Update to Gift Idea for a Friend

M.,

I've just taken pictures from our history and put them in a collage of sorts...birthday parties...tree climbing...snow ball fights...etc.

I used a heavy duty card board mount (you can get them at Michaels, Hobby Lobby, etc.) and photo glue...if you put a sealant or laminate over the photos, it will help them stay bright longer.

Walgreens and Costco do have large framing and laminating services.

Good luck!

I am a nanny for a family. And have been with them for a long time. Last Christmas I took my phone to Walgreen. I had a lot of good photos of the kids that I had taken through the year. The guy at Walgreen helped me get 5 photos from my phone onto their photo thing. I then used their photo thing to make a really cool collage of photos. I put it in a frame and gave both the mom and dad a copy. (they are divorced)I made 5x7's and it cost me a total of about $5. It was cool because you could write stuff on it, put cool frames, bubble words etc. It was cool.

As far as an actual frame. I would suggest that you go straight to the nearest dollar store and buy a frame to put it in. Don't waste money getting an actual fancy frame. You said the boys are what 9? get a plastic frame that won't break.

This is a photo for a kid, not something you are entering in a photo contest, so I'd just snap a few photos with your phone or iPad and take the best one.

You can have your photo printed at most drug stores and large stores like Target, and you can buy a frame in any standard size (4x6, 5x7, etc.) at the same stores. If you have a craft store near you (e.g. Michael's), they have tons of frames. You don't need to "have it framed" - you can just buy a frame and open up the back to slip in your photo. You can choose a plain frame or one that has a pattern on the outside - some say "Friends" and things like that. You might choose the frame you like first, then print the photo.

why would it not be okay?
i don't get it.
for christmas i had a spectacular photo that i took on my freakin' iphone blown up, matted and framed for my husband. it's crystal clear and looks like a professional took it.
i'm no photographer, and it was a totally lucky shot. but it never occurred to me that someone might not like it because it wasn't taken with a 'real' camera.
michaels or joanns can frame it for you cheaply.
khairete
S.

My kids have made frames for grandparents. At most any craft store or even Walmart you can buy unpainted wooden frames for less than $5. My kids have painted them with craft paints and/or decorated them with foam stickers or scrapbook stickers. You could buy two and have the boys decorate one for each other and do them together. Otherwise you can buy a frame for pretty cheap at most discount stores.

Another fun idea might be to take several pictures of them or dig up old photos and put them into a small album. It doesn't have to be anything fancy. I usually just but small ones at Target for a couple of dollars that you slip the pictures into.

Definitely take the picture with your iPad if that is easiest. I'm pretty sure that if you take your device with the cord that connects it to the computer to any Walgreens/Walmart/Target that you can connect your device to their photo print machines and print out the photo in whatever size you want.

I think it is easier to use my Canon camera. All I have to take to Target is the memory card. Stick it in the photo print machine and select the picture you want to use. You can use the touch screen on the photo machine to crop, adjust color, etc. I've never done it, but I think you can also add borders to the pictures.

Just take a few with phone or iPad, go to Kohls and find a "Friends" frame then go to Rite aid & print out the best O. at an appropriate size for the frame. That's what I'd do. Easy Peasy.