One of my favorite things to do is make crafts from my favorite photos! I've been planning some hybrid craft/photography projects for a while and this is a favorite. Adding embroidery to your photo is fun, easy and so cute. Here's how I made this photo art…
1. Open a photo you love in Adobe Photoshop Elements.
2. Choose the Enhance menu on your top bar and then choose "Convert to Black and White".
3. After you choose "Convert to Black and White" this pop-up menu will appear. You will see this menu where you can preview different "styles" for your black and white photo. Some are more intense or more grainy. Experiment with each one them and choose the one you like. You will be able to preview the finished product in your After window on the screen before selecting!
4. As a final step I always adjust my levels. The key command for this is command + L. You can read more details about what levels can do for your photo in this post. Save your new black and white photo under a new name.
Next, print your photo. I printed in an 8×10 size, but you can print in any size that matches a frame you want to use for your project!
For the craft portion of this project you will need: An 8×10 inch photo, an 8×10 inch frame, colored pencils, embroidery thread, a needle, some burlap, glue and scissors.
Trim your photo to size. Mine was a little small, but I knew I wanted to add a border at the end so it worked out well!
Use colored pencils to sketch the embroidery that you want to add. You can embellish the actual elements of your photo (like the bike) or you can add elements (like this grocery bag). A few fun added elements would be words, hearts or arrows.
Alright, take a small needle and start stitching! This is the fun part. Just add colored details all over your photo with basic stitches.
This is a fun detail… did you know that by making several knots in a row you can create a little flower? With about 5 knots each I made this little bouquet for my bike basket!
It's time to finish stitching all the details on your photo. Decide which details you want to stitch. I chose our bikes and bike baskets.
Last, add a cute burlap (or any textile) border to the top and bottom on your photo. Use the glue sparingly so it doesn't wrinkle the paper. Allow it to dry completely and then cut the excess fabric away from the photo and put it in your frame. That's all! Now you have a cute embroidered portrait. These make great gifts!
Have fun making your own photo art! XO. Elsie
Special thanks to Adobe Photoshop Elements for partnering with me on this article. You can follow them here…Facebook/Twitter/YouTube/Pinterest
116 Comments
wow very neat! I would have never thought of this!
http://www.tinacious.me/
http://www.tinacious.me/
Goodness me, that is AMAZING!
Such a brilliant idea. As always!!! I am always amazed by your creativity. The stitch coming out on the photo looks so unique 🙂 I gotta try this for sure! Thanks for sharing!
Cheers
Anh L. @ That Girl. She Smiles
I LOVE THIS!!!!!
Thanks for such a rad idea, gonna put it to use immediately.
XOXO
That’s such a gorgeous picture of you two, the embroidery is a brilliant idea!!
Love this so much, would never have occurred to me to do this!
Love this idea! Definitely wanna try it.
Val
http://valentinaduracinsky.blogspot.com/
This is super cute! I love how you outlined the two bikes.
I haven’t noticed the stitching details, until I read the how-to part! Oh my, it’s absolutely great. Isn’t the paper ripped by stitching it?
http://inwhirlofinspiration.blogspot.com
This is such a creative thing to do, Elsie! I love it!!
http://www.magalic.com/
cute idea!
Such a cute idea! Can’t wait to try it.
http://larkandlace.blogspot.com
Genius! So adorable and nice
A cute idea for something a little bit different.
Sam
http://liveandlove.typepad.com
Oh very cute idea!!!
http://natashafatah.com
http://natashafatah.com
Such a neat idea! Great for a gift. Homemade and easy but you can tell it takes a little bit of time and isn’t just thrown together! I love it!
Beautiful idea! xx
Rose Eva
Silhouetted Blog
Super cute project!
This is SO cute!! I love this DIY, I need to do this. Love it.
jennybodell.blogspot.com
This is great! I think it’s a great birthday present for my friend. 🙂
I’ve never seen this before! Great idea!!
Ohhh, that’s such a brilliant idea! Definitely going to be trying this for gifts this summer, there are too many birthdays to buy gifts for so this is the perfect, personal solution!
Thank you for sharing! As always, a fantastic post.
Jennie x
http://thestitchesontheradio.blogspot.com
OH MY GOSH! Elsie, I am so in love with this project!!! I have been looking for ideas for some wall art at t, and this looks like so much fun, so cute, and super easy!! Thank you so much for sharing, can’t wait to try it out!
http://rivercitysammon.com
This is so cute!
And it’s funny, cuz I *just* posted about photo embroidery on my blog a week or two ago! 🙂
http://paperraindrops.blogspot.com/2012/07/embroidering-photos-diyish.html
Love how your stitches are actually details from the photo, though! Mine are more like geometric designs added to the border. It’s so cool how two people can do the same project, but do it so differently. Love the burlap you added, too! Super, super cute.
