We Lost Snoopy This Year So We Treasure This

When I shared the cutest pet portrait holiday gift for family members a couple of years ago, I introduced you to our son’s sweet Snoopy, a blind and mostly deaf kitten who smothered us all with kisses and opened us to joy. Not only was he our son’s first pet, he was kind of a star on social media since our son’s followers and the internet fell in love. All of us began to see and experience the world a bit differently thanks to that affectionate special boy. We lost him in the spring (late stage kidney disease – no signs of trouble until the end). I’m so thankful we have his beautiful custom Pet Portrait from Minted. If you know someone who would appreciate the cutest and affordable holiday gift ever, read on.

Pet Portrait Holiday Gift Idea

Holiday shopping for family can be a daunting task, and I simplify the matter with a theme each year. It’s a streamlined approach and saves time as long as I come up with a great theme.

Because all the folks in my family are pet lovers, PETS as a theme makes perfect sense. And my husband and I still don’t have a pet of our own – we are the pet sitters in our family. You may remember we lost our Bella shortly after we downsized and moved into our former fixer upper in 2015. I just kept my parents’ rescues (they resemble our Bella!) for nearly a month:

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You can see my parents with their furry babies on this board below – I snapped the photo then gifted them a Minted custom photo puzzle:

I also am the resident homemade pet food maker. Our younger son’s rescue cat PONY BOY has a life threatening disorder and needs a special urinary-health diet.

We don’t know how long we’ll have him because of the seriousness of his disorder so we’ll love him well while he is here purring.

I also make homemade food for his rescue pittie mix EVE who struggles with colitis and skin issues. There are of course online sources of food, and it’s not as if I have extra time for such tasks, but my heart longs to be of service. This is a small way I can become the love and nourishment for which I long.

I was over the moon in 2021 when I browsed custom art gifts on Minted and saw CUSTOM PET PORTRAITS with a quick turn around at a friendly price point! Holiday shopping stress was eased big time.

But would the portraits be as special in person?

I was so thrilled with the portraits and the whole process that I ordered more last holiday…here’s adorable Mushu:

Snoopy and Mushu were buds so the cat tree is lonelier now…

They truly are special so I couldn’t keep this idea to myself.

Order custom pet portraits from Minted RIGHT HERE!

Why These Custom Portraits are Meaningful

The obvious answer is because of how a keepsake honors our furry family members. We’re devoted to our pets who love us so unconditionally and enrich our lives.

My own family members snap photos and video of them daily.

But as the world of photos grows increasingly digital, we’re less likely to print hard copies or display images outside of our screens.

You cannot beat the value for the quality and beauty. This is likely to become an heirloom. Whether you decide to frame the portrait yourself or have Minted frame it (still going to be under $70 for a framed 8×10!), it’s an affordable gift.

A gift like this will evoke strong emotions. Our pets are family, and we adore them. Most folks aren’t even aware of what they’re missing before they see their pet immortalized in a portrait.

A framed pet portrait on the wall or leaning on a shelf is something they never knew they couldn’t live without! Years of heartwarming joy are in store.

You can also put your pet on a Christmas card if you don’t feel like trying to snag a decent photo of your family. (Although it took us all of 5 minutes to set the timer on the phone and get this one in the middle of a renovation work day at home!):

Find the loveliest Custom Pet Portraits from Minted RIGHT HERE.

Are Watercolor Pet Portraits Different From a Pet Photo?

These portraits look like beautiful paintings, not photos. Since they are created digitally, they feature advantages. First, you won’t have to worry about an unsavory background that may be present in a pet photo. It can be nearly impossible to get a great photo of a pet inside or out since it requires them to sit still.

You’ll have creative input. The opportunity to include notes with your order is so key! And you’ll get to approve the proof. It’s even okay if it takes lots of back and forth with the proof. You’ll be hard-pressed to find that sort of collaborative spirit if you commission an original painting somewhere else.

Even if the photo you submit doesn’t convey the pet’s eye color, you can provide it. You can also indicate what color you would like to see in the background of the watercolor-inspired portrait.

Lighting in photos is not always ideal, yet that won’t matter! The custom portrait won’t rely on things like natural light or how beautiful a given photo is.

A watercolor-inspired portrait by the artists at Minted can capture a pet’s essence, and you’ll be involved in the proofing process.

Beautiful colors, gentle strokes of softness, and a painterly ethereal mood will honor and elevate the pet photo you choose to submit for the portrait.

Is it Time Consuming to Order a Beautiful Portrait?

Not at all. Here’s how to score a gorgeous Minted custom pet portrait:

1. Look for a close-up photo of the pet on social media feeds and save to your hard drive.
2. Crop and re-size (I use PicMonkey).
3. Upload the photo and place an order (I chose 8×10 unframed portraits).
4. Receive an emailed proof within a couple days and make notes for changes (you simply click on the area of the portrait you wish changed, and indicate your desire). I asked for a sage green background rather than the purple that came in the first proof, I wanted more blush pink on the kitty’s ears, and I wanted less blue around the dog’s mouth.
5. Receive a new proof the following day, submit the order, and receive gorgeous portraits within a couple of days.
6. If you also add a frame (11×14) and mats for the 8×10 portrait, it will look like a million bucks!

Need an idea for inexpensive yet good frames?

These come with a mat for an unbeatable price!

What if You Don’t Have an Awesome Photo?

To give you an idea of how the cat watercolor custom pet portrait began with a photo, here’s the simple, nothing special iPhone photo of Snoop we started with:

And here’s the cutest custom pet portrait created by Minted:

Our sons treasure these pet portraits!!!!

I independently selected products in this post—if you buy from one of my links, I may earn a commission.

Order a Custom Pet Portrait from Minted!

And what the heck? A few more pet gift ideas:

p.s. My heart still aches from Snoopy’s loss. And I won’t apologize for my tears or stop mentioning Snoop because I know the grief is big love lingering. He kissed kissed kissed my cheek and hands every single visit – even at the end. Such affection was a way of seeing for him. I smile thinking of his antics, his joy for life, his kisses, and his lessons from a small yet profound presence here for a short time.

Peace to you right where you are.

-michele

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