Pixtus - Photography Forum, Photographers, Photo Tips

Abel · **Christmas Card Designs -** 12-13-2004, 02:51 PM

So who's making their own Christmas Cards this year?

Lisa and I have decided to shoot some photos tonight so that I can send them off to be printed tomorrow. Ill let you guys know how they turn out...

Anyone have any tips or pointers worth mentioning?

Steelsun · 12-13-2004, 04:27 PM

Dawn (the wife) and I also did some cards.

We used this pic taken in Yellowstone early this year: http://www.uebelhart.net/index.php?p=65

What we did was get 100 4x6 prints made (we used Sam's for about 18 cents a print), then bought the greeting card printing kit at Sam's also (about $15 for 150 folding cards and envelopes).

We used our printers to print a short message inside each card (basically "Peace ......" and a short picture description in the lower corner (Picture Taken in Yellowstone, 2004).

Also used the printer to do the return address on each envelope.

Then we got a scrapbooker's glue pen and glued the image to the outside front fold of each card, signed them, hand addressed the envelopes, and voila: done.

Average cost per card was about 33 cents (not including our labor time).

So far they have been well received.

Next year I plan on making sets of 20 with various images to sell. I already have some orders for similar cards to be made for someone that wants to use them as general cards (so no message needs to be printed).

Abel · 12-13-2004, 04:33 PM

thanks a ton Brian!

that is great info on the card kits from sams... i was wondering where i should start to look for card envelopes etc..

thanks, that info really helps me out...

Steelsun · 12-13-2004, 04:36 PM

We also went by Texas Art Supply yesterday to look at some cards & envelopes. Great selection, but alot more pricey.

Best bang for the buck, if you don't mind white, is the Sam's one. In fact we bought a second box Saturday.

Mongo · 12-13-2004, 05:53 PM

Yeah, thanks for that info. We took a bunch of pictures of the kids yesterday to use in our Christmas cards this year. We'll be hitting Walmart for the prints too since we dont have time to get them from my normal online printing place.

lucian · 12-13-2004, 08:05 PM

My wife and I took the dogs to our Paseo Saturday night. The Paseo is decorated with lights over at least one acre.

Well it didn't turn out quite as I had hoped but I did manage to get one good exposure of us. I set up the E-20 and used the remote. Works well when you point the right end at the camera. So we missed some good shots with the dogs. Their cooperation was very limited considering they wanted to be out and about with all the kids who were there.

Then I designed the card using a shot of some Christmas wrapping paper and then made a cut out and put us in it. I dropped the disk off at Wal-Mart tonight.

I'll have a bunch of 4x6's printed. That way they fit in the family albums and we'll write a Christmas letter to go along with it.

Abel · 12-13-2004, 10:09 PM

very cool..

just took this photo like 20 minutes ago... lemme know what you think.

Gimme some criticism on the fonts, text, wording etc etc i need some creative advice...

lord knows it took me long enough to get a good photo!

gonna get them printed 4"x8"

Steelsun · 12-13-2004, 11:18 PM

Pretty Cool!

Abel · 12-14-2004, 08:36 PM

would a 5x7 photo fit on those cards you guys bought?

im gonna have to get this printed locally as well so i will prolly get those envelopes (kit) as well..

thanks

Steelsun · 12-14-2004, 09:19 PM

4 x 6 gave about an inch of card border all around, so a 5x7 should fit too. Only big change would be you would have to be more careful with centering them, as any deviance would be more evident.

As an aside: I hit Sam's again today. After 2 days of trying to get through to WHCC for some prints (8 8x10's for xmas gifts), I gae up and uploaded them to Sam's for 1 hour processing (same fee as 2-3 day), about $1.80 each. When I went to pick them up, it was a madhouse: Must have been 6-10 people there ordering the xmas cards/postcards and the same number picking up. Wow.

Colors on the pics came out okay, but even though I had set the images up to exact dimensioning, they still cropped out some shots and I don't like how 2 ended up cropped.

Hopefully WHCC will get on the ball and I can finally try them.

Also an FYI: Some "99cents Only" store are selling woden 8x10 frames that are pretty cool. They have sort of a wavy pattern on the two long sides and have a "barn paint" appearance in either Blue, Green or Red. Pretty cool to be able to give someone a Framed 8x10 for about $3.

markperez · 12-14-2004, 11:22 PM

My advice is have lisa in the pictures and you stay behind the cam.

Just kidding I know i don't know you but I just like to kid around.

Abel · 12-15-2004, 07:18 AM

trust me... thats not the first 'stay BEHIND the camera' comment i have gotten... hehe

no biggie. :)

i sent the file of to costco last night and it should be ready by noon today. ill see how it come out and if i like it, then ill run off about 50 later tonight...