Ideas for a Gift for My Friend

Hi! I'm all about trying to give experiences over gifts lately. Since she is into photography why not plan a day out with her doing just that? Interesting suggestion I found online was to Create a "Photography Treasure Hunt". The 2 of you can enjoy an afternoon together doing what she loves and maybe cap it off with lunch or a coffee date. If you want to give a gift with it I think the frame suggestions are good or maybe find out where she buys photo supplies or gets her photos printed and give a gift certificate for doing so.

I love to paint and getting time as a new mom to do something you love would be priceless.

Here is a nice post about giving experiences as gifts: http://www.serenejourney.com/2009/06/create-experiences-g...

My husband gave me "the gorilla claw" its a mini tripod for you camera but the legs are bendable so you can use it anywhere. I have hooked it to the handle of the stroller to get some group shots. I don't think it is very expensive but maybe it could be part of a gift basket. does she have a printer that does a good job with photos? If so, photo paper is always appreciated...You could write a little poem, that relates to all of the things in the basket. 'for the times I was a basket case and you were there...For the times I needed the hand of a friend and you were there...

good luck!

This is not camera related however you might want to check out www.personalizationmall.com. I have bought a lot of stuff from there and love everything. They have the neatest gifts and very reasonable. Plus they ship very quickly. I would say we bought about 10 things so far, a lot for Christmas gifts last year. Everyone loved everything they got. Excellent quality too. I just can't say enough about this business. Too bad they don't offer commission because I have turned my friends onto this website as well.

I just took a quick look at their website and they have some frames and albums. Frames that you can put your own sayings on. Also they have this Friendship Sentiments Personalized Canvas. You download your picture of the two of you and you choose from 7 quotes to put on it. You get to see everything online before you submit for payment so if you don't like the way it looks just go back and redo it. I love the canvas ones. I have purchased four of them and they are very nice. I have two in my house now displayed.

Good luck and have fun shopping!!

J.

I would suggest a nice picture frame that could display her photography. Maybe even a couple matching ones that could be used to make wall art. If you are at all crafty, you could personalize the frame. In regard to the sentiment of it and wanting to tell her how you feel, I would put that focus in the card that you give her. Nothing compares to your own words. Good luck!

I second the suggestions for babysitting and lunch out/pedicure together. I am a new mom to a 7 m.o. and struggling to keep up my close friendships. That would be the best gift I could receive. Good luck mama!

Hi V.,

You could create a portfolio of her photographs by putting them into a book that she will treasure forever. Or you could use one of her favorite photos and create a scrapbook page. Then mod podge the page onto a ceramic tile and get an easel frame holder to display in her house. I have been creating these as gifts and everyone has loved them because they are unique. I am a consultant for Heritage Makers and help you preserve your stories by helping you create your own storybooks, cards, calendars, playing cards, posters and much more. You can visit my website at www.DesignAStorybook.com or email me at ____@____.com. I would be happy to help you get started.

One of those frames that rotate pictures on them to display her work and a nice card would be great!

Hi V.

I would give my friend a yellow rose. The yellow rose is the symbol of friendship.

Whenever she looks at it, she will think about the friendship she has with you and how much you both have been through together.

Ciao

J.

How sweet of you! Some ideas that come to mind:
-make her some homemade soaps (supplies available at craft stores)
-tickets to a show/play with you
-I started a special friendship scrapbook for my best friend. The first few pages I decorated were about our friend ship over the years. Then the next few pages explained a surprise girls night out that I planned for her (dinner and tickets to see a play) I live in a different state so every year or every six months I send her a new page to add to her scrapbook.
-if you can add a few more dollars to the budget you could take a road trip somewhere in the state together and book a cheap hotel room and spend the night drinking wine, watching chick movies and going in the hot tub
-If she uses a picture website such as Shutterfly for her photo's you could buy her a prepaid print plans for her to print her pictures.
-You can make a really neat photobook on your friendship using Shutterfly.com
-Take her to a Women's NBA game-the tickets are usually pretty cheap
-Go get a photoshoot done together at JCpenny, buy her a cute frame and then offer to buy an 8x10 photo for the frame.
-I do custom embroidery gifts (www.threepurplepigs.blogspot.com) and I can add your friends name on any garment that you buy (such as a super cute pair of pajamas, a hoodie, a spa/bathroom wrap). If you found a cheap spa wrap, I can add the name for $7 and then you can get some bubble bath, or other bath supplies to go with it.

Since she is a SAHM of two, maybe you could arrange for a babysitter and take her out to lunch and a pedicure. I am also a SAHM of 2 and I would love that. To be able to just spend some time away from the kids and reminisce with a friend would be really nice. Maybe you could even see about getting a sitter for your kids and do it at one of your houses. Make a nice meal (without interruptions of "Mommy, Mommy!" every ten seconds), then pop open a bottle of wine (or apple cider if you don't drink) then give each other manicures, or watch a movie, something fun.

Perhaps a gift card to Michaels or somewhere else she can get her photography framed. Also, an offer to babysit while she gets it done!

Having been a professional photographer (now just recreational photographer), I think a scrapbook of her favorite photos or of the two of you together through the years would be great. Frames are nice, but they usually lack the story behind the photos which is the reason we take the photos to begin with. I'd be more than happy to help you with this whether a digital storybook or traditional scrapbook type of idea. I love scrapbooking and photography so much that I became a Creative Memories consultant (started for the discount on the products for my hundreds of photos). You can visit my website at www.mycmsite.com/tiffanynowacki for products, ideas and more. The beauty of Creative Memories is that you get me, the consultant, to help you as much or as little as you like. Let me know if I can be of service on this very special project as I'd love to help!

Sincerely,
T.

My best friend had a necklace made for me with my childrens names on it that I will cherish forever. The lady who made it lives in Peoria. Her website is www.ohanabylea.etsy.com I've never met her, but my best friend who had it made loves this lady and says that she is excellent to work with! Her custom jewelry runs about $30-$50.

There are some super cute camera straps available on Etsy (http://www.etsy.com/search_results.php?search_type=handma...) and you can find so many other unique handmade items on Etsy too

A photograph album where there is room to write about the enclosed photos would be an appreciated gift. Maybe include a special pen that is known for not smearing and is archival quality. Mama for at least 40 years. Mrs. M.

I am a stay at home mom of two and any invitation I get to have dinner out without the kids I jump at. I prefer time with friends over gifts anyday!

Good Luck!

Something unique and different......... I make cupcake bouquets, or cookie bouquets. The cupcake bouquets are made to look like roses (any color) and set in a nice basket. The cookie bouquets are sugar cookies and then designed for what you would like, so since she is into photography, it would be in a case or basket similar to do with carmaras and then the cookies could be made to look like, a camera, negatives, photos, etc. (anything to do with photography) Good luck, and hope this helps. Can check my website to see what the baskets look like. www.customthemecakes.com

What about a scrapbook or one of those scrapbook kits for all the photos she takes? Or, if you have photos of you together, make one of those online scrapbooks. I hear they are very easy and don't take as much time to make as a regular scrapbook.