Decorating a home for the holidays is often one of the most anticipated and enjoyable annual activities for homeowners. While we all have our favorite decorations and traditions we tend to implement year after year, as you decorate your home this holiday season, why not contribute a few more personal elements to your decor? Just what do we mean? Incorporating old photos into your holiday interior design can be the perfect way to share and celebrate fond memories as you reconnect with friends and family this holiday season. At VistaPix Media, we’ve found 5 of the most clever, crafty ideas for holiday photo decorations that are sure to make your season even brighter.
A Seasonal Photo Collage Board
We love the idea of combining something like a holiday message board (featured below), with treasured old photos to put on display in the home. After converting your old photos into a digital format, they can be easily resized and compiled into a single, high-resolution print out that can be adhered with mod podge to something as simple as a ¼” wooden board. Overlay your photo collage print out with large, colorful wooden or plastic letters to spell out your favorite holiday greeting! Alternatively, photos can be printed and adhered to your wooden board individually for those interested in overlapping and angling their photos. These seasonal photo collage boards can be propped up on dressers, living room shelves, kitchen counters, or even set to hang on a wall.
Black and White Christmas Tree Ornaments
Why not adorn this year’s Christmas tree with the memories you cherish most? Create a highly personalized Christmas tree photo ornament without the hassle or expense of ordering glass bulbs with professionally imprinted photos, (although we’re sure that would look fabulous, too). In reality, the simple act of printing out an old black and white photo on high resolution paper, backing with colorful cardstock and trimming with ribbon to hole punch and tie with string can contribute the sentiment and personalization you’re looking for.
Picture Frame Memory Wreath
Convert your traditional Christmas wreath into a unique, yet highly personal picture frame memory wreath this year! You’ll need a sizeable grapevine wreath, a dozen or so small matching picture frames (quantity will vary depending on the size you pick), and a spool of floral wire. Remove the stands from the back of your small picture frames (which may require unscrewing), so that the frame will lay flat on the wreath, and insert your old photos into the frames. Then, firmly attach each frame to the grapevine wreath using floral wire that ties around the hinge on the back of a frame. Once your have your photo wreath adorned with frames, consider adding an extra stylistic element, like the adorable burlap bow featured in the memory wreath below.
Garland Hanging Photo Display
The garland that many homeowners use to decorate a staircase or mantel also presents another unique opportunity to display favorite old photos. Much like the assembly of a Christmas tree photo ornament, a garland hanging photo display can simply require the use of printed, high-resolution photos with added colorful cardstock, although we suggest using wide-width red or silver ribbon rather than plain string, for this display. However, a garland photo display can also present photos in sturdier wooden or metal photo frames as long as the ribbon is durable enough to support it. For the truly crafty, old photos can also be printed on adhesive material using special peel-able transfer paper to iron onto the stockings that hang from garland on a staircase or mantel.
Holiday Photo Blocks
Wooden photo blocks can serve as a great addition to a coffee table or bookshelf and are incredibly simple to create. Small wooden blocks (around 2”) can be found at most major craft stores for relatively low prices, and can be adorned with old photos using a decoupage technique. How does it work? Once your old photos are printed on a laser printer (to minimize the risk of smearing) and cut to the size of a block’s face, apply a thin layer of decoupage glue and firmly press your photo on top for at least a minute. Using the same technique, the remaining sides of the block can then be adorned with decorative paper, more photos, or letters that spell out a holiday word when arranged vertically or horizontally.
About VistaPix Media
VistaPix Media is a family owned and operated company that offers a wide-range of photo scanning, slide scanning, video transfer, and photo slideshow services. VistaPix Media is unique because of our exceptional customer service, personal attention given to each order, and commitment to customer satisfaction. We are located in the U.S., and your photos are never sent overseas.
