I love sending Christmas cards. I love sending cards in general, actually. But there's just something special and magical about Christmas cards. Usually I spend hours picking out my favorite family photo, shopping for photo mounting cards, printing my own pictures, using a paper cutter to make them all perfect, mounting them in the cards, writing a little something, making Joe sign them all with me (hahaha), stamping and addressing them all, and taking them to the post office feeling all warm and cozy and like I am spreading lots of love, peace, joy, and Christmas cheer to everyone on my list. Plus I get a huge creative buzz off the whole thing as well, so there's that too. =)
Last year was the first year I didn't send any Christmas cards. We were preparing to move, we were traveling all around the country visiting family and friends for about 3 months before we left, and it was just too hectic for me to take the time to do all that. I was very disappointed and really missed the whole experience. It has definitely become part of my Christmas traditions that I cherish.
So this year, I decided to cut some corners and use a photo site to make our cards for me. I will miss out on all the hands-on part of it, but seeing as it is already December 3rd (how did this happen!?!) and we live on the other side of the globe as most everyone else on our list, it seemed in the best interest of time to let someone else do the work for me. So I've been shopping around on different photo sites looking for designs I like and who has the best prices.
WELL, did I hit the absolute jackpot this week!!!! I was reading my girlfriend Diane's blog, and I found exactly what I've been looking for! Shutterfly is having some pretty big sales this year, and since I'm already a member of that site, this couldn't be easier! (Though you don't have to be a member of their site to get in on these deals.) Right now you can save up to 30% on cards, and you can get free shipping on orders of $50.00 or more by entering the code SHIP50 at checkout! OR, if you happen to write a little blog about how awesome they are, they'll give you 50 cards for FREE!! I would've written about this anyways, so this was just fantastic news. =) (For details on their blogger promotion, go here: http://blog.shutterfly.com/5358/holiday2010-blog-submission-form/)
They have almost 600 Christmas photo cards (go here: http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-photo-cards) and holiday cards (go here: http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/holiday-cards) to choose from! You can play around and add your own pictures and messages on any design you like, without having to commit to anything. It's such a great way to be sure you're getting exactly what you want. And honestly, it's just really fun. Below are just a few of my favorites - I have about 10 designs that I absolutely adore and I've only gotten up to about 250 out of the 600 designs. There is definitely something here for everyone!
Along with Christmas cards, you can also whip up some great holiday gifts on Shutterfly as well! They have photo calenders (go here: http://www.shutterfly.com/calendars) and tons of other photo gifts (go here: http://www.shutterfly.com/photo-gifts) to choose from! I just finished making a few photo gifts of my own, and I was a recipient of 2 photo calenders last Christmas from my nieces and nephews. They were absolutely fabulous! It was so awesome to have their little smiling faces around, even while we're a world away. =) Shutterfly does some great work. I can't wait to figure out which card design I'm going to use and see the finished product! Oh, and the best part for me - they will stamp and mail all the cards for me for just a smidgen extra. This could not be more convenient. Perfect timing, Shutterfly, just perfect. =)
xoxox
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