Creating Fun, Customized Holiday Cards and Mailings

Today in TheMotherhood, social media moms tapped their creativity, sharing a variety of easy, fun ways to make annual holiday mailings to friends and family a little more special this year.

 

A big thanks to PictureItPostage for sponsoring the Talk – use the coupon code MOTHERHOOD to get $4 off an order of custom stamps (before Jan. 31, 2011) at http://pictureitpostage.com/!!  Your purchase will enter you to win a $500 prize!  (See entry rules below.)

 

Read on for some more great ideas to get your creative juices flowing!

 

 

– Get Motivated: Host a homemade brunch or other get-together with friends, and commit to making and addressing all of your cards by the end of the morning.

 

– Use Holiday-Themed Rubber Stamps: This is a quick method for creating homemade cards. Rubber stamps make it easy to do a bunch of cards quickly, and you can coordinate the ink colors to match any paper.

 

– Empty Your Button Drawer: Use buttons to create an easy design, like a triangle Christmas tree in green and red.  Just glue them on cardstock, add a message and send!

 

– Take a Family Photo: Getting the entire family together for a holiday photo can be a challenge, but it’s worth it!  Your friends and family will love to see you and the kids.  Can’t decide which photo to use for the card?  Use one to create custom postage, and another for the card, so you can share both photos.

 

– DIY Photo Cards: Take your own photo, scan the Web for free print offers (such as Winkflash and Kodak), then buy blank cards and envelopes at Michael’s or another inexpensive craft store.  You can simply cut out shapes from holiday scrapbook paper and glue it all together!

 

– Repurpose Recipe Cards: Use a recipe card with a small photo of the kids baking treats printed on it, and write your favorite holiday cookie recipe on the card.  Your friends will be able to use it year after year!

 

– Have Your Kids Sign the Cards: Your little ones’ signatures create instant personalization on store-bought or mass-printed cards … and for younger kids, it’s a great way to have them practice their signatures.

 

– Use Customized Address Labels and Stamps: The holidays don’t have to be limited to the inside of the envelope!  Personalized holiday address labels and stamps add an extra-special touch to your mailings. See below for some fabulous examples of PictureItPostage stamps our bloggers made themselves!

 

– Give the Gift of Postage: Customized stamps (made through PictureItPostage.com), using a photo of your kids, would also make a great gift for grandparents (who tend to not “want anything” or already have everything). They are fun and practical.

 

– Send a Letter with Your Card: One great way to keep far-away friends and family updated on your life is to include a brief “newsletter” about your doings during the year in your holiday card.

 

– Make Ornaments to Use as Cards: You can find bare wood ornaments at craft stores like Michael’s – they’re just flat wooden cutouts in different holiday shapes. Add a picture on one side and a greeting message on the other, and send it as a card and gift all in one.

 

– Get Your Kids Involved: Make holiday cards an art project for your kids.  For example, a white handprint can become Santa’s beard (just add construction paper cut-outs for the hat, eyes, etc). You could also use a child’s thumbprints, in brown paint, to make Santa’s reindeer. Draw reindeer faces on them, and you have a cute, meaningful card.

 

– Recycle the Cards You Receive: Reuse the holiday cards you get in the mail for other crafts, like making a holiday card wreath or hole-punching one corner of a card, putting ribbon through it and hanging it on your tree.

 

 

GREAT LINKS!!

 

PictureItPostage, to create customized postage – even your envelopes can get into the holiday spirit!  http://pictureitpostage.com/

 

How-to video for making easy, handmade holiday cards:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXEp2e3jGHE&feature=related

 

Martha Stewart, the holiday craft guru!   Here’s an example: http://www.marthastewart.com/article/stamped-holiday-cards

 

Kaboose: http://crafts.kaboose.com/holidays/christmas/christmas-cards.html

 

Family Fun: http://familyfun.go.com/christmas/christmas-cards/

 

Etsy: http://www.etsy.com

 

On Etsy, check out TheMotherhood member Grace Hester’s designs!  http://www.etsy.com/shop/gracehesterdesigns?section_id=6101242

 

And TheMotherhood member Joy Charde’s, as well!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/60493829/printable-and-customizable-kawaii

 

 

Another thank you to PictureItPostage and our inspiring blogger co-hosts!!!  Don’t forget to use the coupon code and order your custom postage to spice up your holiday mailings this year!!!

 

– Ellen, Confessions of an Overworked Mom

– Tesa, 2 Wired 2 Tired

– Amy, The Finer Things in Life

– Shannon, Potamus Prefers

– Kim, Crafty Mama of 4

– Aracely, Daytripping Mom

– Julie, The Other Boufs

– Monica, 3 Crazy Monkeys

– Suzanne, Mom Confessionals

– Jo-Lynne, Musings of a Housewife

– Amy, Selfish Mom

– Jessica, The Unemployed Mom

– Kim, Savor the Days

– Melanie, Coupon Goddess

 

 

PictureItPostage Giveaway with themotherhood.com
OFFICIAL RULES
1. PictureItPostage by DYMO Endicia™ is conducting a $500 prize giveaway. All PictureItPostage customers who enter code “MOTHERHOOD” upon checkout for purchases made on PictureItPostage.com from November 17, 2010 through December 15, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time will be entered to win one (1) $500 cash prize giveaway.
2. One (1) winner will be selected at random on December 20, 2010 by PictureItPostage by DYMO Endicia, or DYMO Endicia’s designee. Odds of winning will be determined by the total number of eligible entries received. Winner need not be present at drawing to win. Winner will be notified by phone or mail no later than December 31, 2010. Entry into contest constitutes entrant’s permission for Endicia to contact entrant for sales and marketing purposes.
3. The prize package consists of one (1) $500 cash prize.

4. Contest is open only to PictureItPostage by DYMO Endicia customers who are legal U.S. residents 21 years of age or older except employees of DYMO Endicia, its affiliates, subsidiaries, sales representatives, distributors, or advertising and promotion agencies and the immediate families and household members of each of the above. Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. Void where prohibited by law.
5. No prize substitutions allowed except that DYMO Endicia reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value if an advertised prize becomes unavailable. All taxes on prizes are winner’s responsibility.
Sponsor: PictureItPostage by DYMO Endicia, a Newell Rubbermaid company, Palo Alto, CA

 

 

See the original Talk here: http://tmotherhood.wpengine.com/talk/show/id/62105