I love pictures. I’m no photography expert by any stretch, in fact, I usually use my iPhone to take all my pictures lately. It’s a shame really because the quality is definitely lacking but, with two fast moving targets to shoot, I have to be quick on the draw! Also, who can carry around a bulky camera when you’re already pack-muleing so many other things on vacations and weekend getaways?
The issue is what to do with all these memories, these pictures that are clogging my laptop and phone and even thumb drives! I have albums filled with pictures, old and recent. I have pictures bursting out of anything that begins with a tiny little “i” in this house – iPad, iPhone, iPod – you get the idea. And, as many of you know, I’m no DIYer. I’m on Pinterest for the recipes and fashion only. And by “fashion” I mean Athleta, Lorna Jane or Nike. Sure, I have frames all over my house but they’re pretty boring. I followed the rule of making my pictures look “clean” by matching all the frame colors. I chose black. It’s very uplifting. Then, one day way back when, a great blogger friend of mine did a piece on something magical called a WeMontage! You’re dying to know more, aren’t you?
A WeMontage is the answer to all of us who have no interest in Pinterest. Ok, I have interest but it rhymes, so stay with me here. For those of us who want to think outside of the frame barrier, this is our answer! No frame is going to hold me back from exploring creativity though my pictures! Plus, who has the time to shop for all those frames?Enter WeMontage or, as I like to call it, photo wallpaper:
The above is the one I made for my dad and stepmom for Christmas. Not only did they absolutely love it (they cried!) my kids loved it too. Now, when they go to Papi and Meme’s house, they stare up at the life size versions of themselves and marvel. I selected pictures from all the adventures we took in 2013 – starting with Disney in January and ending with my cousin’s wedding in November. We will never forget that year. Seriously, we can’t with this giant thing staring at us every time we go there.
And then, I got another fabulous idea. Ok, it wasn’t my idea but Michelle from A Dish of Daily Life but that’s just details. Anyway, the brilliant idea was to capture all my race memories in a WeMontage! Brilliant.
I took this (with my iPhone) after I first unrolled it. It’s not yet mounted!
Finally, I can start my shrine! My husband is ecstatic. Velvet ropes are on order.
The possibilities of creating WeMonage’s are endless! They come in a variety of sizes, you select all your photos and can arrange them yourself or choose the automatic option, and it’s very easy to use and order. Plus, it’s removable! That’s right my friends, if you don’t like where it is after a month – move it. You move? It moves with you. You want to take it back from whoever you gave it to? Go get it! It comes with the easiest of instructions for mounting and dismounting.
On top of everything else, the owner is a great guy. When I ordered my first WeMontage, I received this personal email message from him:
Hi Allie,
Thanks so much for your business. It means a lot.
I like the collage you created.
I’ll get this to the printer first thing in the morning!
Kind Regards,
James
How many times have you gotten that kind of response from Amazon? Even if you’re on Amazon Prime and having drones drop your stuff off, you’re not getting an email from Jeff Bezos. James, however, takes pride in his work and knows something about customer service. Plus, he has twins so obviously he’s a saint.
Word on the street is that teens and tweens actually think these are very cool to give and receive. How many things do you know that pass that test? Almost nothing.
There’s more. I know, I know, I’ve given you so much already but that’s just who I am.
Any order placed using the code “vitatrain” will get you 20% off through March 8th!
Is anyone still here or did you all already click over to WeMontage?
If you are still here, please follow on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/WeMontagellc and Twitter @WeMontage
Full disclosure: In exchange for this post, I was given the 2×3 of my races but I chose all the pictures and did the ordering on my own like a big girl. All opinions are my own. They always are!
So tell me – who would you give a WeMontage to? What would be your theme? What one would you make for yourself?
This is a very cool idea… pictures need to constantly be changed with all the updating going on in our lives and I think this is a great way to do it! Happy Friday!
It really is! I can’t wait to make one for a gift again 🙂
Thanks, Emma. I’m thrilled you like WeMontage. Have a great weekend.
