I'm glad you stopped by today to witness this great Christmas miracle. OK, it's not as amazing as the birth of Jesus, but we can still celebrate! What am I talking about? Take a look below:
Those, my friends, are my Christmas cards. Stamped, stuffed, sealed. They went out in yesterday's mail. Why yes, that is a miracle unto itself! But wait, there's more! I want to do something that I avoid doing at all costs to share with you the extent of this miracle: Math.A few months ago, I told you about my love of Scrapblog. You can see that post here, but basically, I discovered that I could design cute things on this digital scrapbooking site and then save them as .jpeg files. These files can then be given to any printer to print as a regular photo.
So, my first step was to design my Christmas card on Scrapblog. Now comes the Math part. Brace yourself.
Printing of 100 (4x6) cards................$14.49
100 (4x6) envelopes (Walmart!)......$8.88
100 stamps...........................................$42.00
TOTAL.......................................$65.37
Isn't this amazing? Originally, I went to Kinko's to print my cards, and they were going to charge me $60 just to print, not to mention I would have had to cut each one out myself, and the clarity of the picture wasn't very good. If I had gone that route, I would have spent over $110 in total and had Lord-knows-how-many paper cuts! Instead, I just sent my .jpeg file to Kodak online, and a few days later, this lovely package came to my door. Great clarity, great color, and already pre-cut to the 4x6 size!
If you like to design things like this yourself, I highly recommend Scrapblog and Kodak, or one of the many other online tools like them. I am so happy! And here's my finished Christmas card (with our last name blotted out). Merry Christmas!
See what I mean? A $65 Christmas miracle! Works for Me!
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57 comments:
So cute! I love scrapblog, I went to it after I saw your post on it. I did my blog Christmas header there and I just did another one for after Christmas. I paid $30 for my first header, now I can do it for myself for free!! Thanks for telling me about scrapblog and I am glad you got your cards for so cheap, I will have to remember that for next year!
I love your cards! So cute! Thanks for the Scrapblog tip, I will have to look into that for next year. And I'm so jealous that you sent all your cards out & are done. I have a stack of cards that still need to be stuffed, stamped, etc. Just curious, do you print out address labels for everyone on your list or hand write the addresses on the envelopes? Do you do a Christmas letter? I drafted one up but am still tinkering with it...
Your card is very pretty. I will have to check out scrapblog. I haven't done cards this year. Not sure it will get done.
Loved your kitchen tour too.
fun!
thanks for the tip. your card is adorable!
Very cute! And amazing! we didn't do cards this year for that reason! Love the colors~!
Wow, that is a steal! I made 40 cards on snapfish last night for $22... and now I'm thinking maybe I got ripped off.
And yes, you read that right. I just ordered my cards last night.
Your Christmas cards are delightful. And the best part? They're done! Your Christmas dishes are gorgeous. I need to head down to Home Goods. Mimi
Your card is just perfect! Not too over the top, just beautiful!!!!!!
Wow!! Good job -- I am going to have to check out scrapblog. I did a photo card from shutterfly --and many have yet to be addressed, stuffed and mailed yet! You are amazing!
Janet
That's great and the card is so cute! Thanks for the tip
I can't afford much in the way of cards on my little budget, but I try to buy a set of plain Christmas cards and embellish them myself. This year I sewed a tiny peace sign charm in the corner of each card. Other years it has been glue and glitter. Mine finally went to post Monday. Today it's back to the post office for gifts. I know, I'm very late. xxoo
Thanks for telling me about scrapblog! I wish I would have known about that before I ordered my Cards from Shutterfly. I could have saved some$$. I think I am going to do digital scrapbooks from now on. Who has time for the other anyway! Thanks. Your decorations look great btw.
Maggie
Your card is adorable!! And yes, that is a Christmas miracle....way to go....what a bargain price for a spectacular card!!
Happy Holidays!
Lisa
How cute. I will have to check them out. I don't send out more than 20 cards so I'm sure it would cost me a lot less. Thanks for sharing. Since finding your blog you have given me so many great ideas.
Your cards look great! This is the first year we did a card and went with Snapfish...it's so nice to have someone else do all the work!
Let me know if you would like for me to send some chili your way!!!
Near the top of my list of favorites is things that are beautiful and things that are thrifty. Your cards are both!! Merry Christmas!
Your card is SO cute! Would you like a job next year designing cards!?! Don't you love printing the cards as 4x6's and the fact that you can now buy the envelopes is a HUGE plus too. If you ever want to use colored/designed envelopes check out www.envelopemall.com they are a grrrrreat resource! I've been wanted to post about using this printing option with my designs - thanks for the "receipt" idea. Very helpful!! Merry Christmas, Queen Bee and Nina too! :-))
How smart! I can't wait to try it.
I'm proud to say that because of your initial post about scrapblog, I not only made my blog header but also my Christmas cards and had them printed at Walgreens for only 50 cents a peice (for a 5x7). The lady even gave me free envelopes! Thank Carrie!!!!!!!!! I'll have to post it on the blog later for you to see.
Merry Christmas to you!
Sweet!
Scrapblog is my new-found best friend. I love it! Your cards are cute :).
I don't know if I would ever spend that much money for Christmas cards, but I will certainly check out Scrapblog for my own use!
I did mine myself this year, too! Only I printed them from my printer because I only sent about 1/2 of what you sent out.
Yours are so cute!
I love your cards!!!
Saving money....now THAT's the kind of miracles I like!!
