How To Take Your Own Holiday Card Photos

Photo greeting cards are a popular choice when it comes to sending holiday cards in the mail.  They tend to be a less expensive option, and there are no shortage of styles from which to choose!  Traditional, modern, whimsical, colorful… there’s something for everyone!  More than the design, what makes a really good photo greeting card?  We think it is the quality of the photograph you place on the card! We also tend to think less photos can be a stronger statement than cramming a bunch of photos into a small card. That is, only if you have a really great photo! 

 

Many people choose to hire professional photographers to capture the whole family.  While we do love a good professional photo shoot, it isn’t always budget friendly and sometimes it can be hard to schedule! 

 

How can you get a winning photo to use without hiring a professional?  We have a few ideas for you!   These are general tips that you can use with just your Smart Phone.  

 

Find a friend, neighbor (or go completely DIY) 

First things, first. Ask your neighbor, friend, or neighborhood babysitter to come over and take some family photos.  You’ll need 15-20 minutes of their time. If you are unable to get someone, iPhone has a countdown timer that you can set.  You can get an inexpensive tri-pod that holds an iPhone or Smart Phone on Amazon, too! 

 

Plan your outfits 

While matching outfits can make for a great photo, we tend to prefer coordinating colors and even throwing in patterns to give a cohesive but not corny look.  Choose a color combination, such as khaki and blue, and look for shirts and pants within that. Jeans is always also a classic look.  Another idea? Dress everyone in holiday pajamas! 

 

Plan your setting 

In almost all cases, photos taken with natural light is preferred.  We recommend shooting in the evening, right before sunset and never shooting during the height of the sun. (Avoid the hours of 10 am – 4 pm).   We love the idea of shooting photos around the Christmas tree at night, too.  Turn off overhead lights, don’t use a flash, and just use the light of the tree!  You could also prepare hot chocolate and have everyone sitting around the table talking.  Sometimes the most natural settings and actions can produce the most authentic photos. 

 

Know Your Phone 

Some basic advice but make sure to have your phone charged.  Shoot in the right camera “mode.”  For iPhone, use the live setting so that you can work around closed eyes and funny expressions when editing.  Try several using the portrait mode.  Your exposure (amount of light that the shutter lets in) can be adjusted.  On your iPhone at the top, you can adjust the exposure to let more light in if it’s dark.  

 

Edit or Not Edit 

With high-quality cameras in our pockets and a plethora of online editing tools at our disposal, it is very easy to get a high-quality result.  If you need to edit after the shoot, try Adobe Lightroom to brighten your photos. Remember that is almost always easier to make a photo brighter, you ca not easily make a bright photo darker (hence why it is best to avoid very sunny photo shoots).   

 

In these apps, you can adjust the light and add filters that suit the mood.  (We tend to shy away from the over-filtered look).   Other photo editing apps to try are Snapseed, VSCO, Pixlr, and Afterlight.   

 

 

With these simple tips, you are sure to have a great holiday photo to use for your holiday photo greeting cards! The hardest part will be choosing which card to use. Here are some of our recent favorites.  

 

This Beloved Season Foil Pressed card has real foil and has the option for different die-cut shapes. A simple and festive message, this card has room for just one perfect photo! 

 

 

We also really like these “Fa La La” whimsical greeting cards that feature a full photo. They are available in 130 lb or 260 lb weight. 

 

This card has an abstract “Merry” message that helps feature the photo that you choose. 

 - This card is also available with two paper weights. 

 

 

 

Finally, we have so many holiday photo mount card options – many with “create-your-own” features allowing you to specify the foil accent color as well as various background and trim colors.

 

One of our all-time favorites! 

 

 

You can see more here! 

 

We can’t wait to start seeing your photos and holiday card orders stream in!  Remember, we can help you design something that perfectly complements your photo!

 

The Art of Crane

The holiday season is around the corner and those that get ahead will get to enjoy the festive time without the stress.  Are you starting your holiday card search? Ordering your holiday cards early will certainly put you ahead!  Our luxe holiday cards by Crane are currently on sale. Now is a great time to order! 

