| Having a tough time coming up with creative | | | | and add your own photos. A slightly more unique |
| Christmas gifts this year? The answer might be | | | | approach is to purchase magnet photo paper, |
| right in front of you — in your photograph | | | | print your photos directly onto the magnet paper, |
| albums, boxes, or file folders. Don’t just | | | | and cut them out. |
| give the traditional framed photo though. Instead, | | | | We like to recycle all of those magnet |
| give your recipients thoughtful, personalized gifts | | | | advertisements we get all year by gluing |
| that are also functional. Here are my five favorite | | | | photographs directly to the front and cutting |
| photograph gift ideas: | | | | around the magnet’s shape. This gives you |
| 1. Photo transfer coasters: You can transfer | | | | a nice assortment of shapes and sizes and |
| photos onto many mediums, from fabric to wood. | | | | generally looks a little nicer than the printable |
| T-shirts and tote bags are popular, but why not | | | | magnet sheets. |
| try something really different? Purchase a set of | | | | Our favorite photo magnet gift is to glue very |
| stone coasters (You know, the super-absorbent | | | | small printed photos to the back of flattened clear |
| kind with cork on the bottom.) Then, buy some | | | | glass beads. The glass beads found in craft stores |
| photo transfer sheets at any craft store. Some | | | | for flower arranging work best and, if |
| transfer sheets allow you to print your digital | | | | you’re lucky, you can even find some that |
| photos directly onto the sheets, while others allow | | | | are about an inch across instead of the more |
| you to photocopy a printed photo. | | | | common half inch size. Glue the picture to the |
| 2. Photo Mouse pad: This is an excellent, useful gift | | | | back of the bead, with clear-drying glue, on the |
| idea for all of the techies in your life. Many photo | | | | printed side of your photo. Once it dries, glue a |
| development stores (online and off) offer mouse | | | | small magnet to the back. Small, very strong |
| pads printed with your favorite photograph. | | | | magnets can also be found at most craft stores. |
| Another option is to buy mouse pads with an | | | | These gifts look especially nice wrapped inside a |
| opening to add your own photo. These are nice | | | | small tin. |
| because you can change out the picture over | | | | 5. Photo Soap: Consumable gifts are in this |
| time and they generally look as good as or even | | | | year! Everyone’s house is cluttered and |
| better than the printed ones. | | | | gifts that don’t need a permanent home |
| 3. Photo Calendars: Photo development stores | | | | are well appreciated. Imbed some photos into |
| offer a variety of calendar designs where you | | | | homemade soaps, and encourage your friends |
| specify your 12, or sometimes more, photos and | | | | and family to actually use the soap, promising |
| they print and bind the calendars for you. | | | | more next year. It’s easier than you might |
| However, these are some of the easiest gifts to | | | | think. First, you’ll want to buy some melt |
| make yourself if you have a computer and a | | | | and pour soap and some soap molds (plain |
| photo quality printer. Most greeting card software | | | | rectangles or ovals work best.) Cut and laminate |
| offers calendar templates or you can purchase | | | | some photos so that they are slightly smaller than |
| specific calendar-creating software. These make | | | | your soap molds. Melt a small amount of clear |
| great gifts that your family will ask for | | | | soap and pour into the bottom (which will end up |
| year-after-year. | | | | being the top) of a mold. Once it dries, place your |
| 4. Photo Magnets: This is one of the easiest photo | | | | laminated photo on top (face down) and pour |
| craft gifts to make and you can be fairly certain | | | | some more clear soap to cover. If you want, you |
| your recipients will have a place to put these. The | | | | can add a third, colorful soap layer behind that |
| easiest way to make photo magnets is to | | | | one, adding a framed look to your photograph. |
| purchase small magnet frames from a craft store | | | | |