What could be better than one quick and easy family photo project? How about two. First up: Photo Project Number One. A couple of years ago we had fun displaying the little Sherri Conley cards-turned-art above our sofa in eight Ikea frames. We first backed them with bright paper, then swapped in textured fabric about a year later.
Lately, though, we wanted something a bit more personal. We realized Instagram captures everyday life in a way that formal photos often don’t — more casual, more honest. We’ve been using Instagram for almost a year, and scrolling back through those snapshots paints a real picture of our daily life.
Don’t get me wrong: we love our photos from Clara’s party, our wedding, and other special events — those hang all over the house: the hallway frame wall, our anniversary frame collection in the bedroom, and even by the laundry room door. But few Instagram prints had made it onto the walls. We decided to order eight 5 x 5″ Instagram prints from PicPlum to add to our living room frame collection so the whole family could enjoy them.
About a week later the prints arrived. Each one cost only a dollar, so the whole project was just $8 — $9.75 including shipping.
Sherry eagerly swapped out the old cards for our family Instagram photos as soon as they arrived. The Instagram-style border (we like the Sierra filter) gives a Polaroid-like, relaxed vibe that complements the textured fabric and large white mats. When picking photos we aimed to represent each family member several times and include things we enjoy doing together: Clara, Burger the dog, river swims, bike rides, and a scenic shot from the state fair — a family tradition we attend every year.
Sherry used Scotch tape to adhere the prints to the fabric, the same method that worked with the previous prints. The old prints were easy to remove and we saved them in case we want to reuse them elsewhere. The new Instagram prints are slightly larger, which is great, but there’s still plenty of negative space around them — the fabric texture and the mats remain the focal design elements.
One project with family photos: complete. Time for the next small update.
Photo Project Two (or Instagram Project 2) was inspired by a past idea to make tiny Instagram magnets for Clara’s play fridge. We ordered small custom magnets through StickyGram and found a discount code, so nine magnets cost $12.99 — about $1.44 each. You could DIY similar magnets by printing photos, gluing them to magnet sheets, cutting them into clean squares, and sealing with Mod Podge, but a pack of magnet sheets at the office supply store made ordering a more economical and time-saving option for us.
The magnets are small — about the size of two quarters across and two quarters tall — and we chose nine images Clara loves the most. She helped pick them, which made the project even more special.
Here they are in action on the play fridge. Clara enjoys pointing them out and calling attention to favorite moments: “Look at Burger being silly!” or “Daddy has funny glasses!”
In short, two small Instagram-based updates made our home feel more personal. One added larger framed Instagram prints to the living room, and the other created tiny magnets for a play fridge — both are quick, inexpensive ways to showcase everyday family moments.
What are you framing these days? Are you ordering Insta-magnets or printing Instagram photos for your home? Do you agonize over photo choices or go with your first instinct? We lean toward first instincts — it’s easier to change photos over time, which keeps the house feeling current instead of stuck in the past. Spending a small amount each year to refresh a few spots can keep your decor feeling fresh. As Sherry likes to say: you’re not marrying the photos, you’re just framing them.
Psst — we also announced this week’s freebie winner.