The Pinterest Challenge, Summer Edition

So, I'm addicted to two websites....Young House Love and Pinterest. Young House Love is a blog maintained by a young couple (Sherry and John) that chronicles the adventures of life and DIYing. Pinterest is a virtual pinboard to organize things that you find online that you love.  Sherry and her fellow blog friend, Katie, have created a challenge to take something you've pinned on Pinterest and actually do it. And they've invited their readers to take part in the challenge! The challenge was issued on Tuesday, 7.26.11, and we were given one week to complete the project. Participants were also encouraged to put their own spin on the project.

I've pinned a few potential projects to do...eventually. But for this first challenge, I wanted to find a project that would allow me to use items I already had around the house. So, here was my initial inspiration....

Photo mosaic/collage

... a photo mosaic/collage. Very cute. Very symmetrical. My twist on the project was to take this collage idea and incorporate a scrapbook feel to it.

I picked up a small panoramic frame at a garage sale a few months ago for 50 cents that would work for this project (or so I thought...keep reading). We tend to favor black frames in this household and I just happened to have some black spray paint in the garage to transform that 50 cent frame. I then searched my box of scrapbook materials that I accumulated with the intention of making a wedding scrapbook many years ago. (Unfortunately, a project that never came to fruition.)

Digital cameras have led to my downfall in keeping photo prints in the house. (I know, I know. I'm an archivist, a historian...I should know better!) I searched the computer for some of our best photos so far this year and sent those off to be printed.

Do you think I printed enough photos? It's good to have options!

Ok, so I finally had all my essential supplies gathered (including glue, double stick tape, scissors, etc). Let the creativity begin!!

First, I had to paint the frame black. And, actually, while I was at it, I found another frame that we haven't been using, so I spray painted that one too. This way I had 2 frames to choose from.

Frame Options #1 and #2

I worked on trimming the photographs in between running out to add layers of paint to the frames. I used a ruler to help guide me as I pulled the edges of the photographs to get a slightly rough/torn edge. I discover as I'm trimming photographs that I have way more photographs than will fit in either of my picture frames currently being painted. So...long story short, I ended up pulling five (!) frames as options for this project and decided to use the largest option. Go figure. It's not uncommon for my projects to snowball and get out of control!

Bigger is better, right?

At the same time I was contemplating frames, I was hit with another bit of inspiration from another of my pins on Pinterest.

Fabric mosaic

I decided to incorporate this idea into the background of my photo mosaic/collage. I cut all of my scrapbook paper into 2x2 inch squares to create a quilt-like effect behind the photographs. I measured the frame and figured it would take 108 squares. It didn't take near as long to cut them out as I had feared. [Insert sigh of relief here!] Once I had the layout decided, I started glueing the blocks onto the base of the project. (I used the poster that was originally in the frame as the base.)

2x2 blocks and planning layout

Perhaps a little busy?

There was a little overlap at the edge, so I alternated where the short pieces would be on each column of blocks and then trimmed the overlap. Once the background was done, I added the photographs. (Oops, no photo for this step.) I also added "Love lives here" in the center of the collage.

And...VOILA!...here's the finished product!

It's hard to photograph a panoramic when your camera doesn't have a panoramic setting!

I'm debating on whether to go ahead and hang it up since we've got our house on the market. We'll see...

And thus ends my first attempt at a Pinterest Challenge! Be sure to check out John & Sherry's, Katie's, Lana's, and Emily's projects for the challenge!