Color it, frame it, give it: a handmade framed gift anyone can make

You do not need to draw to make a framed gift by hand. Choose a realistic coloring page of something the person loves, color it, cut it out and put it in a frame. A Nibfern page trims to 7 x 9 inches along its dotted cut line and fits a standard 8 x 10 frame.

Why a handmade framed page works as a gift

A store-bought print says you found something nice. A page you colored says you spent your evenings on them. It is personal without being sentimental, and it goes on a wall rather than in a drawer.

Step 1: choose the subject they love

Their favorite animal, the bird at their window, the sea they grew up beside. Some ideas from the books: the northern cardinal or red fox from Quiet Winter, the sea turtle or seahorse from Quiet Ocean.

Step 2: color it

Use colored pencils, gel pens or fineliners. The light gray shading guide under every Nibfern drawing shows where the light and the shadow fall, so the finished animal looks rounded. Each drawing has a free color reference with its real colors.

Step 3: cut it out

1. Cut along the dotted line near the spine with a craft knife and a metal ruler.
2. Trim the other three sides to the corner marks.
3. You now have a 7 x 9 inch print.

Step 4: frame it

A standard 8 x 10 frame takes the print with a small border. For a gallery look, use an 11 x 14 frame with a mat whose opening is slightly smaller than 7 x 9 inches. More on framing.

Occasions it suits

• Birthdays: their birth-month flower or favorite animal.
• Christmas: a cardinal, a fox in the snow or a poinsettia.
• A housewarming: a set of three sea creatures for a beach house.
• A first Christmas without someone: the bird or flower they loved.
• Long-distance friends: color the same page and swap framed copies.

In short

Pick the page, color it, trim it to 7 x 9 inches and frame it in an 8 x 10 frame. Or give the book itself and let them make their own. Gift ideas for coloring lovers.

Quick answers