Saturday, February 8, 2014

Personalized Photo Map {for our Paper Anniversary}

[disclaimer: this post contains affiliate links.  Any purchases made through these links will not cost you any extra but does help support my blog.  Thank you for stopping by and supporting my crafting habit!]

Edit: Wow!  This post has received so much attention from various blogs, websites and other media platforms that I am tickled and extremely humbled by it all. If you have any questions about making your own map, please feel free to join us on our facebook page and while you are there "like" us for fun updates and easy access to any crafty question you may have.  Let us know what you want to see next!
Edit [again] I'll be completely updating this post in the [near-ish] future with the eastern states and well as some more detail on the 'most asked' questions that I've received from you all! I did want to go ahead and include a link to the map that I recommend for this project. I do NOT recommend going any smaller than 32x50. Other sources that have linked to this project have recommended smaller maps but this is not supported by Cut, Craft, Create an you will not be able to get photos in the smaller states.

Get yours here: 32x50 Rand McNally Antiqued Map

(I have the 'antique' color but it also comes in standard colors).
(aff) 32x50 Rand McNally map


Luckily, I have been saving an amazing craft that I made last June that I can share with you today.

I made this "One Year Anniversary" personalized map for my husband for the "paper" year.



I'm not a great gift giver and my husband isn't big into receiving gifts (it's #5 out of 5 for both of us our our Love Language scale). However, he was speechless (in a good way) when he saw this!

To make it, I completed these simple steps:

1- Purchase a map. I bought this one at Staples (available on Amazon as well).

2- Purchase foam board. I bought mine at Hobby Lobby. You may have to get more than one piece to make it as large as the map. I had to tape a few pieces together & it holds up great!

3- Purchase short ball map pins.

4- Print your pictures. Don't forget that they might need to be different sizes to fill/fit into the state. On mine, Indiana was 4x6 and all the others were 5x7. Measure the states before you print!



To add meaning to your map, match the pictures to the state. For example, the picture in Indiana is from our wedding because we got married in Indiana. Alaska is made from a picture of us on our Alaskan fishing trip. Montana has a picture of us skiing in Montana, etc.



I did not cover every state that we have been to because I wanted the pictures to stand out (we've been to almost every state together... It would be very full!) Use your discretion and make it however you would like.



5- Cut the pictures in the shape of the states. If you are artistic, just go for it. If you're not (like me) copy the shape from the map to some paper or clear plastic and then use a cut-out version of the paper/plastic as a tracing piece on your picture. 

{Don't worry about cutting it exactly like the state- just follow the basic outline so that it isn't too fragile yet still looks like it}


6- Using hot glue, create globs of glue onto the back of the pictures. While it is still hot, press the ball of the pin into it. Remember to place pins in different spots on your picture. The fewer the easier to put into the map, but the more strategically placed the better your picture will lay on the map.




7- Cut the foam board to the exact size of the map. If need be, tape or glue multiple pieces together. I used duct tape because it's strong but won't show through the map paper.

8- Attach the map to the board. Use whatever glue you are comfortable with. Spray adhesive is super strong but gives you little room to re-adjust. If you decide to use a lesser strong glue, the pins will help to hold it down as well.

9- Place your pictures onto the board, pressing the pins gently (and evenly) into the map/board piece.  Don't press all the way down though, so that the picture "jumps" off the map!



Viola! You now have a perfectly personalized map that shares the story of your lives together. Perfect for anniversaries, birthdays, Valentine's Day, Christmas, home decor or just because!  Use the left over pins to mark the other states you have visited.



I came up with this idea because my father-in-law has a map where everyone puts pins in the states they have visited. My husband always wanted to get a map like that and so I planned to surprise him with one. When going through our pictures together, the idea to mix them hit me! Our anniversary was coming up, so I thought it would be the perfect "year one" gift since "paper" is the tradition. FYI, he planted a tree for/with me for my anniversary present. Beautifully perfect.

Happy Crafting,
Kelsie Ann

254 comments:

  1. A wonderful gift that you both will always cherish

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    1. Thank you so much, it's true... It means so much to me as well!

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    2. Hello! I tried clicking on your link for the map that you have bought but it was not working. What size is the map that you bought?

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    3. Hi Cameron! Thank you for letting me know about the link! Here's one (link below) that should lead you to a few different options in the size I used (32x50). My map is "antiqued" color but there are standard color options as well!

      (aff) https://amzn.to/2JMIqff

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  2. My daughteris 4 and I've wanted to do something with a mapsoshecanseethestateswe'vevisited...thisit'sperfect!!!thankyou

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    1. Oh I'm so happy to see it being used for a little girl. 4 is such a beautiful age! Thanks so much for sharing! I hope she loves it!

