Custom Photo Garland DIY

There is endless inspiration on the Internet when it comes to party decor! I often scroll through Pinterest searching for inspiration with heady dreams of custom floral arrangements and elaborate tablescapes with the hopes of recreating something just as interesting and fun without needing a team of assistants to pull it off. Although, if three assistants showed up at my door and were willing to work for free guacamole and chips, I wouldn’t be mad about it. I’ve found that the fastest (and sometimes most fun) way to create interesting party decor, or even just make your family’s Taco Tuesday a little more exciting, is to make it yourself!

We’ve teamed up with our friends at Canon USA to create this DIY photo garland to show you just how easily you can bring something fresh to the proverbial party table. This project was so simple to put together and brings so much color and texture to this space!

Supplies:
–Photo Paper Pro Platinum 13″ x 19″ Glossy
–Canon PIXMA iP8720 photo printer
-paper scissors or paper cutter
-hole punch
-yarn

I like to use the PIXMA iP8720 photo printer for projects like this because you can go big! Each 13″ x 19″ sheet of photo paper allows for plenty of room to create oversized images for an even bigger impact, whether you’re printing off portraits or creating custom home decor projects.

When considering an image for your photo garland, think of something with plenty of color that might also have a subtle pattern. For a Taco Tuesday theme, this zoomed in shot of a cactus without spiny needles was perfect because there weren’t lots of harsh shadows to distract from the color. Other ideas that would’ve worked well are an up close of a serape, a full frame pile of limes, or maybe a zoomed in image of overlapping fringed garland. Anything that fills your triangles with color will create the biggest impact here.

I took a photo of this cactus during golden hour at a park, and then cropped it down and edited it with my photo-editing software. I then printed two images per sheet of 13″ x 19″ glossy paper. If you used a full bleed photo on a 13″ x 19″ sheet, you might be able to cut up to 4 triangles per sheet depending on their size. Print as many copies as you need to create your desired garland length, and cut out your triangles with a pair of scissors or a paper cutter.

Punch holes in two corners of each triangle and attach them to each other using three strands of colorful yarn. Tie it in a knot and trim the ends for a tassel effect. Add an extra set of tassels at the end of your garlands.

Hang your custom photo garland, get out the plastic pineapple tumblers, and invite your friends over for a summer evening made even more special with your DIY skills.

There are so many ways to customize a photo garland no matter what party theme you’re working on. Imagine a garland of colorful sprinkles for a donut brunch or of bright confetti for a birthday party – there are literally ten different themes I could come up with right now! I love how something handmade can make an event that much more special, don’t you? –Rachel

Credits//Author: Rachel Denbow. Photography: Janae Hardy and Rachel Denbow. Photos edited with A Beautiful Mess actions.