I’ve been wanting to make a custom game of Concentration with cool vintage images that even grown-ups would appreciate. So, naturally, I went over to The Graphics Fairy blog and grabbed some great images. With Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator, I tiled them into 2-inch squares and created 4 separate pages of designs.
I printed out two copies of each page design, as this game is about matching pairs of images. I also created the pages as free PDF downloads for you, just click on the tiled images below to get yours. PLEASE NOTE: These images have been assembled with the special permission of The Graphics Fairy. Her site policy is no more than 4 images per project. Theses tiled images are for personal use only and not for resale or reproduction as digital images.
I needed some heavy card stock to create the game pieces and found some beefy old file drawer dividers (yes, I save everything) in my craft shed. I Mod Podge’d (glued) each page to the card stock, smoothed out well and let dry.
Once dry, I Podge’d a coat of satin finish to the surface and again let dry.
Using my trusty old paper cutter, I cut out each 2-inch image.
One page design copied twice makes one set of cards (one game) with 20 pairs of images. Shown here are 4 sets of games. Each set has 40 cards, 20 pairs. I made 4 total pages/games because I couldn’t resist using all those wonderful images!
Once the cards were cut, each set of 40 were shuffled and the game began! Playing with just ne set, my daughter’s had a blast demo’ing the game. Once this game was over we broke out a different set for a tie-breaker game. They enjoyed turning over cards and finding new funky graphics!
Concentration Game Directions:
Once all pairs have been matched, the cards are counted and the player with the most sets of cards wins.
ADDITIONAL IDEAS:
- If you don’t have heavy cardboard, you can use the backs of yellow note pads, manilla folders, cereal & food boxes, or store-bought chipboard. Some craft and scrapbook stores don’t mind giving away the card stock dividers that come with each pattern of loose scrapbook paper, so it never hurts to ask!
- My card stock is a nice blue, but if you want to add some snaz to the backs of your cards, before cutting, Mod Podge patterned or solid color scrapbook paper or wrapping paper to the backside of the cardstock, or use printed out end paper images from The Graphics Fairy, found HERE. Just remember, for the sake of the mystery of the game, it’s important for the card backs to all look the same.
- Use pairs of family photos, pictures of items in your home and kids’ rooms, and typed names in lieu of vintage graphics.
And, of course, if this puts you in the mood for a game of concentration right now, you can always whip out a standard deck of cards. Pairs are same colored numbers and face cards.
Great use for all those fun images and quite a sophisticated take on a childhood favorite.
cute ideas. And you showed me what to do, to make my papers all shiny! I've been wanting to get into paper crafts – I love words and paper so much! Thanks, {:-Deb
That is awesome!
way cute!
I don't chime in frequently enough, but wanted to tell you how you put us all to shame with your creativity. The truck, however, was the maraschino cherry on this project! XOX
Beautiful! And one of my favorite games to play.
You are AWESOME and so is this idea! 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing! Have a TERRIFIC day!!
Cathe, this is so beautiful! I bet adults would even enjoy playing because these are so nice to look at.
Great! Thank you this is a great idea!
I just love it!
What a great idea…I always loved concentration but it's even better with these lovely images to play with! Thanks for doing the hard part for us!
I love this! It would be great mental exercise for senior citizens too!
What a cute cute cute post..From the great graphics to the idea to the tutorial right into the pretty presentation red truck!
Brilliant, what a fun way to play!!!
Thanks again for your work in putting such thought & care into your blog posts…one question..if you have the time…Do you use laser copies to print these sheets out, if you use ink jet printer pics…don't u find that your pictures smudge with that sealer you are using? Curious in Saskatchewan. Susan
Thanks for the question,Susan. I use an inkjet printer. My images did not smear one bit with the Mod Podge. I've always had good luck with that as long as it's not watered down. I also think that spreading a nice thick coat across a large area helped. Painting the coating with a smaller brush in a smaller concentrated area has caused a bit of smearing in the past on an image in a locket for example. Possibly too much brushing in one area. Hope this answers your question.
Cathe,
Can you modge podge something that's been printed on an ink jet printer or will it bleed? just curious. If I can't modge podge it, I'll get out my trusty laminator, although that won't look quite as classy.
Samantha
Oh I love that game!! I played it a lot as a child. Even with my own children, as an adult. :o)
What a cute idea to create with a modern twist!
How is Petaluma?? I miss my home sweet home town! :o)
Sincerely ~ Tricia Anne
Great idea Cathe! I especially love your creative storage 🙂
Great Idea – love the vintage theme!
I love this game! And the truck, such a wonderful storage idea 🙂
You are so sweet for providing the images!
Adorable!
Don't you just love ModPodge?
You are just too clever!!! Love it.
Brilliant! I especially love that you put them in the little toy truck like a caddy. Very clever.
Brilliant! I especially love that you put them in the little toy truck like a caddy. Very clever.
LOVE this, of course. Especially love the part about playing this game with adults, over drinkies.
