What’s better than one fast and easy project with family photos? How about thirty. Just kidding. How about two. Cool? Let’s do this. First up, we have Photo Project Numero Uno. We’ve had fun with the little Sherri Conley cards-turned-art that we hung above our sofa in eight Ikea frames two years ago. First with bright paper behind them and then with some textured fabric as the backdrop around a year later…
… but lately we’ve been jonesing for something a little more personal. It all started when Sherry and I were talking about how Instagram seems to capture “real life” better than formal camera pics from a big event. Why? I think because we snap a lot more “day in the life” stuff on Instagram. And when we scroll back through those photos over the last almost-year we’ve been using it, it captures our days in an honest and casual way.
That’s not to say that we don’t treasure pictures of Clara’s party and our wedding and other momentous occasions, but those photos are already represented all over our house (in our hallway frame wall, in our bedroom thanks to an anniversary frame collection, and even in our laundry room by the door). But we don’t have Instagram photos anywhere except for a few on my beloved pegboard in the basement. So we ordered eight more 5 x 5″ Instagram pics from PicPlum (read more on that process here) for our living room frame collection where we can all enjoy ’em.
About a week later these guys showed up. Each picture is just a dollar, so the whole project was $8 total. Well $9.75 when you include the shipping.
Sherry was so excited to yank each frame off the wall and switch out the old photo cards for actual family photos that I think she did it the second they arrived. The cool thing is that Instragram photos have that nice polaroid-ish border around them (at least the filer we use – called Sierra – does), which adds to the whole casual and not-too-stuffy vibe. When it came to picking the photos, we tried to represent each member of our family a few times and toss in a nice mix of things that we like to do. For example, there are a few pictures of Clara, a few more of Burger…
… and a few of us doing things with them together – like swimming at the river or going biking. And you know we get random, so we added a scenic shot that we took of the state fair this year since that’s sort of a family tradition at this point (we go every year).
As for how Sherry adhered them to the fabric, she just used scotch tape since that was what worked for the other prints that we had in there for the last year. So it was easy to peel off the old prints (which we saved just in case we want to use them in another spot someday) and tape up the new ones in their place. They’re slightly larger which is nice, but there’s still lots of negative space around them which is cool since the texture of the fabric and the big white mats are my favorite part.
So there it is. One project with family photos down. And one to go.
Enter Photo Project Two, stage left. It also could be labeled Instagram Project 2, I guess. (We’re more than a little Instagram-happy these days… is there an Instagrammers Anonymous?). I came up with the idea of ordering a few tiny Instagram magnets for Clara’s play fridge a while ago, and we finally got around to doing it.
We ordered them through StickyGram and Googled around to find a $2.00 discount along with a free shipping code. So instead of spending $15 for nine customized magnets, we spent $12.99 (making them $1.44 each). You could definitely DIY something similar (our approach would be to print the photos at home, glue them to magnet sheets, cut them as cleanly as possible in little squares, and maybe Mod Podge the front to keep them from getting scratched?). Only reason we didn’t attempt it was that we saw a package of magnet sheets at Office Max for something like $15, so it was actually cheaper to order them. But if you want to get your hands on a bunch of them (like for wedding favors or something) I bet it would be cheaper to make them in that instance.
It’s hard to tell their size from certain pictures, so here’s a shot of them with a quarter for scale. They’re about two quarters wide by two quarters tall and you can see the nine photos that we ordered somewhat clearly here. The goal when choosing these was just “photos Clara loves the most” which happen to be these nine since she helped us pick them out herself.
Here they are in action on the fridge. Clara loves pointing out certain ones, like “Look at Burger being silly with his bone in his mouth!” and “Daddy has funny glasses!”
In summary, our house got a little more personal thanks to two easy little Instagram-related updates.