How did photo of us crushing ING HALF not make the montage???!! That’s it, you’re cutoff from Fenway hookups! So messed up… 🙁
*hangs head in shame* That IS messed up! But, I only have so many Hankards in one Montage! I’m saving ALL of our pictures to create one of all the things we’ve done – Coldplay, Jay-Z, Fenway, the wedding and running. We’re so much more then just running cuz.
This might be the funniest blog reply I’ve seen. Ha!
You know I love WeMontage and the owner, James is a doll. I have spoken with him on the phone, when I was getting ours done and he seriously is such a nice guy. Love that you not only got one for your dad and stepmom, but your race moments, too. That is seriously awesome!! 🙂
I know you do! I seriously love these things and I can’t wait to make another one as a birthday gift. James being the guy he is, is just a bonus 🙂
You guys are really too sweet. I’m alright…sometimes. Haha.
A WeMontage for the grandparents is an awesome idea! And what a great way to capture race memories! I’m really bad about letting digital pictures collect virtual dust on my hard drive. I need to get on it and start creating a WeMontage collage for my house! And who doesn’t love a good coupon code?!
Seriously mama! You need one of just Monkey and Bean. I can also see one of your races with picture of Monkey’s record breaking race taking the center space. Do it!!
Hey Nicole,
We just added a feature that lets you invite others to upload photos to your album. This is a great way to let family help make a WeMontage for the grandparents.
Cheers!
-James
You did such a great job on both collages! How funny was it when the boys saw themselves on the wall for the first time?! Whenever someone comes to the house my kids bring them over to to see the collage. Its so cute! Also, brilliant idea from Michelle on doing the race pictures, I know you love your race memories like bling and such, so I know that you adore this collage of all your racing accomplishments. I totally see a SPAIN collage in the future!! So many amazing things you can do with We Montage.
And I’m with you on the frames. #overit!
You know there’s going to be one for Spain!!
Yes, the boys love it and they stared at it and re-told the stories from each picture when it first went up. Too adorable!
I love how the kids respond to your WeMontages. So cool.
Love this. And James is one of the nicest people on earth. I wish I could have met him at BlogHer last year.
I love that your twins love to see it.
And I love that people cry when receiving this gift. That’s a whole marketing tagline right there! “We will make your loved ones cry..but not in a bad way!”
That seriously should be the tag line! I can honestly say I was most excited about giving this to my dad and Joanne this year b/c they absolutely LOVE gifts like this, and it’s so unique and special. I have the whole thing on video but everyone is in pi’s and not looking their best so the consensus was for me NOT to share it…bummer.
Down with “Live beyond the frame”. Up with “We will make your loved ones cry..but not in a bad way!”
Haha!
Great idea! I will go check them out!
You should! One of your boys maybe?
Wow, what an amazing gift for grandparents. I have to say that this is perfect for me because, as the Mom of teens, I can go back and pull out one favorite picture from each year as the boys grew up.
Exactly! That’s the beauty of it and my dad and stepmom absolutely love theirs.
Pretty cool! I am a mess with my pics and I always say that smartphones, while I love them, were my total undoing in terms of keeping pics organized and going into albums, etc. They all just sit here on my computer. I need this service!
Agreed! Plus, I’m so afraid to delete them off my phone, even though they’re on my computer! Crazy. At least I can archive the ones I have on the wall 🙂
BlogHer just sent out an email this week (I think?) about taking better photos with your iPhone. I haven’t read it yet but it is on my list!
I would probably make a shrine to myself too. I mean, why not!? Haha, actually I have a lot of nice landscape photos that I would use.
What a nice message from the owner!
Oh I definitely need to read that! Thanks for the heads-up.
You could probably fill 50 WeMontage’s with all your travel photos! You could literally wallpaper your entire apartment.
Love it!! 🙂
I see a racing one in your future! Speaking of – mark your calendar for the March for Babies 5K on April 27th!!!
Ok Miyagi – Will do!
