The Kitchen Table Home Decorating Conversations

Help with custom photo holiday cards

November 29, 2019

I'm getting very frustrated. I want to be able to make my own holiday cards and I used to be able to customize to include a border around the photo.

I've checked shutterfly, mpix, collage, snapfish and more and no one seems to allow me to do that any more.

I could customize it on my mac with keynote, but then I'd be nervous that the photo quality wouldn't be very good...

I also want a folded card instead of just like a post card and even those are getting rarer.

Has anyone else been through this and can you offer any insight?

Sure would be appreciated!

Comments (15)

Annie Deighnaugh
I think I can do what I want with zazzle...
November 29, 2019
OutsidePlaying
I gave up on Tiny Prints/Shutterfly this year. Even with the discounts the prices were pretty absurd and it seemed harder than usual to construct what I wanted. Very frustrating. So a friend posted something along the same lines on FB and eventually ordered cards from a Costco. Another friend recommended Walgreens. With the discount there, I ended up saving almost half the price of Tiny prints, and was very pleased with our cards on premium card stock. Plus I was able to pick them up the next day!
November 29, 2019
Annie Deighnaugh thanked OutsidePlaying
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I used to make my own handmade cards (have tons of stamps and I like doing it) but I am simply too busy to find the time for that the last few years. I ordered cards from Shutterfly this year....just addressed them tonight! "I cut the fronts off of last year's cards and use them as gift tags for this year's gifts. It's been done for four generations now." My mother still does this I I like to do that as well Bluenan.
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Annie Deighnaugh
Thanks OP...I'll check out costco...didn't even think of them.
November 29, 2019
amylou321
I was going to suggest zazzle. Then i saw you have already discovered them. I use zazzle for lots of things.
November 29, 2019
Annie Deighnaugh thanked amylou321
chipotle
Even with the discounts the prices were pretty absurd

I make calendars every year. Shutterfly was a joke this year. Discounts were fine, but shipping was ridiculous. If I hadn't already created the calendars I probably wouldn't have ordered. I'll remember next year.
November 29, 2019
Annie Deighnaugh thanked chipotle
DawnInCal
Annie, have you taken a look at Vistaprint? I order my business cards thru them and have always been happy.
November 29, 2019
Annie Deighnaugh thanked DawnInCal
Annie Deighnaugh
Thanks Dawn, will do.
November 29, 2019
Elizabeth
Hallmark card software
November 30, 2019
Annie Deighnaugh thanked Elizabeth
murraysmom Zone 6a OH
I've used Walgreen's to make nice custom cards from my pictures.
November 30, 2019
Annie Deighnaugh thanked murraysmom Zone 6a OH
Annie Deighnaugh
I looked at Walgreens but again, not enough flexibility to do what I want to do.
November 30, 2019
bbstx
Check out Minted.com Their quality is wonderful. One big plus is you can have Minted address the envelopes for you! You send them a spreadsheet. I had difficulty with transferring the information from my spreadsheet to their form. A really really nice customer service person walked me through it.
November 30, 2019
Annie Deighnaugh thanked bbstx
Alisande
Did you try Printique? They used to be Adoramapix. Excellent photo quality. Mpix is my favorite (I use them every year, waiting for their 50% off sale, which I think is going on again right now), but I don't use folded cards and I never looked into borders, so I guess I'm no help. Good luck!
November 30, 2019
Annie Deighnaugh thanked Alisande
Renovator Girl
With what you are looking for, you might be better off using a local quick printer like Minuteman Press.

You can create an 8.5 x 11 card that folds to 8.5 x 5.5* pretty easily in any word processing program. You can import the picture you want and the border you want and then put the message you want on another page for the card interior. Print proofs on your printer until you are satisfied, then give Minuteman Press a high-quality PDF of both pages and a sample from your printer of what you want your card to look like. Ask them to create a proof for you to approve before they print anything.

Quick printer staff do this all the time and should be able to help you with your project too.

* Ask the staff for help if you would like to do other sizes. The printer should be able to hook you up with envelopes too.
December 2, 2019
Annie Deighnaugh thanked Renovator Girl
Annie Deighnaugh
I ended up going with Vistaprint...they had all the flexibility I needed and the software was very easy to use. The cards are ordered and hopefully will arrive soon.

I appreciate everyone's helpful suggestions. Thanks! You guys are the best!
December 2, 2019
LynnNM
What a timely thread, Annie. For years I’ve used Shutterfly, creating our special New Mexico-themed Christmas cards. The quality has always been great, but the cost for 70 cards has gotten out of hand, IMO. I’ve been throughly frustrated these past couple of weeks about it, and wondering where to look next. I now have good options. Thank you!!!
December 4, 2019last modified: December 4, 2019

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Help with custom photo holiday cards

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