Gifts and Wall Art For The Home

Every year I like to give my Sister-in-Law an 8x10 layout with a photograph of our children - all three on one layout and something pretty because she has a home that is lovely and even Martha would approve!    This year's gift was made with my Family Album Big Heritage Kit which is on sale for 35% off through January 2nd, 2012.  Most of my photography work I have printed at Costco One Hour.  They use Fuji Crystal Archive paper, my local one does an awesome job, I can upload from my computer and Hubby can pick it up on his way home from work.  But 8x10 is standard size both for prints and for frames and they can be printed any place that does enlargements.

Because she replaces the photo in a frame I have previously given her, I don't have the frame to show you, but it always looks lovely.  This is the actual print that I propped up on the couch and photographed.  In real life, the coloring is closer to the digital file above, but when I lightened the photo, the colors changed slightly.  My prints come out pretty close to what I see on my computer screen.  You may have to experiment with your monitor, program and/or printer to get the results you want.  For instance, on my laptop, I always need to make my photographs lighter to get them printed because what I see is not what I get.  But, you can see that it makes a lovely and frameable piece of art.

Here is another one I did for my Sister-In-Law.  This is also created with the Family Album Big Heritage Kit and is an 8x10.  This photograph of my Mother-in-Law and her little sister was a surprise find hidden behind another photograph when we removed it from a frame.

Here is the same project printed at Costco into an 8x10 and propped up on my couch.  One thing that you should know in making these types of projects, Is that frames vary on the size of their opening even if they say 8x10.  It's a good idea to leave a little extra space around your design because it could be engulfed by the frame.

Here is last year's framed 8x10.  That one was created with Thankful, which is an Autumn and American Thanksgiving themed kit, also on sale for 35% off through January 2nd.



Here is a little peek into my kitchen.  You can see the white frame on the right - it contains photographs of my Grandma Hopkins throughout her life (including one in her kitchen) as well as her bread recipe, written in her handwriting. She taught me how to cook and it's nice to have her "with" me as I work!

This year I want to work on more wall art for our home.  I have found a few 12x12 frames and one from Ikea that is large but mats down to 11x11" square that will work.  I am also hoping to do some 11x14 layouts that can frame larger.  Really, any size frame you can create a layout for.  If you have an odd size (for photo printing), for instance, a 5x5 frame, you can create a 5x5 layout, place it onto a blank 5x7 background and have it printed - just cut off the extra 2" and place in your frame.

Have you created digital wall art for your home?  I'm looking for fun ideas.  I think I will continue to use the 8x10 size for gifts.  It's inexpensive, often under $10, if you already have kits to use and they are really priceless and meaningful.  One gift that brought tears to a Mom's eyes, was photos I took of her newborn with her name, the meaning of the name and the dates.  It was really cute and makes a nice wall hanging in a nursery or child's room.  Please share any other ideas you may have.  Happy Scrapping!