How to Place Pictures on Place Mats

Enlarge a scenic beach photo for a place mat.

Put your pictures on place mats to make works of art or family mementos. Save special photographs by using clear contact paper to protect them on homemade place mats. Order an enlargement at a photo processing or copy shop to create a full-size photo place mat, or arrange a collage of favorite photos. Black and white photos, landscape pictures, nature pictures, wildlife pictures and your favorite memories all take a place at your dining table. Complete the project with inexpensive supplies available from variety stores.

Things You'll Need

• Clean table or counter
• Photographs or computer printouts of pictures
• Poster board or lightweight cardboard from a gift or clean pastry box
• Pencil
• Ruler or measuring tape
• Glue stick
• Clean sheet of paper
• Gum eraser
• Scissors
• Clear self-adhesive shelf liner

Instructions

1. 

   PIck family photos for home and gift place mats.

   Use the poster board or lightweight cardboard to make the place mat. For example, use a ruler to make a 12-inch by 18-inch rectangle. Use a ready-made place mat as a pattern if you like. Cut out the place mat.

2. Select the picture or pictures for the place mat. Arrange them how you want them on the place mat. For example, create a family group in a circle in the middle of the place mat. Make light pencil marks at the corners of the photos on the place mat to show the position for each picture. Handle the pictures by their edges and turn them upside down on the place mat, keeping them in order.

3. Use a glue stick on the backs of the photos all the way around the edges.

4. Handle each picture by the edges to avoid fingerprints. Turn them right side up one by one and line the pictures up with the corner marks you made. Put a clean sheet of paper over each picture one by one. Press down on the paper with your hand to glue each picture to the place mat.

5. Use the gum eraser to erase any visible pencil marks. Blow all the eraser bits away.

6. Draw the same pattern or size as you used for your place mat on the back of the clear shelf paper. Cut the piece of clear shelf paper.

7. Remove 2 inches of the backing paper from the clear shelf paper. Line up the sticky end of the clear cover with one end of the place mat. Press the sticky side against the place mat 2 inches at a time. Keep peeling off the backing and pressing down to cover the place mat with the clear shelf paper. The clear shelf paper preserves the photos and makes the place mat easy to clean after meals.

Tips & Warnings

• Have the photo place mats laminated at a copy shop for gifts.

• Include the whole family in this project. Kids can help arrange photos.

• Use a clean, dusted surface for this craft, as pet hair or debris could get into the place mats and stick to the photos and contact paper.

• Draw frames or photo cutouts out of construction paper, glossy paper or metallic paper from an art store. Put glue on the back of the frame paper and place it over the pictures before you apply the clear shelf paper.

References

• Nick Jr. Crafts: Photo Place Mat
• Disney Family Fun Crafts: Autumn Place Mat