Welcome to print week! As promised, we are going to give you some ideas on how to get those photos (or lettering, now that you know how to digitize), off of your computer and into your hands. We’ll try to keep it easy and approachable, and we hope you’ll chime in if you have any questions. Keep an eye out for some diy gift ideas along the way, since the holidays are now approaching at lightning speed!

I always like to have a few small gift cards on hand, in case a gift-worthy occasion pops up unexpectedly, or simply to save me from spending way too much time picking out cards, since I have to look at every single card in a shop before choosing one. In fact, I bet most people would like to have a few gift cards handy, so why not consider turning your favorite Instagram photos into gift cards then package a few up to give as gifts themselves? That photo of your sweet pup, adorable kiddo, or the nature scene that made you pull the car over, is much more personal than a card of someone else’s design, and there’s likely a story behind it so it’s already more interesting.

These gift cards were ordered through the Print Studio app by Social Print Studio. It’s well-integrated with Instagram and a piece of cake to use. Just download the app, select a product (gift cards are called tiny cards), choose the photos you’d like to print (and how many of each), then place your order. That’s it! My cards arrived in just over a week, but they can take a bit longer than that so make sure to plan ahead if you’d like to use them for holiday.

As for quality, the card stock is much sturdier than I expected, the kraft envelopes were a pleasant surprise, and the blacks printed beautifully. My lighter photos with pale backgrounds arrived with some grain, but I don’t mind it for such petite cards. Tristan likes that there’s only a small heart logo on the back of the cards instead of tons of text and clutter.

Including tax, the cards ring in at just under $1.00 each. Not bad for a custom printed product on decent card stock. So take a peek at your Instagram stream, could a few of those photos dress up your next thoughtful gift? If you end up printing some let us know, we’d love to see!