Make: Mother's Day photo gifts

There's not much that Mums love better than a photo of their children or grandchildren. I've teamed up with Officeworks to create two fun photo projects that Mums will love using their in-store Kodak Picture Kiosks. Both are inspired by a DIY challenge by Katrina Chambers, an ex-contestant on The Block and now lifestyle blogger. I've tweaked and personalised them a little with a splash of colour. Read on to make these gorgeous photo blocks and a framed photo heart.

Photo Blocks

You will need:

• Double-sided tape - I used Sellotape Sticky Dots
• Coloured tape - I used neon pink and neon green Duck Tape
• 10x15cm photo prints - I used the Kodak Picture Kiosks and printed them at Officeworks
• Timber blocks - I used pine and plywood off-cuts

Step 1:
If you are lucky, your local timber or hardware store will cut your lengths of timber for you. Otherwise, cut the timber to fit the photographs. Don't worry if they are a little too small in width; you can cut the photos to fit. Sand any roughness but keep a sharp edge on the block.

Step 2:
Fix Sticky Dots to the corners and place the photo on the block. Trim any excess photo so that it fits the block perfectly.

Step 3:
Cut lengths of the Duck Tape and fix along one or more sides of the photo block. For the vertical block, I added just a notch on each side for a splash of colour.

You're done! 

Tip: You can optionally stain the timber or use decoupage glue as a sealant for the block, but I like the rawness of the block as-is. P.S.: Beautiful photography above by Milk & Honey Photography.

Framed Heart Photo

You will need:

• Frame - I used this 8x10" oak frame from Officeworks
• Card stock - I used 200gsm white card stock
• Tape - I used Sellotape Sticky Dots
• Mini photo prints - I used the Kodak Picture Kiosks and printed 9 x portrait images on a 15x10cm photo at Officeworks

Step 1

Cut the mini photos into individual images using scissors or a paper trimmer. You will need 7x portait/rectangle-shaped images, and 1x square image.

Step 2

Remove the mat from the frame and use it as a template to cut the 200gsm card to fit the frame.

Step 3

Arrange the mini photos into a heart shape as per the image below:

Step 4

When you are happy with the placement, use the Sticky Dots to fix the photos to the card

Step 4

Pop your heart image into the frame and you're done!

Tip: I recommend using all the images from one photo shoot to provide a consistent colour palette and lighting for the heart. It's a great way to make use of all the images from a photo shoot that don't make it into a large frame.

I also used the Kodak terminal at Officeworks to choose a template and print out a Mother's Day card for my Mother-in-Law featuring a photo of all her granddaughters. I know she will love this card!

I noticed that there was a wide range of products you can personalise with photos and messages too, including mugs, aprons and keyrings. Great if you’re short of time.

For more information on Officeworks’ Print & Copy products and services or to find a store near you visit officeworks.com.au.

This post has been sponsored by:

Images: Steph Bond-Hutkin | Bondville