Create a framed memento of a family vacation by mounting your favorite getaway photos on a map of your holiday destination. Interesting maps can be found in museums, souvenir stores, books, by mail order or over the Internet. Here, we chose a U.S. Geographic Survey topographic map because the colors complemented the colors of the sixties-era family vacation photos we selected. You will need:
- Map or color copy of map artwork
- Photographs
- Color inkjet printer (optional)
- Decorative-edged scissors (optional)
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Acid-free photo adhesive stickers
- Picture frame (optional)
- Acid-free white mat board for frame backing (optional)
- X-acto knife
- Self-healing cutting mat
- Photo spray adhesive (optional)
To make:
- Find a map or make an enlarged color copy of a map from a book or vacation brochure of your vacation destination.
- Select photos that will complement your map artwork.
- Use your original photos, or make high-quality copies of the photos on a color inkjet printer or at your local film and photo-processing store.
- Trim the photo or photocopy edges with decorative-edged scissors.
- Arrange the photos on the map, placing them near or around the place you visited. Align the tops of the photos and space them evenly using the ruler, then mark the position of the photo corners with a light pencil dot.
- Place adhesive stickers on the back corners of your photos and reposition them on the map at the pencil markings, pressing gently to adhere the photos to the map.
- Frame the piece yourself using a ready-made frame, or take your map with mounted photos to a local framer to be framed. If framing yourself, decide on the final dimensions of your framed piece before trimming the map. Be sure to choose a finished size that corresponds to ready-made frame lengths. Trim the map and acid-free mat board backing to the same size as your finished frame, using the ruler, X-acto knife and cutting mat.
- Spray the back of the map with spray adhesive and mount it to the mat board, gently smoothing out all the air pockets.
- Insert the mounted map into the frame and secure in place according to the instructions accompanying your frame.
Reprinted with permission from Fun with Family Photos by Jennifer and Leslie Barry. Photography by Caroline Kopp. ©2004, Ten Speed Press, Berkeley, California.
