Thinking of Moms with Creative Gift Ideas for Mother’s Day

Editor’s Note:  Mother’s Day is on the horizon.  We have several talented photographers within our community, and this new guest post is from NYC Dads Group member & photographer, Michael Kormos, providing some creative insight for dads on gift ideas for Mother’s Day.

Mother’s Day is the new Valentine’s Day!  At least that’s the case in our home.  Once measured by the number of carats, my gifts are now measured by the amount of effort and creativity.  Cheesy, but true.  Gone are the days of a quick trip to Whole Foods for off-the-shelf flowers and chocolates.  In those first few years, when our children’s gift ideas are limited to crayon scribblings and lollipops, it’s up to us to create a special gift that truly celebrates our family’s love.

As a photographer, I can’t think of anything that moms treasure more than beautifully captured memories.  It’s about the only gift that grows in value and brings more happiness with time. So here are just a few of my favorite ideas as we approach Mother’s Day:

–Photo Jewelry.  My wife loves to browse Etsy for hours, but I prefer a one-stop shop.  My favorite vendor for photo jewelry is PlanetJill.  Each of their pieces has a high-quality, heirloom appeal.  They offer an array of custom designs including necklaces, bracelets, rings, keychains, and more.  Besides featuring images of your children, you can further personalize your elegant gift with engravings, monograms, initial charms, and birthstone pieces.  They have a gift guide for mother’s day as well.

-Wall Art: Bold.  This is the perfect opportunity to fill that empty space above your couch, along your staircase, or whatever blank wall needs to pop.  Make a bold statement with a single large image.  What’s large? I have found that a good way to decide on a size it to measure a piece of cardboard or wrapping paper and tape it on your empty space.  You’ll see that 16×20 isn’t quite as grandiose as it sounds, and generally a 20×30 or 30×40 enlargement makes a much stronger visual statement. Why stare at stock photos from IKEA, when you can gaze lovingly at the little mini-me’s that seem to be growing up before your very eyes?

-Wall Art: Cluster.  If you’re having trouble selecting just one favorite image, or if you don’t have the resolution for a large print, create a cluster of multiple images. Especially with children’s portraits, a montage is a wonderful way to tell a story. The key to creating a stunning cluster is consistency. Your local Michael’s Arts & Crafts store is sure to have a wide range of affordable frames (and they’re often on sale). So pick out a variety of sizes, and then print your photos to match. Having at least 7 photos in a cluster is a good start.

-Keepsake Album.  If you’ve got a larger image library, and an hour or two to spare, head on over to Shutterfly.com and use one of their album design templates.  And for those busy dads who’d rather have the album designed for them, Shutterfly will arrange the photos for you for just a small fee.

Last year, I surprised my wife with a beautiful keepsake album.  This year, I’m thinking of a large canvas gallery wrap for that empty wall space above the piano. As for the card, I’ve never been particularly crafty, but I have a feeling that’s about to change.  My 3-year-old loves any excuse to whip out her pink plastic scissors and a large assortment of crayons.  The glue and glitter (and huge mess) are usually quick to follow.  What are your creative gift ideas?

Michael Kormos is a family photographer based in NYC.  He has two children who keep him very busy and constantly inspired.  You can see more of his work at www.michaelkormos.com and www.michaelkormosblog.com.