Community Chat

[wismiss]

Thank you for your ideas and suggestions.  Yes, what I plan to do is cut snippets of the pictures with my little detail scissors around people with a little background and paste those on the letters.  Good idea to try a sample on a picture that I don't care about as much and if that does smear then I'll try watering down the Elmer's glue.  I, too, love shadow boxes and may reserve that idea for the really special pictures and memorabilia that I have.  I just didn't want to make black/white copies, as I want to use the pictures, having no one to leave them to when I pass. 

Again, thank you for your suggestios.

[sabatini]

@wismiss, I know zero about decoupaging, but like w/ most things, I just wing it!

Years ago I decoupaged 2 pieces of old, painted furniture, using pictures I'd cut out of magazines. After gluing them down & after they'd dried, I used polyurethane, and sanded lightly between coats. They were gorgeous!

If you had a funky side table, and glued your old photos to that, it could become a family heirloom!

[Mom2Dogs]

@wismiss....if the 3D letters don't work like you want them to, you could always purchase an old window frame and put your pictures in the window panes.....I have done that, it looks nice, but it would not use a lot of photos unless you had a large old window.

One in my family room has 6 empty panes that could be filled with a couple of photo in each frame.  Or if you make a collage for each frame more photos could be used.

[esmeraldagooch]

If you are using one of a kind family photos, this could be a really bad idea.  If you don't really care about the long term survival of the photos it may be a fun project.

[PodyPo]

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@Mom2Dogs wrote:

@wismiss Yes, many years ago.....It was a long process but worth it.

Back in 'those' days you would decoupage a layer or two then sand, repeat, sand, (using steel wool) repeat until it was perfectly smooth, you could no longer feel the edges of what ever you were gluing down.  The idea was for the decoupaged piece to feel like glass when you ran your hand over 'it'.

For the idea you have I would try a couple of your photos that you do not like on a scrap piece of the card stock beause yes, the ink could run/smear.

I am confused by how you would make your photos fit to the 3D letters, or were you going to cut the image you like from the photo and paste to fit?  

I am thinking the photo paper would be thick....let me know if my answer confuses you more or if you have questions.  I like crafting projects and have done many over the years.

You may also trying getting the back of a photo very damp, and peeling off the back until it is thin enough to manipulate onto your 3D letters...

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I did decoupage in the 70s with my mom. I doubt the technique has changed. It’s time consuming and meticulous.

Inthink color photos would be too think, it would take a lifetime to embed them.

Visit your local Michaels or Binders and see wat else they might suggest. There is something called modpodge but I don’t know anything about it.