Gift Giving – Customer Stories

We love to hear the stories behind our customer orders.  More often than not, it’s gift giving that’s the focus.  Today’s newest customer has a unique story.

Birthday Gift, Profession, and Cancer

When someone contacts us about custom metal work, they usually have an idea in mind.  Yesterday we were asked if we could create wall art from a custom tattoo photo.  Today we found out the story behind the request.  First, the metal art will be a special birthday gift for his girlfriend. Second, it will be something she sees everyday.  Her tattoo combines profession and breast cancer awareness.  It seems she created the design in honor of her mother who died from breast cancer.  Her boyfriend found us via google and probably saw our Michigan Spartan tattoo wall art.  This will be a unique gift given with thought and caring.

How does a person decide to give a gift?  What process do they go through to find it?  It always interests us to know the story behind gift giving.  Sometimes, it makes the creative process a labor of love.

Gift Giving Psychology

Many articles have been written about the psychology of gift giving.  One article written by South University in 2011, states “Better to give than to receive, gift-giving is also an act of altruism — unselfish concern for the well-being of others. When we give without expecting anything in return, we are improving our psychological health…There is an enormous sense of satisfaction when seeing the expression on the face of someone you’ve given a gift to. A way to express feelings, giving reinforces appreciation and acknowledgement of each other.”

When we work with customers to create something tangible from an idea they have, we also receive a gift.  People trust that we will listen to their ideas and help them create something for a friend or loved one that will stand the test of time.   When they look at the gift, they will remember people, places, or even pets from the present, past, or future.

Not Just For Holidays

Last holiday season, we were amazed at the number of requests received for custom metal art.  Here’s just a few of the orders we received, each with its own story.

But gift giving isn’t just for the holidays.  We’ve received many more post-holiday orders for gifts.  They range from word art to very unique requests.  One of the most recent ones is a wedding gift from bride to groom.  While attending college, he created a tattoo design.  Post-college and working full-time, he decided maybe it wasn’t a good idea to apply the tattoo.  Enter the fiance.  She sent the original black and white design on graph paper.  Could we create Michigan Spartan tattoo wall art for her wedding gift to him?  She loved it!

Here’s the Spartan, along with some other recent gifts we’ve created.

It’s Always Something New

We’re never quite sure what we’ll be asked to create.  We know two things.  It will always be unique.  And it will always have a story behind it!