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    2. Dear Kelsie, I was wondering how you can cut the pictures so that it could be the exact shape as the state.

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    3. Wax paper would probably work well. Just trace the states on the wax paper, cut them out, and use those stencils to cut out your photos.

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  3. Great idea! Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Thank YOU for stopping by & for the sweet comment :)

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  4. What a fantastic idea! Our one-year wedding anniversary is in November, and I have to admit to feeling relieved to already have a game plan. :) We love to travel, and this will be perfect. Great job!

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    1. Oh how exciting Meg! Congratulations on your new marriage. I don't have much time on you, but I can tell you that is the best thing. Marriage is beautiful, keep enjoying that time and enjoy all the new places that you will see together!

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  5. Question: what are the dimensions of your map? I want to buy one offline but I want to make sure I don't get one that the pictures will be too big/too small for

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    1. Mine is 50x32. I would suggest waiting to print the pictures until after you have received your map. Some states require different sizes pictures (on mine, Alaska, Montana, Oregon and Arizona are all 5x7 but Indiana is 4x6. When I go to do some of the small east coast states, I might need wallet sized or a 4x6 cropped down.) If it helps at all, I bought mine at Staples for around $15. Hope that helps!

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  6. We have had a lot of my son's friends move in the last year, and I'd wanted to do something with the map I hung in his room, but this now gives me a fabulous gameplan. If I can ever get up the time to do it in the midst of other things. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Love that! I understand being in the midst of other things. I have a slew of "half finished" projects that I never seem to get around to! haha Sorry to hear that your son has had so many friends move away. That is rough :( I bet he will appreciate this map! Thanks for stopping by!

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  7. Hi Kelsie,

    LOVE this DIY! Do you mind if I reshare it some time on our blog? I run blog.postalpix.com and we are an Android/iPhone app that you can print your mobile photos for home delivery!

    Thanks!

    Tina | PostalPix.com

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    1. Hi Tina,

      Thanks so much for the kind words. Please feel free to share the post, just please make sure that information is not distorted across blogs. I checked out your website, what a great idea! Good luck with everything :)

      Please let me know when/if you decide to share! Thanks!

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  8. I want to adapt your idea....I have a spare room and I've welcomed guests from all over the world so hope I can find pictures of them all to put on their country - although I've had several from some countries so not sure how that might work!

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    1. I LOVE that idea! Maybe you can create a collage from the pictures in the countries that have multiple people! Good luck! Sounds awesome :)

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  9. I love this idea as we are avid travelers. Whenever we make our cross-country trip, I love this idea. I think i might make it smaller, though...

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    1. It could definitely work on a smaller scale as well! Love to meet a fellow traveler :)

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  11. What a fantastic idea! It's an amalgam of two of my favorite things: maps and photo collages (the type in which you use the coloring of a bunch of photo or magazine pic, cut them into small pieces, and arrange them to create a larger image from the photo palette). I have been an avid vintage map collector of all types (road, arial, topographic, etc.) and regions (US, international, etc.) since I was a little girl and have accumulated an abundant compilation (ok, excessive! Lol); I'm talking hundreds! I'm rather obsessed, but I do out then to good use and I repurpose them in a myriad of ways including the obvious such as wrapping gifts, making cards, découpage, tags, photo mats, covering gift/trinket/storage/jewelry boxes & a million more! With that, I cannot believe I never thought of this! It's brilliant!

    While I certainly love the idea of this as an anniversary gift, my first thought was to turn this into a family project, as I've passed on my love of maps to my three girls (8, 7, 5 y.o.). They are going to be so excited for this activity. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to travel much with them since they were born. But we have a lot of plans for he future, so I think I'll add a twist to your idea: create little labels and write down specific sites we hope to see, and pin onto states we haven't yet visited. I'll also consider perhaps pinning small photo cut outs of relatives and people we know who live in the respective states (both being small enough so as not to cover the beauty of the map graphics!). Then, over the course of our travels, replace those with larger photos of our journeys. Of course this will be a perpetual project, and take potentially years to complete. However, I think it's so beautiful that I would gladly incorporate it into our decor and hang it as a permanent installment in our home! Thank you for the extraordinary idea, and the hours of fun we'll have!

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    1. Wow! What an amazing story, I am so blessed that you shared that with me. I absolutely LOVE hearing things like that! I love the idea of doing what you suggested. Congratulations on three beautiful children that are passionate about the same things you are. That doesn't always happen but it's a blessing. Me and my mom are about the same person. Haha! Although I don't think I have quite as much as you, I certainly appreciate the fact that you use it for all sorts of crafts. I tend to do that with the printed word in newspapers, books, etc. I wrap presents, use type font on home decor, etc. Mod Podge becomes your best friend!