OMG, I used to love that game as a kid. What a great idea to make it yourself with your favorite images. I love this idea!
{ Lindsey }
http://greatfullday.blogspot.com
Very cute! You could sell those.
This is awesome… What a great idea- and thanks to Dawn- at the Feathered Nest – I found your blog as well!! Adding you to mine!!
Going to go and have some fun with this:) Needed something to cheer me up – nothing like creativity:)
Blessings
Niki
Kanikis Prims & Whims
What a clever girl!!! I love the idea and I adore Graphics Fairy. You are so sweet to share this with us.
Sharon
What a great combination of talents…you and Karen. Thanks for sharing your instructions and for the redo of Karen's images.
I LOVE what you did to Karens great images! I used to love playing Memory as a kid!
Robin
How cool is this!!! When I was a little girl, they had a show on TV called, simply "Concentration" and I loved it. Here it is again all fancied up! Thanks much for this!
Thanks to you Cathe for your ever generous creativity!
Hi Cathe,
Totaly awesome!! I found you via Karen at Graphics Fairy. Thanks for sahring and great job!! I LOVE it!!
I found the link to your blog on Graphics Fairy and wanted to let you know how much I love your Concentration Game…it is too fun!
Amy @ Living Locurto said…Very cute! You could sell those.
…………..
Thank you Amy, I just want to clarify that if I used my own found images that would be a great idea. Using Karen's Graphic Fairy Images, they must remain a personal project, as she requests no more than 4 images per project. I just wanted to be sure to clarify that. She was generous enough to allow me to use them for this game for my family and to post.
Wonderful idea…I love this game. I'm going to make some sets for my grandbabies for Christmas gifts! Thanks for sharing the idea and for sharing all the pretty images from the Graphics Fairy. I love visiting her too!
I am so glad I found your lovely blog. Plus, I lived in Petaluma for a time and miss it. It is nice to read something from my former home.
thank you to you and to the Fairy!
I will do it and take it for holidays in a week! 🙂
Love the game pieces! Genius. And the little truck puts the whole thing right over the top! Super cool.
Great idea! Thank you!!
The vintagey images are fun and the truck card holder is just the right touch. Concentration in all its simplicity keeps our mind sharp.
Here's a fun idea to make one game into two. Cut out the front of your child's favorite cereal box and mod podge the concentration graphics to the plain side of the box piece. Coat one side with the satin finish and let it dry, then do the other side. When both sides are dry, cut out the pieces per the instructions in the blog. Voila!! Concentration for the adults, a fun and unique new puzzle for the kids! Have a great day!
Fabulous!! Thank you so much!
This is a fantastic tutorial! I want to make some too! My family loves to play games together and this one has an old fashioned appeal. Thank you so much for sharing this idea!
You are very generous for doing all this work for us. You have a big heart. Thank you for all you do. I will go over to the Graphics Fairy and leave her a gratitude comment, too.
Cathe, you come up with the greatest ideas! Thsnks loads. Sally
Cathe,
I have posted a link for your game on my blog. Thanks again.
Ooh-I love this game! Thanks so much for the project and thanks to The Graphics Fairy for the images. I'll be linking.
Wow !!! That is soooo cool !!
I love it !
This is too fantastic and thanks a bunch for offering the downloads to all of us! Probably a simple question but, when I print them, they are not 2" square, just 1.5". What am I doing wrong?
What a fun idea and I love the images you found – your truck carrier is just perfect too! thanks for sharing your technique in creating this!
What a great idea, love the images you picked out
I love this so much! I'm so glad I saw this on Graphics Fairy because now I've found your amazing blog too 🙂
what does it mean "Once dry, I Podge’d a coat of satin finish to the surface and again let dry."?
what did you put on the surface?
anyway GREAT JOB!!!
eli
Elisabetta- I was just talkin' slang : )
I painted Mod Podge Satin finish over the top of the images once the glue dried between the paper image and the card stock.
Thanks SO much for sharing this and showing us what to do. This will be my first paper project. I've printed them out and can't wait to have a go. I'd love to surprise my family with this between courses at Christmas lunch this year…and then gift a set to my sisters when they go home.
Such good old fashioned fun, wonderful!
Dox :o)
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I love these – however I am going to use the images on vintage tags and a mini album I am making. Love the images – thank you
I am not able to download the PDFs. It’s asking me to login to Google Groups?
Sorry for the trouble Christina, I just fixed all the image links, you should have no trouble now. I’ll email them to you as well.
I tried to down load the clip art to my thumb drive so I could take it to the copy store and save my ink cartridges in my printer. When they printed one it came out very out of focus. They said the pixels were too small for a clear print. Is there a way to change the pixels before I down load the images?
Thank You
Cant wait to make.
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Hei! Så mye flott det er her! Jeg har brukt mange av dine labels allerede!
Oh I am sorry. I Wrote on Norwegian. The translation is not good.;) I just want to tell that I like Your blogg very much, and that I have used Your labels a lot. My English is not good at all. Hope you understand:)
Ragnhild