Awful gifts from your SO

melle_sacto is hot and dry in CA Zone 9/

9 years ago

I've been decluttering, and I came across a large (12x18) picture of me that my DH had hired an online artist to draw/render/whatever for my b-day gift one year. Our home is small, and it's a BIG picture with it's frame. I don't want to hang it in any of the public spaces for people to see, and I don't want it in our bedroom. I guess I just don't want it, so for the past 8 years it's been sitting behind a stack of cr@p. Should I just stick it into the closet and move on with my life? I feel really conflicted over this thing.

Featured Answer

anntn6b

9 years ago

Get the artist to do a same style painting of him. Side by side.

IF you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

Comments (12)

jewelisfabulous
9 years ago
Do you have a firepit? Sounds like it's make a great "log".
western_pa_luann
9 years ago
How does HE feel about it?
Would he be okay if you got rid of it?

Obviously he knows that you don't like it/aren't displaying it...

I think holding on to something you dislike for EIGHT years is long enough!
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sloedjinn
9 years ago
Yeah,those large scale personalized decorative items that aren't to your taste are so hard to deal with. You can't donate, because who wants a monogrammed item/portrait of a stranger/item with name embroidered on it?

I agree. Ask your DH how he feels about. Obviously the artist had some quality that caught his eye in the first place, but maybe it didn't turn out how he had hoped. Maybe if it's something he loves but you don't, he has a workshop he could display it in?
LucyStar1
9 years ago
Yes, just stick it in the closet and remember the loving thought behind it.
prairie_rose
9 years ago
Do you have grown kids that would like it? I know I had a portrait done 40 years ago. I had no place to display it, had it tucked away in the closet. DD found it, asked if she could take it and hang it in her home. She loves it.
If not, I agree with LuscyStar1. Tuck it back away and remember the thought. It was given with love.
grandmamary_ga
9 years ago
Its the thought that counts. Do you have a basement? You could put it there. Ask your husband if he minds you getting rid of it. Maybe to a parent or a relative. Or maybe he doesn't mind if you trash it.
Mary
melle_sacto is hot and dry in CA Zone 9/
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks for all the great ideas! Unfortunately, no workshop, no basement. No extra wallspace. I left it out and DH has put it on top of the piano (public area). My kids LOVE it...they said it looks like me when I was in a movie LOL! I was not in a movie, and I don't think it looks like me (and I don't look like a movie star anyway), but clearly it gives someone some joy ;-)

The style is that I have pixie ears (Spock ears) and it's sort of ethereal/anime-ish/cartoon. IDK, I guess part of why I'm not that thrilled with it is that they didn't draw a more beautiful version of me, it's just a weird version of me. I will put it either under my dresser w/the wrapping paper or into the back of a closet, maybe one day if we have a larger home with a family room, or space for a photo gallery wall, it could go there but be mixed in with other large pics so it won't be a major eyesore...I mean focal point.

Yesterday I DID want to burn it, we just had our chimney swept too! :-) But it's special to my DH, and he thought it was awesome. Maybe I should tell him to put it up at work!
dreamgarden
9 years ago
" I left it out and DH has put it on top of the piano (public area). My kids LOVE it...they said it looks like me when I was in a movie LOL! I was not in a movie, and I don't think it looks like me (and I don't look like a movie star anyway), but clearly it gives someone some joy ;-) "

Would be fun to see what it looks like! In any case, it is nice what your DH and kids have to say. Enjoy the adoration! :)
debrak2008
9 years ago
If he loves it so much, perhaps he should put it up at work. Sounds like he gets the most joy from it.
quasifish
9 years ago
It does sound a little odd, but I have to wonder if in time it will be less weird and more fun? I hate pictures of myself, but the older I get, the better the old ones seem; it becomes like looking at a picture of someone else, but with memories attached.

Is it in a frame? You could always remove it from the frame and get rid of the frame so you can store the picture more compactly. Put it in acid free paper and maybe a sleeve for safe storage?

I love the idea of getting a matching one of him, lol.
melle_sacto is hot and dry in CA Zone 9/
Original Author
9 years ago
I also like the idea of getting a matching one done of him!!! That's funny, although then we'll have TWO pics with no home. But if we had two, at least they wouldn't seem quite so random I guess. I'll have to find out if the artist is even still doing this. The only wall space that could fit both pics is in our bedroom, and they will be reflected by the mirrored closet. Or we could stack them and place on the bedroom door.

At any rate, my kids are 9 and 5...I cannot imagine one of them wanting to have it in their home one day ;-)