Giant Jigsaw Puzzle Wall Decor

Lots of kids and even adults hang posters up on their walls. Images of beach scenes, famous landmarks, popular movie stars - there are literally millions of posters out there. Some people use thumbtacks to hang them; others frame them and hang them. All those techniques are so old! Do something entirely new and different to make your poster stand out and get noticed while making it look like much more than just an old poster! Use foam board to easily make the chosen poster into a huge jigsaw puzzle for a wall. The foam board is found at craft stores, dollar-theme stores and even discount department stores. Its cheap, lightweight and really easy to cut. There are a couple of different ways to make the wall puzzle and one is much easier than the other.

To make the easy version simply glue the poster to the foam board. Set heavy objects on top of the poster as the glue dries to prevent bubbles from forming under the paper. After the glue is dry use black paint and a brush to make puzzle piece shapes directly on the poster. Its helpful to look at some puzzle pieces to get an idea of the shapes and designs. If you dont feel confident about your abilities to draw the lines on the poster you can print out images of puzzle pieces on your home computer and use them as patterns. After the lines are drawn to form the pieces you can simply hang the lightweight picture on the wall using adhesive hangers.

Make a different type of wall hanging by actually cutting the shapes of the pieces. Glue the poster onto the foam board and allow the adhesive to set. Draw the shapes freehand or use the computer printout patterns. Use a sharp knife - not serrated - to cut the foam board. Take your time and cut exactly, but if you need to give some edges a smoother look, use a piece of sandpaper or even an emory board to easily sand the edges. As you hang the individual puzzle pieces slide them together as you would a real puzzle but dont push them tightly together. If you do the pieces arent as distinct as they are when you leave a slight gap between them. Its a cute look to make a baby-theme wall puzzle for a nursery or a cartoon character theme for a slightly older child. Create a really unique scenery for a wall by making a puzzle that features a beach, mountains or fields of flowers. Make whimsical looks or gorgeous designs. Use the entire poster to make the puzzle or cut it down to fit a smaller wall. Youll love the look!