Stationery and holiday cards by Crane are a go-to for stationery lovers. What makes Crane so special? We’ve dug a little deeper. Here’s why: 

 

The history is rich. 

The history of Crane is over 250 years in the making! That’s right. 250!  In 1770, entrepreneur Stephen Crane founded the business and purchased the Liberty Paper Mill. Paul Revere was one of its earliest customers and Crane printed the American Colonies' first paper money. It’s evolved over time but has remained deeply rooted in tradition. The Queen famously used Crane Stationery! 

 

The secret is in the printing. Not necessarily the paper. 

People often mistake Crane being known for incredible paper, but we feel the true magic is in the printing process. (Don’t get us wrong, their high quality paper made from cotton feels luxe in your hands, but other manufacturers do tend to have heavier papers. It’s not just about the paper in our eyes - it's more about the meticulous craftsmanship which really stands out in the printing!)   

 

Crane’s multiple printing processes allow for cards to really stand out from the crowd. Some of their cards when examined closely are truly exquisite. Many of Crane’s cards are a composite of multiple printing techniques, and some of the most artful printing methods that exist.  Your Crane card may have engraving, thermography, letterpress, embossing, foil stamping, or digital printed. It may be a combination of several of these techniques! 

 

Here's a closer look at the possible techniques: 

 

• Engraving:  Truly an art-form, an engraved design is highly detailed and executed by a professional. This professional engraver carefully etches the design and/or text into a copper plate, known as a die. Ink is applied to the die and then the paper is delicately and precisely pressed between the die and a handcrafted counter to yield a beautifully detailed and raised imprint. The raised ink design is often intricate and you can typically see delicate indentation of the text and graphics on the reverse side of the cardstock. Engraving is especially beautiful with metallic inks like silver and gold. 
• Thermography: Less expensive and faster than engraving, thermography somewhat mimics the look of engraving, although the ink is typically has a slight sheen. Thermography uses a polymer plate to transfer ink to the top of a paper. Then a resinous powder is added to the wet ink. Lastly, heat is applied activating the powder which results in a beautiful raised ink.
• Letterpress: Developed in the 15th century, this process is labor and time intensive. Prints are made one at a time with each print having its own variation. Details and type are set in reverse on a plate - so really the opposite of engraving.  Plates are inked and pressed into paper, usually through a printing press. Your text and designs will look indented into the paper - which is traditionally a cotton letterpress stock. Crane's Lettra paper is not only used by Crane but by many, many other printers in the industry. The soft fibers make it a perfect medium to absorb the inks during letterpress printing.
• Blind Embossing: The process is like engraving because a raised image is produced using a copper plate, but no ink is used leaving a more understated and classy impression.
• Digital Printing: Practical and cost effective, digital printing is a form of flat printing. There are no raised letters or plates. Ink is “sprayed” onto the paper rather than imprinting it. If you are having Crane print your family photo onto your holiday photo card, that photo will be digitally printed. While many printers offer digital printing these days, the combination of Crane's state-of-the-art printers and beautiful smooth, bright papers makes for a dazzling result.

 

Want to see an example? Take this Crane holiday greeting card, "Merry Ornaments." This card uses engraving and embossing on the cover and thermography printing on the inside. Look up close at the beautiful details! 

 

Here’s another example of this beautiful combination of printing in "Surprise Snowstorm Holiday Greeting Cards." The bronzed and silver engraved with blind embossing winter scene depicting deer in the woods is a perfect holiday greeting. 

This intricate Crane holiday greeting card, “White Christmas Church” has exquisite detail. Intricately engraved and embossed, your holiday greeting can be printed inside with thermography printing to give it a personalized touch. 

Aren't they beautiful? We have clients that frame their Crane holiday greeting cards each year - they are truly works of art!

We so appreciate the time and attention to detail that is used to produce these cards and hope you can, too. Seeing them in person really makes one say "wow!" Get your orders in soon so that you can take advantage of our sale - and get your cards in time for the holidays. As always, Debbie is available to help you design your one-of-a-kind masterpiece. Feel free to reach out for help!

