Preserve Your Photo to a Plaque
One of the best ways to preserve a photo is to make it into a plaque. The example is from the early 70's and it s what gave me the inspiration to start making plaques out of my own photos. Read on to learn how to make your photos into plaques to preserve and keep them - or give them as gifts.
What Inspired Me To Create Plaques
A Plaque I Created In Playschool
Flashback to the early 70's. I was about four years old, and there was a pet competition at playschool. I was all excited about this competition coming up - the first real one I had been in.
There was a slight problem though. Everyone else brought cats, dogs, mice, ants, buy the only pet I had was a stuffed bean bag frog given to me by my Granny - Kermie - so I took him.
That day, a picture was taken of me with my pet frog. I had won a prize for the best stuffed pet. It was mounted on thick wood that had been stained. A clearcoat was put over it and a hook was put in the top. The hook looks like it is a soda pop can tab with glue to mount it.
34 years later I am still doing the same thing - only using pictures I take instead of pictures of me ;)
That was in the early 70's, but it has inspired me to create my own plaques from photos I have taken. Remembering this on our wall, my husband also pointed out one in a store and said I could do that with my own photos. So I have the plaque on the wall and my husband to thank for my inspiration.
There was a slight problem though. Everyone else brought cats, dogs, mice, ants, buy the only pet I had was a stuffed bean bag frog given to me by my Granny - Kermie - so I took him.
That day, a picture was taken of me with my pet frog. I had won a prize for the best stuffed pet. It was mounted on thick wood that had been stained. A clearcoat was put over it and a hook was put in the top. The hook looks like it is a soda pop can tab with glue to mount it.
34 years later I am still doing the same thing - only using pictures I take instead of pictures of me ;)
That was in the early 70's, but it has inspired me to create my own plaques from photos I have taken. Remembering this on our wall, my husband also pointed out one in a store and said I could do that with my own photos. So I have the plaque on the wall and my husband to thank for my inspiration.
Supplies For Creating a Plaque
Have These Supplies on Hand for Your Plaque
- Trash bag, vinyl cloth, drop cloth or something to protect work area
- Stain in the colour you want (I use Minwax)
- Spray on clear sealer (You can use mod podget like supplies, but I have found that to leave it sticky)
- Latex Gloves (From experience you do not want stained hands for a week! I find them in pharmacy sections of stores)
- Sponge or brush to apply stain
- Paper towels to wipe off
- Photo adhesive glue that dries clear (in the scrapbooking sections of stores)
- Wood plaque (I get mine from Hobby Lobby or Michaels)
- Sandpaper if your wood is rough
- Photo you want to preserve
Now that you have everything together, the fun begins!
Beginning to End of Creating a Plaque From Photos
Step By Step Creating a Plaque
- After you gather all of your supplies, put the cover down to protect your surface. I use garbage bags, but you can use plastic table cloths, shower curtain liner, vimyl drop cloth, painters drop cloth, whatever.
- Run your hand over the plaque wood. Is it smooth or coarse? If it is smooth, go on to the next step. If it is coarse, use the sandpaper to smooth it down.
- Put the latex gloves on and use the sponge or brush and stain the wood. I usually do the back side first so when you do the front side, if it drips, it drips to the back
- Wait about 30 minutes and wipe the stain off with paper towels or a cloth
- Let it dry (I usually let it dry overnight here)
- Flip the wood over and do the other side the same way - staining, waiting, wiping, drying.
- After it has dried, take the clear craft glue and use it to paste the photo to the plaque. Make sure you get ALL of the back of the photo.
- Here, I normally take a paper towel on top and then a big heavy book the size or bigger of the photo and lay it on top to ensure the photo does not curl up on the edges.
- Let it dry for a while ( I normally do a day or so)
- Take the clearcoat sealer and spray it lightly and evenly on the back side and let this dry (A few hours at the minimum or overnight for the best practice. There is no rush)
- When it has dried, flip it over and then spray a light and even coat across the front side. Let this dry (Again I usually do overnight here)
You have Made Your Photo Into a Plaque
Great Job!
That is all there is to it. Optionally you can take hook/brad and put it in the top/side to hang it by.I hope you have enjoyed this and take the time to preserve your photos today for generations to come!
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