Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide - Day 15
Every single holiday I am stuck thinking of the perfect personalized photo gift. There’s only so many calendars and picture frames you can gift each year, which means I’m always searching for something new that can really wow. Well, I can finally stop looking, because I have found the #1 coolest thing to do with a photograph. Ever.
Vizardz are the makers of a full line of personalized lighted gifts for everyone on your list and they are unlike anything I have ever seen before. Instead of printing an opaque image and then placing a light behind it as with other lighted photo gifts, Vizardz does something truly revolutionary. It turns them into 2.5D sculptures that then appear to be 3D when you add light.
By using a process that could only be magic, Vizardz is able to take the very same pictures I have stored in folders on my computer and turn them into something completely stunning. The etched 2.5D designs are quite neat just on their own with the contours of the picture taking on a whole new dimension, but when you add light they are so beautiful that I was rendered speechless. The result is not just another print – it is a beautiful and heirloom quality work of art that makes it feel like you’ve somehow frozen time in one single image for all eternity.
With how gorgeous the final result is, you would think that it took a lifetime to craft, but the process is actually quite simple. You merely choose what you would like to create – be it a nightlight, a lightbox, an ornament – in the size, color and quantity you would like, and then you find your favorite digital photograph {this step took me the longest by far}, upload it to their site, and order. In what seemed like no time at all, our creations were in our hands and we couldn’t wait to check them out.
Yes, creations plural. Because we have a zillion pictures and had such a hard time narrowing down which ones we wanted to use, we actually got to sample one of each of Vizardz amazing 2.5D products to see their entire product range and the difference between monochromatic and color.
The Vizardz Christmas ornament was easy to decide on because we had the perfect shot taken of our family last year that has become so special to us. Picturing it on an ornament already had me smiling, and I couldn’t wait to see it on the tree. When it arrived we still didn’t have a tree up, so we ended up hanging it in the dining room so we could display it before we decorated. I love showing people the ornament before it’s plugged in and they all exclaim “is that you guys?” and then seeing their shocked expression as the ornament seems to come to life when the light switch is flipped. We love it so much that we have no plans to retire it after the holidays, we’re just going to use it as a beautiful light orb in our bedroom so we can enjoy it year-round.
The next project we created was the nightlight and I finally narrowed it down to a picture I took in San Diego for BlogHer when the family and I took a trip out to Coronado Island and happened upon Frank L. Baum’s house he was living in when he wrote “The Wizard of Oz”. The house itself wasn’t anything special, but what was truly amazing was the swarms of butterflies that live in the bushes right outside the front door. We spent so long in the yard of the house taking pictures of the little ones and I captured this perfect sun bleached image that to me shows the magic of the location. Putting it on a colored night light right in our kitchen was the perfect display spot, a constant reminder of that one day spent rolling in the grass, musing about writing a novel as powerful as Oz, and playing with the butterflies.
For our third project, we chose a picture taken this past summer at a family event of my grandma {affectionately known as “Ellen the Great”} holding my youngest. Even though the picture is amazing and I love seeing how my little blue-eyed beauty takes after my beloved grandmother, I debated a while about whether I should choose a picture without my daughter in such an obvious heirloom piece. I ultimately decided the picture was too special not to use and made a deal with myself that if I ever regretted choosing a picture of one child and not the other, that I could simply order an extra Vizardz light box insert easily. But, for now I can’t imagine choosing another image since the finished lightbox is so amazing. Since I can’t see my grandma every day and miss her terribly throughout the year, I love that I can feel the bumpiness of her face in the insert and it makes her feel closer.
Instead of yet another calendar or collage frame, I’m so happy that I have a truly amazing way to display our photos just in time for the holidays. By turning these photos into decorations we can enjoy around the house, it highlights them and makes them that much more special. If you’re like me and have been struggling with what to do with all those favorite pictures, you should definitely check out Vizardz to see how they can make them even more amazing.
Want to design your own 2.5D photo gift? Use coupon code "happy20" at checkout to get 20% off until the end of December!
Want to win a 4x6 Personalized Light Box valued at up to $68.95? Of course you do!
To enter, simply visit the Vizardz site and comment on this post telling me something you learned about the company, the process, or their amazing products.
And, as always, there are extra entries available! {Please leave a separate comment for each completed}
2 Extra Entries - Like Vizardz on Facebook and leave a comment letting them know what your favorite photo gift is that they make {BONUS: they announce all their sales on their page so you will always be the first to know!}
2 Extra Entries - Post on your Facebook wall about the giveaway {http://t.co/15zZuR5y } and tag Vizardz on Facebook and R&R on Facebook
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1 Extra Entry {daily} - Twitter. Simply tweet the following after following us both:
I want to #WIN the @Vizardz3D Personalized Photo Light Box (ARV $69) #giveaway from @RaveAndReview! http://t.co/15zZuR5y
3 Extra Entries - Blogger Bonus. Blog about this giveaway linking back to this post and leave an address where I can find your writeup
1 Extra Entry - Comment love. Enter any of my other Giveaways and/or comment on any non-giveaway post!
On January 4th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email. Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.
This giveaway is now closed. Thank you to all who entered and congrats to: #53 tina reynolds said... i subscribe 2/2
A big thank you to Vizardz for sending their awesome photo gifts for review. All opinions are 100% ours and no monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.
