DIY Photo Display (in 5 Minutes!) from a Vintage Folding Ruler

Learn how to make a quick and easy DIY photo display with a vintage folding ruler. This thrift store find is the perfect for displaying your favorite candid pics and family snapshots.

Are you guilty of never printing or displaying your photos? This DIY Photo Display will give you no excuse. It’s an incredibly quick craft project — I literally completed it while also fixing lunch. #multitasking In fact, letting the glue gun heat up might be the longest part of the job.

Disclosure: This page includes affiliate links.

Vintage folding rulers are readily available at thrift stores, flea markets, and antique stores. You could buy one on Etsy or even buy a new version from Amazon. I found mine a while back, and after completing this project… I might need a few more folding rulers! I’m just in love with the look.

Displaying and Storing Family Photos

While I love beach landscape photography, vintage floral art, and travel mementos – nothing beats displaying family photos in our home.

I’ve come up with all kinds of clever ways to share family photos around our home, including:

• DIY wood photo holders,
• a family command center, and
• photo refrigerator magnets.

Plus there are many more ideas in this post with over 40 creative DIY photo display ideas.

However, most of us have limited wall space and can’t necessarily hang every photo we’d like to display. With that in mind, it is smart to have several photo storage solutions on hand, too.

Several of my favorite ideas for storing family photos are:

• vintage mail sorters,
• decorative gift boxes, or
• making a DIY memory box.

Use photo storage (such as memory boxes and mail sorters) in tandem with photo displays. When it comes time to display new family photos, you’ll already have a place to store the old pictures.

DIY Photo Display

Supplies

• Folding Ruler {Vintage or New}
• Mini Clothespins
• Hot Glue Gun + Glue
• Pencil
• Hammer
• Picture Hanging Nails

Note: Four our DIY photo display, I chose silver clothespins. The color compliments the wall color in our Breakfast Nook. Plus, I wasn’t looking for a contrasting tone since the photos are the focal point.

Instructions

1: Shape the Ruler

First, lay out the ruler in the shape that you’d like to hang it on the wall. For my DIY photo display, I chose a vertical zig-zag design. However, there are actually many options for styling a folding ruler, such as (click each link to see the example):

• Square
• Letter
• Star
• Compressed Zig-Zag
• Rectangle
• Gemstone
• Fan Shape
• Heart
• Christmas Tree

2: Place the Mini Clothespins

Once you have the ruler in the desired shape, figure out where each clothespin will be attached. You might want to grab some photos to help visualize the placement of each clothespin (and therefore, where each picture will go).

3: Attach the Clothespins

After placing each clothespin, use hot glue to attach the pins to the folding ruler.

4. Hang the Photo Display

Recruit a helper to hold the photo display against the wall. Mark a few spots with pencils to note where the nails should be placed. Then, hammer the nails into the wall and hang your finished work!

Note: A folding ruler photo display is lightweight, so basic nails are will hang it securely.

Share Your DIY Photo Display

Have you found a unique and creative way to display family photos? I’d love to see your ideas! Use the hashtag #creatingahome on Instagram and tag me, @lorabgreen, if you’d like to share!

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