Okay, so yesterday was my grandma’s birthday, and I wanted to do something special, ya know? Not just buy a card, but actually make something. I decided on a photo collage ’cause she’s got tons of old pictures laying around.
First thing I did? Dig through all the old photo albums! Seriously, it was like an archeological dig. Found some hilarious pics of my dad with a HUGE afro, and my grandma looking like a total badass in the 70s. Spent a good couple of hours just laughing.
Next, I scanned all the photos I wanted to use. My scanner’s ancient, so that took FOREVER. Seriously, like half a day. Tip: if you’re gonna do this, borrow a newer scanner! Saves a ton of time.
Once I had all the digital images, I fired up Photoshop. I’m no expert, but I know my way around the basics. I started by cropping and adjusting the brightness and contrast on each photo. Some were super faded, so that took a bit of fiddling.
Then came the fun part: arranging the collage! I messed around with different layouts for ages. I wanted it to look good, but also not too cluttered. I ended up going with a slightly asymmetrical design, with some photos overlapping others.
I added some text too. Just “Happy Birthday, Grandma!” and her name. Used a nice, simple font that was easy to read. Didn’t want to get too fancy.
After that, I printed it out at a local print shop. I wanted a good quality print, not just something from my home printer. Cost a few bucks, but it was worth it.
Finally, I bought a frame that fit the print. Wrapped it up nice and pretty, and bam! Birthday gift complete.
Grandma LOVED it! She actually teared up a little, which made all the effort totally worth it. Seeing her smile made my day, ya know? It was a simple gift, but it came from the heart.
- What I learned: Scanning old photos is a pain in the butt. Invest in a good scanner!
- What I’d do differently: Probably start earlier. I was scrambling to finish it the day before her birthday.
- Overall: Worth it! A homemade gift is always more special.
