HOW TO! A Photo Wall with Class

Our guest blogger today is Cristy Harder, from Perfectly Lovely Vintage. Check out our Q & A with Cristy, then scroll down for the complete “How To” for her yearbook photo collage wall. We can’t wait to try this out! Imagine how cute this would be with yearbook photos like hers, family photos, pages from a favorite book, vintage postcards… the possibilities are endless. Thank you for the great idea Cristy! Be sure to visit and like Cristy's vintage boutique at https://www.facebook.com/perfectlylovelyvintage

How did you get into glamping?

The first "glamper" I saw was a few years ago at a local flea market. The owner had turned it into a little store on wheels, so to speak. She sold her vintage in and around her camper. I knew then that I wanted to do that as well. At the time, I had a little business buying and reselling vintage and I knew a little camper would be the perfect addition. That's when I started looking for a camper.

How did you choose your camper?

Actually, it chose us! My husband and I go on a little getaway every fall to a sale called the Highway 36 Treasure Hunt. 450 miles of garage sales, yard sales and flea markets all along the same highway in Kansas. We leave the kids with grandma and off we go! On our way home from the trip, we saw a garage sale at a farmer's house and decided to stop. That's when I spotted my camper! It had been used as a hunter's hideout and needed some work, but we could see the potential! My husband worked on the camper for four hours that day, getting it ready to make the 2 1/2 hour trip back to our home. It needed lights and new tires, which he replaced.

How did you choose your theme?

I am a self-proclaimed hopeless romantic so the theme was easy for me to pick. My goal was to make a space that feels relaxed and inviting.

What inspired your photo wall?

I found two vintage yearbooks from 1949 and 1953 at our local thrift shop and wanted to do something unique with the photos inside. I'm not sure why, but the idea of decoupaging them on my wall came to mind. It's been a fun project! I placed the photos on the wall in no particular order. Just whatever felt right. I let my children help. I didn't take it too seriously. We just had fun with it!

How did you choose the photos? Are they meaningful in some way?

We flipped through the yearbooks and clipped out any photos that were funny and unique. For instance, there is one photo of the principal bowling and he has a funny expression. We tried to include pictures like that. Lighthearted and fun.

Did you make any mistakes while working on the project that others should avoid?

The only mistake I made was applying too much Mod Podge on the back of the photos. It makes it messy. It only took a few photos to figure out that I needed to use a thin layer.

What is the best part about the project, how do you feel about it now that it is done?

I love the way it turned out! I think the best part of the project is the reaction people have to it. I love how they stop and look at the wall for a while. It makes me happy to see others enjoying something I have done.

HOW TO:

Photo wall:

Items needed:

Photos (we used black and white yearbook photos) Mod Podge

Paintbrush

Paper towels and newspaper- it gets messy!

1. Cut your preferred photos out. We tried to do a variety of photos- some portraits and some candid and sports as well.

2. Apply a thick layer of Mod Podge to the back of the photo with the paintbrush. Make sure you apply the Mod Podge to the outer edges of the photos.

3. Place the photo on the wall in the desired spot. The glue dries quickly, so make sure you place your photo on the wall quickly.

4. Once the photo is placed on the wall, apply a thin layer of Mod Podge over the top of the photo. You will be able to see the Mod Podge, but it will dry clear. Make sure you brush the glue in one direction over the top of the photo.

You can order Modge Podge right here to get started on your own photo wall project- or click the photo below:

Thank you again Cristy for sharing this awesome idea! To see more photos of Cristy's adorable trailer, check out her boutique page at https://www.facebook.com/perfectlylovelyvintage