5 Mother’s Day Gift Ideas for a minimal-ish mom
Image by Zuza M Photography
When I became pregnant with my third child it became very obvious to me that I have to, and actually want to, simplify my life. My journey of conscious, mindful life began right then and so did my decluttering. I’m 7 years in and I have to say that it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Not without challenges but I am still going strong.
There’s a large group of people who call themselves minimal-ish. I suppose if I wanted to put a label on myself, I would fall under this category. My mindset is minimal but I’m not an extremist. I still have things that are not purely practical, I do not limit the amount of clothes I own. But I do try not to make hasty purchasing decisions, I simplified my wardrobe and I do prefer quality time over stuff. And I live with people who are not minimalists, not even -ish.
So, with a mother’s day approaching, I decided to compile a short list of gift ideas for minimal-ish moms out there. And because I am a professional family photographer it was a no-brainer to make the list photo related.
Here is a list of my favorite Mother’s Day gift ideas for a minimal mom:
1. A Photo Session
Image by Zuza M Photography
This had to be my number one gift idea. I am a photographer after all. But hear me out.
Moms are usually the ones taking photos of everybody hence rarely are in the pictures themselves. I know I am. And don’t even get me started on my husband taking photos of me. He’s not great at it to put if lightly.
We as moms deserve to be in the photographs and we deserve to look pretty. It is hard sometimes for us to book a family session because the list of excuses is long: I have to loose weight first, I’m too old, I am not photogenic, there’s no time, I have nothing to wear etc. And the time is passing by.
When you hire an experienced professional photographer they know how to take photos to make everyone look good. When a mom gets a photo session, there is no turning back and believe me, it will be worth it. If you choose a family session or mommy and me session as a gift, it will be an opportunity to spend a quality time together and the pictures will be a beautiful reminder of the fun and meaningful time spent together. That is priceless.
If you live in Northwest Illinois I would love to photograph you and your mom!
2. A Digital Photo Frame
Image by Zuza M Photography
A digital photo frame is a great idea for someone who doesn’t have many shelves or doesn’t want to surround themselves with lots of photos in frames. Digital photo frame takes little room and it is super easy to upload the pictures directly from the phone. I know how long it takes me to actually print my own personal photos. I’m not even going to say it but it is embarrassingly long (I’m working on it!). Getting a digital frame is on my to do list actually.
If a mom or grandma already has a frame like that, then you can surprise her with new photos loaded especially for her. Maybe from a photo session she got from you. You can also design your own digital card, or gif, or put special messages on the images or between them, kind of like a slideshow. You can involve the kids or grand kids to record a special message and upload a short clip with it. Depending on a frame you get there’s usually an app that lets you do it even if you live in a different state or even on another continent, as long as there is an internet connection.
3. A Photo book
Image by Zuza M Photography
I think a custom photo book is a beautiful way of celebrating the mom (or grandma). You can use the photos from a session you gave her earlier, or compile meaningful photos from the past years. I like the idea of having one photo per page and underneath each picture writing an answer to a question: “Why I love you”. It could even be a title of the whole book.
It will take thought, effort and time to create it and us moms we wholeheartedly love it and appreciate it.
Over the years I have used Mixbook to create lots of photo books for different occasions. I loved them so much that I decided to become an affiliate with them. If you decide to make a photo book for your mom or any other occasion, I would love it if you’d use my link. It doesn’t cost you anything but I get a small credit for referring you to them.
4. A Photo Viewfinder
Image by Zuza M Photography
I was delighted to find a photo viewfinders on amazon a while back. I had one as a kid with some cartoon stories and felt very nostalgic when I saw it online. If your mom is into retro things or had one as a child, like me, I think this is a great gift idea.
There are multiple colors to choose from and the best part is you can make a custom reel that goes with it. You can choose photos from that session you got on the beginning of this article or simply choose meaningful photos you already have on your phone.
And! Once your mom gets the viewfinder, you can keep giving her custom reels for other occasions. How fun!
5. Necklace or bracelet with photo in it.
Image by Zuza M Photography
Personally I am not into a fancy jewelry, so when I saw a minimal necklace with a small round ball like charm that had a hidden photo in it, I was intrigued. I googled it and it turned out that it is a projection necklace! You choose a meaningful photo (from that session we talked about earlier), you upload it to the online store and they magically shrink it to fit into the pendant. Then once you have it, you can use your phone’s flashlight to shine on the back of the necklace and onto the wall and your photo appears enlarged just like a slide back in the day.
I’ve also seen an option to just simply look through the charm with your own eyes or you can put a phone camera to it and the photo appears on a phone’s screen. Personally I prefer the idea of projection but it’s up to you what you like better.
There are multiple designs and color options available and I have also seen bracelets and rings. Here are my favorites:
If you live in McHenry, Lake or Kane county of Illinois or northwest Chicagoland area and you’re looking for a family photographer to capture the beauty of motherhood, click on the button below.
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