Another creative way to easily display your photos is this cute hanging board with decorated clothespins.  I have to admit, I cannot take credit for making this.  My daughter made it for Christmas last year.  I love it!  All she did was paint a board, cut some vinyl letters out using the cricuit, added some rope for decor and hanging, and then glued on some cute decorated clothes pins to clip on the pictures.  I really love this because you can change out the pictures easily any time you want.  Too cute!!!

In previous blogs, I have discussed how you can create photo tiles, canvas your
own photos, and re-purpose your old picture frames.  Another way to display some of your favorite pictures, is to create photo blocks.  All you need is scraps of wood, paint, sponge brush, modge podge, ribbon, buttons, etc., and of course a picture.  I had my wonderful hubby cut some small pieces of wood.  (4 x 6 or 3 x 5) I painted the wood first, then put a light coat of modge podge on the front
side of the wood to put the picture on.  Make sure you use a picture that is not
glossy print.  I found glossy printed photos smear when using modge podge on
them.  After you place the picture on the lightly coated side of the wood with
modge podge, let it dry for about 15 minutes.  Put another 2 coats of modge
podge on the picture, including the sides of the wood, letting it dry about 15
minutes in between coats.  You can glue buttons, ribbons, etc. on the block, or
just leave it plain.  I love photo blocks because they can stand alone on a
shelf, or counter.  No hooks, or nails are involved. 

There a lots of cute frames out there, but if you are on a budget, or just like making your own, I have some ideas for you!  Your hobby stores sell blank wood frames you can paint and decorate to make it look custom.  I have even put words on a frame using either stickers, or the rub on transfer words.  Another cute way to display your picture in a frame, is to mount your frame on a piece of wood.  Here is an example of how this blogger did this.  Lovely Little Snippets site shows you how to make over the frames you have.  I am all into this since I have some old frames I am tired of, but don't want to go out and buy new ones.  I really like the idea of mounting two frames together to give your new frame a chunkier look.  Lowes even shows you how to take a plain light switch plate and create a cute mini frame.  All these ideas inspire me to not throw away my old frames, but to re-purpose them to get a new look.  Can't wait to get started...

I discussed earlier in the week different ways to arrange photos on your walls.  Today we are going to look at some unique ways to display your photos you may not have thought of before.  This blogger used an old window to display her picture.  It turned out very cute!  This blogger, Hammers and High Heels, has some very creative uses for old ladders including hanging photos on one.  Makes me want to go out and buy some old ladders...  Who would have thought a curtain rod would be a great way to hang pictures on the wall.  Check out this idea on Country Girl Home's blog.  The fun thing when displaying your photos is to be creative.  Think outside the box, and look around for unique items you can use to display you photos.  I would love to hear how some of you have used your creativity to display your photos.  Comment below and let me know!

Need some ideas for displaying your photos on the wall?  Check out this site for lots of neat ideas!  From arranging pictures to ways to display your photos, this site has tons of ideas.  This site, Paislee Press, shows you how to take your pictures and mount them on squares to place in an arrangement on the wall.  She even provides a template for you to use to cut your squares.  The Bird's Papaya site shows you how to create a family wall display.  I love to incorporate words or phrases on the wall along with the photos.  This site is also another example of how to display your photos along with words on the wall.  Super cute!  The important thing when displaying your photos is to customize the look for yourself.  You will be looking at this wall all the time so create something you will be proud of that makes you happy!  Check out these sites, and have fun creating!!!

