There are so many beautiful photo card designs today, but I’m often frustrated by the price point. We send 80 to 100 cards each year, and that adds up quick!
This has led me to design my own cards for the past three years. I thought it would be neat to share my process as well as the exact template I used for this year’s cards.
Before we get to it, I also want to make a confession here. I chose a 4×6 card size so that it would fit into my Project Life album!
Step 1. Concept
Two years ago I used Ali Edwards word art. Last year I used commercial fonts. This year I discovered the Oh Snap boutique for photographers. This digital shop offers an impressive array of on-trend graphics and ready-to-go templates.
While there were so many designs I loved, I purchased this set so I could easily customize the images. In this case, I really needed to include two horizontal photos.
I had a particular eye towards the sentiment on the bottom right, as it was vertical in orientation. But having options in this bundle gave me some peace of mind for experimentation!
Step 2. Create
I started by creating a 4×6 template for my card with two horizontal photo spaces and one vertical sentiment space. After inserting my photos I used the color picker to select a red from my daughter’s shirt as a background color.
I added the selected sentiment and a brief message with our family name at the bottom with the Lora font. There are so many beautiful digital brushes today, making it easy to personalize your card.
Download the Template
Not sure how to use layered templates? Watch this tutorial.
Step 3. Print
I do all of my mail order printing with Persnickety Prints. Chari and her team treat your images and projects with the utmost care. The quality can’t be beat!
I choose the 4×6 photographic card package (comes with envelopes!) with a matte finish and rounded corners. You can also have your cards printed on card stock, but make sure to leave 1/4″ margins to allow for trimming.
Have you ever designed your own holiday cards? Leave any tips and tricks in the comments!
These look great! Wonderful idea
Lovely.