Photos That Swing

Materials

photos
7" wire ornament holder
3 plastic "silver" beads
1-1/2" square template
double-sided adhesive sheet
metal-edged ruler
sharp craft knife
brayer
pencil
metallic paint pen
scissors
12" lightweight monofilament fishing line
8-1/2" x 11" piece of chipboard, mat board or sturdy cardboard
glue stick or Xyron machine with adhesive cartridge
sheet of sandwich paper or release sheet

1. Select a number of photos and place template over each one. Draw around template with a sharp-pointed pencil to indicate cutting lines (figure A).

2. Cut out each photo about 1/4-inch beyond the pencil line (figure B).

3. Apply glue stick or adhesive to back of photos. Press photos to chipboard, leaving space between each one (figure C).

4. Using a craft knife with a sharp blade and a metal-edged ruler, cut out all of the photos on the marked lines (figure D).

5. Decide which photos are going to be placed back to back. Line these up with each other. Trim as necessary so that they match perfectly (figure E).

6. Edge each photo with the metallic blue paint pen or color of your choice (figure F).

7. Using template, mark three 1-1/2-inch squares on double-sided adhesive. A sharp pencil or permanent ink marker will work best.

8. Cut out the adhesive squares, cutting slightly inside the marked lines so the adhesive square will be just a tad smaller than the pictures (figure G).

9. Apply one square of adhesive to the back of the first photo. Remove protective backing and place photo-side-down on work surface. Lay fishing line down the middle (top to bottom) of the picture, leaving about a 3-inch tail above the photo. Bring the end of the line down forming a loop on the top. Press the excess fishing line to the tape on the back of the photo (figure H).

10. Carefully position the matching photo on top of the adhesive, making certain that both photos are facing in the same direction (top to top so that neither side is upside down) (figure I).

11. Lay sandwich paper over photo and carefully brayer to ensure a good bond.

12. Thread a bead onto the fishing line coming from the bottom of the photo board to act as a spacer between these pictures and the next ones to be added (figure J).

13. Repeat all steps for the rest of the photos except making a loop on the fishing line. Do not forget to add a spacer bead between the next two sets of pictures.

14. On the last set of photos, cut off any excess fishing line so that it does not extend beyond the pictures.

15. Squeeze together the loop of the fishing line at the top and thread the third bead on it; then hang on the loop on the ornament rack. Optional: Paint the ornament holder with the metallic pen before hanging the photos on it.