Just wanted to start out by saying thank you for your patience. My internet has been cutting in and out for the past couple of months and I finally got new equipment this week but I’ve had some trouble configuring it, needless to say I haven’t been able to post. Not to worry though, I will still be posting all the Instagram articles I had lined up.

In this post I am going to show examples of the apps I use most of the time to create my IG photos. I’m also including a long list of other interesting and fun apps you might like well. (These apps are mostly for iPhone but you can check to see when or if they will be making them for Android)

PicFrame // $0.99 - PicFrame is a really simple to use collage app. This has several really cool functions. The first is obviously the collage templates. PicFrame boasts 67 fully adjustable templates to choose from. You can combine all the way up to 9 images in one collage and have the ability to add labels and text with lots of fonts to choose from and as well as change the opacity, size and move the text. You can apply effects to individual photos within a collage, adjust the frame size, color and even round the corners of a collage,  and there is even patterned frames you can choose from! This app allows you to share your image to albums on your phone, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Flicker. Email and Instagram. I love this collage app because I can combine pictures AND add text! Here are some simple examples I’ve made using PicFrame.

Phonto // $FREE – Phonto is the other app I love to use for text because it allows you to upload your own fonts. Phonto comes with 200 fonts that are awesome as it is but you have the option to add even more! The app allows you to add text to your own images or a blank doc. and you can edit the text as well. You can adjust the size, color, opacity,  and background of the text. You can also rotate it, change the kerning and balloon it. Once you are done creating something in Phonto it allows you to save to phone, email it, or upload to Twitter and Instagram. I think this app is a must have for adding text to images. Here are some examples of images I made using Phonto to add text.

Insta Lovin’ by Rhonna Designs // $6 -$40 – Now that you have Phonto (you do don’t you??), you can use Insta Lovin’ kits! These kits are seriously one of the coolest things to happen to IG people. My friend Rhonna has created these inspiring kits you can purchase and download to your computer and then upload them as fonts to Phonto through iTunes. Once you have them in Phonto you load the image you want to add your Insta Lovin’ graphics to and by typing a letter coordinating with the image you want to use it add it to your pic. Rhonna offers some really easy to follow tutorials to further explain how to use her kits. My FAVORITE part of these kits is that once you buy them you can use them on your phone AND your computer. More bang for your buck peeps! Rhonna also offers more digital and printable product on her site and she has this awesome blog where you can feed off her creative brilliance. Rhonna is offering $10 OFF either of her Insta Lovin’ bundles which basically include all you could ever want! The promo code to redeem the $10 off is “RDWhippy10” but you HAVE to use it quickly because the promo code expires on Aug 31st. I’m thinking as a thank you to Rhonna for her generous discount you could maybe follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @rhonnafarrer.  You should probably follow Rhonna on FB also so you can see all the interesting designs she comes up with, she’s such an inspiration to me!  Here are some of my examples using the Insta Lovin’ kits…

and here are some of Rhonna’s IG pictures that she created using her kits. Umm yah, she is brilliant! (I’m getting there Rhonna)

BubbleFrame // $0.99 – BubbleFrame is as fun to use as it sounds and it’s easy too! It comes with 97 patterns you can use to create interesting and layered collages. You can use the patterns as the background or in a bubble and vice versa using photos as well. You can add colorful borders and shadows and change the colors and also add circular text. You can zoom and pan each photo or bubble plus you might notice that 24 of the patterns were designed by ME! That means I get to give 10 people a promo code to get the BubbleFrame app for FREE. The first 10 people to leave a comment specifically requesting the promo code for BubbleFrame will get one that can be used for a one time download on an iPhone, iTouch or iPad. You will love creating IG mash-ups with this app. Here are some of my examples.

LensLight // $0.99 – This app is all about adding interesting and magical light filters to your images. There’s all different light effects like spotlights, light leaks, flares, bokeh, and glints. You can adjust the size and spread of the light effects, change their opacity, rotate and change the color tint. Once you are done adding a light effect you can render it and add a second light effect on top, you can email it,  or save it to your phone to use with another app like IG.  I used LensLight in the following pictures I posted on IG recently. I can never take enough pictures of my sleeping girl.

So those are pretty much my daily go to apps when I want something fun to add to my IG pictures but that doesn’t mean I don’t play around in other apps when I have some free time. I found a bunch of other fun apps you will get a kick out of and some you will even want to share with you kids. Here are just a few you should look into.

BeFunky // $FREE – Creative photo editing app with eye popping filters and photo editing capabilities. Also comes with funky frames and you can save images to phone, IG, FB Twitter and so on.

Slow Shutter Cam // $0.99 – “Slow Shutter Cam brings new life into your device’s photo toolbox by letting you capture a variety of amazing slow shutter speed effects that you only thought you could get with a DSLR. Continue reading to learn why you should download this app today!”

TypoInsta // $1.99 – “TypoInsta (Typography Insta) allows you to add text on Instagram photos.  Also you can apply various typography style (drop shadow, stamp and so on) to text.”

Phoster // $1.99 – “his App is for you to create posters to promote and invite your friends at your party, concert, birthday etc. 
You will share your created posters with your friends via facebook, twitter, tumbler, and email.”

Filter Mania // $FREE – “FilterMania 2 Market is literally a dynamic playground of constantly updated photo filters.”

LabelBox // $FREE – “Labelbox is a simple, easy to use, photo labeler using a variety of beautiful tapes that stylishly labels your photos.”

3D Photo // $0.99 – “3D Photo transforms friends and landscapes into beautiful, abstract geometric shapes.”

ComicStrip // $0.99 – “Create your very own comic book page using photos from your camera roll or take new ones in-app. With our fun and unique collection of layouts and caption bubbles, you can create the story you’ve always wanted to tell. Tag your friends and upload to Facebook, share with friends on twitter and email your creation from your photo album.”

OldBooth // $1.99 – “Back to the past with OldBooth. Have you ever wondered what you’d have looked like in another era? How about your friends? Be a lady from 20s or a funky hairy hippie! It’s endless fun…”\

Pictory // $o.99 – “Use Pictory to make a special story with your photos! Add exciting items to your photos with various stickers, texts and favorite effects. Turn your photos into more fun, meaningful and dramatic stories!”

Doodle Booth // $FREE – “With this fun application you can add doodle stickers to your photos and captions and they’ll look like if you’ve drawn them over yourself with a real pen!”

Sketch Me // $0.99 – “Sketch Me! is a simple, fun app that lets you convert your photos into sketches by applying up to six different image effects.”

Wew! That should be enough photo fun to keep you busy! Hopefully you saw an app or two you might be interested in If you found this post interesting I would love it if you passed it on or shared it with a friend! Stay tuned for some cool ideas on what to do with your photos once you have them in Instagram!