2021 "Best of" Awards

Roll out the red carpet and bring on the trophy statues! It’s time for our first annual “best of” awards here at More Than Paper.  We offer tens of thousands of products in stationery and gifts, so combing through what we have to offer and casting a vote was no easy task. We’ve created some likely and also unlikely awards to recognize products that are outstanding in a specific category. Are you ready? Drum roll, please…
 
And the award for……. 
 
1.      “Most Customizable Traditional Photo Mount Card” goes to:  Inline Beaded Border With Foil Holiday Photo Mount Cards.
This is a classy and customizable card -- what more could you ask for?  Gone are the days where you searched for a card to match your photo.  Now you can customize your card around your photo.  This Inline Beaded Border with Foil Holiday Photo Mount Cards is this perfect card to make your own this holiday season. Customize everything from the borders and foil colors to the message you want to be displayed. 

 
2.     “Most Classic Photo Mount Card” goes to the Navy and Gold Border Holiday Photo Mount Cards.
Nothing says class and elegance like the Navy and Gold Border Holiday Photo Mount Card by Crane. With its gold foil, embossed details and rich navy cover, these traditional photo mount cards allow you to choose from placing your picture of choice either vertically or horizontally. You get to customize the message and the ink color for the inside imprint, too. Envelope linings in satin gold offer a nice touch.

 
3.     “Best Scrapbook-Like Photo Card” goes to Chalkboard Taped Snapshots Digital Holiday Photo Cards
For a crafty DIY look for your holiday cards that are a touch whimsical, check out our Chalkboard Taped Snapshots Digital Holiday Photo Cards by Take Note Designs! These scrapbook-esque cards allow you to customize both the inside and the outside of the card. The washi tape motif adds a fun flair to the design and you can have up to 5 photos.  It is perfect for showing off your favorite 2021 photos! 

 
4.     “Best Unique Shaped Digital Photo Card” goes to Arch Shape Holiday Digital Photo Cards.
What’s one way to make your holiday photo cards stand out from the rest? The answer is simple; get creative with the shape of the card! These holiday photo cards stand out from the crowd with their beautiful arched shape. To finish the perfect holiday card, all that’s left to customize (after picking the perfect photo for us to print!) is your message and choice of ink color and typestyles!

 
5.     “Best Full Bleed Holiday Digital Photo Card"  goes to Aaron Happy Holiday Foil Digital Holiday Photo Cards
When you have that one perfect photo, this card is all that you need.  A “full bleed” photo simply means the printing of the photo goes all the way to the edges and really maximizes the space for the photo.  Bonus! These cards were made for customizing! Customization options include your foil for the imprint, an optional back pattern, optional colored envelopes, and optional envelope linings. We also love the beautiful rounded edges. 

 
6.     Most Popular Charitable Card goes to Celebration Tree Holiday Cards
It’s no secret that the holidays are a time for giving and receiving. So, what if we told you that you could give back with the purchase of a beautiful holiday card? Good Cause Greetings donates 10% of each sale to the organization of your choice to help eliminate hunger, provide education, housing, medical care, and environmental assistance to people and animals around the world. We love this one! 

 
7.     Most Popular Interfaith Card goes to Pandemic Parody Interfaith Holiday Cards
The holidays should be celebrated regardless of whatever faith you practice. That’s why the Pandemic Paraody Interfaith Holiday Card is the perfect way to wish everyone a happy holiday season this year! Depicting Santa and a Rabbi having a glass of wine together while wearing masks just adds a funny twist on our current reality. 

 
8.     Most Popular Stick Figure Card goes to Mixed 9 Interfaith Holiday Cards

Didn’t have time to take a family photo for the holiday cards this year? Don’t worry; Pen at Hand has got you covered! This card allows you total customization of the stick figures’ features depicted on the card! This card is available either as a flat card or a folded note upon specification. This is a great way to get personal without having to organize your photo for your cards. 

 
9.     Prettiest Digital Photo Card with Foil goes to Joyful Leaf Digital Holiday Photo Cards

What’s the only thing better than a holiday photo card? The answer; a holiday photo card with foil! The best part, you get to choose the foil color from our wide assortment of color options. Don’t forget; you can customize your text to fit your holiday aesthetic! Foil has never been more popular than it is this season. 

