Hot on the Highstreet Week 202

When the highstreet does not succeed we must turn to the ever-growing worldwide web, where the online highstreet offers everything you could possibly ever need, want or desire.

The days of printed photographs seem long gone, snap happy iphone users create an idyllic images to share amongst their friends and family through messages and social media platforms. Everything is digital. It seems sad flicking through the dusty albums of childhood photos and holiday memories, now we create phone folders of image files rather than bound books of printed photographs.

Square Snaps offers an option for the digital age where Instagram junkies can make their photos into glossy high quality prints to enjoy. Upload directly from Instagram or your desktop and have the prints delivered to your door. No need to take to the streets, your fantastical photos will be with you after just a few clicks.

It is rare to find such an innovative company in the UK, most Instagram printing services of this kind are based in America, cost a fortune to send and take an age to arrive. These pretty products are made from hard-wearing but high quality materials and are reasonably priced (24 standard snaps will cost you £9.84). The prints are designed with Instagram in mind – all arrive in the recognisable square format and are available in varying sizes and styles.

Here’s what the Square Snaps team have to say:

“We are a little company based in London with some pretty serious printing resources. We’re super keen lovers of art, photography and design. We started SQUARE SNAPS because we wanted to help reclaim a little of the physical from the digital. SO, don’t just store your pictures away on your computer or on Instagram, they should be held in your hands, pinned up on your walls, given to friends and celebrated in all their glory!”

Seems like a pretty good idea to me… now I just have to select a shortlist from my 4,495 photos on my Instagram account!

Order your Square Snap photos here: square-snaps.com  

Hot on the Highstreet Week 157

Instantgram is a personalised printing service that turns your Instagram images into pretty little magnets. Pictures are uploaded online and the cute magnets are delivered straight to the door. Each Instantgram Magnet is 5cm x 5cm / 1.97in X 1.97in and magnets come in sets of 9 for just $17 (£11 approx).Log on to http://instantgram.me/en/magnets to access your Instagram library of photos.

I initially had some problems with the Instantgram website which had trouble reloading my Instagram account images, but eventually my large album of brightly coloured pictures arrived on the computer to choose from. By far the most difficult part of the process is trying to restrict yourself to just 9. I spent hours scrolling through screen-after-screen of images and managed to get down to shortlist of my top 12, finally whittling it down to my final 9. Click through an easy checkout system, fill out your address, and you are done.

With so many of our memories on a screen or hard-drive, Instantgram is a lovely way to make your memories materialise. Instagram is by far the most popular of all the social media image platforms, so I’m sure kids and adults alike will jump at this chance to make their beloved Instagram edits more permanent.

The magnets arrived promptly within a week, despite travelling all the way from Turkey. They are a bit flimsy and homemade looking but for just $17 for 9 these Instantgram magnets are the perfect momento to keep on your fridge.

Buy here: http://instantgram.me/en/magnets

Hot on the Highstreet Week 123

The best things in life are free and this week my ‘Hot on the Highstreet’ is dedicated to something that cannot be bought on the highstreet, and in fact cannot be bought at all.

Obsessed with personalised items (the other day I received an amazing uniquely TMM themed box of goodies from Sobe Water) I was delighted when my best friend sent me a link to Barclays’ bespoke debit card option. The idea is… ‘always remember the good times’ by choosing a photo that will make you smile or choosing an image from the Barclays online gallery and a new debit card will arrive within a few days with your very own design.

The Barclays Personalised Card is only available on personal debit cards, sadly not for business debit or credit cards. The service is completely free and will only take a minute though Barclays need to check the photo against their image guidelines before approving your choice. Your new debit card will have a new card number so remember to change any stored details on websites.

In honour of my very clever best friend who discovered this facility, I chose a fun and colourful photo from our recent trip to Berlin as a design for my new debit card and now I wait in anticipation for its arrival! It was so much fun to personalise something I use so frequently, I am tempted to redesign my card every month.

Personalise your debit card here: http://www.barclays.co.uk/Currentaccounts/BarclaysPersonalisedCard/P1242601041899