you gotta know when to fold 'em

it's no big secret around these parts that i do love a folded card. and, i try to convince everyone to order them. i've prolly tried to convince you. they're awesome - and they generate oohhs and aahhs aplenty whence received. (i've been watchin' downton abbey)

so, you can imagine my excitement when not one, but two of you lovely peepsies ordered folded holiday cards! woo to tha hoo! and, y'all, those cards were so dang cute. and, creative. now, before you say 'modest much?', i can say they're dang cute and creative, because the only thing i did was put idea to paper. 

let's take a look...

see how they changed the lyrics to a favorite christmas carol to fit the haps in their lives? uh, cute! and, baby boy tucked into brightly colored christmas balls? uh, double cute! and, how instead of the 2-pg, front and back, 8 pt font christmas letter (yawn), they highlighted monthly events? cute! cute! cute!

let me just put this out there - when professional pictures are involved, it's hard to mess up the card. now, when you special order paper, then it's printed and cut wrong, that could maybe mess up the card. but, i wouldn't know anything about that. and, these pictures? awesome! they could be models! and, i seriously wanted to trade mama's boots for the cards, but alas... she had ideas, and i ran with them - in our shoes with tidbits from the year for each family member - love.it.to.death!

and, on the back, a take on the lululemon manifesto trend. i daresay (downton abbey, again) celebrate with vino is my fave! you're not surprised, are you?

the mother figure decided she wanted in on the folded action this year. at first i told her no, because i already had something in mind for her. but i started movin' the design around and realized i could make a folded card work. and, voila... (or, viola, if you're like me)

now, when it comes to middle sissy's cards, i like to push the envelope. it doesn't do wonders for the old pocket book, but my ulterior motive is that bunches of peeps will see my logo and come'a orderin' something of their own. (secret's out)

since i had some special paper left over, i decided on a funky fold. middle sissy wanted to focus on what i call 'the scripture of 2011' - glory to god in the highest. so, we did a take on that for the front, and featured the full scripture on the back. and, we filled it with pictures and pictures, because they went sans-letter this year.

in full disclosure, middle sissy's card, and my personal card were printed the 19th of december, scored and folded at 35,000 feet, and put in the mail on the 21st of december! you know what they say about the cobbler's children's shoes...

which leads me to the cobbler's card. to say that i run out of steam by the time i'm ready to design my own maybe might be the understatement of the century. i might whine so much, i resemble a 2-year old. but, once i get it together!, i can usually pull a rabbit out of the hat.

we were lucky ducks to have had perfeshunal pictures taken this year, and, man, they made designing the card easy! a little list of bright spots, and done. i even got a few compliments!

since i don't see my addiction to folded cards waning anytime soon, and, since our card has been folded 3 years in a row, i'm really gonna have to pump up the volume next year! sheesh - i better start brainstorming now!

starting to see a pattern here

as the last of the year's holiday cards fly out of the workshop, it always seems like i notice a theme, and this year is no different. last year everyone wanted snowflakes, year before that - bright, modern colors.

well, this year, the theme was...patterns.

i've had requests for plaid

argyle

chevron

and whimsy (read polka dots mixed with stripes!)

and, that's what makes custom so very fun. when someone has an idea, and you can make it come to life. stay tuned for more creative cards i was requested to whip up this year. man, you guys make my job fun!

if you're still wanting to order cards, you're not too late (yet). we can do a new year's card, or you can order a digital print over on the etsy workshop that you can print wherever you wanna.

k - gotta run! there are only 10 days til the fat man comes!

instant gratification

so, sometimes i hear: custom is too hard. i don't want to think that hard. i can't afford custom. well, i'm here to tell you custom is not that hard, it doesn't require you to think that much, and yes, you can afford it.

now, even though i've said all that, i know some of you are still skeptics. so, looky what i did! i created some ready-made designs, just for you! the only decision you have to make is what pictures to use.

merry stripes:

peace love joy:

warm wishes:

swirls:

you know all my designs are double sided, so you can use it to show more pics of your cutey-cute kiddos, tell all your peeps the goings-on of 2011, write a holiday rap, you name it.

to order yours, click on the image to head to the etsy (work)shop. of course, if you don't want to go through all that, we can chat. or, maybe you realized custom is the way you want to go? well then! let's chat about that!