Introduction: Practical (real Cheap, Real Easy) Digital Picture Frame

About: I still don't know me. If you do I'd appreciate it if you tell me

digital picture frames are very, er, practical. you get to display all your digital pictures without printing them. However they are expensive because it needs to have some sort of memory to store pictures and a screen to display all of them.

the thing about this instructable is the idea of using your existing digital camera as your storage system and LCD screen. Your digital camera has to have an option to view the pictures in a slideshow for this to work. It would be better if you have a PDA (I love my PDA) so you get a bigger screen and easier picture-upload management.

Well, that's about it I guess. Sorry it's that simple :\

sorry about the crappy picture. i couldn't use my digital camera because it's in the picture frame. and guess what I used to take the picture... my PDA!

Step 1: Procure the Tools and Materials

just lots of cardboard, a cutter, scissors, a picture frame, ruler (i couldn't find one so i used the tape measure. 30-60-90 45-45-90 triangles would be reccomended), pencil... a picture frame...

I used animal glue (superglue) as my "sticking" material. I don't like to wait for things to dry. just be careful not to superglue your camera (or PDA)

(look at what's over there at the back... my PDA!)

Step 2: Use Your Geometry Skills to Create the "window"

remove the wooden back part of your picture frame and, hmm, throw them away. or use them for some other instructable.

cut up a piece of cardboard so that it fits in the slot where the wooden back part used to be. you could try to pattern its dimensions on the wooden part.
cut up a hole in the center of the cardboard big enough just for the screen of your camera (or PDA).

from now on let's call this piece of cardboard with a hole for the camera screen our window

prop up the window into the actual picture frame. to keep it in place, you can either superglue it OR much better if you put "tabs" on its edge. this is so that you can easily remove the window by bending the small tab.

ignore the stuff stuck in the window. I'll explain that in the next step. but you have probably figured out what it's for already

Step 3: Use Your Creativity

use your creativity and ingenuity to get your digital camera to peep out of the window. the camera just fits in the "cardboard cage" snugly, keeping it's screen aligned with the hole.

as you can see i used cardboard and plenty of superglue for this. added the top arch for structural integrity and stuck another piece of cardboard to act as a stand.

turn on slide show on your camera, slip in the camera (not shown. forgot to take a picture) and that's it
this is either a "good idea" or a "wow amazing (sarcastically)" instructable.

the thing is I gave this to my mom for mother's day. but she threw the cardboard part away and asked me where the wooden part is :( I need the pity :(

cheers