a length that is long enough to wrap around the top of the vase, and affix with hot glue. If you want, you could also add a piece of ribbon to the bottom of the vase as well.
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