|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
PHOTO CRAFTS
Eight great Valentine's Day photo craft ideas
By Marcelle Costanza
I walked into our local Kmart the day after Christmas to stock up on wrapping paper for the following holiday season and was somewhat shocked to see shelves already lined with Valentine's Day merchandise! A little too early for my taste, but I suppose in this busy world the sooner people can plan and prepare the better.
If you're like me, you like to make a few personalized items for your honey, or your kids, or for the kids to give to their Valentine or to their teacher, and so on. This article contains eight great ideas that will jumpstart your creativity.
Remember the Valentine cards we made as kids? Red card stock and paper doilies glued on to the front. Well, thanks to the personal computer and the availability of so many wonderful and unusual inkjet papers those cards have grown up. But you don't have to stop at cards.
Idea #1: Personalize a coffee mug
How about a personalized coffee mug with a photo of your honey? Fill it with some chocolate Kisses and you have a perfect token of your affection. Waterslip decals make this project easy and fun to do, as you can see in Figure A.
FIGURE A
 
Waterslip decals let you put photos and clipart onto a china mug. Fill it with chocolate candy and you have the perfect gift for your sweetheart. Roll over picture for a larger image.
If you're not familiar with waterslip decals, this will be a fun discovery. You can buy special inkjet "paper" that's really a film. When you cut out the film and apply water, the "paper" becomes a decal you can slip onto anything you'd like. We've all used decals, but now you can make your own.
By the way, there are a ton of neat hobby applications that come from printing your own decals. If you're a model railroader, you can create your own signs for buildings and rolling stock. If you build plastic models, you can create your own insignia and flashy designs. Your imagination is the only limit!
Idea #2: Make a charming charm bag
Print a photo or clipart on inkjet shrink sheets and make a heart shaped charm. There are also inkjet fabric sheets you can print on and then turn it into a small gift bag, as shown in Figure B, using just a hot glue gun or fabric glue purchased at your local craft store. No sewing needed.
FIGURE B
 
No sewing is needed to make this cute little fabric bag. Fabric glue on the seams and on a piece of red satin ribbon is all it takes. Roll over picture for a larger image.
While we're on the topic of charms, you can also make a photo charm for your loved one to hang on a keychain.
Idea #3: Create custom gift boxes
Why not try your hand at constructing a gift box that is also a greeting card? This fancy little box, shown in Figure C, can hold some chocolate truffles or a small gift.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
-- Advertisement --
NO HASSLE PHOTO PRINTING, SHARING, AND STORAGE -- AS LOW AS $2.54 PER MONTH
Discover an easier way to share, print and manage your photos online! Get your own online photo album site for sharing photos, as well as easy-to-use editing tools to make sure your photos look their very best. You can even order high quality prints directly from your album -- and have them delivered right to your door!
Best of all, you can also get login-free photo sharing at your personal domain name (if you have one), so your friends and family don't have to hassle with signing up or logging in just to view your pictures. It's the perfect solution for sharing, printing and storing all your favorite images!
And it's only from The Duck! Tap here to get started. |
-- Advertisement --
Write for Connected Photographer
Share your experience and expertise with other photographers. Our brand-new Connected Photographer Magazine has many new opportunities for contributing authors and editors.
Write about something you're an expert on and get your name in lights.
For Writers' Guidelines and to discuss topics, contact our editorial team. This is your opportunity to show off and help other photographers get the most out of their craft.
Click here for author guidelines. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
