photo banner tutorial

hello hello. i recently posted a few photos of a couple of photo banners i made for my store. i got tons of questions about the project, so i decided to write you a short & sweet little tutorial about how it's done. 

here are my original two. i made them with two boxes of bad polaroid film (no worries, it happens, i was refunded... but i still couldn't bear to waste the photos even though they were unexposed). 

i spent my weekend doing fun home projects and i decided to try making a welcome banner for my entry (at the top of my stairs) with fuji instax photos. you can try this with any instant photos (polaroids or fujis) or use of of the many free photo editing options like picnik or rollip to make your faux instant photos and then print them out at home.

for my welcome banner i used my fuji instax to take photos of random textures and pretty patterns around my home. 

next, i wrote the word on the photos letter by letter. one little helpful tip i've learned is that curvy letters (S,O,G ect..) are a lot more difficult to cut out, so use a block style font if you want to avoid that. 

 

last step: you just use a craft knife and a cutting surface to cut out the letters by hand & ta-da! you're done! 

i used a piece of jute string and mini clothes pins to hang the banner. here's a full shot of the entry space...

and since wasting things isn't my sin of choice, i used scraps from the welcome banner to decorate this cute little handmade card... hope you enjoy creating some photo banners yourself! 

XO. elsie 

Comments

[Diana]

such a sweet idea!

[nicole renee]

Love this idea, it is so unique and perfect! Will being trying this one very soon. Thanks! " )

[Allison]

Thanks. I really like this idea... especially using pictures with different fun prints and textures. Wonderful.

http://onegladmorning.blogspot.com/

[Twinkie Chan]

That's so cool!!! I always thought that insta photos were filled with GOOO.

[Jeremy]

i loove those banners. and i especially love card. . . approximately 3x more actually. ha.

love. xo. jer

[rachel denbow]

Lovely!

I like the way you used the cut outs for a card, too!

[Necole]

The Welcome banner is a wonderful idea....will have to make one myself:)

[kindsey]

i love this! it's super cute!
& makes me want a fuji instax camera even moooore!
:)

[ails]

Lovely banner! ^_^

You're so creative Elsie! Thank you for sharing all these wonderful things! You never fail to inspire me. ^_^

[Susan Hessler]

Really fun - that would be a cool idea to adapt for the holidays...

[Amelia M]

What a cute and effective project! I like the look that the different textures/patterns in the photos lends the the banners.

[Jamie Habermaas]

Looove this soo much! Will definitely be trying this very soon!!! Your entry looks super cute! xo

[Chelsea]

oo!! luv the idea soo much!!! I'll definitely be trying this out soon....it'd also be really cool to take pictures of Halloween-related things (pumkins, blacks cats, etc.) and then cut letters out of those photos! very festive.

[mrs boo radley]

These are fabulous. Mmm. Craft knife and cutting surface. Some of my very favorite things.

[elise]

that is the cutest card.
perfect.

[Cheray Natalie]

Oh so cute!! :)
Was just given a instax mini as a gift so will give this banner a try
x

[monica]

love the phrase "sin of choice" :)
thanks elsie! awesome idea <3

[Jaqueline]

Love the idea! Amazing and a great way to reuse and recycle things.

[Janelle Wind]

This is a great idea - Love it!! You are so clever...

I wanted to share this video clip with you too - she is an Australian Indie singer and as soon as I saw her clip, I thought of you. Hope you like it. Her name is Lisa Mitchell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90DflEOXi9E&feature=fvw
xx Janelle

[Goddess Leonie]

love this idea so much :)