      Thank you so much for all the kind words. It brings me joy to know that a similar craft will bring years of fun in your home! Thanks for stopping by :)

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  12. I love this!! Where did you display it at in your house? Like in the living room? My one year anniversary is coming up and I think this would be a sweet gift, but not sure where to place it in our house!

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    1. Ours is placed in our office. It is sort of my husband's "man cave" (if you don't count all of our buildings outside!) There was a big space on the wall there, but it would be great anywhere in the house! I think the bedroom would be a great place too.

      Congratulations on your 1 year!

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  13. This is such an brilliant idea! Thank you so much for the inspiration!

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    1. Thank YOU for the kind words and for stopping by!

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  14. Hello,

    Just curious, how did you hang/display this? I'm thinking it can't be framed due to the foam board... Could you just use the pictures to the map and then frame it?

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    1. The foam is pretty thin (at least the one I used was) and could probably be framed, but I imagine it would work just fine to frame the map by itself. Just make sure to keep the map supported somehow so that the pictures don't cause it to droop. We actually nailed it into the wall on the 4 corners and covered the 4 corner spots with white map pin heads. Visually, it just looks like we finished off the corners decoratively. Hope this helps!

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    2. You can also buy sheets of cork in various sizes - you might have to put them together like the foam.

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  16. I just ordered my map! Been planning this for a while! Would just using a hot glue gun to glue the pictures on work? We are going to fill it and frame it and don't want it sticking out. I don't get my map until Tuesday so I'm not sure about the material vs. the hot glue gun and pictures. Thanks!

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    1. Eee- exciting! I am sure that hot glue would work GREAT! Most maps are a paper material but even if it were laminated or something, I would imagine that hot glue would work just fine. I'll let you in on a little secret... I hot glue EVERYTHING. Seriously, I once didn't have time to hem a pair of pants by hand and didn't have any hem tape so I HOT GLUED my hem... I swear! It actually worked just fine. I went back and stitched it later but it worked and that was on fabric! My sewing leaders in 4-H would kill me for saying that :P haha

      Let me know how it turns out. I would love to see pictures!

      Thanks,
      Kelsie Ann

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  17. I totally think I will be doing this!! My daughter is 12 and though she has not been to that many places.. I think it will be neat for her to see!!! :)

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    1. I think that's a great idea! Plus, she can add to it for years to come. :)

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  18. So cute!! Might make one for myself :)

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  19. Thank you for the amazing idea! I want to take our girls to visit every state before they grow up and leave the nest. This would make a wonderful graduation gift for them!

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    1. I love it! How old are your girls? I didn't get that accomplished before graduating but my husband and I hope to see all the states together.

      Kelsie Ann

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  20. This is a wonderful idea!! I am definitely going to do this! Pinned it
    Thanks for sharing,
    Kelly

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  21. Love this--our family is seeing the states in alphabetical order and we're up to M this year--this is a fab idea!

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  22. I can't figure out how to pin the map, the cookies come up when I use the pinterest button. Ideas?

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    1. I'm not 100% sure, but here is the link to my pins from this project. They are all the same project, just different main pictures. Hope this helped!

      http://www.pinterest.com/pin/49750770858004901/

      http://www.pinterest.com/pin/49750770858004897/

      http://www.pinterest.com/pin/49750770858004900/

      http://www.pinterest.com/pin/49750770858004903/

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  23. This is SO amazing!! I'm totally going to share the idea with my friends (who will love it too!). Thank you for sharing!!
    - April W

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    1. Oh, thank you so much. You are too sweet! Thanks for sharing too!

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  24. This is a great idea!
    We're travelling West to East in a just over a weeks time...this is a great idea for the photographs once we're back in the UK.

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    1. Sounds fun! Take lots of pictures & have a blast!

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  25. I love this idea! I want to make one for my husband too... maybe when our baby is a little older and I have time again. ;)

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    1. That made me chuckle. :) You've got lots of time to make the map and make the memories!

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  26. Thank you for this great idea!! I have a travel room and this is going to be a perfect addition!!

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    1. Love the idea of a travel room (how fun!) Thanks for stopping by!

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  27. I love this idea. I can't wait to get a map and start this project.

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    1. Hope you enjoy your map as much as we do :) Good luck!

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  28. Kelsie Ann, I just wanted to say Thank You for such a terrific idea. I've "twisted" it a bit for my map, though. I've used several pictures to represent the states I've been in (as in "lived in" or visited). I'm a picture taker from way back so I've dug through albums and pulled out some of the older pictures. I traced the outlines of the states on to plain paper, made small prints of the scanned photos and then arranged those into the state outline. I will have to admit that they don't always fill the state, but that's okay. I cut out the pictures and then used double-sided tape to attach them to the map. It's been fun doing what I've got so far, and I'm looking forward to doing the ones I still need to get up there. Again, Thank You, a gillion times for the idea.

