PAPER LOCKET'S STUDIO BLOG

6 NEW HOLIDAY PHOTO CARD DESIGNS ~ TIMELESS & CHARMING

Six more?! Yes ~ fresh designs as sweet as a candy cane!! Check them out & remember, ordering a photo card from Paper Locket is simple!

How Can I Customize? Let me count the ways ~

Maybe we can't count the ways...because they're endless! It's not really important HOW Paper Locket is able to modify each design or WHAT your card could possibly look like with your selection of photos and personal content (for those who don't have a vision for this sorta thing) - what's important is that you will end up with a design that's perfect. It's as simple as picking a design that appeals to you (request changes to the design only if you want to), submit your photos and we do the rest. An online proof is sent to you in less than 48 hours for your review. We don't print your card until you love the way it looks.

Here is our popular Conversation Piece design ~ and below it are 3 examples of how we modified this design to create unique & stylish holiday cards specifically for each customer's photos, content and design changes:

Example #1 > Can I add more photos & change the font?

 

 Example #2 > Can the main photo be vertical, the background
changed to golden, and can 3 photos go on the back?

Example #3 > Can 1 photo go on the front & can the background be changed to red?

  

Here are some frequently asked questions we've received about our holiday photo cards;
and the answer to these questions is what? 

Can Paper Locket:

change the number of photos on the front of the card from 3 to 1 or from 3 to 5?

 change the colors on the card?

 combine designs from 2 cards into 1?

 remove all the fluff and have the design be a collage of photos?

 resize the individual photos to all be the same size?

use a design off the custom design gallery for a customer without charging the custom design price?

soften the edges of my photo?

make my photo black & white, sepia or translucent?

add captions to all my photos?

add a small family letter to the back of my card?

 

And that's why we're so unique ~

5 Simple Guidelines to Selecting the Perfect Photos for your Stylish Holiday Photo Card

It goes without saying that we all want to see current photos of our family and friends in a photo card. So think of distance or action photos as extras when assembling your holiday collection and be sure to include some close-ups of everyone. And parents, feel free to skip a year or two in appearing in your holiday card, but we all want to see you once in awhile too!

Also remember that a photo can be cropped and re-sized in many ways! Cropping can eliminate others from the photo and it can give a photo a new shape (square, circular, horizontal or vertical).  

1. Go Professional
Professional photos can be easy and affordable. Contact some local independent photographers and ask if they’re offering a mini holiday photo session. Many times they’ll set aside a chunk of time for several 15 – 20 minute sessions, specifically for holiday cards. If they aren’t offering this option introduce it to them as something you’d be very interested in. Large families, neighbors or groups of friends can split the cost of a full session as well. Some photographers will sell a CD of images while others will sell individual photos. And definitely make sure they’re not copyright protected if you plan on using them in your holiday card.

2. Semi Pro
With the quality of digital cameras today, it’s almost foolproof to get a professional looking photo. Borrow 10 minutes of someone’s time in exchange for your good company, to be your semi-pro photographer. Dress in solid complimentary colors, pick an attractive outdoor setting and smile. Capture a group shot, several individuals and some candid shots too.

3. Tell us a little something
Send a smile through your photos ~ photos convey a huge amount of emotion, so whatever makes you smile will be a treasured gift to others!

What happened in your life this year? Include photos that will tell your story ~ you moved, got a puppy, had a baby, got married, went on a vacation, learned to ski… Share with others what you love to do?  Showcase photos of you and yours ~ hiking, biking, cooking, creating, performing, competing…

4. Up Close & Personal
Sometimes it’s just fun to see a familiar face or the face of a child who is growing up way too fast or a furry friend with a wet nose. Forget about the setting, just get into good light (outside is best) and snap a close up. Have them look at the camera or look away – try both ways. The magic comes in with the close-up cropping in photo editing software. Better yet, leave this step to your card designer. I’m talking close up! This is a sure way for an average photo to look amazing.

5. Too Many to Choose From   
If that’s the case then here are some tips for picking multiple photos people really (really) want to see:
•    Maximum 12 photos – not an absolute rule, but a good guideline, so the photos can be sized appropriately and the card isn’t way too busy.
•   Variety – several photos from one photo session but different. Different expressions, emotions, poses, people. Or photos from the year showing a variety of experiences, expressions or groupings (sisters, brothers, mom & kids, dad & kids…etc).
•    Harmony – Bringing a lot of different photos together can be accomplished through color, altering them all to b/w or sepia or a combination of alterations with color images. Size also harmonizes images together. No worries though! Your card designer will know how to visually layout images in a harmonious way using the rules of design.
•    Individuals – generally we only need 1 individual shot of each family member. And remember, cropping can take one person out of a group shot!

And lastly, if you still can't decide, leave it up to your trusted photo card designer to choose for you!

How photos 'fit' into our holiday cards - perfectly!

 'Fit' might not be the right word to describe our perfectly made-to-order design process. Selecting a design is only the first step because the photo(s) really lead the way ~ and of course our client's requests for design changes.