Love your blog!!
That is too cute and very creative!
This is amazingly cute! I’m giving the sharpie mug DIY tonight, might give this one a go after x
Oh wow! This is perfect!! So beautiful 🙂
I love this! You are always so imaginative!
I just love this! I am a graphic designer – and I love seeing the combination of design and DIY!
This is adorable and such a great idea!
This is so neat! I love it. The picture is such a good one and the embroidery adds the perfect touch. I love embroidering on paper too and do it often but never thought of adding stitches to a photograph!
loulou
This is such a lovely idea! Definitely adds a fun accent to an already lovely photo. 🙂
Love this! It would be absolutely adorable in a kids room! If you get a sec, I’d love to hear your thoughts on my latest. xo
peacelovedecor.com
What a great idea! And it involves two of my favorites- photography and embroidery!
This is such a brilliant DIY, perfect for homemade presents! I was wondering what printer you used, as my printer never prints with such good quality. Do you have an inkjet or laser printer (and to be honest, what it the difference?!)?
Thanks!
http://www.styleisalwaysfashionable.blogspot.com
this is now one of my favorite projects from this blog! can’t wait to try it.
alonewithmytea.blogspot.com!
I LOVE this! I’ve just started embroidering and my head is spinning of cute ideas. And now you gave me another one… 🙂
You are so brilliantly creative and awesome. Thanks for the awesome idea.
This is so lovely and would be an amazing wedding or anniversary gift! Thank you for always having such beautiful ideas that are also accessible for anybody to do.
Q: Isn’t the paper ripped by stitching it?
A: No. You do need to be a little bit more gentle than stitching fabric, but it’s not that difficult, especially with a heavier photo paper to stitch on. 🙂
Q: This is such a brilliant DIY, perfect for homemade presents! I was wondering what printer you used.
A: I use a Kodak printer that I purchased at Walmart with Kodak matte photo paper. The prints are good (not amazing) but the convenience of having it in my studio is worth it!
Q: Do you have an inkjet or laser printer (and to be honest, what it the difference?!)?
A: Mine in inkjet. That is what most at home printers are. Laser is usually a copy machine, like at an office. Inkjet is better for prints you want to keep a long time without fading. 🙂
This is the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen!
Wow! Definitely trying this at once! I’ve always loved embroidered pictures…
Oh I love it! I’ve only done it with
my sewing machine before (which off course is faster) but I have to say this is cuter!
x/Jenny (distantdiying.com)
This is seriously so adorable!! You always have the best DIY!
Comment Code: Cathy Trails
Perfect!!!! I can’t wait to do this!!!
What a simple and cute way to decorate our house 😀
Great idea!
http://sztukastudiowania.blogspot.com/
Love this Elsie! I’ve been wanting to try my hand at embroider and this would be a great starter project. 🙂
Such a cute idea! I’ve been wanting to try embroidery– what an easy way to get started!
http://aclosetintellectual.blogspot.com/
This is outrageously adorable! I don’t know how you girls have such an endless supply of creativity at your fingertips, but it is amazing to see it come to life on A Beautiful Mess. You’re both incredibly inspiring and I love getting to see a small part of your beautiful world each and everyday. So thanks for that 🙂
oh my gosh, this is adorable!!
Oh fun! I can’t wait to try this!
xoxo Sarah
theantiquepearl.blogspot.com
that’s just amazimg!!! I definitely will try this one soon! :)) Thanks for the post! Xx
I’ve printed b&w photos and then drawn on them before, but I never thought to embroider them. It’s genius! Thanks for the great idea!
xo
Kym
bitty.and.bunny
What a cute idea! I love the burlap around the border, so cute!!
~ Jillian
http://forelyse.com/blog/
this might be my favorite DIY you’ve ever posted! what a cute idea!
#8o3
Meghan
alionheartblog.blogspot.com
I love this! So simple and a cute way to reuse a favorite photo and give it a different look! So lovely!
xo
Diana
http://unusuallylovely.com
Love this! Such a brilliant idea 😉
cheers
~ Jillian
http://www.hersplitends.com
I LOVE this. so much.
Amazing.
Trish
http://www.jellybonesblog.blogspot.com
Wow, this project is such a great idea! Thanks so much for posting! I’ve been trying to come up with an idea to use our one year anniversary photos creatively, and this is perfect.
http://impossiblyelise.blogspot.com/
I love this idea and the pic of you two with embroidered groceries is too cute! 🙂
Such a fun idea 🙂
Such a cute idea!
