Friday, December 10
by Karen Robert
I love holiday cards with pets on them, in fact I used a picture of a dog wearing a Santa hat on the cover of my book . Dogs are particularly fun on cards because their faces can be so expressive. I decided to find the absolute best, most funny, holiday dog photos ever. As far as I know, none of these are commercial cards, they were sent out by their owners as their personal cards. In my quest for these photos I had to look through pictures of many hundreds of adorable looking dogs all dressed up for Christmas. There are a lot of dog lovers out there! In my first edit I had a hundred, but I finally narrowed it down to these 40 cards, and I couldn’t get any more pared down than that. Each of these 40 photos were so amazing and wonderful, I decided I had to show them all. I adore how most of these dogs look mildly annoyed yet stoic about having to wear a Christmas outfit. I have no idea why, but there is a preponderance of Chihuahuas, bulldogs and pugs in this final edit. Maybe photographers have a penchant for these breeds. or maybe these breeds just have absurdly funny looking faces. I promise I am not biased, I have a Golden Retriever , a breed which only got one photo in my cut.
I’m starting with this picture which was in my book. I think it is one of the great dog pictures. There is something about those bare bulbs above the dressed up dog on a present that I love.
By Eric Getty at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/photeric/2106607883
This adorable photo of a puppy wearing a hat way too big for him is beautiful.
Taken by Chad and found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/xmarine1973/2126132328
I love this photo of three dogs (chihuahuas?) wearing hats and looking very much like Christmas.( I love the Kath Kidston Wallpaper as well!)
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/88499915@N00/5223766659
This Photo of a German Shepherd with a wreath around his neck is wonderful
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/doublewithcream/3095481950
This is an amazing picture of a dog looking doleful about having to dress up in a Santa Hat.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dianabog/4201761902
This is a very funny photo of a dog wearing glasses for a Christmas card. This dog is one of the few who doesn’t seem upset about dressing up.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rainriver/2133469094
Funny photo of a dog wearing tinsel looking like a tree for this Christmas card.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/venosdale/5172999059
Funny dog photo for a holiday card wearing a hat and scarf.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7234729@N05/3096002699
This dog is so cute modeling a yellow hat and bow tie, like he is a harlequin.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aarynleathjames/3100384713
This dog , a pug I think, models a Christmas hat in this Holiday card.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/newstock/3867404188
This is a fun picture of a dog with a big star in front of him for his Holiday Portrait.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rainriver/2096588346
Fun picture of a pug all dressed up for the Holidays
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/55023235@N02/5103359752/
Great photo of a dog with a hat on in this Holiday Card, this is one of my favorite dog Cards.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nogsonline/3130883388
Great face on this Bulldog in this holiday photo
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/itsmetj/242801666
I love the face on this gentleman dog with a bowler hat in this photograph. Priceless.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/priviteraco/4948191712
Cute chihuahua dressed as an angel in this Holiday photo.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/itsmetj/244601781
This dog is so cute holding a Christmas Stocking in his mouth in this Holiday card.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/new_years_resolutions/4174593857
This pittbull’s face looks adorable with the santa hat on.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ride2anywhere/3089220121
What an elaborate dog Holiday card this is. I love the bone in his mouth.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rosebud81592/5209095374
The bull dog in this Christmas card is adorable with a bright red nose.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/diypaper/5044398946
I absolutely love the face on this pug in this Christmas card, it looks like he’s had too much Rum Punch.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bugbunnybambam/2110612296
What a doleful face on this hound wearing a santa hat. He looks very depressed about Christmas.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hannah19/4128749010
I love the cat and dog partnership as they look up at the star in this Christmas card. How they got them to do this is a mystery to me.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/marcpayne/4127595512
This dog is wearing a wreath for his christmas card, and looking very cute I must say.
Found at:
This is a very cute bull dog wearing a Christmas outfit for his holiday card.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/finetra/5192381693
These two bull dogs are wearing very silly antlers for their Christmas card.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/retalesbotijero/4225708517
The look on the face of this bulldog in this Holiday card is so charming, It looks like his eyes are bugging out of his face.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lizkerrison/3070993379
Here is a very cute picture of a pug dressed in a Christmas costume for his Card looking mortified.