 
10.   Best Recipe Card goes to Icing on the Cookie Holiday Greeting Cards
This card really stands out from the crowd as something different. We love the Icing on the Cookie Holiday Greeting Cards from Another Creation by Michele Pulver! These cards feature an adorable illustration of a sugar cookie recipe on the outside of the card and a step-by-step guide to making these cookies on the inside. Talk about unique! 

 
11.   Most Art Deco Hannukah Card goes to The Papercut Menorah Chanukah Cards

Want to wish your loved ones a Happy Chanukah in the most stylish way possible? If so, there’s no better way to do it than with the chic Papercut Menorah Chanukah Card!  The folded ivory color card features a colorful menorah and the greeting, Happy Chanukah! 

 
12.   Best Watercolor Holiday Greeting Card
We just love this Watercolor Pinecone Bouquet Holiday Greeting Card. Perfect for family & friends or corporate clients. Simple and elegant – and you get to select from the greetings shown or create your own.

 
There you have it! The awards have been handed out!  Did we miss any of your favorites? Be sure to let us know in the comments and check out our Facebook / Instagram for more featured cards. 

Order Your Gifts Early

Between the global pandemic, the election and its aftermath, the vaccine release and controversy over mask mandates, the world has been in constant turmoil since March of 2020.  We have all had to deal with cancelled holidays and activities, virtual school, work-from-home juggling, social distancing, and a new way of life. 

It’s not only people who have had major disruption.  The way our goods are made and shipped, and how those goods get delivered to us, are also in turmoil.  Global manufacturers have had to make massive adjustments to keep up with these everchanging demands and headlines. Labor shortages, issues in the supply chain, higher eCommerce demands, and transportation shortages have wreaked havoc on what’s available and how we shop.

  
As a result of all of this disruption, the holiday season is expected to be difficult when it comes to shopping. Sharing this news isn’t a PR tactic to drive holiday sales.  This is rooted in fact and widely reported!  What’s going on? 

1.     First -- many goods just weren’t being made for a while. Factories closed and production stopped.  While much is back up and running, it will still take time for things to get back to normal. 

2.     Second – labor shortages are real.  Whether workers are being compensated more while receiving unemployment and pandemic benefits and therefore, not coming to work, or workers have COVID or have been in close contact with someone who has COVID, the labor shortage isn’t fake news. There simply aren’t enough people to do all the work! 

3.     Third – ships are stuck!  Carriers coming from overseas are lined up waiting to dock and unload but there is a tremendous backlog.  There are simply too many ships! Further, when the ships are able to dock, there are not enough people to unload. Add a shortage of drivers to transport the goods and what a mess. 

So what does this mean for holiday shopping?  It means with the constant labor shortage and supply chain interruption,  it may take much longer to get to you and your family this holiday season – or items may become out of stock very early in the season (we are already seeing this happen now).  How can you get ahead of things and ensure a smooth holiday season?  Here are four tips! 

1.      Organize your list now. 
Do you have a good idea of what your family and friends want for the holidays? Start thinking about it now and make your list early.  
 
2.     Don’t wait for better sales. 
This year looks different. Stores are having holiday deals well before the holiday season begins this year and it won’t benefit you to wait. Prices are not expected to drop before the holidays, but are actually expected to rise (that whole supply and demand thing from economics!). Some large retailers have already indicated that they will not be having Black Friday sales as is tradition.  Keep an eye out for early sales and take advantage! 
 
3.     Order Early 
As if it wasn’t already evident, our advice is to shop early for things you really want or need.  When you’re organized about what you are buying and you are following our tips #1 and #2, this should be easy!  
 
4.     Stay Calm
Prepare for gifts to arrive late and just go with it.  If COVID has taught us anything, it’s instilled in us that we have to “go with the flow” and adjust.  Cut yourself and loved ones some slack.  This might not be the perfect holiday season but focus on what is really important – your family, friends, and health.  Prioritize people over things and you’ll have the best and most meaningful experience of all. 
 
