Cheap Photo Gifts
Digital cameras make it easy for you to create inexpensive personalized gifts using photographs. If you have photo imaging software on your computer then you can be even more creative with your gift ideas. Home printer ink can be quite expensive, so if you are going to print a lot of photos, especially full color ones, you may be able to cut down on the cost by visiting your local print shop.
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Fabric Gifts
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Iron-on transfer paper for use with home printers is widely available in office supply stores and craft stores. If you create a mirror image of your digital photo and print it onto the paper, you can transfer the photo to fabric using a hot iron. The paper is more expensive than regular paper but you get enough sheets in a package to make many gifts. Just do a test print on regular paper and only use the transfer paper when you are sure the image is perfect so that you don't waste any. Iron a printed photograph directly onto a t-shirt or tote bag, or iron it onto fabric to use for a sewing project like a cushion cover or quilt.
Calendar
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Although there are companies who will turn your photographs into calendars for you, it is relatively easy to do yourself on the computer. Microsoft Word and other desktop publishing programs include templates for printable calendars in a variety of styles. Print out a page for each month onto thick glossy paper, then print a photograph onto the back of the previous month's page. Be careful to put the calendar pages back into your printer the right way around. Create a cover page for the calendar then take it to a print shop to be spiral-bound. For a gift in the middle of the year you can create a photo album in a similar way.
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Decoupage
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If you print your photos onto regular paper you can use decoupage techniques to decorate a wide variety of items with them. Decoupage means gluing paper shapes--in this case photographs or images cut out from photographs--onto a solid item for decoration. You could decorate a lampshade, a hardback journal or a jewelry box among many other items. Simply paint white glue onto the background, stick the paper photo print out onto the surface smoothly and wait for the glue to dry. You can cover the entire surface of the object with a collage of photos or just use one or two images. Finish with an extra layer of white glue or clear varnish to seal the decoupage.
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