Using your photos for Christmas cards?

[KarenB]

Does anyone here use their photos for Christmas cards? I am not talking about going into WalMart and having your photo inserted into a postcard type card, but creating a "real" card.

I have Photoshop Elements 5 and I have some pictures I really like. I am not really good with Elements but maybe I can give it a try. Is it possible to use my photos, edit them to be festive, and add a holiday greeting?

Could you post any of your examples? I am far from the level most of you are on this board, but thought I would throw this question out there.

Thanks!
Karen

 

[Suburbanmom]

I've done this before and it's so much fun. I used PSElements to create my design. This year, I'm going to upload my finished design to www.mpix.com and order my cards through them. You can put photos on the front and back and also inside the card. Since I'm creating the whole design first in PSE, I can add whatever greeting I want to as well.

Last year, I used www.vistaprints.com because I had a good discount. I haven't received any good discounts this year, so that's one reason why I'm trying something else. Also, I've used mpix for other projects and the quality has been very good from them.

When I get back to my home pc, I'll post last years Christmas card for you...right now I'm on my laptop, and don't have the images on this hard drive.

 

[DVC Jen]

I just did one for our card this year. I am ordering it from Mpix - the real card not the post card type.

Here is what the front of the card looks like.

 

[Nikel]

That's what we do. I don't have any Christmas ones already in my photobucket, but here are some of the other cards I've sent out for other things:

I order press printed cards from either whcc or diversified.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

We did the postcard thing a few years ago. I don't recall where we ordered them from. Ours were long and had the "Merry Christmas" stuff written beside the photo.

Here's the photo we used:

I think it's the only time we've ever sent out Christmas cards. We usually just send a "Year in Review" slideshow to our relatives and nothing to our friends. Our social graces are somewhat lacking and we're not big on mail. I'd be much more inclined to send a Christmas e-mail in place of cards, but I've been told that's tacky.

 

[Tinkerbellmom33]

I've done it for the last three years. I always do it through Shutterfly. Last year they added photo collages to their choices. It was great!! I used three photos from our vacation. I don't think I can get the picture of the card in this post, but if you go to the site, you'll see what I'm talking about.
I found it easier than printing them myself.

 

[mvazul]

I made Christmas cards for a client last year. (They bought 300 cards!! ) Unfortunately, I don't have a sample on this computer. I will have to see if I can find it. I used Paint Shop Pro X and then used MPix. They came out great.

Good luck and have fun!!

Michelle

 

[Suburbanmom]

I usually try to incorporate a photo of Lake Erie into our Christmas card each year. We don't live there, but our friends know we spend a good deal of the summer there and would probably move if we could.

Here is the front of our card. I photoshopped a few Christmas trees and "wrote" "Merry Christmas" in the sand.

Here is the inside.

Like I said in my post above. I did all the design in PSElements.

 

[DVC Jen]

I usually try to incorporate a photo of Lake Erie into our Christmas card each year. We don't live there, but our friends know we spend a good deal of the summer there and would probably move if we could.

Here is the front of our card. I photoshopped a few Christmas trees and "wrote" "Merry Christmas" in the sand.

Here is the inside.

Like I said in my post above. I did all the design in PSElements.

I like that. Kind of reminds me of the TV commercial from many years ago - where the guy was living in a trailor on the beach and just outside of it was this tall palm tree all decorated with Christmas lights - and you can hear the guy whistling Oh Christmas tree. Loved that commercial - we lived in Southern California when it came out and really hit home for us.

Very creative

 

[Suburbanmom]

I like that. Kind of reminds me of the TV commercial from many years ago - where the guy was living in a trailor on the beach and just outside of it was this tall palm tree all decorated with Christmas lights - and you can hear the guy whistling Oh Christmas tree. Loved that commercial - we lived in Southern California when it came out and really hit home for us.

Very creative

Thanks, Jen! I remember that commercial too. It is a favorite. We've often thought we were dropped in Ohio accidentally and should be living near the water instead.