Even Santa’s Elves Use Shutterfly

I’d already set up my Christmas cards when I found out that Shutterfly was offering this great deal for bloggers to get 50 of their beautiful holiday photo cards. So I thought – in the true giving spirit of Christmas (ahem) – that I’d see about helping my parents set up their very first Shutterfly cards for the holidays.

Every year, my mom talks about having photo cards printed, but then she’s intimidated by the process and quits before she even gets started. I think the last photo card she sent for Christmas used our family photo from my wedding – and I’ve been married for nine years.

After Junius was born, I started using Shutterfly for making photo books (they have the best options for designing your book of any photo site I’ve tried) – as a second child, poor Pippi doesn’t have any yet, but I have two really beautiful books for Juni. Last week, I set up our 2011 calendars on Shutterfly (shh… I'm giving them as gifts, but keeping one for myself). I'm also considering using Shutterfly for Pippi's birthday invitations in February.

Despite having used Shutterfly for so many photo projects, this is my first time trying them out for holiday cards. I'm really impressed with the range of designs available now – and I’m not just saying that because of the deal they’re offering. Whether you want one photo or five, traditional or funky, they’ve got plenty of styles to choose from.

Because we actually have ONE recent photo with my parents, my brother, my husband, my kids and me ALL in it AND looking in the general direction of the camera (and did I mention that my dad’s eyes are open, too?), we'll have to use an option with only one photo.

Personally, I like the fun designs (check out With Glee or Antique Ornaments), but I think my parents may want something a little more classic – maybe Stirling Snowflake or Classic Flourish. Tonight I'll set up a few different options for my mom and show them to her tomorrow.

Cross your fingers that we can actually make this work! Then head over to Shutterfly and get your cards and holiday shopping done in one easy place.

This post was sponsored by Shutterfly's holiday card promotion -- but you can still trust that the opinions expressed here are entirely my own. Also, the kids in the photo of the card shown are not mine -- but they are cute.