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    1. Love the "twist"... it sounds very neat! You are more than welcome, I am just happy to see so many people inspired!

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  29. This is an awesome idea!

    My brother has made it a goal to run a marthon in each state and has been to quite a few states already. I thought it would be a neat idea for him to take the picture from the finish line of each marthon and put it in the state he ran it in and to put it up in his house for everyone to see or in his training room for motivation.
    Thanks for the idea!!!!

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    1. Oops...Marathon

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    2. Oh I love that idea! I wonder if you can work in a little pin with a flag of his "time" or something. I'm not much of a runner (meaning: I can't run down the driveway without being winded!) so I'm not sure that's something he would want, but hey... it's an idea! Love the idea of making it about his Marathon events though... how thoughtful!

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  30. I love this! I tried doing something creative for my paper anniversary gift. I came out happy with it, but now I am a little stumped on what to do for anniversary number two...cotton! haha

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    1. Lauren- hoping you get this reply (if not, I might be messaging you on your blog!) but when is your anniversary? I will probably be posting some ideas and a finished product for our 2nd but I can't post it until after my husband receives it! If it's after June you might be able to stop by the blog again for some ideas! Let me know :)

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    2. Oh, and what did you end up doing for your 1st? I know I wont have that again but I LOVE hearing creative ideas!

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  31. My sister's boyfriend of 7 years died just recently passed away due to a snow shoe skiing accident. They were both very adventurous and traveled all over. I can't wait to surprise her with this idea to encompass all the wonderful memories they made together across the united states. Not sure how to include their European trip so if you have any suggestions that would be great!!!!

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    1. Oh, how heartbreaking. That is such a beautiful gift for you to give her and I'm sure it will mean so much to her. Please let me know how it turns out. As for the European trip, you could do the same thing (I'm not sure where all they went/if you could do a smaller map or have to get an entire large one again- depends on their travel... I've never bought a European map before!) but if it is a few places that could fit in a smaller map, maybe a framed version of it that could hang next to the larger one? If they went all over, you might have to just do two biggies! I will be praying for your sister during this time.

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  32. Just came across this from pinterest! amazing idea :) thanks for sharing! can't wait to get started on my own!!

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  33. thanks! Your pin addys helped a lot!

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  34. This is such a fabulous idea! Can't wait to try it!

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  35. Hi Kelsie,
    I'd like to include an image and link to your “Personalized Photo Map” post in my weekly Pinterest update on Simple Sojourns. 
    Your link is: http://cutcraftcreate.blogspot.com/2014/02/personalized-photo-map-for-our-paper.html
    The image is the 4th map photo in your post.
    I'd be giving full credit to you but I wanted your permission to do so first. These are samples of what the post will look like: http://simplesojourns.com/category/pinterest
    Thanks so much,
    Cathi Crismon

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    1. Cathi-
      Sorry for the delayed response. If you are still interested in using this, please go right on ahead. Thank you for asking and for sharing my information with the picture! I couldn't get the link to work but I would love to see it when everything is up. Let me know :)

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  36. Replies
    1. Thanks! I love your name "sheloves4paws"... I do too!

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  37. I know you talked about spray glue for adhering the map to the board. Is that what you used? I am in the middle of making this for my one year anniversary. This is such a great idea!

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    1. Actually, I only glued randomly along the outside edges and the pins throughout the map hold the middle section flat against the board. I did this because I am NOT good at getting things on straight the first time and spray adhesive dries fast (and it is such a large piece of paper/map). If you think you can get it on straight without a lot of adjusting, spray adhesive is AWESOME! If not, take the easy route and only do the edges. You could also add little blots of another glue (or even something like Zots if a picture will be going over that space) in sections throughout the map (think of how quilts are often "tacked" down- that same idea) if you choose. I also put white pins at each of the 4 corners for stability. Besides that, there is very little holding mine together and it is still going strong a year later!

      Does that make sense? Hope I didn't confuse you with all my talking ;)

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    2. Oh, and Happy Anniversary <3

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  38. Hi Kelsie Ann,

    My name is Laurie Davenport, and I'm a trend reporter for Paper Crafter's Library. I'd like to feature this awesome project on our blog and would like your permission to do so. Please contact us at customerservice@papercrafterslibrary.com to let us know if it's okay!

    Thank you!

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  39. Hi Kelsie Ann, I love love love this idea. My nephew is getting married in about a month and I am going to get them a map and get them started on this project. They love to travel and also just moved into there first house. This will be a beautiful addition to their new home for them to build on for many years to come.

