Guest Post -- Part 2 DIY Wall Art

In part one of this DIY wall art mini-series, we learned how to find great photos (FOR FREE) on flickr and download them onto our computers. Need a refresher? Click here!

On to part two of this schnazzy little tutorial: Printing & Framing

PRINTING:

1. If you are going for a standard size, say 8x10, you can order your print from any of the standard choices (Shutterfly, CVS, etc.). If you want to get a little fancy, go for a matte finish for a slightly different, more artsy look. 

2. I decided to get all complicated and downloaded square photos so I needed square prints. If your photo is not a square but you would like it to be, order an 8x10 and trim it down to an 8x8. If your photo IS in fact a square you have a few different options. 

• Shutterfly Scrapbook Page- It sounds super fancy but really it is just a square print. Click on this link and choose "Print Your Digital Scrapbook." Basically it gives you a blank "scrapbook page." Just plug your photo in and you are in biz. This will run you $3.49. (They also have a 12x12 option which is $6.99). This is where I ordered my prints from and I was very pleased with the quality. Highly recommend!
• RitzPix- I have not ordered from them so I can not attest to their quality but they do offer 5x5 square prints as well as a larger variety of scrapbook page sizes.
• You can order 4x4 photos from your phone using a slick little app called PostalPix (app love!). 4x4 prints start around 30 cents.

3. NOTE: Before ordering, make sure you have your frames picked out! Frames for square prints are getting more popular but can still be a little tricky to find. 


Which brings us to a couple of tips on...

 FRAMING:

1. Download the Michaels app or grab a coupon from your craft store's flyer if you are not a super-appy person. Because we have a Michaels nearby I have been known to make a trip to Michaels to buy one frame (if I am going that way anyway) and make another trip another day with another coupon. Sometimes those coupons are so good they are worth it! This is where I found the frames you saw in the first part of this mini-series.

2. I have found classic plain black frames at the DOLLAR STORE. Yup! The quality wasn't fabulous but for $1 they will do. Great for the kiddos' rooms or a play room.

Once your prints arrive, slap those babies in their frames and get them up on the wall and TADA... you just DIY'd yourself some wall art. They make FABulous gifts, too! Enjoy! XO

Guest Post: ellie from Creative Geekery! DIY Wall Art



I've got a treat for you today! My blogger friend ellie is here to share a great way to find fabulous pictures and make them into Wall Art. Please welcome ellie from Creative Geekery!

 

 

I have several funky photos (that I did not take!) framed around my house. Recently a friend asked me where I got them from and I explained that they were totally DIY. I usually get a little nervous anytime someone says those three little letters (DIY) so trust me, if I can pull this off, you can, too! Today I will introduce you to a website called flickr! There you can spend hours perusing beautiful photos that users upload for your enjoyment. In this post, we will focus on finding the art. In the second part of this mini-series, we will talk about getting it printed and framed for the least amount of money possible!

a few of my "creations"

So here we go!

PART ONE: Finding the art.

1. Go to www.flickr.com. One thing I love about this site is that there is no need to create an account unless you want to upload your own photos. Keep this post open in one window and have flickr in another so you can follow the instructions.


2. Click in the little SEARCH box in the upper right hand corner and type in what you are looking for. In this example, I searched for a merry go round. Click the little magnifying glass in the SEARCH box.

3. Once the results come up, click on the ADVANCED SEARCH link to the right of the SEARCH button. Do not skip this step or you will end up possibly falling in love with a photo that will not work for this project (i.e. it will look great on your screen but not in print).

4. Check the box next to "Only search within Creative Commons-licensed content." This will ensure that you will only be choosing from photos that you will be able to download and print. Many photos are totally copyrighted and even though this project is for personal use, the photographer may have disabled downloading to protect his or her work.

5. Now comes the fun part: your search results! Flickr lets you sort your results three different ways. Two of the three come in super handy: relevant and interesting. Try clicking on each to see what type of photos come up. I have had great results with both depending on what I am looking for.

6. Once you find the photo that you like, click on it and then click on VIEW ALL SIZES (up and to the right of the photo).

7. Click on the largest size option that is available. "Original" is the best if it is an option! 

8. Right-click (or control-click if you don't have a right mouse button) and download that puppy! Now it is saved on your computer and you are ready for STEP TWO. Printing and framing. Woot woot! 

Bonus Tip: I really wanted a photo of Grand Central Station in our home because we LOOOVE our trips to the city so much. I found one that I LOVED and then decided to see what else that flickr user had posted. I ended up with super cool pictures of completely different things (flowers and a bumblebee, a ferris wheel, and the coast line) that work well together because they are all the same photographic style and feel. To view all of the photos from one artist/user click on the user's name (below the photo you will see "from Joe Schmoe"... click on Joe Schmoe).

Have fun! XO, ellie