Still not convinced it’s going to be a rocky holiday gift-giving and receiving season?  Don’t just take our word for it.  Google: “Why it’s important to shop early this Christmas” and see what you find.  We are here to make your holidays a little easier.  Feel free to reach out for holiday card assistance or gift assistance, too. 

 

 

Tips for your Holiday Card Photo

Judging from the volume of holiday card orders that we have already received by mid-October, it’s our estimate that people are thinking about their holiday correspondence earlier than ever before.  Be it all the extra time at home or that people are just anxious to put the year behind them, there is no sign that the trend of mailing friends and family a card during December is slowing down. We wrote a helpful post in 2013 about tips for taking the perfect holiday card photo. Some good ones but certainly much has changed in seven years. We’re back today with a much updated 2020 version on how to take the best holiday card photo.

Tip 1:  Try a filter (within reason)

With the rise of Instagram and photo apps, plus the immense progress that camera phones have made, it’s pretty easy now to take a really good photo.  Professional photographers still have a place of course, but if you’re on a budget, it’s easy to find resources at home.  We recommend though, that you don’t go too wild with photo filters.  Ultimately, you want it to look natural and not overprocessed.  Try these top photo filter apps if you are a newbie here.  We love the ability to pump up colors, fix blemishes, add natural light, and more!    

• -       Instagram
• -        Tezza
• -        Snapseed
• -        Vsco
• -        A Color Story
• -        Afterlight
• -        Adobe Lightroom

-        Also, consider buying presets for your Adobe Lightroom Mobile App. We love Light & Air Photographers beautiful aesthetic. Their collection of presets is available to install into to the app and make it so easy to find your look.  PRO TIP: Make sure that the application and filter that you use doesn't distort the resolution of your photo.  You will still need a high res photo to use with your photo cards. 

Tip 2: Get by with a little help from your friends

Sure, there are lots of selfie sticks and camera tripods available these days (even phone timers!), but see if you can get a good friend or neighbor to help take some photos of you and your family.  Best to get someone with a good personality and even someone who can make you laugh.  Try to avoid directly staring at the camera and posing with cheesy, canned smiles.  How do you do that?  Be natural. Have your “photographer” friend talk to you, ask questions, tell funny stories, interact with each other, all while the photographer is snapping away.  We find that some of the best photos are ones that capture a moment.  Ideas to try:

-        Have everyone play a game of telephone – whisper something in each person’s ear and the last person has to say it.  This can get silly with little ones.  It usually produces a natural laugh when it comes out!  

-        We know a professional photographer that tells fart jokes nearly the entire session.  Okay, it’s not the classiest moment, but you know what gets little boys to laugh?  Fart jokes.  We’re going to bet Dad smiles, too.

-        Jump and move around.  Sometimes the action shots turn out the best.

-        HAVE FUN.

 

Tip 3:  Take a lot of photos.

Does this go without saying?  Probably.  You’ll need to get dozens to find one that is “perfect.”  From people closing their eyes to you being picky about your hair… there are never enough options from which to choose.  We also suggest mixing up your location.   Take several by the trees, some on the front step, some by the back of the house against a pretty wood or brick background (we do recommend them all being outside!)   Get options, options, options.   We don’t think you can have enough.

 

Tip 4:  Don’t sweat it too much. 

Ultimately, you are sending these cards to your family and friends who love you and want to see YOU. Does it matter if everyone is matching and your lipstick is perfect to those people?  Ask yourself for what reason are you really sending the cards.  This isn’t a marketing campaign but an expression of connecting and staying in touch.  Show the real you. All too often people lose that perspective.   Keep it real. And given the 2020 we have all had, really anything goes – your family and friends will just be happy to see you!

 

More Than Paper is so pleased to help continue the tradition of sending holiday cards this time of year. We’re proud to have clients return year after year and see their children grow.  We’ve recently added a lot of letterpress photo mount cards.  Some of our new favorites are show below.  Do you like any of these?

When do you plan on ordering your holiday cards? Take advantage of early bird specials and get ahead this year. We look forward to helping you!

