There’s so much potential on the back, blank side of a photo print. For each moment captured, try flipping it around to pen an accompanying note. A few ideas: recall a moment together, write a short poem, share one thing you love about them, or rehash a good laugh. Nothing will delight the recipient more, each time they shuffle through the stack.
When building a photo book for someone else, we love the idea of writing a brief dedication note toward the front or back. Mention the occasion, show your gratitude, wish them a happy birthday — whatever will help highlight the gift’s intention. This personal touch is especially handy when you’re duplicating a single book to give to many people, making each one feel unique to the recipient. (For more help with your project, check out these tips!)
We all know that it’s what’s on the inside that matters. But stirring up a little excitement with a custom gift tag only adds to the opening experience! There are a few ways we’d recommend approaching this idea, each using Everyday Prints.
Print Our Designs
One option is to print a set of these downloadable gift tag designs we’ve created, and fill in the blanks with names for “to” and “from.” You may even want to print extra — they're convenient to have on hand! (Note: These designs will only fit square print sizes.)
Design Your Own
Creating designs from scratch is a great option for those looking to get a little extra crafty. You don’t even need professional programs — Canva is a free and user-friendly option for those who may not consider themselves design-savvy.
Use Your Photos
The easiest option is to put a photo of the recipient on the gift. This can be done instead of to/from labels, which you can always write on the back of the print!
Gifting a photo holder or small frame? Keep it company with a set of prints your recipient can put on display and rotate regularly. An extra stack of photos will give your gift a refresh, letting it last season after season. A couple to try: our Brass & Wood Display Box or a Tabletop Frame paired with a set of Everyday Prints.
Help your gift recipient remember special dates with their Modern Wall Calendar by pre-loading them into the provided key. While customizing, add birthdays, anniversaries, and other known events or milestones to the top right corner of each month. Trust us, they’ll appreciate the thoughtful cheat sheet as they make their way through the year!
Pro tip: We have plenty more DIY calendar ideas where that came from.
A picture may be worth a thousand words, but when it comes to photo books, adding a little commentary can really round it all out. Recall the occasion, record a silly joke, or even reserve a whole page of text to tell a story! Captions have a way of helping bring us back to the moment, and will let your gift recipient linger on each page a little longer.
Pro tip: For tips to use text, read our How to Make a Photo Book guide.
A major selling point of The Story of You Baby Book is that it makes a great gift out of the box, requiring no pre-purchase customization. However, if you’d like to give it a special spin before passing it off, try including a handwritten note tucked away in its interior envelope, or maybe a photo you took with baby. Because who wouldn’t want to be surprised with a sweet little something from Auntie or Grandpa inside?
Another way to make a photo book unique to the recipient is to give it an inscription of their name. Our favorite placements for this are on the spine in foil stamping (available on any Layflat Album or Everyday Photo Book) or on the first page of the Baby Board Book. This way, the front cover is reserved for your title, and the dedication enjoys a placement on its own.
Working on a photo book gift with other people? Give everyone a reserved space to include a personal note of their own to the recipient, much like a guest book with well-wishes. They’ll love reading little messages from those they love as they flip through the pages of pictures.
Pro tip: Need more tips for collaborating on a project together? We’ve got just the guide.
Idea 10
Include a Gift Note
During the checkout process, many of our products offer the ability to add a free gift note for the recipient. This is especially handy if you plan on shipping the package directly to someone! Accompany your surprise with a congratulatory or reminiscent sentence or two to set the stage.
