Scrapbooking at Craftse.com

Easy Ways to Personalize Gifts for Your Loved Ones


(ARA) – This holiday season, children and adults alike are putting more thought into gift giving with personalized presents. From scrap booking to memory quilts, ornaments and holiday cards, the “memory” theme continues to be a strong holiday component in 2007.

Nationally renowned interior designer, Barbara Schmidt, suggests the gift of professional custom framing. “It offers the opportunity for that special someone to showcase an item that is valuable to them, and that would often be tucked in a closet for nobody else to appreciate.”

The owner of The Designer’s Wall Gallery in Birmingham, Mich., Bonnie Palizzi agrees. She has framed everything from wedding bouquets to a vintage record album to ballerina slippers. “There are so many things a professional custom framer can offer to enhance your piece as well as complement your interior design.”

“Consider framing items that remind you of a memory with an old friend,” Schmidt says. She recommends scavenging old high school yearbooks or sports memorabilia for inspiration. “Even a ticket from a favorite concert can be turned into a delightfully thoughtful gift when framed,” says Schmidt. “Consider making a habit of gifting framed personal mementos that can be used to start a virtual scrapbook on an open wall.”  

Consider these key steps from Schmidt and Palizzi when professionally custom framing gifts:

* Find a professional custom framer near you and visit them with the items you want framed. They can help you choose the matboard and frame. “Crescent’s 100 percent cotton RagMat matboard will ensure that every photo, letter and memento will stay as perfect as the day you frame it,” says Palizzi.

* “Remember to plan ahead. A special gift does take some time to create, so don’t wait until the last minute,” says Schmidt.

* Keep in mind your loved one’s favorite colors to either complement or contrast the art. “Crescent RagMat matboard is available at professional custom frame stores and comes in more than 400 colors, sizes and patterns that will match almost any theme,” says Palizzi.

Finally, Schmidt recommends further enhancing next year’s holiday décor by framing all of this year’s souvenirs. “Why not create a holiday collage? By framing your holiday photos, cards and even the program from your child’s holiday concert as one piece, you can create a visual recap of the entire season,” says Schmidt.

For more information about professional custom framing, visit www.crescentcardboard.com or contact a professional custom framer in your area.

Courtesy of ARA Content