I recently joined a group on Facebook called GAACR (Genealogy Arts and Crafts Room) where there are regular posts about creating arts and crafts using our ‘stuff’.
One item caught my eye, it was an old used envelope that was enlarged and framed. The original post had been found on Pinterest and shared with members of the group. I knew that this was something I wanted to try.
I looked through my files and picked an envelope and a few postcards. I scanned them at a high resolution, 3,000 dpi along the longest side. The large scan is needed so the image doesn’t get fuzzy upon enlarging. My first scan I made into a TIFF file and then duplicated as a JPEG which is the file type usually needed for when ordering.
Here are the envelopes/postcards I chose from my collection.

Envelope addressed to my grandfather, 1925

The back of the postcard that my grandfather sent to his sister when he was in Ireland after WWI, 1919

Postcard sent from my grandmother to my grandfather when they were dating, 1924

Postcard sent from William Jordan to his niece Christine Coffey, 1916
The next step was to upload them to a photograph ordering site, I used London Drugs. Make sure do to watch for automatic cropping that some of these sites do. I have often found that the automatic cropping will cut off my pictures in odd spots. The size I enlarged to was 12 x 18 and the cost per print, $14.98.
My hardest decision was picking the frames, that took me three trips to the store! The frames were purchased at Michaels where you can often buy an item and get a second one for a reduced price. If you break your purchases up into two separate trips you can reduce the cost of your frames.
I am quite pleased with the results and have hung the pictures in my living room, they are a great conversation piece.
I think there may be room for a couple more!
I love this idea!
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It has been a conversation piece in my house. My kids have been asking about the purpose of postcards.
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Fabulous! What a great way to get the kids involved.
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Pat, you are so talented and imaginative! Bravo!
I was looking at the photos of the two children from Montreal, or Quebec City! When I was a young girl, a bit chubby, I find that I look like her!! 😊
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Thank you for your kind words Nicole! Maybe the kids are connected to your family.
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What a cool idea! I definitely need to do this! Thanks for the idea 😁
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Beautiful! and thanks for the tip – I just joined the FB group too!!
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this is a fantastic idea! I still have envelopes of the letters my grandma sent me when I lived in the States.. she had a beautiful handwriting. I think, I’ll give it a try.
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I can’t wait to see what you create Barbara!
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Wow! What a fun idea! I can’t wait to get my history mapped out! I may steal this in an odd way. I don’t own any mailed letters, but I wonder how this would work out from a love letter my husband wrote when we were dating. Thanks for the inspiration you rock!
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I am sure that it would work amazingly with a love letter between you and your husband. Please share what you create, and thank you for your positive feedback!
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What a great idea!!
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Oh my gosh, those are adorable. I really need to get a move on with all the family artifacts and photos I’d rather have on display than in boxes!
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I am so pleased to look up and see this display in my house. It is quite satisfying to display them.
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I joined the same FB group and love most of the ideas. My favorite was the room where framed photos of many ancestors lined the walls across the top, all the way around the room. I could do that here. I love your idea with the post cards and envelopes.
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Thanks! The ancestor photo wall would be great too!
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