What are you guys framing these days? Is anyone else ordering Insta-magnets? Do you labor over choosing the best photos to frame or print for hours or just quickly act on your first instincts before you can second guess yourself? I’m Team First Instincts. Sherry and I used to over-think things like photo choices, but we realized that the less we belabor them the easier it is to switch them out or update them over time – which keeps the house feeling fresh and “right now” instead of frozen in the past. We’d actually be happier to spend $22 a year ordering updated photos for a few different spots in our house instead of saving that money and staring at the same photos for so long that they become invisible. So that’s my tiny picture tip for any other photo-overthinkers out there. In the words of Sherry: you’re not marrying them, you’re just framing them.
Psst- We announced this week’s lucky freebie winner. Click here for the details.
Ashley@AttemptsAtDomestication says
That’s so cute! I love Instagram for that reason, so many candid, in the moment, shots! :)
Angela says
We had a lot of fun with our Elf on the Shelf in December and so when he left my six year old son was really sad. I took instagrams each night of each of is hijinks and mischief so I had them printed into 3 tiny books at http://prinstagr.am (it’s a .am not .com) and put a tiny Christmas ornament sticker over their little logo. Both of my kids got them shipped to them from Buddy in the North Pole (I wrapped them up in brown lunch bag paper and addressed them) and we have a spare one for when one gets lost. The kids FLIPPED out, they loved them so much. Right now they are one our fridge since they are magnetic. It was $17 with shipping but money well spent! Here’s our books: http://instagram.com/p/UBvldblH5N/
YoungHouseLove says
So cute!
xo
s
Sam @ The Junk House says
I love Instagram (and the Sierra filter)! I still need to get some of the pictures printed to hang around the house. But I did make some magnets, so that’s a start. Here’s how I made them if you are interested:
http://thejunkhouse.blogspot.com/2012/08/diy-instagram-magnets.html
YoungHouseLove says
So cool!
xo
s
Vicki says
I have lived in my house for 24 years and have tons of photos on the walls and on shelves. My problem is removing them. I love seeing the older ones (when the kids were little) and then seeing them all grown up.
I read what you said about keeping it fresh– I just haven’t learned to edit!
Jill says
Love the project John and Sherry! I actually have a similar grid of Ikea Ribba frames in my living room and have been jonesing to do the same thing, but with some black and white photos!
I have a quick question. I have had tons of problems with the hardware that came with my Ikea Ribba frames not being strong enough to support the weight of the frame, or with hanging them by the wire they provided and the frame not adhering to the wall. Yours always look so even and flush. Did you add some hardware to yours, or did I just get dud frames at Ikea.
Love you blogs!
Jill
YoungHouseLove says
Weird! We just use the hanging wire and that seems to work.
xo
s
Rachel says
Instagram is the best!! I love how personal it can be, the things you can capture. And how great that Clara helped picked out the magnets for her fridge :) I bet she loves looking at them every day.
Katie @ Suburban Fervor says
As I was reading YHL a while ago I was wondering if you were considering changing the art above your couch because you are constantly refreshing your home and lo and behold here we are!
These are really cool and as always, I love that you include prices and comparisons.
sinika says
I’ve ordered instagram magnets through stickygram and LOVE them! I love the idea of the bigger pics with the frames too. I love instagram so much- hoping there is an easy book upload somewhere for a coffee table book of all the photos. Have you seen anything like that?
YoungHouseLove says
Anyone have a good recommendation for Sinika?
xo,
s
Tara S says
Blurb has an instagram book. I have ordered bigger style photo books from Blurb and have been very happy. Great quality.
http://www.blurb.com/instagram-books
Nickie says
Random question that is only related to the post because it is in the picture…. BUT…. What are your thoughts on your couch now that you have lived with it for a while. Our couch will have to be replaced soon and I love the size and color of yours but have always wondered if your happy with how it has held up…
Thank you!!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Still very happy with Karl the sofa! It still looks great and is very comfy.
xo,
s
Chelsea says
I love the decor for Clara’s little fridge. I think next she needs to get on the list-making train and get little fake grocery lists!
Nichole says
Unrelated to this post, but I checked the Decor Steals website (formerly Wuslu) and they’re selling a set of 12 honeybee napkin rings today and it made me think of you guys. For Sue?
YoungHouseLove says
Cute!
xo,
s
Kelli from LittleCottageOfMine says
Love love love!
