Passport Art on the Cheap

As you know, I have travel on the brain. So I got to thinking how I incorporate some momento of our trips into our home. We're notoriously bad souvenir shoppers so it couldn't be tchotckes. After revisiting this project (from the now defunct but sorely missed Blueprint magazine) sparked an idea.

This is a re-interpretation of that concept but on a much smaller (and more diy friendly) scale using the "art" found inside the pages of a passport. But if travel isn't your bag, you could easily apply the same concept to lots of other scannable pieces like children's artwork, photographs, concert tickets, vintage receipts, cool advertisements, etc..

First off, I purchased some 6x6 wooden panels from an art supply store. These were onsale for a less than $5 each.

Opened my quart of trusty gold paint and applied to the sides...
Allowed to dry...

Trolling our passports for worthy stamps, I realized that I didn't have one from Paris!! So not happy about this. I'm told that if I ask for one, I might get lucky so perhaps this is a good excuse for another trip? Either way, I was bummed I couldn't include it in this project.

Moving on, I had just 8 stamps that fit the following requirements: Worthy location, a good trip we took together, semi-legible and attractive. Those got scanned...

Enlarged the images to suit the size of the panels.

Cut the prints down to a size slightly larger than needed.

Coated the reverse side of the paper with spray adhesive.

Laid the paper on top of the wood and pressed down all over. Let dry.

Flip the whole thing over. Using the edge of the panel as a guide, cut to size.

Repeat until you've done the whole lot.

I added a light spray of clear top coat over all of them. Not sure if that was really necessary but since I had it already, no harm in adding it. The last step was to hang. Spacing them just so took longer than making them!

If I exclude the materials I had on hand like the paper, and glue, etc - this project costs about $5 each.

I also like how these pieces are personalized but it doesn't hit you over the head with it either. I know they are my stamps but no one else would know unless they asked.

The only problem is that I need a lot more to get the full effect - I'll just have to work on amassing some more worthy stamps. Oh, the burden I carry.