It’s time to celebrate the women who taught you everything you know, from how to be a badass, patriarchy-smashing feminist and swear like a sailor to understanding the importance of self-care.
Whether you’re celebrating your birth mom, the woman who raised you or any number of the other empowering mother figures who’ve turned you into the person you are today, it’s worth showing them just how much they mean to you this Mother’s Day.
Although you can’t go wrong with run-of-the-mill gift like flowers, sometimes you want a gift for your mom that’s a bit more personal and thoughtful. We’re eyeing a one-of-a-kind gift she’s sure to love for years to come: customized face magnets.
Handmade by Etsy seller KitAtlas, who’s based in Bloomfield, Indiana, these customized magnets are based on your photos and hand-drawn to look like anyone in your family, including your cats and dogs. Get adorable artistic versions of yourself, your siblings, your spouse, your kiddos and even your furry friends. You even get to approve all of the illustrations before they’re finalized.
Here’s how it works: When ordering, choose how many faces you want in your order. Be sure to read the seller’s full list of directions, because you’ll be asked to confirm you’ve read them once you’ve placed your order. Next, after you’ve made your order, open a conversation with KitAtlas. You’ll message the seller with a clear, well-lit photo of each face you want transformed into a magnet. Pets can be customized with name tags and color colors, just be sure to specify. Finally, the seller will send you a rough pencil sketch of your magnets via that same conversation window, so be sure to check your Etsy account for those approvals. Give feedback on small things you’d like changed, then the final magnets will be sent your way.
All of those directions are in the description of these magnets on Etsy, but there’s one thing to note: As with all things that are custom-made, these magnets take a while to make. Three weeks, to be exact — plus the time for shipping ― so you’ll want to get your order for these sooner rather than later, especially if they’re a Mother’s Day gift.
I ordered one of these magnets for my boyfriend as a Valentine’s Day gift, and it was a hit. It arrived perfectly packaged in wax paper that protected it from any delivery damage, and it was even more adorable in person than expected. I can only imagine that, for the mom who’s sentimental or who’s hard to shop for, this is a timeless gift she’ll treasure for years to come.