Another fun way to display photos is on a tile.  You can also do phrases and words on tiles.  Supplies you will need are tiles (any size you prefer), modge podge, spray adhesive, copy paper, clear spray paint and sponge paint brushes.  Before you place your photo on the tile, make sure you clean it off good.  I found this helped the photo stick better to the tile.  I printed my own photos on just regular copy paper.  Spray a light coat of the spray adhesive on the back of you photo and place it on the tile.  Smooth out the wrinkles.  Let this dry for about 15 minutes before you brush on your first coat of modge podge.  When brushing on the modge podge, use even light strokes and not a lot of the modge podge.  I put two coats of the modge podge on the tile allowing 30 minutes for each coat to dry.  Once you are finished with the final coat and that has dried, spray a coat of clear paint on the tile to give it a finished look.  If you decide to use your tile as a coaster, you may want to spray 2 to 3 coats of the clear finish.  You can use your newly created photo tiles as coasters, hang them on a wall, or put in a stand to display. 

I love the look of a canvas on the wall.  There are lots of great places to order your prints on a canvas, but it can be very expensive.  I actually got brave and decided to make my on.  What did I have to loose?  The supplies were fairly inexpensive so I decided to give it a try.  I searched several sites to get directions on how to create my own.  After trial and error, I took what I had found, and created my own steps that worked for me.  First to get the supplies.  I purchased a package of 8 x 10 blank canvases at my local craft store.  This will be the biggest expense.  With a coupon, I got them pretty cheap.  You will also need some modge podge, sponge brushes, white card stock, spray mount adhesive and black paint.  I have a super printer so I was able to print my own pictures.  DO NOT PRINT YOUR PICTURES ON GLOSSY PAPER!  I learned the hard way.  When you apply modge podge to the glossy paper, I found my pictures smeared.  That is why I used card stock.  After I printed the pictures I wanted, I sprayed a light coat of the spray mount adhesive to the back of the picture then smoothed out the picture on my blank canvas.  Some of the sites I looked at had you brushing a layer of modge podge on the back of the picture, but I found the spray worked just as well and caused less wrinkles.  Let that dry for about 15 minutes before you apply your first coat of modge podge.  When applying your modge podge, make sure you use even strokes, cover the sides of the canvas and do not apply it very thick.  It is best to keep the modge podge a light coat.  Let that completely dry.  Approximately 30 minutes.  Apply a second coat and then let it dry completely.  I found 2 coates worked perfectly.  If you choose to, you can take a brush and black paint to lightly paint the sides of the canvas and just a touch around the edges of the pictures.  You can see the example below.  I did this to give it a more finished look.  I found this project very easy and in no time I have a wall of professional looking canvases!

Why not take your pictures and put them in to a digitally created photo book.  It is like scrapbooking only easier.  I wish this had been an option when my girls were little.  Instead of boxes and albums with tons of photos, I could have put them into a photo book that would have taken up less space.  Digitaly created photo books let you select your theme and backgound, add text, images and graphics.  Most sites that offer digital photo books have thematic templates you can easily upload your pictures and quickly create your book, or for the more creative you can choose you background, text, templates, and graphic to customize your book.  Either way it is lots of fun to create.  Below are 3 websites I have created and ordered photo books from. 

Mixbook - this site is my favorite.  It allows you to really customize your book.
Shutterfly - love this site too.  Offers custom features, but not as much at Mixbook.
Walmart - believe it or not, Walmart has a great photo book site with quite a few options.

Creating custom photo books can be a fun way to tell a story of your event.  Whether weddings, graduations, newborn births, and just a yearly family book, digital photo books are awesome.  Do any of you have another favorite site you have used to create a photo book?  Let me know.  I would love to hear from you.  The example below is a book I created on Mixbook.

Turn your pictures into a motivational poster.  Big Huge Labs allows you to create a poster with your own pictures, adding text, color and outline choices.  Sizes run from 8 x 10 to 20 x 24.  Prices range from $5 (special they are running right now) to $12.  This would be a fun way to create your own posters to display in your classroom, office, home, or business. 

January I featured lots of free online tools for editing your photos.  Now that you have your pictures edited, what to do with them now?  The entire month of February I will give you numerous ideas on how to display your photos.  From scrapbooking to arranging them on the wall.  Stay tuned for some super ideas on how to show off all those awesome photos you have!