Another image showing the versatility of Xara. I have five grandchildren (and I'm still only 21, I wish) so images like this, printed out and framed or laminated make really welcome gifts.

I quite often give friends a gift of an image made especially for them and they always seem to be appreciated. You are not limited to making prints, if your friend has a computer, then you can create a desktop image or a screen saver for them They are much more personal than going out and buying something ready made.

An acquaintance once said "they would be cheaper too!", Well they are as long as you don't take into account your time, you often spend a lot of time getting it "just right" for the intended recipient, so if you calculated your time, they aren't so cheap. If I calculated my work at the rate I get for teaching, then they would be bloody expensive. But I live in front of my computer when I'm not at work and I love using graphics programs of all types, so for me its not a chore.

You may feel that your artwork isn't that good, but it is amazing the difference that putting an image in a frame makes. Try it with one of your images, I am sure you will be pleasantly surprised.

By the way, if you do think that your image making is not that good, go and have a look at some of the rubbish that passes for art, in your local art gallery. It always makes me feel better about my limited skills.

If you would like to try your hand at using Xara, you can download a free trial version from The Xara X Web Site