Under My Rock-Cheap Photo Duplication

Friday, April 23, 2010
Welcome to the rock I live under. I always wonder if I'm the last person on earth to know little things, and thus, when I share, I then wonder if people just smile and nod when I share a 'discovery'?!? I'm OK with that.
So, here is my public service for today. ...and when I say public-I mean me, myself, and I.
Something I do all the time is take old pictures I want to use in scrapbooks, shadow boxes, frames, projects, liter boxes, whatever and have copies made so I can keep the original in their 'original' condition. When I play with pictures my play usually involves glue, and glitter, and brads, and lots of travel (and potential harm). Sure, I have disks and back ups saved of all my recent pictures, it's the 'old ones' that don't have a back up. I just don't want to mess with the original. You can take them to a photo shop and have them copied, BUT I discovered years ago that you can have a 8.5x11 paper of picture(s) copied at Kinkos for 58 cents on their regular old color copier, and they turn out GREAT. Once it's in a frame, in an album, or in a liter box, you can not tell the difference between photo paper, and paper-paper. This has saved my life, or at least many old pictures through the years, and there is no guilt in the glittering. I have also copied whole scrapbook pages, and made 'duplicate' scrapbooks for friends/family. This has saved my sanity, and lots....and lots of money. Even rhinestones, and 3-D flowers copy with shadows giving them the effect they need. Here's my latest example:

This picture is irreplaceable. There is a neat story behind the photo. This is a picture someone (we don't even know) took 28 years ago of my Dad just a few days before he passed away in a hit and run accident. My Mom received it in the mail from this unknown person who just happened to have stopped by my Dad's shop and was playing around with their camera and snapped a picture of my Dad. I cherish it. I take lots of pictures with this in mind. You just never know who's going to love those memories captured on film years later. I can't tell you how much this picture means to me, but I also have no copies. I'm about to start a shadow box with some old mementos in honor of my Dad, and I definitely wanted this picture as the backdrop, but it already has some wear and tear from age, and no back ups. So, I went to Kinkos, and I copied it. I think the results are fabulous for 58 cents, plus, I now have a backup!
And now you know. What next? *You* nod and smile.

8 comments

Sarah @ Sugar Bananas said...

I'm so sorry about your dad. That's awful. However, that is a great story behind your photo. ...and now you can always have a copy - or 10 (since it's only .58) That's a great find :)
Thanks for sharing.

~Sarah @ Sugar Bananas!

Jennifer said...

I was so touched by the specialness of that photo! I hope you'll post pictures of your finished project!

New follower from the FF! Hope you'll come visit me too!

Ella said...

wow, christy!! before i read the story behind the picture, i thought it was a picture of Jason! amazing...i had never seen a picture of your dad before. thank you for sharing this!!

Gina F. said...

God Bless you and so sorry about your dad. Now you will have twice the memory of him. Great photo of your dad too! I know you will cherish it forever. HAVE A BLESS DAY!!!

Gina
Visit my blog at http://motherof1princessand2princes.blogspot.com

Christy said...

You guys are all very sweet for leaving such kind comment. 28 years later, this is a sweet memory, and not a sad one... promise. I know the separation is temporary. I have the best Mom who always put things into perspective, and ties it back to faith in God's plans for us. I have no doubt I'm a stronger person for the experience, and I know things like this picture were gifts left for me until we meet again!
@ Ella-I have a picture of Jason at this age too and it's pretty much a clone. I'll have to post it sometime.

Unknown said...

i just cried reading your post. i'm a cryer. i never thought about that aspect of a photo, but it is so true. i know your project is going to be really special.

Charles and Heidi said...

I just showed this to Charles without reading the script... he saw the picture and said, "That's Christy's dad!" I asked him how he knew and he said he remembered him coming out of your grandmother's house one day. I couldn't believe that he could remember that! I, too, thought it was Jason at first.
I would love to see the tribute to your dad when you finish it.

Christy said...

@ Charles and Heidi-Good memory. :O) ...it may be awhile before I really get started, but it's now on the project list. I'm on the hunt for one more thing I know is in the garage....it's a strange item. I've just started gathering the materials, but I'll definitely post when I'm finished. :O)