printing

Blame it on the dozens of downloaded photo apps and high-quality cameras in smartphones for our obsessive photographing and documentation of everyday life. Since there are tons of ways to print Instagram photos, I wanted to see how the square lo-res images translate to wall-worthy prints. Using CanvasPop, I turned an Instagram print from a memorable weekend into gallery-style canvas art as seen here.

Available in two sizes: a 12-inch stretched canvas square ($30 for a limited time) and a 20-inch stretched canvas square ($60 for a limited time), each canvas comes outfitted with a sawtooth hook for easy at-home hanging. The entire CanvasPop ordering process was as simple as taking an Instagram itself. Select a canvas size, a white or black canvas edge (which is not seen from a head-on view of the print), then the image itself by signing into your Instgram account on the site. If a retro border is what you want, be sure to select a photo from your Instagram library created with a filter that has a built-in border like Lomo-fi or Earlybird.

My 12-inch print was ordered during the hectic holiday season, but even with national holidays accounted for, it only took about two weeks for the finished canvas print to arrive nestled in a very secure cardboard box. I'm eager to make a few more prints for a pretty wall vignette while the introductory price deal is still on, since it's hard to rationalize $80 per print, despite the expert craftsmanship. The photo and filter colors on the canvas were nearly spot-on to the original image, just slightly more saturated, which actually seems appropriate considering I usually only see Instagrams in their tiny phone-sized resolution.

Whether it's a college dorm room or your first "grown-up" apartment, the CanvasPop Instagram print is a high-quality and affordable way to decorate with favorite memories.

Reader woodlawngirl recently posted the following question in GeekSugar Q and A:

I took some photos on a recent trip I'd love to print — 8"x10" ideally. What website has the best quality prints? Thanks!

If I'm not printing my own photos at home, I've had success with one printing service. Find out my recommendation (and share your own!) after the break.

Do you ever find yourself printing up maps, recipes, or articles from the Internet, but rather than just getting the doc you want, you end up with a page filled with advertisements and graphics? A new site called The Printliminator, which I spotted on makeuseof, is a bookmarklet tool that will help you remove all of the "junk" on webpages before you click print — helping you save ink and paper.

To get started, just drag the bookmarklet into your bookmarks toolbar, and then go to the website you want to print from and click the button. From there you'll be able to select the stuff you don't want included on your page. Be careful what you remove because there isn't a back button (you can always just go back to the site if you want to make changes). If you like this site, another website to help you print clean and easy to read webpages is PrintFriendly.

Have an interesting website you want to share? To learn how to post your favorite websites to our Website of the Day group, read more

Block printing is an ancient art form which begins by carving an impression of your design into wood, linoleum, or any other engravable material. Once you've made your block, you can use it to make an unlimited number of identical prints. Depending on what type of paint you use, you can use your block to print paper, wood, or even fabric. Block printing is a great way to personalize your garden-variety throw pillows, or even make custom stationery.

It can be overwhelming to learn a new craft though, especially when you're reading instructions out of a book or online. It's much easier to learn if you've seen it done firsthand. So, I was pleased to come across an instructional video on linoleum block printing at Urban Outfitters by Stephen of Etsy shop Something's Hiding in Here. To watch it, read more