Do you KNOW what it takes to make your next gift so memorable

... they won't believe what they see
... they'll show it to everyone
... and they're left with NO words for you?

From the studio of Belinda Saed - Mosaic Artist

October 2, 2007

Dear friend,

Have you ever been in the situation where you're looking for a gift, a special gift for a special person, and you're driving shop to shop with no success? I know I have, unfortunately too often.

When that happens, everything I see is just "quite nice", but I don't seem to get the feeling that it's what I'm looking for. It doesn't matter where I look, and it doesn't matter how long I look either (although I unfortunately often find myself in a rush too often...)

Now why is that? Is it because the shops and malls don't have enough choice. Definitely not, our choices today are virtually unlimited. There are lots of great things to buy for anyone with just about any interest. And they can just go and buy it for themselves too, if they wanted to.

The problem for me is that when I'm shopping for a gift, all those great possibilities become a distraction. Choices don't help at all. It all looks so good, and I loose site of what really matters to that special person. And then I need to take a step back, and think purely from their perspective. Very difficult sometimes, but the result is quite rewarding.

More about the person

Let me tell you a story about one of my clients and his mom. That should help explain what I mean.

Just recently I met with Paul, a recent client. He had just returned from a whirlwind Summer trip, and it was obvious that he had a great time. He looked relaxed, he was tanned in the face, and he had a twinkle of extra energy in his eyes.

His trip was a three week continental tour that covered Montreal, Toronto, as well as New York city, Washington DC and Los Angeles. Together they took planes and trains, they saw parks and buildings, as they enjoyed the urban life in some of our continent's most exciting metropolis. But let's get to the point...

800 pictures?

At our first meeting we sat side by side, he popped open his laptop and proudly showed me his collection of pictures from the vacation. There were well over 800 of them: the historical monuments in every city, skylines, museums, restaurants and everything that makes up a great trip like that.

The Montreal Skyline - an architectural canopy for its world renown museums, fine restaurants, and jazzing music festivals

Paul’s mother had flown over from Australia to spend this great time together. Sprinkled among all those photos are some wonderful pictures of him, of mom, and both together having a great time. It was a pair of summer smiles against the dynamic backdrops of Montreal, New York, LA and more.

So why was he showing me all these pictures?

Surely he could have bragged about his holiday by emailing one or two of his favorites, right? But that's not what it was about.

Paul had seen my mosaic artwork at my recent art show, and he thought it could be a great way to capture the great mom-and-son time they had. He decided it was going to be a gift for his mother; something special for her to take home to Australia. It would be something as special as the time they had spent together. A gift of a lifetime for a trip of a lifetime

How custom art makes a memorable gift

A mosaic, like the one that Paul is ordering for his mom, is an example of the beautiful personalized art that I create for my clients. It's done completely to custom order.

A custom mosaic easily contains hundreds of personal photos. And it can showcase just about anything you can capture with a bunch of photos. Think of trips, adventures, parties, weddings and so on.

In my experience of gift giving (and gift receiving...) I personally found that the most remarkable gifts are those that carry a message that comes from the heart. It could be a kid's drawing "for mumy" [sic], or it could be a photo album that my best girlfriends once put together for me. Sometimes it just doesn't matter whether it comes from the tiniest trinket shop or the biggest jeweler in town. For something to be memorable it comes right down to the personal connection and meaning.

Do you know the expression “a picture is worth a thousand words”? Well, one of my clients stood in awe in front of their mosaic, and she commented “a story is worth a thousand pictures.”

If it were you, what story would you want your pictures to tell?

This is what YOUR mosaic project
could look like...

The Occasion. You might be thinking of an upcoming celebration or special occasion. Perhaps your own, perhaps it’s for family or friends. Perhaps it “just because” or for yourself.
The pictures. Now, can you think of any pictures that might describe it for you? Do you have any pictures that can tell the story? Perhaps someone else has some pictures too? Actually, in some cases you might not have those pictures yet, like in an upcoming wedding, But I’m sure you’re getting the idea: you let the pictures do all the work. We’ll look at what you have in mind, and then simply make it work for you.
The artwork. When it comes to the artwork we work closely together. You tell me what you would like, and I’ll take care of all the technical work. Were you thinking of something cute? Something bold? Is it going to be about love? Maybe it’s esthetics, like a view or a landscape? Pets? People? Please, no worries if you’re not quite sure. We will brainstorm together as much as needed, and whatever you come up with is certain to have the impact you're looking for.

