Make Someone Happy This Holiday
The other day while walking I saw that many stores were putting up Christmas decorations. It was just the first week of November, so I was aghast - we haven't even celebrated Thanksgiving yet in the U.S.! But then I realized that it isn't too early to start planning if you want to give the gift of your photos. There are many ways that you can create a special gift for someone on your holiday list. Here are just a few ideas to consider:
Make a book:
As you look back on the year, there are probably many family and travel events that are worthy of a photo book. It is fun to look at your images online, but there is nothing more satisfying than to have a book to remember the wonderful times you had together. Although there are many book publishers, such as Shutterfly, I have recently tried using Blurb. You can create a book directly on its website, or if you use Lightroom CC, you can upload your photos directly to Blurb. It takes very little effort and the results are very pleasing.
Or take your smartphone photos and create a 7" x 7" book through Mosaic, using an app on your phone. Mosaic allows you to upload 20 photos and you will receive an attractive black cover book in about four days. It is an affordable way to create a book.
Print and frame your photos:
If you only take photos with your smartphone, there are options to print and frame them. Sworl, a Pacific Northwest company, produces very attractive, moderately priced, framed photos that you can upload from their phone app. The image below is one I took with my iPhone and printed and framed through Sworl. I love it hanging on my wall!
Print on canvas:
I have used a number of companies, but I find that Costco in the U.S. does a great job of printing on canvas. These 24" x 32" canvases, which now live on my office wall, are vibrant, and elegant. I opted to frame them, which I think gives them a more sophisticated look. All you need to do is upload your photos to their photo center website and create!
Print your own cards:
Giving people a set of gift cards made out of your photos is another great idea. Again, there are many companies that print cards (all you have to do is search for them), but I like the cards that I had printed from Costco. They have a variety of sizes to create blank or cards with text. For example, you can purchase a set of 25 5x7 cards, with envelopes, for as little as $19.75. Here is a card I made from a photo from The Center for Wooden Boats in Seattle.
Make a puzzle:
I have written about this before, but it is worth mentioning again. Puzzles made out of one of your photos is a wonderful gift for that special person on your holiday list. You can find companies that make puzzles as large as 1,000 pieces, or as small as 85 pieces. I created a 385 piece puzzle from this photo through Printer Studios. The quality was good and the price was very reasonable.
There are of course many other gifts that you can make out of your photos, such as smartphone cases, water bottles, coffee cups, wine bottle labels, and more. All of these may take time to get printed, so start now to have your gifts ready for the holiday.
Let us know what other creative ways you have shared your photos as gifts by commenting below, posting on our Facebook page, or sending us an email. We love to hear from you!