Found at: Flickr
This Photo of a German Shepherd holding a Christmas Tree branch in his mouth is wonderful.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lamygrrl/3129803046
I love the picture of this black lab with one eye hidden under a Christmas hat.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/9936312@N05/4191179762/
Funny Picture of a dog, a spaniel, with antlers on his head.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24569010@N06/3085219549
Another funny picture of a dog with antlers on his head.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rainriver/3094989163
Hysterical picture of a Chihuahua wearing a Christmas scarf in this holiday photo
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/redskygraphics/4132347590
This is a funny picture of three French Bulldogs (or pugs?) wearing costumes for their holiday photo.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/labimposter/306969742
Very nice dog portrait for his Christmas photo for a Christmas card.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chadlatta/5222419517
Cute picture of a dog wearing antlers for his Christmas card portrait
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cryrolfe/3063252084
Here are some very cute long haired dachshunds in this dog portrait for a Christmas card.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/doxieone/3087291621
Very sweet picture of a dog holding a Christmas tree in his mouth for his Christmas card.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/28601488@N05/5192462011
And finally, this is one of my favorites of a dog wearing a wig and Santa hat for his holiday card.
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pilarkitty/3085113928
“Bone Annee!”
Wednesday, December 1
by Karen Robert
A fun way to make a boring beach shot fun for Christmas is to pose with a sand snowman. What better way to winterize a beach photo? Here is one I did once. The kids loved posing with the sand snowman they had helped make (and RE-make every time it collapsed). Hint: bring a spray bottle of water to help keep the sand moist.
Taken by Karen Robert
All it needs is a kid next to it
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamk/2398891839/
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamk/2371842490/
How do they get the sand to stick together like that?
Taken by Bill Shaw
http://www.flickr.com/photos/95771949@N00/6513744/
Sand sculptures at the Gaylord in Kissimmee, Florida
Taken by Robyn at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shutterblog/60743805/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/seancarr54/1563691180/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamk/2514305549/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kathyprints/2112574828/
by Kathy Archbold
found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gracedvornik/4438031887/
Wednesday, October 20
by Karen Robert
I know that the following pictures aren’t cards. But somehow pumkins carved in a really cool way seems relevant to my site. I presume that people who like creative cards cards tend to be people who like creative pumpkin carvings, so I hope I am playing to my audience. Here are my top 30 picks for the best jack-o-lanters out there. Most of them I found at extremepumpkins.com, an extremely cool website dedicated to amazing Pumpkin Carvings. I bow down to this site because it’s my kind of thing. Some of these images I also found somewhere else on the World Wide Web. It’s random, but enjoy.
Nerd Pumpkin
Nail Head Pumpkin
Pirate Pumpkin
Pumpkin Twins
White Scary Pumpkin
Octopus Pumpkin
Wormy Pumpkin
Terrorist Pumpkin
Electrocuted Pumpkin
Drunk Vomiting Pumpkin
Pregnant Belly Pumpkin
Pumpkin with Braces
Pumpkin Burger
Cannibal Pumpkin
Death Star Pumpkin
Dragon Pumpkin
Ghoul Pumpkin
Geeky Pumpkin
Pumpkin with a Mohawk
Mooning Pumpkins
Pumpkin Patient
Quarantined Pumpkin
Suffocating Pumpkin
“The Scream” Pumpkin
Pumpkin with Guana
Pumpkin with Corn Nuts
Pumpkin-Eating Pumpkin
Baseball Hitting a Pumpkin in the eye
Angry Old man Pumpkin found at:
http://www.remodelaholic.com
Photogenic Pumpkin
Photo by Skisussy at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/skisusy/4019372187/in/pool-1168009@N20/
And finally, here’s a tip. To keep your pumpkin from deteriorating, spray it with a cleaning solution that has bleach in it. The rot won’t set in as quickly.
Send any my way which you think are worthy, and I will post more on Halloween.