Unique Holiday Greeting Cards

Every holiday season, there seems to be a struggle to stand out when sending your holiday cards. Sometimes they all run together, and they all look the same (maybe they are the same!)  If you really want to try something different -- and we mean truly different -- More Than Paper has some great ideas here for you today. These are non-traditional holiday cards that will really knock your socks off!

One trend we are seeing is to go totally out of the box and consider a jigsaw puzzle card or even a crossword puzzle style card. This "connect the dots" card is also really fun and different. 

Still not different enough? We also love the hanging snowman/snowflake.  The card opens up to a beautifully cut snowflake that the recipient can hang. Your card doubles as their decoration!  Try a card with reindeer glasses, too! Little recipients will love wearing them.  We even have a 3-D glasses card that's great for sending along New Year's wishes! 

We adore this lotto ticket card!  It is interactive (your family and friends get to scratch off your wishes!) and would go well if you want to include a holiday gift of real lottery tickets to friends and family as well!  For our personal favorite, we just can't get enough of the card shaped as a cup, with an hot cocoa mix inside. (Yes, that's real hot cocoa!)  

So if you are tired of the same old - same old, look no further than these options! You are sure to stand out from the crowd.  Hop on over to shop holiday cards now at More Than Paper.

Hiring a Professional Photographer

You should be proud of yourself! No more bad Santa-selfie or "just-a minute-too-soon" timed photos. Not this year. You finally came to your senses and decided to hire a professional photographer for your holiday cards. And maybe this year you'll even get to ordering your holiday cards before Thanksgiving! More Than Paper is here today with a few tips on how to hire a professional photographer and great ideas for your holiday cards this 2014. 

A professional can take your ideas and turn them into a photograph that you'll not only want to see on a card, but also your friends and families will enjoy and treasure.  Now you have to decide what you want and who will do it.

First, think about the subject. Are you featuring a new child, your family members, a new pet, or new home?  Then, consider what you want to convey: a joyful greeting, heart-warming emotion, or friendly communication?  Or are you aiming for all-out laughs. Try to suit your personality. Or, for fun, do something completely out of character. Once you zero in on the subjects and sentiment, think about the type of photograph you like: candid or posed; formal or casual; natural outdoor setting, inside your home, or in the studio?  Color, black and white, or sepia? Digital or film? Props, costumes, color-coordinated outfits, or really ridiculous holiday sweaters? The photographer can also help you make these decisions and steer you toward a memorable result.

                                              

Set your budget and start looking for photographers who do the kind of work you like. As usual, ask friends or family members for recommendations, but do check out the photographer's work yourself. Look at an online or physical portfolio, meet them in person, and ask about the number of images, prices, and packages (there will be a big difference in both the quality and cost of your cards if the photographer handles the printing versus creating the cards yourself).  Also ask if you can have, or purchase, the digital image for other uses, such as a home portrait or for gifts. Check that the contract reflects this information.

Remember to ask how much time will be allowed.  This is a busy time for photographers, but you don't want to be rushed in the photo session -- or when sending out your cards. Book your session as soon as possible and confirm the appointment shortly beforehand. Then relax, revel in the season, and smile!

Here are some of our favorites at More Than Paper! 

Be sure to shop our digital holiday card collection with hundreds of new styles by clicking here! 

For the love of chalkboard

Every holiday season, More Than Paper notices several trends in greeting cards and other stationery products.  This week, we are sharing two of those trends here on our blog.  Up first is the Chalkboard Trend!  With a variety of great chalkboard fonts, backgrounds, hand drawn details, and beautiful flourishes, designers everywhere are on board with this trend.   

Find these chalkboard styles here: 

1. Handscripted Chalkboard We Wish You Holiday Card by Stacy Claire Boyd
2. Warm Wishes Holiday Card by Checkerboard
3. Square Address Label by Take Note Designs 

4. Center Initial Address Label by Stacy Claire Boyd  5. Chalkboard Address Label by Bonnie Marcus
6. Merry & Bright Holiday Card by Take Note Designs

If you have fallen in love with the chalkboard style like we have, check out our enormous selection of photo greeting cards at More Than Paper!   Select matching address label stickers to coordinate with your cards and make addressing easy (they double as envelope seals too!).  While we know you want to stay on trend, we also know you don't want to have the same card everyone else has which is why More Than Paper adds hundreds of new products and designs, so there is quite a variety from which to choose. 

