How to be creative with Photos

I wanted to add some art above the toilet in the basement bathroom we are renovating. Although it works, I'm not sure I'm loving it. Maybe it's too blue. Even so, I thought I'd post what I did to make it.
  1. I went through my digital files and found some photos from a vacation we took.
  2. The beach  photo was already slightly blurry but I heightened using the function blur, that many image programs have. I lightened the photo to reduce the amount of colour. I wanted it to be as it to be soft, and not an exact photo of a beach.
  3. I cropped the photo. It's amazing how a photo transforms when put into a different layout other than a tradition 4x6 template. 
  4. I printed it at 12x12 to fit in this Ikea white frame I already had. (Granted, I have a big printer because of my profession but you can get large photos printed online and at photo labs these days for relatively inexpensive)
Tip: When going through your photos, create a folder called "art photos" that you think one day could be used for this kind of project. That way you don't have to go searching come the time to do a project, as you've already started a collection as you find them. I'm not loving it but I don't hate it either. (You can see why I frustrate Aubrey) Thoughts? Is to too obvious having a "beach" theme photo in this bathroom?