Frugal Picture Collages Made Easy

How I Made my Picture Collage on a Super Tight Budget

So it didn't take me very long to get obsessed with the picture collages that you see on every home makeover blog and splashed everywhere on Pinterest.  I love the look of them.  Problem was, I was on a really tight budget.  Like...zero extra spending dollars after Abbie was born.  So my natural born love to shop was smothered and I had to find a new way to enjoy shopping.... aka not doing it! 

 The thing that has been so awesome in the last 18 months of Abbie's life, is that God has taught me so much about being a better steward with my money, and though I have so far to go, he has taught me to stretch my dollar farther with our grocery budget.  He has shown me how to make something out of nothing, and I (I'm about to say something I never thought I would say EVER!) have actually become appalled at spending full price on something now.  I better have a coupon, free shipping code, promotional code, or clearance price tag now to even consider purchasing things.  I used to hate sale racks.  I am learning to like them.  I don't love them yet.  I still get confused and overwhelmed by their lack of organization, but it's a working relationship.  I think in time we will learn to be good friends :)  


So as I was walking through my house today I realized that I used the same tactics for my picture collage wall that I made over a year ago now.  I hardly spent anything to make it. You really can make the project as expensive or as cheap as you want to.  For my own frugal  purposes here is what I used:

Materials:

• Several picture frames of various sizes, and even different shapes if you want (None of the frames even need to match.  Re purpose your own, buy them on a garage sale, or from thrift stores...they always have picture frames!)  I just re purposed mine.
• Spray paint- choose one color for cheapest option, or a few colors that coordinate.  I chose black.
• White computer paper/coordinating scrapbook paper colors
• Scotch tape
• Your favorite pictures

Total Project Cost:

If you re purpose your own frames, already own scotch tape, and computer paper it could be as cheap as the cost of a can of spray paint and printing the pictures.  I mostly used pictures I already owned and if not printed them off for like 10 cents each at Walgreens.  Spray paint is around $3 so I can confidently say you can do this project for about $5 if you want to be super cheap!

Instructions:

• Select the frames you want to use.  I laid mine out on a flat surface and rearranged them until I liked what the arrangement looked like.  Then I laid out my pictures in the frames to see what pictures I liked where.  Don't go print pictures until you know what your frame arrangement is cause you may change your mind about which pictures you want and the size you want them in.

• Once you have decided on the arrangement take a picture of it.  This will come in handy later when you are reassembling everything.

• Take the frames apart so the glass and back are no longer in them and spray paint them your desired colors.  I typically use an old cardboard box under these when spray painting unless you want your grass painted some random color.

• Wait for the paint to dry and paint a 2nd coat if you need to.

• Now for cheapness purposes I just used computer paper as my fake version of a picture frame matte cause I didn't want to spend money on picture frame mattes or card stock.  Since computer paper is 8.5 x 11 you will need to cut it down to fit your size frame.  Scrapbook paper would have to be cut down as well and I'm sure you can find it for cheap at Hobby Lobby or something when its 50% off if you wanted a more decorative option.

• Now I'm sure the picture frame matting world will yell at me for doing this so I am going to caution you to not use pictures you spent a ton of money to get printed for this project (Ex photos you bought from a professional....many photographers sell cd rights to you now though so you can choose whatever photo printing options you want....reason being?  I put tape on the back of my photos single sided or double sided to stick my pictures in place to the fake paper matte.  It's never damaged my photos as long as I only put the tape on the back of the photo.  I'm just warning you cause I don't want you to ruin something on accident.  I just put tape on the back of the photo,  center it and stick it down to my fake cheap paper matte and reassemble the frame.  

• Now just get out the prearrangement picture you took and hang up your collage.  

• So easy.  So cheap.  And honestly doesn't take long at all.

The finished project:

Happy picture wall collaging on a super frugal budget!!!!  

Blessings,

Bridget