Few gifts are more heartfelt than a child’s artwork. An original “masterpiece” matted and framed makes a lovely present, but there are lots of other ways to turn a child’s craft project or work of art into a unique, unforgettable holiday gift.
Turning Kids’ Art Projects into Holiday Gifts
It might take a little planning ahead, but there are some really fun ways to turn kids’ art projects into meaningful holiday gifts for friends and family. If you’ve been collecting a few of the best projects, consider using them as inspiration to make one of the following gift ideas:
Convert it to Canvas
When it comes to displaying art on the wall, a stretched canvas offers a modern, gallery-like presentation. There are a couple of ways to apply a child’s artwork to canvas: you can either paste the picture directly onto a pre-stretched canvas using gesso, or you can send the artwork off to a canvas print service.
Create a Calendar
Give the gift of year-round artwork by converting paintings or drawings into a calendar. The DIY-savvy can even create a wipeable, reusable calendar with custom artwork using printable templates, laminating pouches, and coil binding. This tutorial provides the printables and breaks down the process. For a less labor-intensive option, upload artwork with a scanner and use a photo printing service like Shutterfly or Snapfish.
Compile an Album
There are several easy ways to compile a series of original artwork into a fun, flip-through format. A pre-bound blank journal lets kids decorate the pages by illustrating a story. You can also insert artwork into the sleeves of a photo album, or turn it into a scrapbook and let kids add embellishments like stickers.
Take Advantage of Transfer Paper
Convert your child’s artwork to a digital format using a scanner. If you don’t have access to a scanner, you could also take a picture of the artwork – just make sure everything is squared and the image fills the frame. Once the artwork is in a .jpg or other picture file format, you can print it to iron-on transfer paper. You can then apply the masterpiece to a t-shirt, canvas tote, apron, or other fabric item.
Try a Specialty Printing Service
With the plethora of photo and specialty printing services out there, you can turn a two-dimensional image into virtually anything from jewelry to memory games. There are tried-and-true standbys like photo mugs and keyrings, but there are also lots of fantastic new options. Services like selva3D will convert an image into a 3D model file, which comes to life with a 3D printing service. You can even turn a picture into a plush with Child’s Own Studio or Budsies.com, which would make a fantastic gift for the little artist.
Need More Gift Ideas for the Learners on Your List?
If you’re looking to add some more educational gifts to your shopping cart this year, be sure to stop by the Learning Gifts and Stocking Stuffers specialty shops to find affordable options for learners of any age.
