Looking for just the perfect gift? There are merchants and artisans who create wonderful customized products relatively quickly, then sell them at reasonable prices over the Internet. Among my favorites…
China from Hull’s Happiest Days Designs. You can have fine china plates and mugs imprinted with customized messages—perhaps a favorite saying, an inside joke or a date and location that have special meaning. Allow at least three weeks for your china to be made and delivered.
Prices: As little as $17.50 for a single mug, latte cup or dessert plate…and up to $120 for a set of four mugs and dessert plates. www.HappiestDaysDesigns.com
Poker set from The Stationery Suite. This set includes 300 high-quality clay chips, professional-grade playing cards and an attractive case that can be customized with the recipient’s name and your choice of more than 30 designs. Delivery can take up to a month.
Prices: $99. www.TheStationerySuite.com
Purses from Laudi Vidni. Use this Chicago boutique’s online purse design tool to create your own high-fashion handbags. You choose the purse’s shape—as well as the type and color of leather, fabric and hardware. Orders can take up to four weeks to arrive.
Prices: As little as $95 for a small wristlet up to more than $600 for a large leather bag. 773-697-7847, www.LaudiVidni.com.
Bowling balls from OnTheBallBowling.com. Upload a digital photo and a short message to this company’s Web site, and it can print them on a regulation 8.5-inch bowling ball. This is a real bowling ball that even can be drilled and used if so desired. Allow at least four weeks for your order to arrive.
Price: $189.99. 866-682-2695, www.OnTheBallBowling.com.
Soaps from Valsey and Me. These all-natural guest room soaps, each individually wrapped in a personalized label, are a thoughtful gift. Example: The personalized label might read, “Welcome to the Roberts’ Lake House.” Orders take about two weeks to arrive.
Prices: $30 for a mini box containing 14 soaps (each soap is two inches by one inch by one-eighth-inch thick). www.ValseyAndMe.com
Sterling silver guitar picks from River Valley Designs. This Ohio jewelry maker will stamp a musician’s or a band’s name or a short personalized message into an attractive metal guitar pick. Allow six weeks for orders to arrive.
Price: $34 for sterling silver…or $24 for aluminum, copper or brass. www.RiverValleyJewelry.etsy.com
Romance novels from YourNovel.com. You and your partner can be the main characters in a romance novel. Simply fill out a short questionnaire about you and your partner on the YourNovel.com Web site…select a setting and framework for the story…specify how steamy you want the love scenes to be…and upload a romantic photo of you and your partner for the cover (optional). Books usually arrive within one week. E-books are delivered within hours electronically.
Prices: From $29.95 to $119.95. www.YourNovel.com
Etched and hand-painted wine bottles from Etching Expressions. Upload a photo to this California company’s Web site, and it uses glass etching and hand painting to re-create it on a bottle of wine—your choice of Merlot, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, champagne or other options. The process typically takes less than two weeks, including shipping.
Price: $65. 866-944-3824, www.EtchingExpressions.com.
Fake magazine covers from YourCover. Design a fake magazine cover featuring the recipient. Simply upload a photo of the recipient to the Web site, select an appropriate fake magazine to put it on and personalize the headlines.
Price: $12.95 for a cover that you print out at home, or $19.95 to have the cover printed and mailed to you. 877-972-6837, www.YourCover.com.
Coupon codes offering savings of between 10% and 20% are available for some of the sellers in this article on my Web site, www.TheGiftInsider.com. You will have to register on my site to receive these, but registration is free. To maintain objectivity, my Web site does not sell these or any other products directly.