I've tagged you over on my blog, if you have time - I know with Christmas and the baby you probably don't, but I tagged you any way! LOL Don't worry if you can't do it.
Merry Christmas!
~Tidymom
LOVE your card.
Thanks for sharing scrapblog with me. I JUST signed up for an account. I can't WAIT to get home and 'play'!!
Those are so cute!! I will definitely have to use this next year!! Aren't stamp prices crazy?!
I love Scrapblog too! And I love those cards!! Too cute! $65...way to go!
Hope you have a great Wednesday☺
Email me your address at
kara (dot) griffith (at) gmail (dot) com
I need to send you a little pay it forward package!!!
~Kara
That is wonderful! And a very cute card! Great job!!
Elizabeth...
Good luck getting your cards out! I print out labels for my cards, which was so much easier than writing them out. Plus, since I am due with Baby #2 very soon, I can just print another round of labels out when it comes time to send a baby announcement. So I knew it would be worth it. I don't do a Christmas letter...I have thought about it because I do love reading them, but have never done one. :)
Carrie
Great job - you are so good & the cards are adorable.
I am soooooo jealous that your cards are finished and out the door already. My photo is finished...the cards haven't even ben started yet. Yikes!
Yours turned out beautifully by the way. :)
Oh what a beautiful Christmas Card!
Great job Carrie!
Works GREAT!! I did something similar this year - I love creating my own card and I might be sick but I really love doing my Christmas cards. A little hot chocolate, Elvis Christmas playing in the background, a little stuffing and stamping..life is good!
Funny! I made out my "to do" list this morning, and getting on scrapblog to make Christmas cards is on there! I learned about scrapblog from your previous post about it...and both my daughter and I are hooked now! This year I am going to e-mail my cards to our family and friends...(gasp!)...I know...not so cool, but I am making a MAJOR effort to simplify Christmas this year so that I can devote more time to just relaxint with the family. Maybe next year I will get back into mailing, but for this year, I will just savor the simplicity of a cute card being sent online. I am going to remember your tips for keeping the cost in check though...I always love a bargain! :)
Great idea! I love digital scrapbooking, all those beautiful images. Your cards are lovely!
I will have to do that next year, love it! I spent more than you did for 60 cards.
One of these days I'm going to have to give in and play around with digital scrapbooking. I'm just so intimidated with it all.
My sister-in-law uses Shutterfly each year for her cards, they turn out gorgeous...and are always unique.
Homemade Christmas cards at a Homemade price ~ now THAT is priceless! I'm so happy for you that you were able to do this and get them sent out.
love it, good job girl!
Very, very cute! And you got it for such a good deal! :)
Our cards went into the mail yesterday too! This was the earliest I have mailed them in years.
Your card is very cute! Oh how I wish I would have remembered your rave reviews of Scrapblog when it was time to print our Christmas cards! We used one of Sams Club designs, but I was sad that they give you such little space to write out your Christmas message. I would have loved to design our own but was really short on time to try and create one in Photoshop. I'm sure I could have done it quickly on Scrapblog. I will definitely have to remember that for next year!
We used labels too...we sent out almost 300 cards this year! That was a ton of stuffing and stamping. :)
Cute cards! I love the tiny polka dots.
Your Christmas card is so cute! I love Scrapblog, too! It's wonderful!
Your Christmas card turned out sooo cute! You gotta love the price too!
Very, very cool. I asked my daughter to design my christmas cards this year and they look amazing. I'll be posting my Christmas card soon :)
Love your Christmas cards. I will have to check out that website. I have been using Costco for a couple of years for my cards. I will have to check it out for next year.
What a sweet card...wow..that is a miracle of a price! Way to go!!! I love your saying on the bottom..very sweet Christmas card!
-sandy toes
(And very cute, too!!!)
I love those! So adorable! I went to Ritz Pix in the Mall. It is my most favorite camera store! I accidentally ordered 50 cards instead of 100 and guess what? I was TOO lazy to go back and get 50 more cards. I had to pair down my list by 50 people. Ridiculous I know : ).
I love your cards! Merry Christmas!
Your cards are lovely. I went the "frugal" route on our cards as well. I have to say, yours are much more creative! I will have to check out scrapblog. Thanks!
great cards. i love scrapblog too! i haven't sat down and done the math yet though - what a savings. i'm helping my sister do birth announcements soon and this will be the way we go. thanks for sharing! (and i'm jealous - i still haven't mailed my cards...)
~nicole
Why did I read this before- adorable!
I have been dying to get myself on scrapblog - but the one computer I use is on dial up (doesn't load the site) and the other, though on high speed, doesn't have flash downloaded. Arg! I want to go there and play! What a fantastic deal you got with your cards! All the more reason I want to have fun on scrapblog!
Carrie~ I just joined your 'miracle' club today when I mailed out our Christmas cards! Letters of our year in review, a card, mailing labels....whew!
I was getting scared that they would turn into Merry 2009 cards!
Your cards turned out super cute hun! Your recipients will LOVE them!
Merry December~ Les
Thanks for letting me know about scrapblog. I love your cards! To save money I sent e-cards this year, but not near as fun as what you did and I usually spend $200. Now I know what fun I'll have for our 2009 card!
Heather
So cute! I will definitely do that next year!
Last year was my first Christmas with a baby - and since I was still on maternity leave, I had the time and insanity to make scrappy cards for everyone on our list.
This year, not so much with the time but still insane...so I was not organized in my thoughts. I printed photo cards AND a letter, plus we got family photos at JCPenney. I spent wayyyy too much and they are still not stuffed, stamped or mailed!
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