This is why I love you guys!!
I’m about to get my pic on with a trip to ikea for some cheap frames.
You guys are just too much for words, I love those mini magnets!!
How many times can I say love in this comment?
Love,
Kelli
YoungHouseLove says
Haha thanks Kelli!
xo,
s
frances favela says
Terribly thrilled to have you guys in portland this weekend! I have been looking forward to it since you announced your tour locations!
see you saturday with my YHL book in hand,
Frances
YoungHouseLove says
So excited!
xo,
s
Rachael says
Are you guys only in Tacoma Friday? Or will you be there Saturday too??
YoungHouseLove says
On Saturday we are in Portland so just Fri :)
xo,
s
Heather says
For anyone wanting to DIY their own magnets…
Michael’s sells a package of peel & stick magnets the size of a business card. So, you just print out your photos (wallet-sized), trim & stick the magnet on. We used to give magnet photos of the birthday kid as party favours for family birthdays. (And don’t forget to use the 50% off coupon at Michael’s!)
YoungHouseLove says
Smart!
xo,
s
Rachael says
Just wanted to say – SO excited to see you guys tomorrow! I can barely stand it. :) Thanks for making the trip all the way over here to our rainy town.
YoungHouseLove says
So excited! We’re at the airport right now!
xo,
s
KatieLou says
I have had some instagram problems, not sure what I am doing wrong, but this makes me want to go back and try again!
We saw how happy Clara was when you returned, it is difficult on her when you leave?
YoungHouseLove says
She loves Grammy and Tomtom so she hardly blinks when we leave. Haha! She’s like “bye, I’m gonna go play…”
xo,
s
Melissa says
This is just like what I’ve been doing the past few weeks! We rarely look at all the pictures we’ve piled up in digital files for the past 6 (8 , how many years have we had a digital camera now??) years. So I got on the bandwagon of printing and we enjoy flipping through the photos, stuffing them into albums, and picking out a handful to put up on the wall. Much more enjoyment out of the photos this way. I have a long way to go to get through the backlog we’ve let build up of all the fun times together.
Katy says
This is great! I’ve been wanting to print some Instagram photos for so long. I might finally do it. What do you call it?… dude, get on it already?! And I love those frames… if only Ikea was a bit closer to us! You guys are awesome!
Kim says
What a cool project! I’m so copying you. Can I ask where you picked up the white frames above Karl? Are they ikea? Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Yes they’re Ribba from Ikea.
xo,
s
Shannon says
Just ordered 8×8 prints from shutterfly to frame and hang on my office wall. I think they were $2.99 each and I used $2 album frames from Michale’s so it was a cheep upgrade to a very bare wall
Elizabeth@ Food Ramblings says
love the magnets!!
ali thompson says
i am loving instagram and would totally join IA if it were available….! i have yet to pull the trigger and make the purchase for the prints…love the framed option. supacute.
Lindsay F. says
I’m in the process of over-thinking it w/ photos…two months into the process actually. I need to pull the trigger since the frames are already hung and people are asking who the pics are of (they are the models who came in the frame…duh.)
Jenny G. says
Love it! I definitely need to print out my instagrams!
Also, thanks for the link to the admission coupon. $10 admission to the show, plus $10 for parking, plus the gas for the 85 mile round trip to get to Tacoma from the Seattle area = an expensive little venture! Thank goodness I already own the book! I sure wish you guys were coming to the Seattle West Elm, but still super excited to meet you tomorrow!
Kristin says
I do have an iPhone with Instagram but I’m tech-phobic. I don’t Facebook or tweet or use any kind of social media, but I LOVE the filters on my Instagram app. I just can’t figure out what to do with the app though if I’m not sharing the photos on social media somewhere. Maybe you could do a short post on Instagram tutorial for tech-dummies like me?
