Making the BIG 3-0!

A project that involves photos? Check!

A project that involves DIY skills? Check!

A project that tells a complete story? Check!

This was the project for me and I was determined to make it, whether my husband thought I was crazy or not. He tends to smile and shake his head when I get into these frenzies. I simply smile back and mumble the words, "you'll see, it's going to be great" as I scurry around with craft supplies strewn about from one room to the next. 

I stumbled upon the 30 photo collage idea when googling decoration ideas for Amanda's surprise birthday dinner. I immediately fell in love. I couldn't find the greatest "directions" on how to make the collage, as it's pretty self explanatory, so I tapped into my DIY skills and off I went...

I wanted the number cut-outs to be precise and didn't want to waste time sketching and erasing the number over and over again. So I went to Staples and had them print each number for me. My only requirement was that it had to be at least 2 feet high and wide. 

I brought them home, cut out the numbers, and started to arrange pictures to see how many would fit. This was my first attempt at seeing the project come together. 

I then traced the numbers onto cardboard. I used Elmer's tri-fold display boards, as they were the largest to accommodate each number. I also felt that these were the sturdiest. It was really easy cutting them out with scissors and an X-acto knife. 

I arranged the pictures again. I cut many pictures down and layered many on top of each other. Honestly, this took most of the time, as I was playing with many design opportunities. I also wanted to mix and match pictures of Amanda's childhood years with present day memories. 

Gluing was the scariest part, as it was the final step and permanent. I thought about using various forms of adhesive, but decided to stick with my go-to: glue sticks. 

I was really happy with the final product. It didn't come out exactly as I'd seen on Google, but it was close enough! :-) 

One of my favorite parts of the project was cutting up the pictures that Amanda's mom and sister sent me, as I incorporated them into the design. Each photo told a story and I wanted to hear more about each one. It brought back so many memories of my childhood, as my mom captured some of the same moments too, like walking off the school bus on the first day of school. :-) 

I recommend trying this DIY project for your friends, family members, or significant others birthday or anniversary. It's a lot of fun and very easy! Message me or leave a comment below if you need any help! :-)