DIY photo wall hanger

3 February 2020


Have you got lots of great photos sitting in your phone?! Check out our awesome DIY photo wall hanging, which makes a lovely Valentine's Day gift. It’s easy, cheap and only takes a few materials to make!



You will need:

  • At least 12 printed photos, depending on the size of your wall hanging. You can print 4x4s here:  photoprintsnow.com
  • Wood dowel - or a nicely cleaned branch
  • Air-dry clay
  • Permanent markers (I used gold)
  • String
  • Glue 
  • Washi tape
  • Cookie-cutter shapes
  • Leaf garland (if using)
  • Rolling pin

Firstly prepare your wood dowel, or if you are using a branch wipe clean and give a light sand. Cut to about 40cm long.




Display strings

Next, you will need four equal lengths of string (which we will cut to be uneven at the end). Tie a double knot at the top, then place a small dab of glue to hold the knot before cutting off the extra string. Repeat until you have four strings in place. 




Top string

Next cut one piece of string to 50cm long, tie one end between the first and second strings and secure with double knot and glue as before. Tie the other end with the same method between the third and fourth strings. This will form the top of your hanging - the triangle shape.


Clay shapes

Prepare your clay by taking a ball and rolling it to warm it. Then use a rolling pin to roll the dough to about 1 cm thick. Using cookie cutters or a knife, cut the shapes you want to appear at the end of your hanging. I used hearts, circles & triangles but any shape would be fine. 


When the shapes are ready, take a small straw or piece of wood, and make holes for the hangings. Then leave the clay to dry for at least 24 hours. 


Photos

Hang your piece up to attach the photos as this makes it easier to get them straight. For each photo, prepare a piece of washi tape to the length of the photo and put behind the string with the sticky side facing towards you. Place the photo on top and press down to secure. Repeat until all of your photos are in place. I also put some little momentos in between the photos with washi tape. Get creative and use what you have around the house, they could be dried flowers, beads or even stickers!


Finishing

When the clay shapes are dry, draw designs on them using your sharpie or gold marker. Then stick the shapes to the string with washi tape. If the shapes are larger and heavy, they may need to hang off the string. If so, use a jump ring and tie a knot to secure. And you’re done!



Happy Valentine's, we hope you enjoyed making this awesome gift for the special people in your life!


To print your own photos to recreate our DIY photo wall hanger, follow the steps below: 

1. Visit  photoprintsnow.com

2. Upload your photos and select your required print sizes.

3. We'll send your order to your selected CVS Pharmacy and they'll have your prints ready to be picked up on the very same day.