    Thank you and congrats on your marriage.

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  40. THANKS SO MUCH! I made one for my husband for our first Anniversary. I made a frame out of wood and engraved it with a wood burner. If anyone has problems finding a map, get a jpeg picture and have it blown up, the internet has LOTS ;-) I bought a 24x36 map from our local print shop. I also used double sided foam tape {4layers} on the back of my pictures instead of the pins... worked great! Love this idea, hope everyone has fun making it their own! ~Courtney

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    1. Was 24 x 36 big enough for the photos? What size did you end up using for your photos? Thanks!

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  41. I stumbled onto this on pinterest and I love it! My favorite thing to do is travel to follow a band and see new places while doing so, so this is perfect for me. I keep a blog about it (travelingfan.net) and when I get enough free time to create my own version, I'd love to post about it on my blog and of course credit you and link back here for the original idea :-)

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  42. can you tell me what size this is? Thank you!!

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    1. I think I read in a earlier comment that her map is a 50x32

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  43. What size do you suggest for a smaller map? I love the idea but don't have room for such a big map

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    1. Hmm... honestly I would go as large as you possibly can. Some of the states (Eastern especially) are so small that I think you'd have trouble going much smaller. Sorry :(

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  44. I saw your Pinterest post of this and knew I HAD to make one of these as well. Wish I would have seen it sooner to make it for our 1 year anniversary (what a fantastic idea!), but either way my husband loved it!! He wants to put a picture for every single state we have been to together. This summer we took a road trip and he was very adamant about getting "good" pictures for our map in each state! Recently we had a friend over who had to a take a picture of our map himself because he thought it was "the coolest thing I've ever seen!" Thanks for your inspiration! We plan on hanging ours in our guest room to provide a great conversation piece for overnight guests.

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  45. wow.. great ideas .. thanks for sharing bit with us.. i like your way dear.. i want too these surprises gives to my partner... you are fantastic.. like your site .. have a beautifull life.. ;)

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  46. I actually did this same thing for the Hubs and I for our first anniversary too. We love globes and maps, they were a big part of our wedding decor. We had a Pixar Up wedding theme. So naturally I wanted to incorporate that into our first anniversary so I thought to do this. We plan on filling up our map in the years to come. This is such a great idea, I never thought to use push pins. I directly glued our pictures on the map and framed it. I just add more pictures as we travel new places.

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  47. this is so great. what size is the map you purchased?

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  48. Personalised photo maps are always such a wonderful gift idea! Your one looks like it's turning out marvellously!

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  49. I am thinking of doing this for Valentine's Day. I want to put "Home is Wherever I am with You". Any recommendations/ideas how to add this?

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  50. This is amazing- SO CUTE!

    I want to make this for my bf, but I have a few questions:

    -Where did you get a frame to fit a map that big?
    -What kind of foam did you use?
    -How did you perfectly trace the shape of the states for the picture?

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  52. What an original, creative display for photo prints! It makes me want to go print photos from our last vacations and make a photo map inspired by yours :)

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  56. I love this idea!! Our 30th wedding anniversary is coming up so a great gift. I love the antique feel of your map who is it by? Rand McNally or someone else? Also is it laminated or just plain paper? I have six weeks to do this so I better get started.
    Thank you from the bottom of my heart for a very special gift idea.
    Charlotte

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  57. I had seen this idea awhile back, and after reading your blog and having a big road trip coming up next month - I decided that it was time to do it! So I ordered a map from Amazon - 50x32 - and went to Hobby Lobby to get the foam board, and they actually have one that is 50x60, so no need to tape anything together! My map is due to arrive today, I can't wait to start putting it together! I'm having a bunch of people over during Memorial Day weekend, I hope to have it up by then so everyone can see it!

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  63. I love this idea! My husband and I run and I was looking for a way to display our pictures. This will be a great way.

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  64. This is a great idea! It's an improvement of our idea of having a huge map in the living room with pins on the places we have been to.

    www.couplertw.com

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  65. How did you manage it with the smaller states like the ones in New England?

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  66. Oh, I love this idea! I'll expand it for my sister's anniversary! Thanks a lot for the inspiration!

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    ReplyDelete
  68. I was wondering if you could help me with what I should do for the state of Hawaii. With it being so small what is your suggestion?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi there! Sorry for the late response. I would focus on the two larger sections of the state and either print a regular sized photo where you are farther back in the picture OR print a smaller photo (like a senior picture size) If it were me, I would also make some extra copies of the print and use the background image (be it the beach, sky, etc) to cut out shapes of some of the smaller pieces/islands. That way, the whole state has a completed look of the photo but you don't have to worry about having a teeny tiny photo of you in each little section!

      Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any more questions!

