Budget Designer Holiday Cards

I have always admired those expensive designer holiday greeting cards.  You know the ones I am talking about.  These cards have a festive family photo on the front with a detailed holiday border.  They are a bit more high-end looking than the photo cards you can order from the drugstore.

Ordering designer greeting cards can be expensive.  The cheapest I've seen them for is about $1.00 a card. My goal was to get a similar designer look for my holiday cards without the hefty price.  First, I found a box of 40 blank photo cards I had in storage, which I purchased at the Christmas Tree Shop for $5.00. They have a great retro looking the border on the front where the photo is inserted.  The inside is blank, so I can write my own greeting or a personal note to each recipient.

Next, I searched my computer for a digital family photo I could use in the cards.  I found one we had taken of our family at the Nashville Zoo.  With the help of Photoshop, I made it look a bit retro, to go with the cards.  First, I converted the photo into  a black and white photo, then added red Santa hats on everyone's head.  Across the bottom of the photo, I printed my holiday greeting in red outlined in white.  

Walgreens had a special on photo processing .   I was able to order 50 4 x 6" prints for $5.00.  Best of all, I upload the photo onto their website and was able to pick up my prints that afternoon!  My designer cards cost only for 25¢ per card.

Although the packaging on the cards said to use a 4 x 6" photo, when I inserted the photo, the frame covered part of the photo.  If I had to do it all over again, I'd keep the photo size, adding a solid border on the photo that was the same size as the photo on the card.  That way, the entire photo would be visible.  Other than that, I am happy with how they turned out.   

Seasons Greetings!