Sunday, May 16
by Karen Robert
When looking for quotes for the captions on my vintage photo cards, I realized that some of the wisest things ever said were said by Winnie the Pooh (with a little help from AA Milne of course). He really is such a wise old bear. I realize that I’ve got to read these books. Amazingly, I never did read them to my kids all the way through. I watched the original Winnie the Pooh with them many times though. Sadly, I am not joking. Don’t bother sending me a comment that I am a pathetic mother, I have already said it to myself.
I hope you enjoy these as much as I did.
A bear, however hard he tries, grows tubby without exercise.
– Pooh’s Little Instruction Book.
A little consideration, a little thought for Others, makes all the difference.
– Pooh’s Little Instruction Book.
Don’t underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can’t hear, and not bothering.
– Pooh’s Little Instruction Book.
I am a Bear of Very Little Brain, and long words bother me.
– Winnie the Pooh
I used to believe in forever . . . but forever was too good to be true.
– Winnie the Pooh
You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.
– Winnie the Pooh
If the person you are talking to doesn’t appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear.
– Pooh’s Little Instruction Book.
If there ever comes a day when we can’t be together keep me in your heart, I’ll stay there forever.
– Winnie the Pooh
If you live to be 100, I hope I live to be 100 minus 1 day, so I never have to live without you.
– Winnie the Pooh, Disney Pictures
Just because an animal is large, it doesn’t mean he doesn’t want kindness; however big Tigger seems to be, remember that he wants as much kindness as Roo.
– Pooh’s Little Instruction Book
People who don’t Think probably don’t have Brains; rather, they have grey fluff that’s blown into their heads by mistake.
– Pooh’s Little Instruction Book
Poetry and Hums aren’t things which you get, they’re things which get you. And all you can do is go where they can find you.
– Pooh’s Little Instruction Book.
Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day.
– Pooh’s Little Instruction Book
Some people care too much, I think it’s called love.
– Winnie the Pooh
Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge and lean over to watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you, you will suddenly know everything there is to be known.
– Pooh’s Little Instruction Book
They’re funny things, Accidents. You never have them till you’re having them.
– Pooh’s Little Instruction Book
When late morning rolls around and you’re feeling a bit out of sorts, don’t worry; you’re probably just a little eleven o’clockish.
– Pooh’s Little Instruction Book
When looking at your two paws, as soon as you have decided which of them is the right one, then you can be sure the other one is the left.
– Pooh’s Little Instruction Book
Wherever they go, and whatever happens to them on the way, in that enchanted place on the top of the forest, a little boy and his Bear will always be playing.
– The House at Pooh Corner
You can’t stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.
– Pooh’s Little Instruction Book
I am making a card with my favorite of these quotes “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” I thought it would be a good card to give to teenagers because sometimes we forget to give them words encouragements. Though they seem to bungle along, they often do things right, more often than we give them credit for. I found an article at http://www.radicalparenting.com/2009/03/30/winnie-the-pooh’s-guide-to-raising-teenagers/ It is a funny article called “Winnie the Pooh’s Guide to Raising Teenagers”. I tell you, the Winnie the Pooh books are sneakily wise.
Monday, January 11
by Karen Robert
Alas, it is time. The wedding season is upon us! Soon, thousand upon thousands of grooms will be popping the question, if they haven’t already. Soon we will have thousands upon thousands of happy , ecstatic brides looking for the perfect wedding venue, wedding cake, wedding gown, party planner, and all of those thousand little perfect details right up to the moment when they need to choose the perfect bride and groom for the top of the cake . But, brides, first things first, what about the save the date card? If you are going to have the perfect wedding in some far away place, you will need to warn people that you’re getting married. You need to inform your guests that they are to plan NOTHING else for that summer weekend 6 months from now. Hurry! Get it out SOON! You don’t want that old boyfriend of yours to make plans to travel to Indonesia the weekend you want him to be in the Hamptons watching you walk down the aisle. You need him there at the perfect white chapel drooling after your beauty and kicking himself for having been so stupid as to let you get away. The pressure is on….but what kind of save the date card should you send? Even though you have the perfect venue, what should you send if you haven’t even settled on your wedding photographer yet, or the colors or the theme….
