My $6.00 picture.

So I found this tutorial on Pinterest on how to get large portrait pictures for very cheap. I was super excited to do this. I don't want to spend a fortune on portrait pictures of my children when they change so fast and grow up so fast. I want to be able to change it out if I can as they grow up. If I had this done from a photographer it would cost many hundreds of dollars. So here is what you do.

1. Find the picture you want and put it on a jump drive or portable USB drive.

2. Go to your local office supply store I went to staples, and ask them to turn the picture into a 3x4 engineers print. This will only print in black and white. Mine cost $3.17. It only takes a few minutes to have it done.

3. Next head over to your local home depot of lowes and go back to all the lumber. Somewhere around there are the large foam boards used in houses when they are built. This picture is half a board. I had to cut it in 3 pieces when I bought it in order to get it in my car. This will give you multiple options for other pictures in the future. (brings scissors in case you can't fit it in your car) It cost $9.00 and change and you can get MANY of these pictures out of one. (I split it in 3 so that is where I got the other $3.00 from.)

4. If you don't already have it get some spray adhesive. You will also need a small bottle of black acrylic paint and a paint brush. (I already had these)

5. Lay your board down and measure your picture then cut the board to size.

6. In a well ventilated area spray your board really well with spray adhesive. Then get someone to help you lay the picture on it. I started at one end while Brad held the other and slowly I smoothed it out trying to avoid air bubbles. Once you start to place it there is no going back. I actually got mine crooked and had to just go with it. I also had air bubbles that I didn't know I had until later.

7. Take the black paint and paint around the edges of the picture so you can't tell it is foam. You can't use spray paint is will eat big holes in the foam. You could paint the edges before you glue the picture on it as well.

8. In order to hang it get a string, or wire and used duct tape on the back to hold it in place. And then you have your finished project. It is not perfect, but people would have to look really closely to see the imperfections and know it is not a quality print.

This is not where I hung it, I just let the paint dry here. Below is where it is hanging right now, but I have not found a permenant place. You can see some of the imperfections in the picture below across caleb's forhead there seems to be a big line. This happened when it was printed and one of the reasons I think I am going to re-do it.

This only took abou 20 minutes to make.