How to Incorporate Family Pictures Into Decor
You can use family pictures as a decorative item and fill every room in your house with love and memories. Why keep pictures stuffed into books or photo albums? Sure, photos in frames are nice, but there are more ways to incorporate family pictures into your decor. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Use inkjet transfer paper to print family pictures and iron them onto pillowcases, quilts, or wall hangings. Inkjet transfer paper is available online and at superstores like Wal-Mart and office supply stores. Each brand has different instructions for usage. Make sure you follow the manufacturer's instructions for iron heat temperature and other precautions.
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Set up a digital picture frame to rotate a selection of family photos. These usually work with the same kind of SD memory card that your camera uses, or a USB memory stick. Once the memory card is inserted, the pictures will either automatically begin displaying, or an on-screen menu will walk you through the setup. There are thousands of models of digital photo frames with many different methods of operation.
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Use wallpaper paste to adhere printed family pictures onto your walls. You can create a wallpaper border, or incorporate it with a mural painting to create a visual family tree. Create a pencil line with a carpenter's level to guide your placement and image spacing. Consider using painter's tape to adhere the images to the wall before you begin, so you can try out different patterns and placement options. Wallpaper paste is available at home improvement stores, and drying times vary.
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Use free GIMP software or Photoshop to alter your pictures. Open any photo file and click on filters to see the options. You can turn family members into cartoons, change the color scheme to a romantic vintage sepia tone or an artsy black and white. You can make Andy Warhol style prints by creating primary color blocks. If primary colors don't match the rest of your decor, use different colors.
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Frame and hang your scrapbook pages instead of binding them. Digital scrapbooking enthusiasts print 12- by 12-inch pages for as little as $2 at the Kodak Gallery. Simply upload the images and have them delivered or pick them up at any Walgreens. Order them framed or frame them yourself. With several of these framed, you can turn an entire wall into a gallery, one square foot at a time.
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Laminate printed scrapbook pages for family place mats. This is a lot of fun for family holiday dinners. There's always something to talk about when you have memories printed on every place mat. Copy shops and office supply stores often have a laminating service, and home lamination systems are available in many electronics stores.
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Create memory boxes by using thick frames that can hold a pair of spectacles, dried flowers, or other memorabilia from loved ones who have passed. Use vintage family photos to accent the piece and tell a story.
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Use photo editing software to create a line drawing of your loved ones. With a projector, you can enlarge the image onto any wall of your home and create a mural by painting in the lines. Trace the projected lines with a pencil and then use acrylic craft paint to fill in the lines.
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