When you’re looking to customize a gift, personalization techniques such as engraving take your item from off-the-shelf to completely unique. You may think of engraving as something conducted only on metal or jewelry-type products, but the process of etching words or designs into a substance can apply to just about anything, including wood. The sturdy substance holds up to your personal message, dedication or artistic designs.
Commemoration
Whether you’re celebrating a wedding, graduation, anniversary or milestone achievement on the job, engraving a wood gift item can keep the celebration going long after the actual event. A memory box, plaque, pencil holder or curio cabinet are all items that may be made of wood. Engraving them with someone’s name, a date to remember or a personal message turns them into a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork.
Secret Messages
Although most people picture engraving as something highly visible which shows off your message to the gift recipient, you can make use of engraving as a way to convey your feelings on a not-so-obvious level. By engraving the inside lid of an ornate or plain wood trinket box, you share a sentiment with your recipient just between the two of you; no one else will know your message is there. Express love, gratitude or a secret thought by "hiding" engraving in wood objects such as a glazed wood locket, panel of a desk drawer or underneath the shelf of a solid bookcase. With larger objects, you’ve got room to include a passage from a meaningful story, song lyrics or even your own poem.
Colors
After you’ve engraved wood, add a bit of flair to the design with color. Small brushes and wood paint work well into tiny crevices such as letters and swirls; choose something to go with your color scheme or that of your gift recipient. Another option is to select colors that match an upcoming holiday (such as orange and black for Halloween) or the person’s favorite sports team (such as purple and black for the Baltimore Ravens football team). Before the paint dries, shake a little bit of glitter from a canister right onto the paint; excess glitter will fall right off when everything dries.