Allie,
You are really awesome. I have to thank Michelle for introducing me to you. Thanks for taking the time to make your WeMontages and share them with all your friends and family.
¡Abrazos! (Hugs!)
-James
James –
It is my absolute pleasure to support WeMontage as I truly love the product. Plus, us twin parents have to stick together! Hugs to you James!!
Oh, Allie, I think your readers would love this video. Tamara posted on G+ that you should “Watch. This. With tissues.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scFhVNILuBo
Using photos from the 1940s, a son gives the beautiful gift of a WeMontage to his parents, who live in a senior home and have early stage memory loss.
YES! Thank you for posting it here. I’ve seen it, and I think you should make more as these just provoke such emotional responses.
We will. We’re just getting started.
Ohhh. Anything that will help me manage those beastly photo files is a Godsend. I’m thinking one day in futuristic times (maybe next year?) a new profession will start to spring forth in the photo industry: Professional Photo Organizer.
But of course this nifty new job will require a 10-year university degree. The Photo Organizer will have massive students loans, also.
So true!!! I would definitely pay someone to organize, print and WeMontage ALL my pictures. I think YOU should start a new career 🙂
Ohhh that in itself might be motivation for me to sign up for some more races!!
Right?? So motivating!
I am horrible about printing out pics lately. This sounds awesome!
Your kids would love it! Plus, some of those yoga shots you’ve been taking would look amazing!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! This is so cool! Such a fun thing to do with race photos or any photos! I think I’ve gotten more emotional with age and all those wonderful old memories make me cry (joy tears, not sad tears). I think I should make a shrine to my husband’s competitive days. 🙂 And James is great…I was so thrilled when I met him (yay Twitter) because you know how much I adore photos! I’m always looking for fun ways to incorporate them into my decorating. They should be enjoyed, not stuck in a computer!
I couldn’t agree with you more, nor can I thank you enough for introducing me to this amazing product. Love, love, love is right!
You guys are awesome.
I think these would make excellent graduation gifts! I can’t believe that in just a few years I will have a graduate of my own – I think he would love something like this (and if not right this minute then later for sure!!).
I love your race montage!!!
Great idea Kim!! Thank you.
Okay this is AWESOME. I know my parents would LOVE to receive pictures of the grandchildren like this…and as Kim above points out…GRADUATES…PERFECT!! I can also see doing one on each child’s birthday for the previous year of pictures. Oh!! My mind is racing now!! I take SO many pictures and then they just…sit on my phone or computer. THIS IS PERFECT!!!! —Lisa
Now you’re thinking!! It’s seriously addicting too. Once you do one, you want to do more!
Hey Lisa!
Good to see you here.
Love these – and it has seriously been on my list to do for at lest 6 months now! It is such a cool idea! Yours look great!
Hi Leah,
I’m flattered you like WeMontage. We’ve been woking extremely hard to make the product experience great.
I’d be honored to count you as a happy customer 🙂
Cheers.
-James
OMG you are the perfect person to do this!! Your kids would absolutely love it Leah…and, of course, you would too. Can’t wait to see what you come up with!
I love that you captured your race memories with We Montage. That’s awesome! I am thinking about getting one with the grandkids but then you have to keep getting new ones because, well, kids grow up. But it’s still in my thoughts. Or maybe just one of Jeffrey. People already think I’m weird anyway.
Hi Carla,
That’s not weird at all. We are going to start offering discounts to people who purchase regularly.
Cheers!
Let your freak flag fly! I’m sure there will be people who think my race one is “weird” but who cares? And it’s not trouble getting more as the kids grow, it’s FUN 🙂
I love the montage you did of your race photos!! The shrine will be glorious! 😉
Ha ha thank you! It really came out great and the possibilities for these things are endless.
I love both of your WeMontages! And I love James, too. He is sooo nice and sends the kindest messages. I bought gift certificates so I could make some for my parents and the kids. You’ve given me two great ideas – a year recap and sports – I can definitely do those.
So glad I could give you some ideas! The best part is really giving them to other people. It’s like a gift of memories. Priceless!