Time’s Up: Last-Minute, One-of-a-Kind Gifts For Your Whole List

There are only hours left to order gifts in some of our most popular materials. But, Shapeways is one of the only places where last-minute gifts doesn’t mean something generic. And thanks to our vast community of creators, it doesn’t even mean something that would occur to anyone else, maybe ever. That’s one of the things that makes our community so indispensable this time of year. Their creativity means gifts that might be exactly what you’re looking for, but you’d never know it until you set eyes on them…

Make the Nintendo Switch Work for Anyone

I covered some of our community’s amazing solutions to the shortcomings of Nintendo’s blockbuster Switch portable gaming console in the magazine earlier this year, and the options have only grown since then. Still, my favorite remains the Arrow Joycon Grip by Edrice. It reconfigures the two joycons to make them feel more natural and comfortable for adult-sized hands.

Vessel Pendant by Nervous System

You have to go pretty far to find a necklace no one’s ever done before, but thankfully, superstars of 3D printed fashion/art, Nervous System, have used the magic of an open mind combined with generative design, opening the door to endless possibilities. Not quite sure what I mean? See for yourself.

The Planter Necklace Pendant by Oreosmooshy’s Shoparoo

Do you know someone in your life who is a green-thumbed gardener? Or a plant lover that can’t seem to keep even a cactus alive? Well, tell them to let their green flag fly with this Planter Necklace Pendant from creator Claire Ashcraft. This pendant is perfect for housing air plants, which, in case it isn’t obvious, basically live on air (or, ok, the moisture in air). Not to mention, they’re super hip.

Full Color BMO Lamp by blind.i.studios

So it turns out that if you use our full color sandstone material to print a model and keep it hollow, you can put a light in it to make a really unique lamp shade. It works for all of our plastics as well, but things just look so much cooler in full color. And this BMO Lampshade, inspired by Adventure Time, is the perfect example. Fully detailed right down to the vents on her back, this is a true-to-life figurine when the lights are off, and a lampshade when they’re on. It’s a must for any Adventure Time fan or lamp enthusiast in your family.

Hats off to Vincent Maxwell over at blind.i.studios for giving us such a cool take on a lampshade, as well as all of the other cool things he’s doing over there.

Framework Menorah by Craig Kaplan’s Mathematical Art

For those of us who celebrate Hanukkah, Shapeways has a wide variety of custom menorahs for sale. The Framework Menorah by Craig Kaplan is a marvel of simplicity. The stacked architectural design of this menorah makes this piece interesting even before the candles are lit. Even once the holiday is over, this still remains an attractive set piece for any living room, especially ones with a modern or minimalist aesthetic. This model is printed in our white Strong & Flexible plastic.

The Dank Memes of Ryan Kittleson’s Sculpture

Few people are as committed to creating the dankest memes in 3D printed sculptural form as Ryan Kittleson. Seen above, his Doge sculpture is an adorable piece of Internet humor given life. The brilliant Potato Jesus, Miracle Potato Chip piece takes two funny things and smashes them together: the trope of finding the images of iconic religious figures on food and other things, and the so-bad-it’s-funny “restoration” of the iconic painting Ecce Homo (AKA Beast Jesus).

But Ryan also has created likenesses of enthusiastic French-Revolution-era rapper Joseph Ducreux, as well as a bust of the triumphant Success Kid.

Mortal Coil (Top to Bottom Stretching) by Ryan Kittleson’s Sculpture

Now, I know that I’ve featured him twice in the same section. But honestly, Ryan Kittleson isn’t the only person making incredible miniatures and figurines out there. He just has some really cool, super giftable things I want to show off. This “helix toy,” as our creators call them to avoid using a copyrighted name (coughSLINKYcough), is shaped like a skull. Crafted out of our Strong and Flexible plastic, this is a complex item you don’t need to put together or paint. You (and probably your teenage cousin who’s going through a goth phase) can play with it right out of the box. It’s a reminder of not only the creativity, but the functionality Shapeways is able to deliver.

And there we are! So many categories covered, yet so many left untouched. There’s literally no end to the amount of creativity you can find here on Shapeways. And we want you to make the most of it! Find gifts they’ve never seen before. Or, if you’re still on the hunt for a gift, help someone start making on Shapeways with a Maker Kit. Happy Holidays from all of us at Shapeways, and happy gifting!