Don’t panic, the beauty of save the date cards are that they can be funny, or just imaginative and clever. Nobody expects them to be anything near as polished as the invitation. In fact, people expect them to be quite lighthearted. To help stir your creative juices I thought I’d show you a few of my favorite wedding announcements. Take this one: 
What a clever idea this save the date card is, all you have to do is draw on your faces and take a picture. …then hope you used a washable pen.
Here is another great idea having to do with writing on yourself.
I suppose to do this, you will need to enlist the help of someone else to write it and take the picture for you. I love how the ‘H’ is divided between their feet. If you sent me this card, I would be so looking forward to your wedding! I would look forward to this one as well:
I’m not sure whether this was a save the date card, but it could well have been, and if it wasn’t , it would be a great idea to use for your wedding announcement. It could also be a great Valentines day card, but more on that in my next posting.
The following card is one of may absolute favorite save the date cards, what a fun and creative way to announce a wedding. 
Photo by Kate Bowie www.katebowie.blogspot.com
What I love about this card is that the information sneaks up on you. It takes a while to notice the couple inside the truck kissing, and the tailgate, bumper stickers and the license plate with more information about the upcoming wedding. I absolutely love when people make such an effort for a card. This wedding announcement has it all, it is clever, creative and beautifully executed. It is obvious that whomever took this photo they knew what they were doing. They also probably knew photoshop or they had a spare pick-up truck handy that they could add the bumper stickers and words to the back.
If you have already found your wedding photographer, maybe you can use them to help create your save the date card. This card was obviously made with the help of a professional photographer:
Photo by Jeremy Pedron
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeremypedron
This is such a charming save the date card, and I love the type they to put on top of the card.
In fact, if you have already found your wedding photographer, the possibilities are endless for your save the date card. Here is one which was most likely done with the aid of the photographer who ended up shooting the wedding.
If you want to see more cards I’ve found go to the card gallery. I will be posting more shortly, so stay tuned. If you have already done a clever and creative save the date card and want to share it with us please do! I will try to include it in my next posting on wedding announcements.
I hope this helped brides, have a blast planning your weddings and …..CONGRATULATIONS!
Tuesday, November 24
by Karen Robert
I’ve spotted a new trend which suddenly seems to be everywhere: people posing and using their bodies to create the shape of a snowflake. It can be an interesting way to say “Happy Holidays” without actually coming out and saying it. I found a few cards like that while researching for my book (a book compiling amazing Christmas cards) and I included two of them. This one, designed by Dan Driscoll was hands down my favorite:
It is starring Danny Driscoll. I just love this guy, I love his expressions, his poses and I love his spirit for coming up with such a great idea. His friend Ed Chiquitucto took the picture by the way.
Here is another one from my book, this one is done by the Sean and Tracy Randall of their kids:
What a great way to get multiple kids into one photo without needing them to pose.
Here’s another way of posing for snowflakes, this one was an ad for winter silks long underwear:
And, finally, this year it seems that everyone has picked up on this idea. Here is one of the Gap ads which are all over the place right now, and if it’s a Gap ad, then it’s officially a trend.
As far as I can tell, there are about 8 versions of this concept on buses and billboards everywhere I turn.
We thought we’d jump on the bandwagon and create a template for people to use here on this site. We used Dan Driscoll’s card as inspiration since his was our favorite, (thanks Dan). I still like Dan’s better, but in case you can’t get a photographer with a white backdrop to take your pictures and a graphic designer to photoshop it all together, this is the next best thing, it was designed our fabulous illustrator David Shephard:
This card is for 3 people, but we can make them for anything from 1-20 people, and we can also do blue snowflakes. This particular card is custom only, but it will only cost you a small additional fee from our regular price which starts out pretty low anyway.
So here we have it. Many ways to achieve the look of a snowflake. Who knew snowflakes were so cool (no pun intended). Be cool, be trendy, do it yourself!
