Handmade Quirky Save the Date Magnets - Photobooth Style

♥These Save the Date cards are funky, fun and personal. Not only will your friends and family enjoy them but they will stick around as a reminder for your big day!

• Digital camera with a self-timer
• Tripod (optional see instructions below)
• Dark solid colored fabric for a backdrop in photos
• Thumbtacks to hang the backdrop
• Thin strip magnets
• Double sided tape
• Card-stock
• X-Acto knife or paper / photo trimmer
• Pinter and glossy photo paper

For Signs :

• Poster-board or other heavy weight paper, 4 pieces
• Black magic marker - chisel tip
• Ruler
• Pencil / Eraser (gum works best but any eraser is fine)

Step 1 - Make your signs

Heavyweight paper works best for this, poster-board or card-stock are great, either of which can be purchased already cut to size for ease. I was able to purchase ours in a 4-pack at the dollar store.

Lay out your words on the signs using your pencil and ruler. My sweetie and I divied up the signs, two each. I freehanded the curvy letters and he printed the numbers off of the computer and traced them onto the paper by taping them to the window. We both used the ruler to mark out the straight lines. You can also purchase stencils to make these, or simply print out the words and date on the heaviest paper your printer will take.

Color in your letters and numbers with your black magic marker, don't stress about it being perfect, imperfections are charming and besides you have enough on your plate right now,

Step 2 - Take the Pictures

The first shots we tried were in an actual old fashioned photobooth and found we didn't really have enough room for us and the signs. In the next round we took self portraits at home. If you would like to take your photos at home as well, here are the intructions.

First, choose your space to take the photos. The space you choose should have a lot of natural light. Setting up next to a window is best, with the light hitting the sides of your faces for more dimension. Morning or late afternoon generally gives the best quality of light with the light at noon being too harsh unless it is a cloudy day.

Then using thumbtacks, hang a backdrop or use a plain wall for a backdrop. Dark tablecloths or sheets work well for this, we used a length of inexpensive black felt to mimic the photobooth curtain.

Next set up your camera to take the photos. Using a tripod gives you the most flexibility but you can also use a stepladder, bookcase or a table. Have your fiance sit in a chair and focus the camera on your sweetheart in that spot. Set the timer and scurry over to sit with both of you holding the sign. Using a digital camera ensures that you can take as many shots as you like until you are happy with the images. Try lots of funny and romantic poses, be silly and have fun!

Step 3 - Offload your images and arrange them for printing

Offload your images, crop, switch to black & white and sharpen your images with your favorite editing software. I like Google's Picassa, it is easy peasy to use and free to download.

After you have edited to your satisfaction, it is time to set them up to look like a photobooth strip. I used Microsoft word for this, it is probably not the easiest program for this but it's something that everyone has and not hard per se, just takes a few extra steps.

• Open a new word document.
• Set the view percentage for 50%, this makes moving your photos around easier to see.
• Set the layout to landscape (file, page setup, choose landscape orientation).
• Click Insert, picture, from file.
• Choose your "save" photo and click open.
• Now here is one of those funny steps you have to take in word, otherwise you won't be able to position your photos where you want them. If you have publisher or something easier to use, just disregard this step. Once the photo is in the word doc, right click on it and choose Format Picture. Click on the Layout tab and choose tight from the options below and click ok.
• Now you may re-size and place your photos where you like. I made mine 1.6" x 1.75", and I was able to have five photostrips per page.
• Insert the other three photos and re-size them.
• Line them up one on top of another leaving a small gap in between them. I eyeballed mine, but there is ruler on the side of the page for more accuracy.
• Now lock your images together and copy and paste them four more times.

• To lock the images, left click on the first one then, holding down the Ctrl key, click on the other three. Right click on one if the photos and choose, Grouping, Group.

• Now right click again and chose copy and then paste. Paste two more times. The photos will likely be all on top one another, drag them over so that they are evenly spaced across the page.

Step 4 - Print, cut and attach magnets to your photo strips

Print your photos on 8.5 x ll" glossy photo paper or you can send them out to be printed at Kinko's or someplace similar.

After you have your printed photos use an X-acto knife and a ruler or a photo trimmer (I have an inexpensive Fiskars one that works great) to cut your strips apart.

For magnets, pretty much any one will work. However the thinner strip type, while not as strong, will be the easiest to mail. I used business card sized magnets because I was originally going to print straight on the magnets.

Using double stick tape - attach the magnet to the back of your photo strip.

Last Step - Attaching the photo magnets to cards

Using glue dots or another re-positional adhesive attach the magnet to the front of the card. You can purchase blank letter sized cards and envelopes or just the envelopes, folding your own cards from card-stock. I folded mine and bought gorgeous chartreuse envelopes.

After affixing the magnets to the cards I printed inserts for the cards using word again. Set the page up the same as before and then choose, Format, Columns, Three. Type the information you would like to include for your guests such as your wedding site's web address and hotel information. Cut these apart using your trimmer and insert.

All done! Have a fantastic wedding! Check back soon to see instructions for Fabulous Funky Handmade Invites!