Be My Valentine Upcycled Instant Photo Card - DIY

These were so much fun! I've had this idea for a few weeks and finally took the time to make them. I almost couldn't stop making them, there are just too many possibilities for these.

It was also fun to do some paper crafting which I don't get to do too often these days!

If you have a Fuji Instax Mini Camera, or any instant camera (Polaroid, etc), you know that you inevitably have those photos that just don't come out the way you had hoped. Especially since my Fuji Instax is fairly new, there's still the learning curve to get past and I often have photos that are just not good. Or maybe they don't even develop totally and they're either pure white or just washed out.

Either way, I have a fairly large pile of ones that just don't make the cut.

But I hate throwing them away! I hate being wasteful in general, but this film is pricey, that makes it even harder when you have ones that don't come out. I was looking at my little pile of rejects one day and thought that they'd be the perfect size for Valentines!

 

You could make these yourself and give to loved ones, or let your kids get a hold of them and embellish to their heart's content. It's more creative than buying the ones at the store and it teaches them about reusing and recycling.

Some things that I did on mine:

- Embellish with stickers

- Cut out hearts with a craft knife and then back the opening with patterned paper (i used vintage wall paper scraps)

- Stamp them with rubber or polymer stamps (I inked part of my "Handle With Care" Horsy stamp - just the horse part -and then handwrote a note with permanent marker. You would probably want to use an ink like StazOn so that it won't rub off.)

- Typeset words and phrases in Photoshop (or Word, or whatever program you have) and then print them onto textured cardstock. Cut out the words/phrases and glue to your photo.

- Draw a heart onto the photo part of the Mini and then punch around the shape with a hole punch. Back the "card" with colored paper so that you can see it through the holes.

- Use a decorative punch like a heart (I used a scalloped circle) and then back it with colored cardstock. On mine, I printed a song lyric onto textured cardstock, centered it in the scalloped circle "window" and then cut off the excess. Tape it to the back of your photo.

- Cover your photo with patterned paper (I used vintage wallpaper) then add phrase/word strips for your message.

- Use the image in your photo to your advantage. On one of my photos, there's a lucky Chinese Cat (remember him?) and I cut out a phrase bubble from white cardstock and then added word strips.

- Think of your own new ideas!

As you can see in the first photo, I created and assembled an envelope that fits a Fuji Instax mini photo. I've created a template that you can download here so you can do the same. I also "lined" my enveloped with some more of that vintage wallpaper scrap.

Don't have a Fuji Instax Mini camera? This would work great with Polaroids too of course!

Have fun and please share a link in the comments section if you end up making some of these!

 

Here's another cute way to use up your reject instant photos over at A Beautiful Mess. :-)

Comments

[Mary-Beth]

i like this idea! i know what you mean...i ALWAYS feel awful throwing out a polaroid!:)

[Alexa]

These are adorable!

[amy tangerine]

absolutely adorable!! love the recycling!

[Amber Zimmerman]

What a great idea! I have the polaroid pogo and have a few rejects and I love the idea of recycling them instead of throwing them out.

[Susan]

Love the Olivia Newton John one!! You are so clever :)

[Michelle Clement]

Oh! These are seriously soooo adorable!
Love em to bits! :)

[Olivia]

Very very cute! Great ideas here Danielle :)

[Marilyn]

This is a brilliant idea! :) I have the Instax 25s and some shots that didn't turn out well, was chucked aside. Now I know I can do much more with those shot. Thanks for sharing!

[katrina]

i adore these. you are amazing.