Making Use of the Photos on Your Cell Phone

A home craft just in time for Valentine's Day!

Last week's blog was about using photos for your gratitude journal. I listed suggestions for photos garnered from the internet. But it occurred to me that we could also put those photos to good use so others could enjoy them as well.

My husband took this picture of a monarch butterfly in our backyard.

Craft idea #1~

Simply frame your photo. My husband took this picture of a monarch butterfly visiting the milkweed in our backyard. He liked it so much, he framed it. That's easy--we can all do that, and I'm sure you have.

He liked it so much, he framed it, and it's hanging in his office.

Craft idea #2~

Use those photos for notecards, particularly those nature photos you take on your walk. Simply find those photos and gather them up. Decide which ones would look good on a note card.

Nature photos you can use for notecards.

You can either have your favorite printing place print up your photos, and then simply glue them on your notecard. You can find blank notecards at craft stores or stationary supply stores. They even come with envelopes.

I am fortunate to have a printer at home and the PrintShop program downloaded on my computer, so I can create my cards at home. I just use card stock, and can make them any size I want.

I made my own notecards with my PrintShop program on my computer. That way I could make them any size I wanted. I placed the photo on the right, so when the rectangle was folded, the picture would be on the front of the card.

I think this little square one is the perfect size for a quick note to a friend.

Since I was making my own, I could personalize the greeting on the front.

This little garden gnome is in my backyard. I thought this picture was perfect for sending a birthday greeting.

Craft idea #3~

Make postcards! Then you don't need envelopes and you can save on postage. How delightful for friends and family to receive one of your postcards in the mail. 

Same technique. Just find those nature photos from your walks or from vacations and make postcards. Look for those panoramic views that would lend themselves to a postcard size. And my PrintShop app has postcard-making in one of their projects, so all I had to do was download my photos to that. But if you buy card stock and make your own, a typical postcard is 4x6 inches. 

Nature photos from my camera phone that I deemed the perfect size for a postcard.

My PrintShop app has a postcard project, so I just downloaded my photos there.

Just remember to print on card stock. Then you can use the back for a message, postage and address.

A few of my homemade cards. If I can do it, you can do it!

​Important reminder: When making postcards, DON'T use photos printed on photography paper. Print those postcards on card stock or have your local print shop do that. 

Craft idea #4~

And I think this craft idea is the most fun of all, and can be used for gifts for the upcoming holiday--Valentine's Day!

I did this myself to give for gifts on Valentine's. I chose to use family photos rather than nature views. I made one coaster for each of my immediate family. I made four--one for my daughter-in-law, one each for my two sons, and one for my husband. I imagined that they could use them on their desks at home, work, or school. I chose photos that would appeal to each of them, in this case, a family photo, an individual photo and for my husband, a picture of all his grandkids.

The how-to's of making coasters using photos~

Now mind you, I've never had an original idea. I just googled crafts using photos and discovered these ideas. I only share with you in case you might not have thought of it. That's how I get ideas besides googling and looking on Pinterest. Oftentimes my readers share with me or one of my friends will tell me about their latest project. My motto is, live and learn and pass it on!

Now back to how to do this. The website said to get some of those 4x4 ceramic bathroom tiles. Guess what? When I went to my big box home improvement store, THEY DON'T HAVE THEM ANYMORE. But I told the clerk what I was looking for, and he said he had 4x4 samples of flooring. And guess what? They were FREE! 

Customer take-home samples of laminate flooring--they are the perfect size. And they were FREE! Also note, the website at the end of my blog says to put cork backing on the tile. But with these you don't have to, they have a foam backing that's perfect.

​I found images that would work with that 4x4 size. The one of the four grandkids that I was making for my husband didn't lend itself to 4x4. So I printed it out 2 1/2x4 and I think it looks just fine.

The one of our four grandkids was perfect for Poppa.

The photos I chose. One from a golf trip and one from a family vacation. All perfect for that 4x4 tile.

Finally. . .

Print your image on card stock (DO NOT use actual photos printed on photography paper) and simply decoupage them on the tile. Paint Mod Podge on the tile and place the photo on. Use a roller or ruler and press out any air bubbles, etc. After you let that dry, spray with several coats of spray acrylic. And you're done. I'll post a "how-to" website at the end of this blog.

The finished products!

Perfect for Poppa's desk.

Hey! It's a coaster after all--perfect for Poppa's coffee mug.

And there you have it. Now you don't have to leave those "pictures of gratitude" on your phone. You can share them with others. When I found this idea on Pinterest, I knew I had to share. 

Until next week! 

The website with the 'how-to's':

​www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIcX42rJrBk