DIY Instagram iPhone Cover

I have been wanting a new case for my iPhone for quite some time now and had my eye on the Instagram cases from Casetagram.  But then one night, while on Pinterest, I found this terrific tutorial on making your own Instagram inspired photo case by the Ambitious Procrastinator (love that blog name, so cute!).

With this great idea in my head,  I decided that I needed to make one too.  Right. away.  I get obsessed when I see things that I love....really....I think I have a problem. :)

The hardest part of the project was finding a clear iPhone case.  I searched all over the South Bay and ended up finding one at a kiosk at the mall.  My key requirements for the case was that it needed to have a clear back and that it needed to have rubber sides.

Note:  I first tried a hard shell case and decided I didn't like that because it was too difficult to take the case off and on.   I have the iPhone macro, fish-eye and wide angle lenses from Photojojo, so I needed a case that was easy to slip off and on.  

Anyway, like I said, finding one was no easy task.   The one I ended up with cost $19.99 and was not a name brand...it was some off brand called Wireless (imported from China).

On to the project........

For those of you who are not familiar with Photoshop Elements, follow the tutorial from the Ambitious Procrastinator.  She used Word to make hers and gives great directions.  For those of you who have Photoshop or Photoshop Elements.  All you need to do is:
1.  Create a new blank file that is 2.25" by 4.5" and open the images you want to include.
2.  Drag and drop your images on to the canvas and resize them to fit.  You can create any kind of collage grouping you like, you just need to play around with it.
3.  After you've created a collage that suits you, print it out on a 4x6 piece of photo paper.  I actually liked using the glossy paper for this project (and I had a ton of it).  
4.  Cut out your image and round off the corners.
5.  Place the collage into your case and trace the lens/flash area with a pencil.
6.  Using either a craft knife or hole punch, cut out the lens/flash space.  I used a hole punch--I'm craft knife challenged.  I tried using it and the hole I cut out was jagged.  Using the hole punch, suited me better. :)  
7.  Insert your cool Instagram photo collage into your case and you are set!

The great thing about this project is that if you are like me, you are constantly adding new photos to your Instagram feed and now you can change out your designs as you snap new favorites.   Here are a few other examples I made that are waiting to be cut out...