Since I was on a roll with yesterday’s post about Christmas cards, I figured I might as well make mention of birth announcements as well!  The details for birth announcements are the same as Christmas cards:  Cards come in 3 different sizes: 5×7, 5×5 and 4×5.5 and are available folded, tri-folded or flat.  They are sold in packages of 24 and include envelopes.  The photos below show in order: the front of the card, the inside (if applicable) and the back.  I do use some templates but try to make each card different so I like to get your input for wording, favorite photos, etc.

These are 5×5 tri-fold cards.  These are probably my most favorite size because they are so different and impressive.  The front is a 5×5 square and when you open it up, there is another 5×5 flap followed by a 5×15 inside spread.  This is a great way to use a lot of photos in a collage as well as have one standout photo in the middle.  As a side note, all square cards require extra postage.

These next 2 designs are 5×5 tri-fold cards as well and then we included an additional 5×5 flat blank card with similar design elements as an insert for a handwritten thank you note.

Here are the individuals shots of the card so you can see them in better detail…The front:

Inside flap:

Inside Spread:

Back:

The thank you insert:

And a 4×5.5 folded card:

And a 5×7 flat card:

And another 5×7 flat card:

A post about Christmas cards in January?  Yep!  I get a lot of questions about Christmas cards in November and December, right when I am busy MAKING the cards and don’t have time to EXPLAIN them!  Hence the Christmas card post in January.  Feel free to file this away for 11 months from now.  🙂

The details:  Cards come in 3 different sizes: 5×7, 5×5 and 4×5.5 and are available folded, tri-folded or flat.  They are sold in packages of 24 and include envelopes.  The photos below show in order: the front of the card, the inside (if applicable) and the back.  I do use some templates but try to make each card different so I like to get your input for wording, favorite photos, etc.  Please feel free to check out my facebook page to view more samples and to see them larger.

First up, the horizontal 5×7 folded card.  When closed, this card measures 5×7.  The inside spread measures 5×14 which makes for a pretty impressive panoramic photo.

Next is the vertical 5×7 folded card.  The dimensions of this one are the same as the horizontal one, it’s just folded differently and again the inside panoramic spread is what really makes this card!

This is also a vertical 5×7 folded card.  They included their Christmas letter as an 5×7 flat card insert inside.  This was a great way to keep the design consistent throughout the card and the letter.

These next three are 5×7 flat cards.  This family chose to do a word collage to summarize the year on the back in lieu of a Christmas letter.

Another flat 5×7 with photos on both the front and back.

And again, another flat 5×7 with photos on both the front and back.

These next four designs are 5×5 tri-fold cards.  These are probably my most favorite size because they are so different and impressive.  The front is a 5×5 square and when you open it up, there is another 5×5 flap followed by a 5×15 inside spread.  This is a great way to use a lot of photos in a collage as well as have one standout photo in the middle.  As a side note, all square cards require extra postage.   

And yep!  It’s our own card from 2010!

These are horizontal 5×5 folded cards.  I love the square size and though it’s not quite as intricate as the 5×5 tri-fold, it’s still a great size.  The front is 5×5 and the inside spread is 5×10.

And our card from 2010!

My FAVORITE card of all time.  On the front, it says “Our photographer moved to Maine” and on the inside it says “But we hope you have a Merry Christmas anyway” followed up with the crying child on the back.  I’ve never been so honored…  🙂

And this is our card from this year!

This is the vertical 5×5 folded card.  Again, the dimensions of this one are the same as the horizontal one, it’s just folded differently.

And the 4×5.5 folded card.

And the 4×5.5 flat card.

Hey party people,

I’m like dust.  No matter how hard you work to be rid of me, I just keep floating back into your life.  So, take 5 seconds out of your day and keep reading, okay?

I just wanted to take this important opportunity, while you all are gathered eagerly around me, and say…

B    O    O    Y    A    H.

My Christmas cards are done.  And they are cool and lovely and slammin’ and all that plus a bag of chips.  See?

Front:

Inside Spread:

Inside Flap:

Back:

Ready to be mailed:

Mailed!

If you are steaming with jealousy, I totally understand.  Because even I’m a wee bit jealous of the Organized Christmas Candace.  She is not someone I have met before.  And I have a feeling she’ll be skipping town shortly.

Don’t fret, the Christmas Card runway is getting shorter but you’ve still got some road to work with.  Let Emily guide you in to a safe landing.  I’ll leave you with that weird analogy and hope that we don’t run into each other at JCPenny and you ask me about it.

Love and candy canes,

Candace

Hello there, Internets.  Emily and her generous heart, have invited me to to take up more bandwidth on her sparkly blog with a second installment of my jibber jabber.  Can you believe it??  So, here I am.  Dust off your Hazmat suits on and enjoy the ride.

Back, when I first forced our friendship, I confessed to you my current Life Fails.  Yes, you know what I mean.  Those delicious Christmas cards that are vital to keeping my epic fronting alive.  I made you a little promise and even though I am fairly unreliable, I followed through like I never could with my golf swing.

Emily roused us for a chilly, pre-work, morning photo shoot, which was a very fancy detour from my tired and uneventful life.  I was concerned briefly that I might not be able to put my friendly face on this early without colossal resistance (and coffee) but Hubs told me I looked hot in my own, runny nose type way, and so that was that.  I should let her work do the talking because, in all honesty, I talk too much for my own good anyway.

Aren’t they nice?  And I don’t even look like I am tore up from the floor up.  Hey, do people even say that anymore?

Anyway, Emily’s going to fashion these pics into something very lovely and I can’t wait to send them off to friends and family.  That way, I can keep my wretchedly stuffy and humdrum days a covert operation for one more year.  But before I bid you a good one, I’ll leave you with these powerful reminders of my awkwardness.  I’m sorry.  I hope we can still be friends.

Love and fist pumps,
Candace