      Happy Crafting,
      Kelsie Ann

      Delete
  69. iBhejo is a company that can help you buy products from usa and then ship it safely to India. According to what the company claims, you can buy stuff from stores like Amazon or BestBuy online, order it to your local US address and the company will mail it to your Indian address in 2-5 business days. Sounds great!

    ReplyDelete
  70. Another option instead of gluing push pins to the backs of pictures is to use double sided foam adhesives, found in the scrapbooking section of craft stores. They're usually squares or circles and one brand is called "pop dots". They come in different thicknesses, or you can also double them up to make them thicker.

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    1. Definitely! I've used those for other projects before and they are great! I was just going for the more economical route (i.e. I'm a cheap-o!)I do wonder though if they would stick to the pin head well? My map pins were rounded (not flat) so I'm not sure they would have had much surface to stick to the foam adhesives. Flat pins (like tacks) would probably be perfect for that. Great idea. Thanks for sharing!

      Delete
  71. hey'
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    ReplyDelete
  72. Custom White Canvas Printing Services we have thousands of customers in creating your own custom canvas prints! Create your custom photo on canvas in minutes with our Easy Canvas Prints design tool and print your photo or image on canvas.

    ReplyDelete
  73. I got my map and mounted it on foam board. How do I hang it on the wall? Thanks. Also are you not blogging anymore??

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Charlotte (one of my favorite names by the way!)
      My husband actually nailed ours directly to the wall! However, if you used a few of those saw tooth picture hangers I bet that would work just as well (as long as your map and foam board are secure to each other).

      As for blogging, I had stopped for a long time (since before my son was born. He is over a year old now) BUT... I have a new post up tomorrow! I'm finally figuring out how to make better use of my time with a little one around and learning that I need to do things like this that make me happy too :) I would love it if you came back and followed the blog regularly as we jump back into things!

      Do you like us on facebook? That's an easy way to see that a new post has been added. Here's the link if not: https://www.facebook.com/cutcraftcreateblog?_rdr=p

      It's super sweet of you to notice I was away. I would love to see your map if you want to share!

      Happy Crafting,
      Kelsie Ann

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  75. Working on mine now. Not as cute as yours but thanks for this idea! Looking forward to adding to it over the years.

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  76. How did you attach the map to the foam board?

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  77. I absolutely love this idea and will be giving it to my soon to be husband for our anniversary also. I was wondering where you found a frame that could fit the size of the map. I bought the same map but I am having troubles finding a frame to fit.

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    1. We actually didn't frame ours but I've recommended to some other readers before to take molding from the hardware store and create a frame yourself. I can sent you a picture as an example (we used moldin to create a "Frame" around some pegboard in my craft room) if you want to send me your e-mail address. I tried to attach it here but I can't attach it anywhere! Hope this helps!

      P.S. This will also be WAY cheaper than buying a frame from anywhere!

      Delete
  78. What a wonderful way to use a map and photos to create something so thoughtful and appealing. It is a perfect anniversary gift.

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  79. My husband is back!!! I had a problem with my husband 8 months ago,which lead to us apart. When he broke up with me,I was no longer myself,I felt so empty inside .Until a friend of mine told me about one of her spells that helped her in same problem too that she found on a television program. i emailed the spell caster and I told him my problem and I did what he asked me. To cut the story short,Before I knew what was happening,not up to 48 hours,my husband gave me a call and he come back to me and told me he was sorry about what has happened, I'm so grateful to this spell caster and i will not stop publishing his name on the internet just for the good work he has done for me.If you need his help,you can email him at (relationshipblessing@yahoo.COM or tel +2348031396979 and he will also help you

    ReplyDelete
  80. This is such an awesome idea! I would love to do this for our family vacations!

    Mariel @ Or so she says...

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Mariel! We were just saying tonight that we need to update ours. There are a few states our toddler has been to now so we can't leave him out of the fun! Family vacations are THE BEST! Thanks so much for stopping by!

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  81. Such a lovely idea, a great way to invoke those sentimental travel memories!