This gorgeous family was photographed in September, by Paper Locket's partner in photography, Misty Thacker, of BabesWherryInk .  Wow, right?!

Using their favorite photos we were able to create something unique for them. This custom design was a collaboration of several designs that caught their eye.

We loved these photos so much that out went the old Sprigs design and in came the new. Much better!!

Paper Locket's Perfect Cup of Joe

Every morning I stumble into the kitchen and lovingly press the start button on my automatic Saeco Espresso Maker. Voila`! I’m sipping a triple latte (a Pacific Northwest staple) in my PJ’s. The real joy for me is that it’s fast, convenient and not just an ordinary Cup of Joe! So much of what my espresso maker does for me in the wee hours of the day reminds me of what I do for my customers during holiday crazy times. 

Confined by the reality of time – gone are the days of handmade holiday cards. In an attempt to send a ‘personalized’ card so many of us have opted for the template holiday cards from a local digital printing company. But what we really want to send our family & friends is more than that ole Cup of Joe card ~ right? Where is that automatic holiday card machine…

Anytime of the day or night you can point and click on a Paper Locket card design, and have a real designer fuss & fret over your holiday card, the photos and holiday content.  It’s our rare hand-touch design process that make these cards so very close to being handmade. And in only a few days, delivered to your doorstep, are your decadent & stylish cards, the ones you were just dreaming of. So the truth is, we can still wish for extraordinary things and actually get them (in our PJs).  Cheers!!

Happy St. Patty's Day!

Wearing green and feeling lucky?! Me too.

So much is brewing here at Paper Locket. I'd say everyone is going to feel very lucky the day they need a card QUICKLY...because we're just about ready to announce our Quick Cards. Themed pre-set designs, for only $15. Wow!
Need a party invitation? Want to send a fun seasonal greeting? Need to make an announcement?
So you want a clever card quickly?
How it works:

1. Pick one of our exclusive 5x7 Quick Card designs.
2. Submit a photo and your personal content.
3. Within 24 hours we'll email your personalized quick card to you and you print it out.
4. Print it on your home printer or order 5x7 photo prints from your favorite photo developer (Costco?!).
5. Use the image on your family blog, email your friends...so many choices!

Good stuff to know >
new designs added weekly & one free one for our customers will be offered every month!! Wow - now how lucky are you?!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Our family 'marked' the day with Paper Locket bookmarks featuring our Golden Doodle, Macy, and her puppy love, Cruise! I know - not on the website yet...oops!

We'll just call it product testing. And yes, they turned out beautifully on the amazing pearl paper.

More amazing was the wedding we had for the dogs last summer. Maybe the wedding was just a clever way to become 'related' through marriage to our very FUN neighbors!! I better get busy designing that dog-gone wedding book.

Now go get kissed!

It's time for the HOLIDAYS - so order your holiday cards!!

I hope everyone had a special Thanksgiving with family and friends. And now, suddenly, it's time to plan for the holidays! Some of Paper Locket's customers have already sent their cards out, and many have them in their envelopes ready to go... Now that's organized!  It's not too late to order - see our delivery schedule.
 

henninger photography was an absolute blessing to many this summer and fall with her outdoor photography/card packages. She tells me there might be a few more dates available before December 10th.

As for my family's card...the same night I told my husband I didn't think I'd have time to get our card designed, I magically finished them! Must've been that 'look' he gave me. Thanks to henninger photography, we had so many wonderful photos to choose from. (Take a peek > ) 

What a wonderful feeling to cross that off the list. I'm sure you know what I mean!
I'm looking forward to designing many more unique holiday cards using your favorite photos. Remember that any design can be altered to fit your number of photos and personal style.

It's November!

Wait...it's almost mid November - already! Before we know it, holiday chaos will be amongst us.

Well, I guess I've got a head start in that department! But I absolutely love this time of year - creating personal holiday cards out of special photos is quite an honor. It's exciting to see how families change from year to year. 

The "Linear" card to the left was actually from 2006.

Take a look at how these two went from toddlers to hot shots! Yikes!

I just calculated the delivery dates for Holiday Cards (see it here) and there are plenty of days left to get your order in. The sooner the better though! I know everyone wants to cross something BIG off their list.

Looking forward to receiving your photos and holiday card order! Be sure to look at some of the most recent designs in our 2007 holiday card gallery!

Holiday Card Designs - just added to the gallery!

What's going on in the studio? New designs are 'going on'! Here is a peak at a few new ones just added to our holiday gallery. More and more to come!!

Remember, any design can be altered to fit your photos, and design preferences - like favorite fonts and colors.

(above - Sassy & below - Gracious + a variation)

In the first two designs, the images have been altered to appear a bit faded. These would really look great on metallic photo paper! {images provided by melissa henninger photography}

 

A simple variation to the Gracious design. Many more examples of design variations will soon be added to the website. Check back often!
Off to design-land!