QR Codes – A quick and easy way to link to a web posting

If you’re not familiar with QR Codes, pull up a chair, pour yourself a warm cider and follow along – you’ll be amazed and excited to get one of these onto your project!

This is a QR Code.  It stands for Quick Response.  It is a symbol that your cell phone can read and direct your browser to a specific place on the internet.  You can create them FREE!  You can search online for sites that will allow you to create a QR code.  The site I like best is http://www.qrstuff.com/.  There you will find a step-by-step process to create your unique QR code.

For this example, we will create a QR code that will link to my website:  WendyAmato.com.  First, use the link above to go to the home page of QRstuff.com.  Under Step 1 “Data Type”, choose Website URL since we want the QR code to link to a specific page of a website.  Next, in Step 2 “Content”, type or copy and paste the exact web address that you want to link to – in this case http://www.wendyamato.com/.  Step 3 “Foreground Colour” is where you get to choose what color you would like your QR Code to be generated in.  If you’re planning on printing in color – go crazy and pick something fun (maybe your logo color??? :)).  If you’re planning on printing only in black and white, be sure to choose black (in the bottom left or right corner of the current color chart).

Your QR Code preview shows on the right.  You can now choose to download, print or email your unique code.  I always download and save the code to my computer so I can use it how I wish, when I wish.  If you choose “Print”, you will be prompted to set up your printer and paper right then.  You may not be ready for this step so it’s a good idea to “Download” instead.  You will be prompted to choose where you would like to save the file.  Notice the file is a .png, not a .jpg.  To change it to a .jpg, I opened up the .png file in Photoshop Elements, then clicked Image, Mode, RGB Color.  Next, I saved it as a .jpg.

Now, if you’d like to have your QR Code link to a video on YouTube, simply choose YouTube Video in Step 1!

Woo hoo!  Now you have a unique QR Code that you can use on your scrapbook layout, print and stick to the back (or front!) of your business card, sneak into your child’s lunch bag or do with however you choose.

To view the webpage that your QR Code links to, you will need a QR Code reader App on your cell phone or tablet.  Again, there are many free ones out there.  ScanLife and QRReader are two that I have used.  Once you open the app, your camera feature will turn on and you simply hover over the QR Code until it registers.  You will be asked if you would like to go to that website.  Yes!

So give this a try.  It would be fun to add one to your holiday cards!  Here’s one I made using my favorite, Persnickety Prints, to create a quick and easy card:

I saved the QR Code as a .jpg file and simply dropped it into the greeting card template just like a photo.  I even made it red in Step 3!  My QR Code links to a song on iTunes – “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” by Little Big Town!  Step 1 will walk you through the process if you choose “iTunes Link”.

Get creative!  You could take a fun video of the kids decorating the tree or sledding!  Link to your family photo share site!  So many possibilities!  Have fun and let me know what you come up with!

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