Scrappin' without Scraps: Holiday Gift Ideas

It is that time of year to make lists - things to give and to get - and we all have them! Since my list has some quite cool things for digital photographers as well as digital scrapbookers I thought I'd share it with you. So...in no particular order....here is my list....

Digital Frames

One way to get those photos and layouts off your computer and out into the real world is with a digital frame. I haven't done a complete review of these but I can tell you about the Phillips Digital Frame which I have used.

We bought it for the Memory Trends show so we could show off digital scrapbooking layouts and it did a great job of that (and it was a big hit). Nice clean crisp images with 800 x 480 pixels. And it was easy to load. Two cool things about this one - it has a rechargeable battery (but you can plug it in too) and you can set the time to turn on and off so it won't run all night. The frame got lots of good comments at the show. At Amazon it is $189.99 which isn't exactly cheap but still would make a very cool way to show off your photos or layouts. I've also seen them at places like Best Buy, Comp USA and the Discovery Store.

Tripod

If you have ever tried taking photos at night or with a large zoom, then you know camera shake can make your photos blurry. And you don't have to have really shaky hands - just the normal movement is a problem. Actually my friend and pro-photographer (and FxFoto user and amazing digiscrapper) Mary Canavan gave me this tip - use the view finder and hold it up to your eye just like a film camera. That will let your camera and hands rest on your face which stabilizes the camera and minimizes camera shake.

Of course the best way to stabilize your camera is to use a tripod. I don't know about you but I am rarely organized enough to bring mine and besides it doesn't exactly fit into my purse, you know what I mean? And sometimes there just isn't space to set one up. So this little tripod is definitely on my wish list ...Gorillapod which you can find at Think Geek...

See the bendy three legged thing below the camera? Yup, its a tripod that you can bend and twist and wrap and otherwise attach to all sorts of places

How cool is that? The Think Geek website even has tons of photos people have sent in showing where they have used their Gorillapod. Now this is a tripod you can actually carry around and use. The price is good too - $21.99 for compact cameras and $39.99 for SLRs and heavier cameras.

Camera Bag

There are lots of good reasons to have (and use) a camera bag. It cushions your camera in case you drop it and prevents scratching of lens and the display panel. And it lets you keep everything in one place so you can grab it and go and you will have extra batteries, memory cards and the all important USB cord with you. The only trouble is that camera bags....well, most of them aren't exactly fashion accessories. Usually they are black and made of that ballistic nylon fabric that is indestructible - practical for sure but boring. Plus carrying a camera bag that looks like a camera bag invites theft.

So....enter Crumpler Bags. These are wicked cool bags in nice colors with a funky look. Definitely not your everyday camera bag. Made in Australia, they are available in the US too and come in a bunch of colors and sizes. I put two pictures below - the big one is the 1Million Dollar Home and the smaller one is the Bundle (which comes in small, medium and large). And despite the names, the cost is fairly reasonable at $20.00 to $35.00. And they have a full range of all sorts of sizes and style. One of my favorite blogs has ChipChick has nice review of Crumpler bags too.

Laptop Bags for Digital Scrapbookers

I've got two suggestions for this very important piece of equipment - one specific and one general.

First the specific one - Mimi makes a Digiscrap Laptop Tote which I saw at Memory Trends and I must say it looks fun and functional. If you've ever shopped for laptop bags you know how rare that is - most are that lovely black ballistic nylon and very masculine. Not this one - it is available in lots of fun colors like green, pink and purple as well as black. What I liked was the separate zippered pouch for storing a mouse and cords - I hate that mine get all tangled up. Brilliant idea! Lots of pockets for all the digital doodads you need to carry. They made the laptop compartment separate and zippered which prevents the laptop from falling out and makes it easy to get through airport security without repacking your bag each time. And finally there are both shoulder and hand handles so you have a choice of how you want to carry it. You can buy it on line at the Mimi website for $64.99 or check your local scrapbooking store.

Now a more general recommendation - eBags is a great place to look for laptop bags. They have a huge number of choices with all sorts of styles - messenger, wheeled, backpack, funky, serious, colorful, business - you name it and they probably have it. They even have a special section for women :-) and best of all, they can tell you if your laptop will fit into the bag you have picked. Use their Laptop Bag Finder to find the perfect fit - this is really important if you have a widescreen. It would be a bummer to get a bag and find your laptop won't fit! The prices are good - sometimes amazing great and sometimes just average but the selection is what makes it worthwhile. Certainly better than combing the mall especially at this time of year!

Software for Digital Photography and Digital Scrapbooking

If you are looking for software for editing and organizing your myriad of digital photos, take a look at FxFoto Creative Edition. It offers powerful features which rival those of much more expensive software (can you guess who?) but is much easier to use. For digital photographers, the software offers folder organization with keyword searching, over 50 filters or actions and drag and drop templates. And for digital scrapbookers, the collage feature makes it easy to make layered scrapbook layouts plus it comes with 10 digital kits, over 100 die cut cropping shapes and text in shapes like circles and waves and lots more. You can get a full list of FxFoto features. With a price of $45.94 and a low learning curve, this makes a wonderful gift. You can order it through the FxFoto website or at Scrap Outside the Box or 3Scrapateers.

FotoClips

From the folks at Photojojo come two fun products - Fotoclips and the Magnet String below. First the FotoClips. Remember building houses with cards? Well, these clips let you do this with your photos in a much more permanent fashion than with cards. Each box has 110 clear plastic clips which will hold one photo to another so you can create a mosaic tapestry of your kids. Or make a 3D sculpture of your recent trip. At $10 these make a wonderful gift...hmmm....I've been wondering what to get the guys.... You can buy them at Photojojo

Magnetic Photo Rope

Another fun thing from the Photojojo blog. They call it the Astounding Magnetic Photo Rope and it is really a clever idea! This is a great way to show off photos in a very simple and unobtrusive way. Basically it is a 43 inch thin metal cable that comes with 8 tiny magnets to hold your photos to the string. It makes is easy to change photos. I'm not sure how well it would work on a fridge with the door opening and closing but this is a great way to put photos up on a wall without tape or tacks. Great for the office. especially if you are in one of those cubicles and can't mess up the wall. At home this could turn a wall into a small gallery instantly especially if you used a few of them. At $12 ( 2 for $20 or 3 for $28) these make a terrific stocking stuffer too. You can get them at Photojojo.