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  82. An amazing testimony of a powerful and genuine spell caster who brought my husband back to me,. i live in England, and I'm happily married to a lovely and caring husband ,with three kids. A very big problem occurred in my family seven months ago,between me and my husband .so terrible that he took the case to court for a divorce.he said that he never wanted to stay with me again,and that he didn't love me anymore.So he packed out of the house and made me and my children passed through severe pain. I tried all my possible means to get him back,after much begging,but all to no avail.and he confirmed it that he has made his decision,and he never wanted to see me again. So on one evening,as i was coming back from work,i met an old friend of mine who asked of my husband .So i explained every thing to him,so he told me that the only way i can get my husband back,is to visit a spell caster,because it has really worked for him too.So i never believed in spell,but i had no other choice,than to follow his advice. Then he gave me the email address of the spell caster whom he visited. { adagbaspiritualtemple@yahoo.com }. So the next morning,i sent a mail to the address he gave to me,and the spell caster assured me that i will get my husband back the next day.What an amazing statement!! I never believed,so he spoke with me,and told me everything that i need to do. Then the next morning, So surprisingly, my husband who didn't call me for the past seven {8}months,gave me a call to inform me that he was coming back.So Amazing!! So that was how he came back that same day,with lots of love and joy,and he apologized for his mistake,and for the pain he caused me and my children. Then from that day,our relationship was now stronger than as it were before,by the help of a spell caster. So, i will advice you out there to kindly visit the same and you can also reach Dr Adagba through his mobile number +2348115200304,if you are in any condition like this or you have any problem contact Dr Adagba ,{ adagbaspiritualtemple@yahoo.com }, Thanks for reading .

    ReplyDelete
  83. I love this idea! I'm curious though, being from the north east, how difficult would it be to fit photos onto some of the smaller states given the map size that you bought?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Mariel! Great question! I would recommend getting your photos printed on a smaller scale. For the size map I used, you could use a photo printed at 3x5 (or smaller) with you "farther back" in the photo or you could even use locket sized photos or photos made for small trinket frames in the smaller states! Hope this helps!

      Kelsie Ann

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  84. All my thanks to Dr,Okwyzill. My ex and I have been back together for two months now. And it's been even better than ever. We've been talking about our future, about moving in together and also getting married soon. Things between us are great. I thank you for helping to bring him back to me!, and in case you want to also contact him for help email address is dr.okwyilspelltemple1@gmail.com or dr.okayilspelltemple@hotmail.com or call him on Whatsapp +2349031726182.thank you sir for your help

    ReplyDelete
  85. All my thanks to Dr,Okwyzill. My ex and I have been back together for two months now. And it's been even better than ever. We've been talking about our future, about moving in together and also getting married soon. Things between us are great. I thank you for helping to bring him back to me!, and in case you want to also contact him for help email address is dr.okwyilspelltemple1@gmail.com or dr.okayilspelltemple@hotmail.com or call him on Whatsapp +2349031726182.thank you sir for your help

    ReplyDelete
  86. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  87. We can print literally anything, on a huge variety of papers and sizes. We list the most commonly quote printing on our site, but there’s a lot more that we can do. So give it a shot – tell us about what you are looking for and we’ll get to work on a printing quote just for you.

    ReplyDelete
  88. This is the greatest idea ever i showed this to my Fiance and he thinks it would be a great idea to travel all the states and put them on a map so we have something to remember them by :)

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  89. Hi!
    I am absolutely going to make one of these! Thank you for the awesome blog tips! I was wondering if you used a laminated map? Do you have any opinions on whether laminated or not would work better?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We did not use a laminated map. I think either way would be fine. Ours seems to be holding up well but I bet laminated would hold up even better! Since pins are used to attach the photos, the lamination shouldn't cause any trouble. I think that's a great idea!

      Delete
  90. Enjoy the best party for entertaining I have read this blog nice please you can read my blog I think You give many information :- There are better as well as best of new opportunities all coming up which can be beneficial enough and from time to time basis work out for Photo Booth Rental all kind of occasions. There are lots of new areas and events where such party planners can all work and they are best enough Dj services Toronto for present day time.

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  91. Great,totally helping us to the future planning. Good points are described in detail with selected pictures. Well, I am impressed with this idea. It is the best open carts I ever seen in the net. Great works!

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  92. I love this! It's the perfect way to share travel memories, and maps always look so aesthetically pleasing.

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  93. Love this idea, I will be planning this for an anniversary. The only question I have is about mounting it to the wall? Did you put the foam board directly on the wall or did you have some sort of border or frame?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Also, did you buy a laminated map or is just bare paper?

      Delete
    2. Thanks! We actually just put two nails in the top corners (and then put pins over them so you couldn't see) but you could also attach picture hangers to the back of your poster board and hang it that way (or of course however you want if you decide to frame it.) It's pretty light so it doesn't take much. I did not have a border or frame but I've helped others who have made their own version figure out how to frame theirs as well. If you have any questions about that, message me on the facebook page and I'll get you some info!

      https://www.facebook.com/cutcraftcreateblog/

      Also...My map is bare but I think laminated would work just as well!

      Delete
  94. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  95. Such a beautiful idea!! Thanks for sharing!

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  96. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  97. I loved this idea and have created our own map where we are putting pictures for each state that we have been to with our kids. We typed the location of each picture on there as well. Hope to cover the whole map one day.

