(NC) -- Instead of sticking photographs at random onto the pages of an album – or forgetting what images you have at the back of your computer – now you can produce a beautiful hard-back book to last for centuries. With both Mother's Day and Father's Day just around the corner, this gift idea could make their eyes pop.

“The accessibility of certain digital tools today means you don't need to land an expensive publisher anymore to produce a professional quality book,” says Eileen Gittins, the president and founder of Blurb.ca, a leader in online publishing services. “Our website provides the templates free of charge, and for anyone with a few desktop publishing skills, the end result can be quite stunning.”

Your parents, for example, will see their old photos come alive with a glamorous quality – perhaps starting with a full-sized one of them on the front cover – and even the resolution of antique photos can be beautifully revived. Inside, on page after page, it will be a thrill for them to see one big slice of their lives recorded into perpetuity, especially since everyone photographed will look like a star. Anyone who picks the book up from your coffee table will think it was purchased from a book store.

Begin with a theme like a milestone birthday, a wedding, an anniversary party, or a once-in-a-lifetime vacation trip. A sure bet is a photobook that showcases children, or grandchildren, the family pets, or even your mother's own special recipes. Add captions, anecdotes, paragraphs, or full chapters of their valued recollections. Or, help them write a full memoir, with lots of photos, mementos, and illustrations to create a priceless heirloom in your family for centuries to come.

The only expense is the printing and delivery, which is in the range of $40 to $80 per book depending on the paper-quality decisions – and e-books are just a fraction of that cost.

If you run into any technical difficulties, the website (blurb.ca) assists with tutorials and tips – and if you would like a professional touch with writing and editing (writer4yourbook.com) or with an experienced book designer (rossignoldesign.com) you can cut your work in half.

Jane Stokes is a freelance writer, editor, and author living in Richmond Hill, Ontario.