the adventures of maddy

One really fun homemade gift to receive is a scrapbook. I love going through our old scrapbooks, looking at how much things have changed, how much things are the same… how really awful fashion was in the late nineties.

However, this is a really time-consuming project on the gift maker’s part. A scrapbook seems like the perfect gift for that someone on your list, but, snap, there’s only about a month to make it, and with all the other things you’ve got to do… well, that idea’s going to get shoved to the bottom of the proverbial sock drawer.

Enter the Shutterfly photobook.

I’ve made quite a few of these, and while it’s not quite the same as scrapbooking, the result is always beautiful and it’s so simple to do.

You basically just sign up, upload your pictures, put them in the book, order it, and in a couple weeks there’s this gorgeous, glossy book on your front stoop.

Of course, if you’re one of those meticulous people like myself, you may want to do more, and you can! You can choose from bajillions of backgrounds, fonts, borders & layouts.

I’ve made a few of these for friends moving out of state (or, in one case, to another country). They’re a great way to put all those memories together in a neat little package.

And, you know, what else are you going to do with such, erm, gorgeous pictures like this?

(I guess this is sort of a borderline-homemade gift, but it’s early yet. The insane craftiness is on its way.)