Delightfully absurd custom photo gift ideas

March 24, 2023 10:24 PM

My friend loves her cats, and I have some of her favorite photos of her cats. For her birthday, I want to get her something fun and maybe even useful and certainly whimsical, whimsy courtesy of the cat photos I'm going to get plastered on this thing. But what should this thing(s) be? What are some good quality, clever, personalized-photo stuff available in these modern times?

I've gotten some photo gifts of pets as presents (a Christmas ornament and mug) and loved them all. I totally dazzled my kid recently with socks with the faces of our cats printed on them. But the socks were just terrible quality, thin and shapeless. Otherwise, I'd go with the socks because they are awfully cute.

So I'm just wondering about what I can't find just from a web search: what's something that's actually decent quality that's also a custom photo gift. Could be a tote bag or mug or magnet or you tell me!

posted by bluedaisy to Shopping (20 answers total)

Well, I was just researching face masks (anti-pandemic) that allow you to put a custom photo on them. A lot of people are putting photos of their nose/mouth area... but I suppose you could use any species, or any photo.
posted by amtho at 10:31 PM on March 24, 2023

I crack up whenever I see the Crown and Paw ads for having your pets' portraits painted like they're nobility or war generals
posted by Jacqueline at 10:59 PM on March 24, 2023 [1 favorite]

I went to Shutterfly and made a small hardcover book I titled “The Art of Dog Posing” which was entirely photos my friend has sent me of her dogs standing artfully in front of stuff. I also wrote silly captions as if from her dogs about each photo. It was well received.
posted by lepus at 11:22 PM on March 24, 2023 [5 favorites]

How many cats does she have? With four to seven, you can photoshop your own version of the infamous Dogs Playing Poker. It is a bit of work to copy and paste the heads and then copy the texture and color of the fur onto the bodies but it creates a memorable image. I did this when my father got married - his one dog, his wife's four plus mine and my brothers. I still love my copy of this twenty years later - I put it up over the water bowls and still get a kick out of it even though all the animals have long since crossed the rainbow bridge.
posted by metahawk at 11:30 PM on March 24, 2023 [1 favorite]

For his birthday last year my husband received a slim wallet made of Tyvek with our cat’s face printed all over it. He loves it, and it’s held up pretty well.
posted by estherbester at 11:37 PM on March 24, 2023

Best answer: We have a pretty good potholder with our cat’s face on it
posted by kerf at 11:45 PM on March 24, 2023

Flipbook (you'd need a little video)
Viewmaster Disk
posted by BoscosMom at 12:00 AM on March 25, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Slightly different: way back I was asked to shoot a bunch of (posed) photos of a group of friends, to make a gift out of for two more of their friends who were emigrating. As they were puzzle fanatics the idea was to print the six best on 40x30 (16"x12"), cut them and glue them on 5x5x5 (2") cubes. Of course a simple puzzle compared to the fiendishly difficult ones they did as a group, but a fitting gift nonetheless.
posted by Stoneshop at 4:01 AM on March 25, 2023

Socks
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 4:54 AM on March 25, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Magnets! We have some magnets of prior pets and they are both useful and a great memory.
posted by donut_princess at 6:31 AM on March 25, 2023

Best answer: I'm not even a tiny bit embarrassed to say I found All About Vibe via a FB ad because the results were absolutely wonderful -- I ordered a few shaped photo pillows and they are both well made and utterly hilarious. Highly recommended!
posted by BlahLaLa at 6:38 AM on March 25, 2023 [2 favorites]

Best answer: You could get stickers made of the cat(s) and then she can put them on anything and everything
posted by raccoon409 at 6:44 AM on March 25, 2023 [3 favorites]

I ordered socks for my wife and while they are good prints, the fabric is offpittingly stiff and weird feeling.
posted by wenestvedt at 7:11 AM on March 25, 2023

Best answer: You can get a custom jigsaw puzzle from Shutterfly—probably others but that’s the one I have direct experience of. Not a jigsaw connoisseur but it seemed perfectly decent.

Other functional items we’ve received with family photos (Grandpa is a bit extra about this): coasters, key rings, phone cases, picnic blankets.
posted by staggernation at 7:42 AM on March 25, 2023 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Zazzle and Redbubble and surely others do leggings. Cat stickers would be awesome, print-on-demand bandanas.
posted by theora55 at 8:17 AM on March 25, 2023

Best answer: Giant photo beach towel. Have bought custom ones for friends and it's delightful and hilarious to be able to lounge on a blown up picture of your pet at the beach or park.
posted by Geameade at 10:22 AM on March 25, 2023

Best answer: Stickers from StickerMule are fantastic quality.

I've had stickers made of a favorite kitty face and a dog in a costume for gifts. They've lasted for years and years, even on the side of a yeti mug that is hand washed daily, without ruining their quality. Plus, the look on someone's face when they get a giant pile of stickers of a favorite creature is wonderful. Definitely recommend.
posted by Nerro at 10:31 AM on March 25, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Definitely poke around Shutterfly. Cats on calendar mousepads? Tea towels? (Also on Etsy; check fabric content.)
posted by Iris Gambol at 2:03 PM on March 25, 2023

Stuffed animal with the pet printed on it, I think my friend’s came from Etsy
posted by momus_window at 8:43 AM on March 26, 2023

Response by poster: Thanks, all, for these great ideas! I was tempted by the bandanas but wanted to avoid stiff polyester fabric, and I loved the puzzle idea too but I'm not sure how much she loves puzzles. You all led me down some great rabbit holes. I ended up getting a few magnets with her cats on them. They are adorable, both the cats and the magnets.
posted by bluedaisy at 1:16 PM on April 6, 2023