DIY Tuesday: Instagram Photo Collage

Most of us are familiar with Instagram, right? If not, let me fill you in on this wonderful app for your iPhone or Android before starting the DIY project. Instagram is an easy and fun way to share your photos online. Snap a picture using your smart phone, choose a filter to transform the look and feel of the picture, then post it to Instragram. From Instagram, you are also able to tweet the picture, post it to facebook, add it to Tumblr or email it. Okay, so now that we are all caught up on Instagram, here is a fun DIY project to create using those neat square photos. I am not going to write down a supply list this week because really all you need are printouts of the pictures you wish to display, square picture frames and whatever it is that you need to hang the picture frames (i.e. nails, stool, hammer….). Luckily, several weeks ago I found a great deal on the picture frames I used at Michael’s Arts & Crafts. The frames were originally $9.99, but on sale for $3.99. Then I had a coupon for an additional 25% off all frames, bringing the price down $3.00 a frame. Now, as far as the pictures from Instagram, I suggest you start by emailing them to yourself. After you save the pictures to your computer, figure out what size you need the pictures to be. For instance, my frames had a 4″ by 4″ opening, so all my pictures needed to be resized to that measurement. If you need photo-editing software, try using GIMP. It’s free and easy to use. Once all the pictures were the correct size, I then had them printed at our local copy and print shop on glossy paper. Honestly, the hardest part of the project for me was deciding which 9 pictures to use. If it were up to me, I’d have an Instagram collage the size of an entire wall, because I love all my family photos so much.   Anyway, after deciding on the pictures and adding them to the frames, I called in my husband to hang them for me. (I am really bad at hanging things level, even when using one!) Below is the finished Instagram collage, which is right above out kitchen table. I love how easy and inexpensive this was, considering the collage fills an entire blank wall. Questions? Feedback? Leave a comment below!