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    Replies
    1. Great idea to include the location! Keep on traveling <3

      Delete
  98. Finding the time and actual effort to produce a good
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  99. I am looking at Staples for this certain map for a Christmas gift, is there a specific name for it?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is just a 50x32 Rand McNally map. I opted for the "vintage" or "antique" coloring (can't remember which it was called) but they have the standard color option as well.

      Delete
  100. Just purely sweet. Love the little elegant details too. Adorable. Got my eye on your next posts.

    wedding gifts

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  101. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  102. thanks for sharing great thought in this blog...

    Photo Frames Online

    ReplyDelete
  103. Did you have any trouble with the map bubbling up after it has set for a week? A friend and I used spray adhesive to attach the map to thin wood. Some bubbling keeps popping up even after we smoothed the entire map. I'm not sure what is causing this as it has just been setting in her house (she is going to attach a frame around it).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hmm... I did not. I would think spray adhesive would have worked well though. Could it be something with the humidity in the house? I'm not sure I've ever used spray adhesive on wood before maybe its something with the wood changing and the "liquid" in the adhesive or air??? That's the best guess I have! Sorry that's not more helpful.

      Delete
  104. Have you had any trouble with the edges of your pictures curling? I am trying to plan this out before I make my own and can't decide if I want to frame it or not. However, I know pictures tend to curl or change shape if they aren't forced flat by the glass in a normal frame. I am afraid if I don't frame it the pictures will curl over time and not fit the shape of the state any more.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, they do start to curl a little. If you don't want to frame it, my suggestion is to put the pins as close to the edges (or parts of the state that stick out) as possible. But if you like the look of framed behind glass that would be best for this issue. I need to add pins closer to the edges of mine, HOWEVER even though they curl some, the shape of the state is still clearly defined 4 years later. Good thinking ahead. I never thought of it until mine started to do it!

      Hope this helps!

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  105. This is a great idea! We are remodeling our office and my husband wanted to do an old world/map theme in the office. Ran across this idea and its great! Weve been married for 15 years and been to so many places together that its a great way to showcase our adventures. The hard part will be deciding what pictures to use. I am not big on wall decor all over the house, but just simple aspects of the personality that live in the house :) few pictures here and there. But this is a great way to showcase pictures creativity not the same old boring picture frames. Thanks for sharing your ideas! I am totally hooked on this project. Time to hyper focus now. :)

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  106. Thank you so much! I agree it's hard to decorate with photos without just having a ton of frames around the house! We don't have ANY family photos hanging up because I just can't decide how I want to do it. Aaaand I'm a little bit of a hot mess ;)

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  107. Kelsie- I LOVE this project! Currently in the process of putting one together for my dad for Christmas. I only made one alteration- I'm mounting the pictures to a heavy-duty cardstock so I can create collages in some of the larger states (we grew up in Texas, so lots of pics from there). Fingers crossed it holds up!

    Question for you- did you end up framing this? I'd like to put it in an open frame (no glass) to finish it off, but I'm not sure where to look for one that large. I'm afraid it will have to be custom, and I'm running out of time for that!

    Thanks so much!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Erin,
      What a wonderful gift to make for your dad! I did not frame mine but lots of people have asked me about it and here's my suggestion:
      Purchase some molding from a local lumber yard and then cut it at an angle (miter) so that it meets up at the corner to make a frame! I have some pictures of the same idea use on a pegboard in my craft room but I don't think I can share photos on this comment thread. If you are having trouble visualizing what I mean, send me a message on the cut craft create Facebook page and I'll send you some pictures! Hope this helps and Merry Christmas!

      Delete
  108. How the hell did I never see one like these in my life?
    Great stuff!
    Pumped up out to make one mine too!

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  109. My brother recently passed away and as a way to remember him and one of his passions at his funeral next weekend, I'm doing this with photos of all of the major league baseball fields he visited in his lifetime. He was obsessed with the game and the history of it all so I can't find a better way to showcase something he loved better than baseball and traveling. Thank you for the example and the breakdown of how you put this awesome piece together.

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    Replies
    1. I am so sorry for your loss. I'm also sorry I am just now responding to this. I would love to see your finished project. I think this is such a beautiful and meaningful idea and it makes me so happy to see my idea being used for something so beautiful and important. I think you are doing a great job at honoring his life. <3

      Delete
  110. Nice and excellent gifting ideas. The main advantage is these gifts are quite unique and unisex, so you can use it on all your occasions.

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  111. You are awesome dear with endless creativity. You're like sunshine on a rainy day. Really thankful to you for sharing this content.

    ReplyDelete
  112. Such a lovely idea, a great way to invoke those sentimental travel memories! GreetingsMag

    ReplyDelete
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