Have you seen Nest of Posies FREE CHALKBOARD PRINTABLES for the holidays?  

Nest of Posies FREE PRINTABLE - Click here to visit Nest of Posies and DOWNLOAD

Which is your favorite? 

Nest of Posies FREE PRINTABLE - Click here to visit Nest of Posies and DOWNLOAD

Tell us what you think of this chalkboard trend here today! And check back with us on Friday when we unveil the second trend this year in stationery.... can you guess what it is? 

Whitney English for Boatman Geller

More Than Paper is pleased to announce that after a two year hiatus, the talented Whitney English is back with designs for Boatman Geller.  This designer, entrepreneur, and stationer captivated us long ago and we are so happy she is back with new designs for the season!  A talented professional, mother and wife, we admire her work in the stationery industry and her seeming ability to do it all.  (Though we just SO appreciated how she kept it real here.) 

Here's a peek at a few of our favorite holiday cards from this collection!  Our prices reflect a 30% discount from retail, so we think our prices can't be beat!   This Air Mail Olive one caught our eye. 



We think this framed holly design is unlike others we have seen anywhere! 



We adore this whimsical "Merry Happy" card.  Who doesn't love gold polka dots? 



It doesn't get any classier than this one with the gold holly.   This is a timeless card that will never go out of style. 




And if chevron is your thing, Whitney has tastefully captured the trend here with this Black Holly Chevron digital card. 



There is a style for everyone!  

We are so happy to have Whitney English back on our site and have her digital holiday cards at More Than Paper!     Before you order, be sure to check out our post on how to take the perfect holiday card photo this year here.   We think 30% off retail is pretty special too! 

Holiday Photo Card Sale

The month of December is usually an exciting time to go to your mailbox.  Amidst all of the bills and junk mail, there are a slew of holiday cards from family and friends.  Usually the best ones received are photo cards!

Though it seems early to start thinking about Christmas and winter holidays, with a little advanced planning you can save big on your annual photo greeting cards.   Holiday Cards by Boatman Geller are currently 60% off* at More Than Paper, and we have 4 great tips for taking the perfect holiday photo for your cards!

 

 

Shop all of the Boatman Geller holiday card designs here!

* Letterpress Holiday Photo cards are not included in the sale

When you have the design all picked out, it’s time to take the perfect family photo (or photos, depending on the design of the card you like!)  Here a four ways to get a great holiday photo card:

1. Choose an interesting location like a park, the beach, riverfront or garden.  The background shouldn’t dominate the picture.  No beach?  Set up a station in your house and take photos against a shower curtain, soft linen, or hang a roll of kraft paper.   Consider your garage or side of your house as a backdrop if it’s wooden or has interesting architectural detail. 
2. Think about a clothing “scheme.”   Clothes do not have to match but consider coordinating colors.  Generally patterns do not photograph well, so keep attire limited to solids when possible.
3. Use a tripod and camera with a self timer, or enlist the help of a neighbor or friend.   If you don’t have a tripod, you can stack books on a chair or step stool.   Take a few practice shots then assemble the group.
4. Compose the picture.   Think about arranging people from tallest to shortest, or placing the tallest people on the outside and the shortest in the middle (or vice versa).   A popular composition includes placing the mother and father in the middle, and the kids around the parents.  Be sure to “lean in” to each other to avoid gaps between people.   The closer the better! 

Last year, there was quite a trend of families using props (think mustaches, wigs, sunglasses & more) and people holding chalkboard signs to showcase their greeting.   

Photo by Natalie, on this awesome blog!

Whatever your style is, be sure to follow these tips for great holiday cards and shop now to receive 60% off your Boatman Geller holiday photo cards!  Hurry, this ends 9/12/13 so shop all the cards now.