No matter who you are, you probably have a stack of old photographs sitting around unused. These could be duplicate photos that you own, or shots that didn’t turn out exactly as you had hoped. You might have pictures of people that you have no idea who they are, especially if your photographs were inherited from relatives. If you have some photos that you really do not need but cannot seem to throw away, why not use them to make some fun and interesting craft projects. You’ll end up with some great crafty results that you can use to decorate your home, or possibly even give as gifts.
Photo Placemats
Old photos can be used to make really interesting and decorative placemats for your table. Begin by taking a favorite size and shaped placemat and trace it on a piece of poster board or light cardboard. Now, attach the old photographs to one side of the cardboard shape using glue or scrapbook “photo splits”. They can be attached in a random collage fashion, or they can be lined up in a grid-like pattern. When done, seal the placemat by cutting two pieces of clear contact paper that are large enough to extend about a half inch on all sides of the cardboard placemat. Put the placemat in between two pieces of contact or laminating paper, making sure that the edges are sealed carefully.
Vintage Photo Wall Art
If you find that you have some old black and white photos, use them to make vintage wall art. Just choose a few of your photos that you really like and place in ornate picture frames, then hang on your wall in a visually pleasing group. Or, scan an old photo, enlarging it so that you can create a much larger piece of art. This is a wonderful way of adding vintage art to your home without spending an arm and a leg.
Fancy Photo Storage Box
If you store your good photos in photo boxes, you can use some old photos to decorate them. Using a collage technique, glue them onto your box, being sure to cover the lid and the bottom of the box seperately. Let the glue dry, and you’ll have photo storage boxes pretty enough to display on a shelf.
Family Tree Art
If you have photographs of relatives, you can use them on a lovely family tree poster. You can design your own family tree chart, or begin with one that is pre-printed. Then fill out the family tree information, gluing a small photo beside their information. This is a great way of using one family group photo, as you can cut each family member’s portrait out of the same picture. When done, put them in a couple of antique picture frames and hang on your wall.
Decoupage Photo Crafts
Combining decoupage with old photos can be a fun way of creating some truly beautiful craft projects. The Mod Podge package has complete instructions to help you create a number of different crafts. Before using photos for decoupage, spray them with a couple of coats of clear acrylic spray, which will prevent photos from smearing when the Mod Podge is applied.
The chances of working with beads are not limited to jewelry. Beads are not just for necklaces or bracelets or earrings. If you’re looking for a new thing to use your beads in, why not decorate your bookmarks? First thing that you must do is to make sure you have what you need for making bead jewelry. Make sure you have all the necessary tools and materials on hand as it can be exasperating having to stop in the middle of a project.
Beaded bookmarks make for truly unique and lovely gifts. The fact that you made it yourself makes it thoughtful and booklovers would find it really special. Top it off with a gift of a book or subscription to a magazine. Artsy crafty bookmarks are always appreciated as small gifts. The great thing about these book mark gifts is that every one is always fully unique.
If you’re an ardent reader yourself, creating and using a beaded bookmark would make your reading experience all the more fun! Having beaded bookmarks also adds a posh style to an otherwise dull shelf of books.
You can decide to make your beaded bookmarks in two ways. You may either get a pre-made one and make a beaded trimming, or you can create all of it from scratch.
you can decide to start simple and create a store-made bookmark first. Bookmarks can be found in just about any bookstore and you might even find some old ones around your home. Punch out a hole close to the top edge of the bookmark and fasten a tassel on it made from strings and beads of your choice. You may use embroidery thread and charms to make it unique.
You may create a bookmark yourself by employing laminated paper. This is special as you can choose to print on it an image of your favorite art or you may even create a collage for your friend. It’s better to use heavy paper when doing this so it becomes tougher. Do the same as when you decorate a store-bought bookmark.
Paper bookmarks don’t always need to have fancy footage on them. Often you can decorate them with beads. Try to experiment with felt paper as it has that good fabric texture that you don’t have to sew and most importantly it doesn’t fray. Play around with curls and other fancy lines. Finish it off with a beaded tail.
Another bookmark that you can make is a straightforward book thong. These are just cords and strings with beads tied in them. Decorate these the same way you would a tassel.
Whichever way you do it, making beaded bookmarks can be a really fun activity. It is something that even kids would like and would be able to do. Not to mention the end products are useful, considerate, and really special. There are tons of beading forums that you will find online that may give you some great design ideas.
