Create Your Own Postage Stamps, T-shirts and more at Zazzle.com
Thanks to a special deal between the United States Post Office and Zazzle.com, you can create postage stamps with your own pictures, words, and designs. Order them online and then stick them on any letter or package you want to send (you can order any postage rate).While you're there, you can also design your own t-shirts, posters, greeting cards, and more. Follow this link to Zazzle.
Create Coffee Cups, Mousepads, and So Much More!
These days anyone can create personalized gifts at a reasonable price. And it's so easy. Just visit any of the Web sites featured here and follow the instructions for uploading your images, customizing the design, and placing your order.
I've featured a variety of Web sites and products in this section to help you appreciate the range of options you can find online and where you can find them. Happy shopping!
Snapfish.com: A service of HP (well known for its quality printers) Snapfish offers free online image hosting and a wide range of printing and other services. Create mousepads, coffee cups, photo books, and more. Follow this link to sign-up and get your first roll of film developed for FREE!
Shutterfly:Shutterfly makes it easy to post and share photos for free and features a variety of gift items, including greeting cards, bound photo albums, personalized calendars, coffee mugs, t-shirts, or tote bags. Follow this link to Shutterfly.
Kodak Gallery: You'll find high-end gift items at this site, like the wooden box shown above with the ceramic photo tile on the top. You can also order ceramic and glass tiles in a variety of sizes, metal tins, coffee cups, and more! Kodak Gallery (use this link and get free shipping).
Create a Puzzle for a Parent or Grandparent
One of my family’s favorite traditions is that after we've opened all the presents on Christmas morning, we gather around a big table and all work together to put together puzzles. It's a great activity for the entire family and one that lends itself to catching up with conversation as we match each piece to its place in the puzzle. This year, I made our family tradition even more personal by ordering a puzzle with a photo of my three nieces. As you can see in the photo of their grandparents completing the puzzle, the gift was a hit.
The puzzle featured in this photo was created at Kodak Gallery (use this link and get free shipping). It has 500 pieces and measures 10 by 14 inches when completed.
Image Tips for Puzzles: Make your puzzles more challenging by using an image like the one featured in this example with lots of sky or other solid colors.
Dress Up Your Desk with A Custom Mouse Pad
Take your favorite photos to the office in the form of a custom mouse pad. You'll be reminded of those you love throughout the day and a photo mouse pad makes a great conversation piece and way to show off pictures at the office. While you're at it, order one for your home computer, too.
www.snapfish.com and Kodak Gallery (use this link and get free shipping).
Decorate Your Tree with Faces You Love
If you want to create customized Christmas tree ornaments you'll find many options to choose from. You can purchase kits at many craft stores that work like small picture frames -- you just open the ornament, insert your photo, close it back up, and hang it on the tree.
You can also create ornaments with images printed on a ceramic surface. That's how I created the ornament you see here. Order your own from Kodak Gallery (use this link and get free shipping).
Wear Your Favorite Photos Wherever You Go
These days, if you can iron it, you can add a photo to it: t-shirts, tank tops, aprons, jackets, and jeans can all be adorned with your own photos and designs. Many online services offer customized clothing, and if that's not enough, you can now buy iron-on patches at most office supply and craft stores that you can run through your ink jet or laser printer and then apply to your clothing at home. Other specialized papers have silk or cotton bolts of cloth attached to them, allowing you to sew the design on to quilts, curtains, or cloth furniture.
You can buy iron-on printable fabric squares from office supply and craft store and you can order personalized t-shirts, bags, and other cloth products online at: www.zazzle.com or Kodak Gallery (use this link and get free shipping).
Play Games with Your Favorite Photos
Impress your buddies on poker night with personalized playing cards or just make your kids look cool at school. Flashing your own deck of cards is just another way to share favorite photos and a great way to help your child feel like a star.
Order custom playing cards at Kodak Gallery (use this link and get free shipping)
