We’ve always said that some of our favorite Mother’s Day gifts are personalized, and well, you can’t get more personalized than photos of your own kids and family. Of course, not all photo gifts are created equal. (Sorry, badly printed photo mugs.) That’s where Artifact Uprising comes in, a wonderful small company that we — and our readers! — have truly loved even before they became our newest sponsor. And we are so thrilled to continue to support them.

These are folks who are driven by the belief that everyone has a story to tell, and we couldn’t agree more. Especially when it comes to mothers and grandmothers. They also believe in using recycled paper and sustainable methods, meticulously handcrafting their items right here in the USA, and employing adults with developmental disabilities. In essence, they’re a remarkable company making remarkable things.

– Don’t miss an exclusive limited time discount for CMP readers below – 

We’ve taken the time to select five of our favorite stunning Artifact Uprising photo gifts that we think turn your photos into works of art. Undoubtedly they’ll make a special mom in your life very happy on May 10.

And of course, long beyond.

Hardcover Photo Books
We cannot tell you how awesome it is to receive a photo book, and the three hardcover options from Artifact Uprising are some of the most beautiful we’ve seen. Each of their books featured 100% recycled paper, with custom binding in your choice of fabrics, including a half or full dust jacket wrap. In a word: Keepsake. We wouldn’t even mind getting one every single year.

Plus they’re all easy to make which we appreciate as busy moms; you can even work off their site, their mobile app or even directly from Instagram.

Modern Framed Photo
Instead of a traditional framed photo, we’re so taken with this wood cleat, which is such a cool, contemporary alternative. The simple magnet closure makes it super easy to “mount” your printed photograph for hanging, and you can even change them up with different photos throughout the year. Hint: They’d really look spectacular in a row of three, either horizontally, or even vertically. Like all the gifts at Artifact Uprising, this is the kind of frame that lets your photos be the star — not the frame. There’s something to be said for that.

Instagram Photo Book
If you use Instagram as much as we do, then the Instagram photo books are calling for you. Within just a few seconds, you can select faves from your Instagram feed (no downloading required) and they’ll whip them up into a pretty little square book. You can of course share a year in review, or favorite moments since the beginning of motherhood. But we love the idea of making a separate book “from” each child or grandchild for Mother’s Day. And considering they start at around $18 (less when you factor in our discount) it’s a big bang for not a lot of bucks. (Photo credit Pitter Patter Clunk via @ArtifactUprising)

Wood Block Photo Frame
Instead of a common tabletop frame for an end table or a desk at the office, we’re digging the simplicity of this wood block photo holder, which is designed to hold the full set of a dozen square prints that it comes with. This way, she can change up her photos whenever she wants, and give each child plenty of of brag space (ha), but still keep all those precious photos in a single display space. Plus we love that the block is handcrafted from reclaimed Colorado pine which means it will look great in both modern and traditional settings. It’s so perfect for the mom who just isn’t keen on those stuffy sterling frames that need polishing, or the ones with cutesie messages written on them.

Wooden Photo Box
We really like that you can customize this handcrafted wooden photo box with a photo or text, then order it filled full of your favorite prints. We’ve searched for similar photo boxes, and this is easily the most lovely we’ve seen. Plus, there’s something so special about having actual photos to flip through in our actual hands, instead of all those digital snapshots we keep on our computers and smartphones these days. To make this extra perfect for Mother’s Day, make sure to pop a handmade card from the kids among the photos. And then (pro tip from us) keep a tissue box nearby when she unwraps it on Mother’s Day.

Special offer for Cool Mom Picks readers: Save 10% off your purchase at Artifact Uprising for a limited time with code AUCMP10 through 4/28. Thanks so much to our sponsor Artifact Uprising for creating such thoughtful gifts that mothers (like us, hint hint) will love and cherish, and for being the kind of company that’s so easy for us to support.

[top photo: Amanda J Jones, Cree Lane Jones via @artifactuprising on Instagram]