YoungHouseLove says
If you google for an Instagram tutorial I bet a bunch will come up! You just take a pic in the program (or upload one from your photo library), choose a filter, write a caption, and post it :)
xo,
s
Cassie says
I’m having a serious issue switching out pictures right now.. in September 2011, we moved in with my mom to save money for a few months. When we moved back out in April 2012 I went to get out the pictures that had been packed away, and realized that I didn’t have any framed of our newest because she was only 2 wks old when we moved in with my mom! Now it’s been almost a year and I still haven’t gotten them out because we still haven’t framed any of our youngest, and now the others are so old that it’s kind of ridiculous… I feel like if I take a picture out and replace it, I’m saying that that picture isn’t as important :(
Christine Somers says
Really like these and the metamorphous they have take over time.
Sara says
Lovely. I feel that when people style bookcases, coffee tables, etc for blogs, they often forget to include family photos. It just makes things more personal and real.
Naomi says
So sweet! I haven’t done Instagram photos for my walls, but I have a few photo books (from Artifact Uprising) that I have for personal and professional use. The walls in my house–especially in my living room–are giant swaths of space that I haven’t been brave enough to tackle. This would be good for my fickle heart though…I can change it up when ever I want. :0)
Y’all are such an inspiration! <3
Heather says
I made a few sets of Instagram magnets for some friends for Christmas. I did just like you describe: printed them out (on the color laser printer at work, so they wouldn’t bleed) glued them to magnet sheets (bought at Joann’s, near the pipe cleaners, for $7 each, but then used a coupon) and mod podged over them. I believe I got at least 20 2″x2″ magnets + some change from each large sheet. Also, I used Webstagram to view the photos online, copied and pasted them into word, and resized so they would fit in a large grid. They turned out really cute!
Heidi P. says
I didn’t know you guys had business cards! They’re fun!
Aaaand you guys play Farkle! I LOVE Farkle!! My family calls it Zilch, and I think the rules are slightly different, but we love it so much that we play together over Skype! Haha. (My brother’s and their families are in D.C. and North Carolina and my parents are in Ohio.)
tess says
ha! Ive been overthinking a wedding inspired gallery wall (no posed pictures, and mostly of scenery) for our living for say about… 3 months. maybe its time to just hit print!thanks for sharing!
vickielovesjeff says
AAAAAHHHH!!! Yes, that’s me hollering like a spaz! I get to see you in Tacoma tomorrow and I’m so excited! My sweet 12 year old daughter gave me your book for Christmas so I’ll be bringing her and the book along for your John Hancock’s. Well, please sign the book, not the daughter. (She says you can sign her if you want.) I’ll also have my sweet Hubby and our grand baby boy along for the gig. I’ll be the one w/ a baby that looks too young to be a grandma. Uh, that sounds wrong. I’m the grandma, not the baby. Haha! See you tomorrow! AAAAAAHHHH!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha can’t wait!
xo,
s
Lauren says
This made me think of Clara’s photo project. It might be cool to frame some of them for her big girl room.
Stacey says
A. How do you manage to use just one filter??? I find myself bopping all over the spectrum, so my stream looks a lot crazier/less uniform than yours!
B. Um, yes, Instagrammers Anonymous for sure.
YoungHouseLove says
The truth is that most of our pics are dark, so Sierra always lightens them up :)
xo,
s
Anna M says
Cute – but how are the magnets sticking to the wood? Isn’t that what the “fridge” is made of??
Anna M
YoungHouseLove says
When we made her fridge we painted it with magnetic paint :)
xo,
s
Jessica says
You guys are brilliant.
Cassondra says
Can’t wait to start hanging photos around my house! Hadn’t really thought of getting instagrams printed but it does make sense and offers such a unique look.
Ofelia, México City says
Im photo-overthinker, thats for sure, and I love printing pictures and put them in photo-albums. We like to put them in frames, but that tooks lo long, because we have no printer yet. No instagram either. Just a digital camera and phone camera…
Richelle says
Really sad story, I rearranged and redecorated my living room in July and hung a set of pictures frames that we had received from our wedding (that had been sitting in the packaging for 2 years!) on one of the walls. Now here it is 6 months later and I still haven’t put pictures in the frames. I needed to read this post today so I can just pick some pictures already and quit overthinking it!