The Lovelorn
This is so adorable! Can’t wait to try it:)
OMG this is such a fun idea! Would make great Christmas gifts this year. Love diy’s that actually seem do able!
How did you even come up with that? It’s amazing!!
Rad idea. Doin’ this today!
Love this picture, such a great idea! Everything you do comes out looking perfect!
Pip x
I love this idea! I’m so excited to try it. The details you added are just perfect!
I reeeeeeeally like this idea!
Gwyneth xo
Oh my gosh, I love it! Whatever made you come up with that? It is fantastic! Defs going to have a go at this, thanks so much for sharing. 🙂
Maryanne x
http://www.ribbonsandcandy.blogspot.com
OMG GENIUS!!!! i’m totally doing this!!!
What a great idea! Thanks!!
http://www.creativityandchocolate.blogspot.com
Such a creative idea. You could definitely take this in a few different directions. 🙂
Okay, you’ve done it again. This is so neat and unexpected. I absolutely have to do this! THANK YOU for bringing a little bit of happiness and a lot of color into my life each day.
This is such a beautiful idea. Thanks for this.
-jess
http://wearegypsies.blogspot.com
Man you are so creative!! Love this!!!
http://www.adryonthedaily.wordpress.com
That is so cute.
Such an unbelievably cute idea!
I love seeing the photoshop tutorials 🙂 they are so cool! I’m just wondering about photoshop vs. lightroom though… can you do the same things on lightroom as you can do in photoshop? and can you do these tutorials in lightroom?
Thanks!
That is so cute! I love it. Thanks for sharing!
Christen
http://www.anunordinaryhello.com
I LOVE this idea!
LOVE this!
what a great idea 🙂
xo, cheyenne
You guys never cease to amaze me with your level of creativity! This is adorable thanks for sharing!
xo Hannah
I wish i could pin your DIY’s to my Pinterest so I could remember them all!
Erika
http://shutterbugg553.blogspot.com/
absolutely adorable 🙂
Such a kool idea! I’m definitely trying this!
msforeverstrong.blogspot.com
Brillant idea and such a cute picture. I love to add sticker lace to my photographs and the bottom of my polaroids but this is a way better idea. Great DIY!
Becky, K.
xo
http://pixiwishesforeheadkisses.wordpress.com/
http://pixiwishesforeheadkisses.wordpress.com/
http://pixiwishesforeheadkisses.wordpress.com/
This is such a great idea! Beautiful!
I am going to try it!!
Avital
Very Nice!! Thanks for the tutorial, i Will try it as soon as possible 🙂
woow..wonderful
how did you know this is just the project i needed in my life right now? absolutely fabulous, as always.
http://lanengalane.blogspot.com/
ohhh this is an amazing idea… I’ll doing it… thanks for sharing
This is so super cute and creative! Definitely going to do this!! Pronto!!
Do you have instructions for doing this in CS5?
amazing!!!! 😀 I try!!!
I’m you new follower!!! 😉
sul mio blog è online la “TRIBU’ COLLECTION” …con i bracciali must have 2012! 😉
ti invito a dare un’occhiata e a dirmi cosa ne pensi! 🙂
http://roberta-withlove.blogspot.it/
I really like this idea. So cute!
Wow! That is amazing. Such a cool project!
Elsie,
What printer do you have that prints photos so beautifully?
This is a cute idea. I’m always wondering why he is almost always not looking at the camera nor smiling, while you are always smiling and looking at him. Or he’s looking off somewhere and you’re looking at him. Is this a thing you’re trying to do or is he negative about pictures? I’ve noticed it in so many that you’ve shared.
this is so pretty!
Sweet! And I think I could actually accomplish this. Maybe. 😉
What a great modern way to use our stitches!
such a cool idea!
Great idea! What a good way to use up embroidery floss!!
This is such a cute idea. Will definitely try this, although i’m not a big fan of embroidery. But this is too beautiful!
i am going to do this as well! Love!
incredible! on the list it goes. <3
i LOVE this idea! have never seen anything like it before, but am already trying to think of what photos of mine i’d like to do it to! thanks for the inspiration! 🙂
This is awesome idea! goona be my next project, thank you
http://houseofkikies.wordpress.com
What a cute idea! I’d never get the stitches right..
This is exceptionally clever and I will trying this asap!
Did you have problems with your stitches ripping through the photo paper? Did you reinforce the paper at all before stitching?
adorable!!!!!! <3
Oh wao! Very great Embroidery on your website. Embroidery Digitizing! so let me aprove.
Oh wao! Very great Embroidery on your website. Embroidery Digitizing! so let me aprove.