How is it midway through April already. January and February felt like the longest months I’ve ever experienced, probably due to the fact that we didn’t have a summer or autumn/winter holiday. In fact, the last time we went away on holiday was last April when we went to visit my husband’s family in Poland. It was freakishly cold for that time of year (a bit like we’ve had with the ‘Beast from the East’) so we experienced two solid weeks snow. So perhaps my desperate longing for Summer and some nice weather has made the first few months of this year feel like an eternity. But I’m hopeful that things will change soon. This week has been a bit better and perhaps if we’re lucky we’ll be in for more of the same.
So April’s giveaway seems quite appropriate to how I’m feeling right now. I’ve teamed up Alvar Carto, an online business that lets you create and order unique customisable map posters from any location on the planet. Alvar Carto’s mission is to help us to hold on to our most important memories by hanging them up in our homes as a constant reminder. Want to commemorate your first date? Your Wedding? Where and when your first child was born? Your most memorable holiday? Your place of birth? No problem, simply create customisable map posters using the easy personalisation process on the Alvar Carto website.
Enter the location you want to focus on, choose from four different poster layout options, customise the colour, and modify the labels. You can search, zoom, pan, and fine-tune the map poster just the way you like with street level precision to create customisable map posters that are truly bespoke.
I have a similar poster hanging in my bedroom that I created for my husband. It features his home town, which I know he misses and will always love. With him being so far from home this made a lovely gift for him and he really appreciated it.
Alvar Carto has offered one lucky Design Sheppard reader the opportunity to win two customisable map posters in a size of their choice. Simply enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter widget below as usual.
I’ve got so many locations but I think the Grand Canyon where we got engaged would be a lovely anniversary present. Or where we met in Deptford!
I’d choose Venice where I got engaged!
I think I’d choose Tunbridge Wells / Kent where me and my husband first met. Or Florence, our favourite place in the world.
I would choose Birmingham. It’s where my Mum was born and we’ve all ended up living here again. I love it & the maps are gorgeous
I would choose Shropshire as that’s where we both grew up :)
Dorset, because it is my beautiful home county!
What a great giveaway! It would have to be Bristol and Copenhagen for me
Budapest as that is where I got engaged!
These are lovely and would make a beautiful gift for somebody framed. Somewhere in Norway for my husband would be nice.
Amazing competition, would love a map of Newcastle.
What a fantastic prize, would have to be our home town of Liverpool or Copenhagen with so many happy memories for us!
I’d love a map of London, I’m always getting lost, so maybe it would help!
If I could get a map of Guernsey in the Channel Islands I would, as that is where I grew up
My husband loves maps and would be so happy with one of these! Such a fab giveaway : )
cumbria because its where i live x
I love this concept and would love to one for the hubs who has spent his whole life in Epsom and it’s where we met. It’d look great in his office :D
There are so many places I’d like to choose. Maybe The Island of Arran in Scotland. We spent a lot of great family holidays there
I would love to get a print of where my children were born
I WOULD CHOOSE istanbul—a city that fascinates me
Amsterdam, as it is my husband and I’s favourite place
It would be Norwich as it is my nearest and most beautiful of cities
I would get one of my home town of Manchester
I would choose Derbyshire as it is so beatutiful
I’d ;love one of Ullswater, where we’ve spent happy holidays.
These are so cool and would make a fab father’s day pressie. Will look them up.
I’d choose Zurich because it’s where we were living when the boys were born.
Somerset where I have so many happy memories
I would get one of my surrounding area as it is a unique part of the country.
It would focus on the place where me and my husband first met, kissed and now live. I love these maps
A certain little spot in the Lake District – it’s about half way between my home and that of my partner – and its where we came back together
I would pick Coventry. All my family grew up there. My dad and myself were actually born in the same hospital. My grandmother lived in the same house for 55 years and my mum and her 2 sisters and brothers did too, it was the family hub. To me, Coventry is where family is….it will always be special.
bath because that is where i live with my family
The Falkland Islands ! It is the most beautiful place on the planet. I was lucky enough to be stationed there when I was in the Army many years ago and have such fond memories.
Ohh, it would either be Dublin, where I got engaged and becasue I love Ireland so much or New York, as its the No.1 place I want to visit next, and I reckon with that in my office, it would give me a little incentive.
Such cool maps. Do they come in colours? x
So many places I’ve visited and loved. I don’t think I’d ever be able to choose just one. Lovely prize.
It would have seemed odd to do it whilst we were living there but considering Manchester is where we met and started our lives together, that would be perfect for our home now!
New York because it’s a beautiful city that never sleeps.
I’d pick Glasgow as it’s my boyfriends home city 💗
I’d choose Lanner in Cornwall where I grew up
These are beautiful, I think I would choose Richmond in N Yorkshire, my husbands home town
i would choose las vegas as thats where we got married
North Yorkshire as it’s where my daughter has bought her first home
Devon as it’s where I was born & Lancashire as it’s where I live now and most of my grandchildren have been born
I would choose Thailand to commerate our vacation in Thailand.
Naarden, in the Netherlands! It’s beautiful old town ringed by a star-shaped fortification that would look lovely on one of these maps. The same company also lets you make free backgrounds for your phone with their map generator.
my local area where I,m from and stay outer Hebrides
It really is hard to believe that we are half way through April already. After months of snow in the UK we had two hot days that were more like July, and now back to our miserable weather again, I would love a lake District map, as it’s where I grew up.
Mine would concentrate on Tenby, Pembrokeshire, because it’s my favourite place in the world!
I might choose a region of France where I lived for a while.
I’d love one of Santa Monica, California. The place I was born many moons ago. I also do love a good map so thank you very much.
I would choose a map of San Juan County, WA. We have a family cabin on the water just south of Lime Kiln Point. It’s my most favorite place in the whole wide world.
Spalding, Lincolnshire as that’s where I’m from
Long Beach California because that is where I am from.
Or Zacatecas Mexico because that is where my mom is from.
Thank you!
I would choose Shropshire because that is where I live.
What a superb idea. Just had a play with the website and it is indeed very customisable. Certainly food for thought, for some future original gift ideas.
Would like my hometown of Chesterfield
To the South of France where I was born and have wonderful memories.
There are several place s I would like to get a map for, including one of cajun country,Louisiana, my ancestral home.
These are absolutely beautiful – so simple and elegant. I was tempted at first to choose Tokyo where I spent a fantastic few years as a youngster – it is such an interesting and vibrant place. But then on reflection, I decided I would do almost the exact opposite and choose one featuring the west of Ireland for my dad. Our family is from there and it is a reminder not only of our roots, but also a reminder that things can be simpler. When we return, we always note that time seems to pass more slowly there and people aren’t stressed or in a rush. Also, the coastline is incredibly beautiful so it would look stunning in black and white. Good luck everyone!
I would love a Liverpool map – as that is where I met my husband and where we now live . Thanks for the chance to win such a lovey prize x fingers crossed x
What an jnteresting idea, with a 50 th wedding anniversary coming up there’s all sorts of memories to map. I think I’ll start with a first date in Southampton.
My home town on Newcastle Upon Tyne x