YoungHouseLove says
You can do it!
xo,
s
Kate says
Love that framed Instagram idea! I have been mulling over hundreds of ideas for my hallway (dark, straight, boring hallway) – all of which include family photos. But I finally decided that I didn’t want “professional” (aka – staged) photos. I think I’ll use all snap-shots or Instagram photos. Your photo exercise(s) have confirmed that’s the way to go so that it feels un-stuffy and casual. Now I just need to PAINT the hallway (and hang a new light fixture, and buy a runner). THEN frame and hang the photos. Jeez. Maybe not in that order.
Andrea says
Thanks for this post.
This is a question about the top left hand photo with John and Clara cycling. . .
How did you decide which baby seat to go with, as most baby carriers are placed behind the rider. Any tips on cycling with a toddler (we have a 16 month old and the weather will be getting better to start cycling with her). Did you have to change the way you ride your bike/mount or dismount? Any fun-type cycling excursions that you take with her?
Thanks in advance from sunny (and hot) Sydney Australia.
YoungHouseLove says
We just read reviews and safety ratings and it had great ones! It’s called the iBert and we really like it. John rides the same way he always has and Clara can see things and we all have fun.
xo,
s
Tara S says
Love these two projects! Definitely giving me inspiration to print my instagrams pictures. I just downloaded the Shutterfly app on my iPhone and they have an option to order 4×4 pictures for 25 cents. Has anyone tried ordering these yet? FYI, you only have the option to order 4×4 through the app.
YoungHouseLove says
Anyone tried this?
xo,
s
Andrea says
And I just checked out Clara’s 32 month photo. Love the slight change you did to the ’32’ number on her white singlet, so it ties in with the circle print and colour on the fabric.
Maybe you could photoshop similar singlets onto the Barbies!? Ha ha ha!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha!
xo,
s
Krystle @ ColorTransformedFamily says
I seriously need to do something like this. My phone is bogged down with thousands of pics and I hardly ever turn any of them into hard copy photographs. Maybe that should be my “Dude get on that project”!
Michelle says
GET OUT! After wondering around Hobby Lobby (which I now call Schlobby Bobby from a previous YHL post) and Michael’s for more than an hour looking for a birthday gift for my mom, I text my sister a picture of your living room & asked “what do you think about a set of these frames with Instagram pictures in them?”. Great minds I tell ya, great minds!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha!
xo,
s
danielle says
After reading Meg’s post at Whatever on a picture wall in her bedroom I have decided to make a wall of my husband and I in ours! Thankfully my 6yr old has been doing amazing with my camera and takes pics of us once in a while so there are some! Can’t wait to see some of our favorite moments together all on one wall!
Ash says
It turns out I won’t be able to go to the Tacoma signing after all, and I’m super-bummed! Boss is out with the flu for the week, and I can’t leave my teammate alone, lol. So, I’m ordering a signed copy from Chop Suey (supporting your local business at least!), and hope to catch you guys on Book #2’s World Tour! Insert grumbly-mumbly about Seattle bookstores not listening to me, lol.
Also, I was going to bring you guys some knitted snuggly things, but obvs, can’t do that! I know you don’t publish your home address (safety first!), but is there a PO Box or publisher’s address I could send a little box o’ goodies to, since I can’t deliver in person?
Safe flights tomorrow, and we will try to make it pretty weather for you!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw you’re so sweet Ash! So sorry to miss you. I’ll email you our PO Box – honestly you’re too sweet! No worries if you’re too busy and can’t slip them in the mail at all, ok?
xo
s
Georgia says
This is such a good idea, you have inspired me to put my instagram pictures to use, im thinking a collage in a large Ribba frame!
Lisa in Seattle says
Your Burger pics are always hilarious and charming! We are working on a nature-themed (heavy on squirrels) gallery wall for the hallway, and by “working on” I mean “targeted for completion in late 2014.” DGOTA.
I am trying so hard to get everything done so I can see you in Tacoma tomorrow – we are insanely busy at work. If you see a tall, stressed-out-looking brunette who is probably about to have a heart attack and is obsessively checking her BlackBerry, that’s me.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, hope to see you Lisa!
xo
s