Wedding photos? Perhaps Engagement photos?
Photos courtesy Kerri & Eric Gatien - 2005
The delivery. This is the part where you sit back and relax and I do all the running around to do all the graphic work and photo work. You’ll get to take a peek at the proofs before we finalize it. And shhh… before we send it off to get professional printed and framed you can show the proof to your friends too! After that I’ll have it ready on the day you need it. One big package, complete and on time, ready to impress. Would it be a gift or something for yourself?
The GUARANTEE . I don’t stop until you are completely happy. Together we walk through the quality details along every step of the way. I make sure the art is perfect, and you tell me if it’s working out the way you envisioned it (even if right now, as you’re reading this, you don't have the slightest clue what that might be). We ’ll be in touch for every step along the way. That way I always know what you want, and you can change your mind about any part – at any time. After all, this is going to be one special gift –even if it’s for yourself-, and you want it to make sure it’s perfect, right? Together we’ll make that happen.

china photos How about your travel photos?
Photos courtesy Jonathan Gay and Mike Dinh - China 2006

My client Paul wanted to share all those moments in a gift that would last. He wants it to say “mom, we really had a great time. Thanks.”.

The mosaic like the one he ordered is a large photo print (think super-enlargement) that is composed of hundreds of tiny photos (like mini-thumbnails). You would provide all the photos needed –which is what makes it so personal-, and together we figure out what they’d like the artwork to be about. By creating a piece of photographic art, I can help you tell a story straight from your heart.

Not completely sure what I mean? Here 's another example:

I had client who wanted a family mosaic to celebrate 20 years of marriage. She gave me stack of photo albums from the 80’s and 90’s, with photos of their kids, their vacations, family visits and all.

Years of family photos - what would YOU find in your albums?
Photos courtesy the Kippnes family, albums 1987 - 2007

The mosaic was going to be a gift for her husband, and it was a secret surprise project. We dug out dozens of photo albums and selected numerous photos for each stage in their life together. And for the mosaic effect we got a bit daring and we picked a photo of their first kiss. The photo was taken at a bar, when they were both just 18!

The mosaic now takes central stage in their living room.

anniversary mosaic
Mosaic art to the occasion of a couple's
20th wedding anniversary

As you can imagine, it’s quite the conversation piece when they have friends over, especially when someone discovers they are in one of photos in the mosaic

How SHE marked a significant moment

Another one of my clients was looking for a birthday present for her husband. He was turning 30, and on top of it he had just been promoted to Vice President at work. This meant that his birthday also marked a major professional achievement.

She felt it was time to reflect on their great time together, looking forward to much more success and happiness. The hundreds of photos I received for her project contained shots of friends, family and even places and symbols that had a special meaning to their life goals. The picture that she chose for the mosaic effect was one of her husband, with a gleaming smile taken during their wedding vows several years ago.

This special birthday gift now prominently decorates the living room in their downtown condo.

What’s the value of personal art ?

First of all, this kind of art is something personal because it’s entirely unique and entirely yours. It’s all yours to admire forever. It’s also a conversation piece that will engage anyone - even if they just glance at it. Your artwork will prominently decorate your wall for many years to come, and this one just won’t ever wear its excitement. That’s because it’s chockfull of familiar pictures, each one bulging with a story waiting to be remembered and told.

It’s like those small pictures you might keep in your wallet. Think of snapshots of kids, friends, and family. When your eye catches, it’s as though you can hear their voices, as they whisper something endearing in your ear. Isn’t that true?

Kids photos - from a wallet, the office desk...
Photos courtesy the West family 2003 - 2006

Secondly, the artwork is created with skill and craftsmanship along every step of the way. The professional quality is piled on, starting with high resolution graphic work and ending with only the most fine and durable materials.

When we put all that thrust and skill to work on your own photos, it’s like a team of craftsmen and artists performed an extreme makeover of your photo collection. And we have only one purpose in mind: an ear-to-ear smile on your face, and a long lasting “wow” for everyone!

Here's a question I am often asked: "What about the photos for the mosaic, do they have to be artistic and professional?" Good one!

Some of my clients wonder whether they can get this kind of quality art with their own snapshots. And some wonder whether it can be done with a collection of ancient prints from an attic album.

I want to make a VERY clear point about the artistic side of a mosaic ...

A mosaic is quality custom art not just because of the quality of the photos, but because the photos tell a unique and meaningful story. Let me explain something about what makes art special to anyone:

A gift is beautiful when it has meaning to YOU. When a gift is personalized around memories and associations, it becomes about the people you know and like, and the places and images that make you feel comfortable or adventurous.

When the photos have personal meaning, it doesn’t matter whether some of them are a bit blurry, scratched or over exposed. They are great ingredients for artwork because they are your ingredients. It becomes art that isn't available to anyone else. It's artwork that you can't get, even if you asked the best gallery in town. I'm sure you understand now that it's not because great galleries don't carry great art.

And more often than not, imperfections like scratches, blur or discoloration from ageing actually add to the character of your artwork. And my team will make it work, with every gem of a photo.

And the price?

You’ll be pleasantly surprised. Our basic custom mosaics starts at only $499. Some of our larger pieces start at $899. We know that every project is unique and different. This means we stick to your budget, and then we make it perfect the way you want it. After all, it's your "wow" we're after.

Give me a call, and ask me how.

belinda

Your gift is most memorable when it has personal meaning

Why not call me now?

604 - 338 2033