How to Make a Desktop Photo Holder | DIY Fathers Day Gift

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #NewDadMustHaves #CollectiveBias

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2017 may mark the year for best Father’s Day gift ever. Our 2-year old has learned to remove her diaper, but she’s not quite ready for the potty. This has led to some eventful afternoons! Waking up from naps has gotten pretty interesting {aka… messy} when Mommy or Daddy don’t hear her wake up. So, what does that have to do with Father’s Day?

Well, thanks to our new baby monitor, the VTech VM981 Expandable HD Video Baby Monitor with 1 Wi-Fi Camera, 5″ Touch Screen, Dad {and mom!} can catch dirty diapers before she gets them pulled off. That, paired with a handmade Desktop Photo Holder and Organizer, have made for an unusually special Father’s Day.

If you’re like me, I thought baby monitors were mostly for newborns. Once we were past that stage, I assumed we wouldn’t need a monitor anymore. Instead, I’ve found with my daughter, that we’ve needed a monitor more and more as she has grown.

Why? The list is long — and removing dirty diapers is just the start.

For example, she’s curious. Opening drawers, the closets, and going through toy bins are a common pre-nap activity. Though her room is baby proofed, we still like to keep an eye on her while she plays in her room before naps. However, if we’re actually in the room, she’ll never climb in bed to nap. The VTech VM981Wi-Fi HD Video Monitor and Camera allows us to keep an eye on her, without distracting her from sleep. We know when she’s playing, and when she’s napping.

When she does get too curious for her own good — whether that’s taking off a diaper or climbing on something she shouldn’t — we know! The VM981 includes live video and sound via a color touch screen unit that we can keep with us in other parts of the house. So, Dad can have peace of mind while she’s sleeping; even if he’s catching up on work in our home office.

The kids and I are blessed to have their Daddy. He’s hands on, when it’s time to play and when life gets dirty. Still, cleaning up the mess from a dirty diaper is no fun, and we knew he’d be excited to open this Father’s Day Gift. As a personal touch, we tucked the VM981 into a handmade Desktop Organizer and Photo Holder. 

Supplies: Desktop Photo Holder

• Decorative Wood Box {3.75″d x 5″l x3″h}
• Craft Balsa Wood Sheet {4″w x 12″h}
• Wood Stain
• Gray or Black Chalk Paint
• Clear Wax or Sealant
• Foam Paint Brushes
• Sandpaper
• Hot Glue Gun and Glue
• Clothespin
• Cardstock
• Father’s Day Photo Booth Signs {free download available at the end of the tutorial}
• Camera
• Photo Booth Template {free download available at the end of the tutorial}
• Printer and Ink

Instructions: Desktop Photo Holder

First, set up a photo shoot with your child. My daughter posed in her crib, in the same spot we see her through the VTech VM981Wi-Fi HD Video Monitor and Camera. Download, print and cut out a few of the Father’s Day Photo Booth Signs {free download available at the end of the tutorial} to use for the photos. You can pick from five different messages including: “I Love You,” “Happy Father’s Day,” and “Best Dad Ever.”

Snap several photos of your little one holding the signs. We were going for a Photo Booth style shoot; so the pictures are fun, casual, and full of personality. Didn’t they turn out sweet?

Next, place the photos in the Photo Booth Template {also available at the end of the tutorial}. You can do this several ways:

• Print the photos as 2in x 2in squares. Print the Photo Booth Template {PDF format}. Attach the photos over each black square.
• Import the Photo Booth Template {JPG format} into a photo editor or document editor. Then, import the photos into each spot, over the black squares.

Once you’ve printed and cut out the Photo Booth Strip, assemble the DIY Photo Holder. To begin, give the wood sheet and the decorative box a coat of stain.

Once the stain is dry, use a dry brush to wipe on some strokes of dark gray or black chalk paint. This will give the wood a little bit of depth and dimension. After the chalk paint dries, you may want to sand it lightly before applying a coat of sealant over everything.

Finally, use hot glue to attach the wood sheet to the inside of the decorative box. Also, glue the clothespin to the top of the wood sheet.

Would you like to make your own DIY Desktop Photo Holder? Grab a copy of the Father’s Day Photo Booth Signs and the Photo Booth Template for your project. Enter your email, and the links to the PDF file will appear below. {note: If you already subscribe, you still need to enter your email; but will not be subscribed twice.}
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Father’s Day Photo Booth Signs
Photo Booth Template [PDF]
Photo Booth Template [JPG]

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Father’s Day Gift

Desktop Photo Holder + VTech VM981Wi-Fi HD Video Monitor and Camera

You can find the VM981 on Amazon and tuck it right into Dad’s Desktop Organizer. We placed both the monitor and camera in the gift, as a big surprise for Father’s Day! Not only did he get something with our daughter’s sweet smile, he also got a new gadget — which has lead to simpler days.

The VM981 is packed with features, including night vision and the ability to support up to nine cameras. So, if you have several kids, or need multiple angles of a bedroom — you can expand the views while still using a single video monitor.

We set the camera on shelves in my daughter’s recently decorated nursery. I’m so pleased with the modern, stylish and simple design of the camera. It’s discreet, which lets her toys, keepsakes, and decor remain the focus.

The Touchscreen Parent Monitor and High-Definition Camera tie into the Wi-fi connection in our home. Plus, with the MyVTech Baby app, we can even check in on her when we aren’t at home. It’s a real-time connection to our baby, even when she’s in the care of a sitter for the evening.

Would you like to learn more? Watch this video to learn more about the convenience and features of the VM981 andMyVTech Baby app.