3-D

This is a great idea if you are a quilter or a crafter.

First of all, you can scan 3-D items, like the picture shown. Just arrange the items on your scanner glass, then cover with something (because you obviously can't close the lid). I used a piece of muslin fabric, doubled. Scan...and...magic!

Secondly, once you get the scan the way you like it, you can print it on fabric! In the past, I have used a product called Printed Treasures by Milliken to do this. For about $18, you can get a packet of 5 8-1/2" by 11" sheets. It is actually fabric lightly glued to paper, and you can run it through your printer. You can buy this in some fabric or quilt stores, or online. There are also other brands. This one says "Not for Use with Laser Printers".

Another option is to have your photo(s) printed on the fabric by someone else. This is one of the options at www.SoftFabricPhotos.com, and I'm sure it's available from other websites also. More expensive, but probably worth it for some people. They also offer instructions for a do-it-yourself method of treating fabric so that you can print on it. I'll just stick with the prepared kind -- it's always worked well for me. And you can wash the fabric.

Thirdly, use your custom printed fabric in a quilt, a pillow, a wall-hanging, or whatever you can dream up. I have also used Printed Treasures to print quilt labels to sew on the back of my quilts. Or, don't print it on fabric -- just use the picture for scrapbooking.

I'd love to hear the ideas you come up with.

P.S. Happy Birthday, Austin!! We are so proud of you.