We had these collage posters made at a Sams in Atlanta before we moved. Only a few Sams in the country have these FREAKINGTOTALLYAWESOME machines that allow you to make poster-sized collages out of your prints. You scan as many images as you want into their special-special machine with its special-special software** and then they scramble the pictures into a poster size print. You can preview, and if you don't like it, just hit "scramble" and it will re-arrange the photos, until you find a composition that makes you happy.
The entire process makes me happy. Happier than you can ever know.
If I had a squillion dollars and was designing my perfect playroom and had to choose between a real-live jukebox, a Galaga arcade game, or this poster-machine, I would choose the poster machine hands down, every single time. Although really, if I had a squillion dollars, I should be able to have all three, don't you think? Geez, I guess a squillion dollars just doesn't go as far as it used to.
So far, I have six posters and counting, one for each of the major vacations we've taken the past few years. I mean, seriously, can you think of a better momento for a family vacation??? The top picture is of our trip to Southern California in November of 2004, and the second picture is Kendrie's Make-A-Wish trip in Feb of 2005.
PS. Have I mentioned that I LOVE THESE????
**If someone else knows of someplace else I can get this done, I'm all ears, because the nearest Sam to me currently that has this capability is in Dallas.
24 comments:
When you get a chance, try this website:
http://www.yorkphoto.com/posters/t_=6744538
I get all of my prints made from there. They just started doing the collage prints. Their 20" x 30" collage poster costs $13.99 right now.
And the best thing is that if you register, there are usually some kind of sales or discounts off.
I absolutely love their memory books.
And I just noticed...there's a sale on posters - 1/3 off!
If you want the code, it's YKPOSTER and it expires on the 28th.
Kristie,
Most of the online photo stores allow you to make collage posters, (www.shutterfly.com, www.kodakgallery.com), but it looks like www.snapfish.com has the closest style posters that you have made, and you might be able to pick it up at a local store. I scrapbook, but have been making photo books of our vacations...much easier and faster to do a photobook with 250 photos than try to scrapbook them! So far, I think shutterfly does the best photo books with the best options.
What a cool idea! I love them!
Dixie
Call The Pioneer Woman. I think she has one.
Yep, Kodak Gallery!
Tammie and Dianne, thanks so much for pointing out that some of the online developers offers the poster-collage service. Needless to say, *MY* online developer does not, and I'm little miffed that all this time I've been missing out! I just ordered one tonight and am thrilled to know I don't have to drive all the way to Dallas to the nearest Sam's anymore!
Thanks so much; you truly made my day!!!! (Gosh, I love the helpfulness of the peoples of the internet.)
Kristie, I LOVE the posters prints!! How do you know if your Sam's has one of those machines? (other than searching every inch of our 2 Sam's!) Is there somehting special I am searching for on the online site? Patricia, GA
Patricia, I'm not sure what part of GA you are in, but I got mine done at the Sam's in Snellville. I am not sure if you can do it online .... I drove the three hours (one-way) to do it. Only to be told they were out of ink, and I'd have to come back to pick them up the next week. Only to drive back the next week and be told that lightning had struck their computers and my order had been lost. I was beyond annoyed, to say the least. Finally, months later, I was able to do it again ... luckily, it's a one-hour service so it only necessitated one trip back to Snellville.
But, as I'm learning from the comments, all kinds of online photo developers offer the same service. (why, oh why, didn't I know this before???) I used York photo last night, and I found it on the Shutterfly site as well.
If you're close to a Sam's, go in and ask. It's one-hour and you won't have to pay (and wait for) shipping. But if your local Sam's doesn't do it, it's great to know we have other options!!
I order my collages from Tabblo. com . There is also coupon codes if you search through google. Love them!
You are going to think I am the biggest dummy- but what kind of store is Sam's? It seems everyone else knows. Anyway, they do a photo collage at our local photography shop but it is expensive.. like 50 bucks or something and it seems (from reading the comments) that online prints are where it's at. Sorry I can't help, but I would love to do the idea in our media room! Don't think I won't steal it either!
Anyone out there know where you can get these done in Canada?
Lorianne
Just out of curiosity how much does Sam's club charge? That is really cool.
Those are wonderful. How do you know which Sams' has those special machines?
Kristie, I'm glad you have discovered online photo "fun stuff"! I had used kodakgallery.com for years, but then was told about shutterfly.com. I have used shutterfly to make my last 2 photobooks (I like their layouts and photobook options much more than kodak's), one from our trip to Orlando at Thanksgiving, and the other from our cruise over New Year's. Like I said in another comment, I scrapbook, but do yearly family albums (I started scrapbooking in 2004, starting that year to do a family album, but our oldest daughter is 17 - I haven't gone backwards yet, just trying to keep current!) I had done a separate scrapbook for one of our vacations, then discovered the online photobooks. LOVE them! Here is the link to our cruise album - it was a lot of fun to do, and I cranked it out in about 2 days, after going through almost 500 digital pictures! http://community.shutterfly.com/gallery/post/start.sfly?postId=/gallery/1/post/GMGDFgzYt27RowZiUQTiOA
Dianne
Love those posters, too!
Sam's is like a Costco. Big, discount wholesaler.
Ahhh.. like a Costco- it all makes sense now! We must not have Sam's here in MN. thanks anon!
Sandie in MN... There's a Sam's in Duluth, MN, I have been there...
I love this idea. I am recently getting our family room in the basement finished and starting to decorate and that's my theme, things from where we've traveled plus vacation photos. I am going to use this collage idea for sure. I just had 3 5x7's made then had to buy 3 frames... one sounds better and would hold more pictures.
I too have done the photo books from shutterfly (being that I haven't started scrapbooking yet). I loved how our FL Disney trip one turned out. I was able to enter captions of things I might forget in years to come.
Great ideas, I love learning new things to try and new tricks. I think I will do a collage now from last summer's camping trips, yeah.
Kristie, sounds like you have lots of great places to go to get collages, but thought I'd send this in case you want to do any more. Snapfish has them at 30% off right now if you use the code COLLAGE08. I wouldn't have even noticed the coupon in my email if you hadn't written about collages in your blog, so thanks! I think I'll go make one or two right now!
Have you tried this web site:
http://www.qoop.com/photobooks/flickr_user/login.php?frob=72157603992640158-f7779d47d60692fc-717201&extra=|||||||||
I've not scoped out everything they have but they might have what you want.
Sandi in MN,
Sams has several locations in MN, I searched their website for Minneapolis locations & found 9. I live in Grand Forks ND & we have one, so does Fargo. I know the St Cloud MN store has a liquor store attached & I've heard they have awesome prices... must be a member to shop at Sams & my husband is (through his employer) but I am not a member. So, I either have to go with him, or pay 10% extra than the listed prices. My kids love going there on Sat. or Sun. for the free food samples.
Rachel in ND
Where do you find 20 x 30 frames? I ordered the poster but can't find nice quality frames that size.
Anonymous, I got my frames from Michaels. Make sure to use a 40% off coupon (usually in the Sunday paper) because they are a little pricey. And, they're heavy. You'll definitely need a stud-finder!
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