I had a friendly reader request a tutorial on the photo garland I created for Eli’s Birthday.
I especially love this garland because it was purely my idea and not something I saw online. But mostly I love it because it’s so simple to do that it’s nearly embarrassing. But that’s how my crafting rolls. If it ain’t easy? I get it off Etsy. Am I right or am I right?
With all of my babies, during their first year, I took a photo of them on the day of the month they were born through 12 months next to a little stuffed animal. With Eli’s first year photos, I printed them out, at home, about 45 minutes before the party.
I opened up my drawer that contains everything that has no home and pulled out a hole punch, ribbon and well, scotch tape.
I punched a hole on each side of the photo and began weaving the ribbon throughout the holes. I decided to let the ribbon show in the front and have the ribbon in the back for every other one. I began weaving the photos on the left side of the length of the ribbon, so I began with the 12 month photo and pulled it completely over to the right., then 11 months, 10 months, etc. If you’re ribbon isn’t long enough, do not despair, just cut another section of ribbon and staple the ribbon together, hiding the stapled section of the ribbon behind one of the photos. (this happened to me. Of course, it did.)
When all of the photos are attached to the ribbon, you can move them about freely, making sure they are spaced just as you want them.
And, to keep things fancy, I attached the photo garland to my mantle with scotch tape. Probably lots of it to make my eight year old daughter proud.
Had I more time, more photo paper and more ink, I probably would have created another for the kitchen. The guests loved looking over how much this sweet boy had changed throughout the year.
Beth! Thank you so much. It is really simple. I will take pics Saturday and totally give you all the credit.
So cute! You are going to have to find a new place for your clock so you can put a 4th picture above your mantel of the little one on the way!!
I love this idea! I’m so going to steal it. I just wish that I had taken a photo of my wee babe with a stuffy for the first 4 months of her life.
I’m going to put this up on the “Blog Post’s I Likey” http://robinhowe.com/blog/?page_id=333
Love this idea! And I love your style
Amy Clark turned me on to your blog and I enjoy it so much!!
I love this photo garland idea!!
Also I have to say that I love, love, love your mantle decorating! Beautiful!
I love everything on that mantle! Love!
I love this. I might do Tommy’s stair shots in a garland for his 2nd birthday, even though I only did them monthly his first year of life. It’d still be cute, I think.
I love this idea. Sadly my kids are way past that tiny age but it gives me some good ideas. Thank you for sharing.
I am totally doing this when my kids graduate…first one in 4 (gasp!) years! Just hoping I can remember to do it in 4 (gasp!) years! So cute!
Love your mantel. My painted brick fireplace has never had a mantel — when we looked at the house, I asked the owners where they put stockings! We finally ordered one and it will be delivered on Monday. I already have a gallery wrapped canvas of my girls to go over it, and am loving your simple touches on the actual mantel. Is it silly to ask where you got the “F”?
Great idea! Love it and I LOVE your mantle and the decor. Beautiful. You should do a house tour for us sometime
I *love* this idea!! I’m going to adapt it for my classroom next year. I’ll take a picture of each student on the first schoolday of each month, and we’ll string them together on our Class Garland. I’ll keep them each month, then, at the end of the year, I’ll make a garland for each student to take home to their parents!!
I’m *SO* excited about this! Thanks for sharing, Beth!
I love this idea!! Too bad I didn’t think of something creative like this to do with my kids!!
This is THE BEST idea! Thank you for sharing your creativity! I think I am going to set something up similiar for my husband when he comes down on Father’s Day. A bunch of pictures of him and my daughter. I am new to your blog and I absolutely love it – I am also from Northwest Indiana!