Making a book creates a long lasting keepsake that can be enjoyed over and over again. If you are at a loss on what to give someone for a present, consider making a customized book that will make a lasting impression.
Need some inspiration?
Below are some ideas on how to create a book for that special someone.
Photobooks
As photobooks become more and more popular, people are becoming increasingly interested in photo book ideas for new ways to show off their photos. Photobooks are becoming the most popular form of personalized books. This is mostly because they allow for a high level of creativity, but also because they hold up better than photo albums and aren’t as painstaking to make as scrapbooks.
When it comes to putting your photos in a book, the sky’s the limit. Before you start making a photobook, answer the following questions to give yourself some direction and inspiration:
What is the occasion? (father’s day, birthday, christmas, anniversary, etc)
Who are the recipients? (husband, children, grandma, parents, etc)
What should be included? (just pictures, or also clippings, art, letters, etc.)
Once you have a game plan, you can move forward with gathering the required materials and brainstorming. A thoughtful layout will give your photobook an even more personal touch.
Planner Book
Put a personalized touch on a daily calendar by creating a planner book. A planner makes a great gift for anyone, for any occasion. The great thing about making your own is that you can select separate photos for every month as well as front and back cover photos. In addition to pictures, you can autofill important dates for the recipient and chose the beginning and end dates.
This can add an extra personalized touch. For example, you may be making one for your daughter before she heads off to her freshman year at college. You can set the dates on the calendar to start after her high school graduation. Include important dates such as campus tours, information sessions, registration dates, her dorm move in date, when class begins, etc. Also, pre-fill everyone’s birthdays and other important dates for her. She can still be connected to home with a personalized planner to help her organize her freshman year. Include pictures of her family, her high school friends, sports, her favorite pet or anything else that reminds her of home.
The Customized Cookbook
Customized cookbooks are also becoming popular because they are a great way to easily document your family’s favorite recipes. Many recipes are handed down between generations, creating a special memory for family members. In addition to documenting family recipes, creating a customized cookbook also gives you a way to record your unique recipes. A customized cookbook makes a great gift for future generations of chefs when they leave the nest.
The Something Special Book
Looking for that special gift for your little one? Your child will be so excited to see themselves featured in their very own book. Here are some great book ideas for the children in your life:
An alphabet book- Going through the alphabet, find a picture of your child that relates to each letter. For instance, B is for Bunny so find a picture of your child holding or petting a bunny. You can also include text from his or her favorite nursery rhymes or stories.
Silly little sayings book- Have you documented some of your child’s funny sayings, ramblings and songs? Quote your child in the text and pair it with a picture of them being silly.
Here, there and everywhere book- Make a book for your child that includes pictures of their adventures and create a story to go along with it. Make your child the main character and go on the adventures together. Your child will love being in a story and will have fun reliving memories.
Tell Your Story
Show a loved one that you are thinking about them by sharing your life’s journey together in a book. This can be a compilation of poems, short stories, statistics, quotes and photos. You can also scan in movie tickets, concert stubs, or anything else that you have kept as a keepsake. Books that tell stories make great anniversary or milestone gifts.
Imagine making a book like this for you and your husband’s 10 year anniversary. In the book, include some year by year favorite memories. Include places you have gone, things that you have done together, inside jokes, etc. If you are feeling particularly creative, write him some poems or short stories throughout the book.
Are you feeling inspired yet? Hopefully you now have some ideas to help you get starting making a memorable and original book.
There are many photobook publishers from which to choose. A particular favorite of this author is Blurb.com. Blurb has book making tools that directly import your Facebook or Instagram photos. These books usually are less time consuming because most of the work is done for you. Also, the Facebook and Instagram books have a quick turnaround time, making them great last minute gifts. You have full control over which pictures and comments you want or don’t want to include.