Embroidery Hoop Photo Displays

Do you remember the song from childhood that goes “Make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the other is gold?” I learned that song in Girl Scouts, and I wanted to recreate that idea in a project for my daughter and her best friend. They have been friends since Brownies! Soon they will move into their first apartment together. I thought these embroidery hoop photo displays would be perfect hanging in their new place.

They wanted them to look “same, but different.” Just like them! They also were hoping for natural forest tones with a pop of sparkle. Also, a hanging effect that resembled a dream catcher. So, I started out with 2 – 8″ embroidery hoops. Next, I traced a circle around it on to Basis White 110 Lb. card stock as a base. On the circle, I varied a couple branch stamps in varying heights and colors along the edge of one and across the middle of the other.

My next layer was some pretty Thai Tamarine Mulberry paper. I cut in a square for a mat for one photo, and across the bottom of the other display. This looked so great and gave it that woodsy feel. It’s a thin paper, so I recommend an adhesive spray or light runner tape for this.

Putting it All Together

It was time to incorporate the browns and greens they wanted in their apartment. I chose Canvas Textured Kale paper and Pop-Tone Green for the leaf punches. Vanilla Bean Brown was perfect for the banner flags. The flags were placed near or under the photos to draw out some color, and then I added Prima flowers to the leaves, accentuating the corners of the photos.

My daughter decided to have names on there, too. So I stamped them with an old letter stamp set in a shimmery green ink, bordering the corner of the photos. Then we chose a couple of different gold accents for the flower and arrow die cuts to add a pop of bling. The flower dies were cut in Classic Linen Gold Pearl. The arrow and heart dies were cut in Mirrisparkle Gold Glitter. These filled in the open spaces remaining on the hoop front.

I selected a bundle of ribbon remnants from a local craft store. These are looped through at the bottom to hang free. Once I had the pattern of lights and darks where I wanted it, it was time to glue the Basis White circle to the back of the hoop.

The final touch was to add a few more of the Canvas Kale Green and the Pop-Tone Green leaves to the rim of the hoop. Then finally, their Polaroid selfies. Eventually, they will tie a ribbon to the top to hang them.

I could see this project done in a baby nursery too, or without ribbons but in varying sizes as embroidery hoop photo displays on a wall. My daughter loves how they turned out! I expect to see them hanging on their bedroom doors in their new place very soon. If you give this project a try, check out the CutCardStock sale on gold and silver card stock this month. I’d love to hear about your project in the comments below!