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High-Tech Tourism In Russia
Launch of the Benefon/WellCare GPS Tourist Navigation and Emergency Service System. From February 2003 all In Russia tourists will, upon arrival, receive the cellular telephone by Benefon possessing all the latest SMS and GPS technology.
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The Easy Way to Make a Special Present
We all know someone who is difficult to buy a present for. Someone who has everything they need and would not appreciate ‘normal’ gifts. Often this will be your parent or an older relative or neighbor, and they can be a problem to buy something...
The Giver Of Life
This article describes how we must respect nature and others because we are all connected
When I was in college, I had the pleasure of meeting the best English Professor in the world. Her name is Karen Peebles and she made me realize just how...
Uncovering Your Joy: Using a Personal Journal to Discover a Life Filled with Happiness
Author Tristine Rainer wrote “Happiness within a diary has less to do with the events you encounter in life than with the way you experience the process of living.” Because a diary mirrors how you perceive and deal with events, it can be used...
WARNING! Flu Shots can be dangerous to your health
Every year about this time doctors around the world are recommending that people go in and get their annual flu shot. What most people don’t know or understand is just how dangerous this could be, especially for children under the age of 12. When...
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Use Your Photographs to Create Unique Christmas Gifts
Having a tough time coming up with creative Christmas gifts this year? The answer might be right in front of you – in your photograph albums, boxes, or file folders. Don’t just give the traditional framed photo though. Instead, give your recipients thoughtful, personalized gifts that are also functional. Here are my five favorite photograph gift ideas:
1. Photo transfer coasters: You can transfer photos onto many mediums, from fabric to wood. T-shirts and tote bags are popular, but why not try something really different? Purchase a set of stone coasters (You know, the super-absorbent kind with cork on the bottom.) Then, buy some photo transfer sheets at any craft store. Some transfer sheets allow you to print your digital photos directly onto the sheets, while others allow you to photocopy a printed photo.
2. Photo Mouse pad: This is an excellent, useful gift idea for all of the techies in your life. Many photo development stores (online and off) offer mouse pads printed with your favorite photograph. Another option is to buy mouse pads with an opening to add your own photo. These are nice because you can change out the picture over time and they generally look as good as or even better than the printed ones.
3. Photo Calendars: Photo development stores offer a variety of calendar designs where you specify your 12, or sometimes more, photos and they print and bind the calendars for you. However, these are some of the easiest gifts to make yourself if you have a computer and a photo quality printer. Most greeting card software offers calendar templates or you can purchase specific calendar-creating software. These make great gifts that your family will ask for year-after-year.
4. Photo Magnets: This is one of the easiest photo craft gifts to make and you can be fairly certain your recipients will have a place to put these. The easiest way to make photo magnets is to purchase small magnet frames from a craft store and add your own photos. A slightly more unique approach is to purchase magnet photo paper, print your photos directly onto the magnet paper, and cut them out.
We like to recycle all of those magnet advertisements we get all year by gluing photographs
directly to the front and cutting around the magnet’s shape. This gives you a nice assortment of shapes and sizes and generally looks a little nicer than the printable magnet sheets.
Our favorite photo magnet gift is to glue very small printed photos to the back of flattened clear glass beads. The glass beads found in craft stores for flower arranging work best and, if you’re lucky, you can even find some that are about an inch across instead of the more common half inch size. Glue the picture to the back of the bead, with clear-drying glue, on the printed side of your photo. Once it dries, glue a small magnet to the back. Small, very strong magnets can also be found at most craft stores. These gifts look especially nice wrapped inside a small tin.
5. Photo Soap: “Consumable” gifts are in this year! Everyone’s house is cluttered and gifts that don’t need a permanent home are well appreciated. Imbed some photos into homemade soaps, and encourage your friends and family to actually use the soap, promising more next year. It’s easier than you might think. First, you’ll want to buy some melt and pour soap and some soap molds (plain rectangles or ovals work best.) Cut and laminate some photos so that they are slightly smaller than your soap molds. Melt a small amount of clear soap and pour into the bottom (which will end up being the top) of a mold. Once it dries, place your laminated photo on top (face down) and pour some more clear soap to cover. If you want, you can add a third, colorful soap layer behind that one, adding a framed look to your photograph.
These are just a few ideas of how to use your photos to make unique Christmas gifts this year. For detailed instructions on these and more ideas, feel free to visit the photograph gift page of our website, www.photo-opps.com/photograph-gifts.html.
About the Author
Author Kelly Mann is a digital camera and computer enthusiast who offers ideas and tips on ways to share your photographs, from e-mail and screensavers to gifts and crafts, on her website, www.Photo-Opps.com .
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