Do you hate putting away your Lilly pink and green for the winter?  Not to worry, Lilly now offers a fun selection of holiday cards, including both a traditionally styled card, as well as photo cards!  These preppy greetings are in Lilly’s traditional pink and green, but some of the patterns have a decidedly holiday flair!  Take a look and carry some summery days into December!

Here are two of my favorites:

• Dreamweaver Holiday Card

• Cabanarama Photo Card

Tip of the Week – Cross Christmas Cards Off Your To-Do List and Be Charitable Too!

Having already encouraged Busy Bee readers to think about Halloween (Let’s Talk about Halloween), I feel free to start writing about Christmas!  One of my most time consuming stumbling blocks during the month of December is always the CARD.  You know which card I am referring to!  The holiday cards we send each year are so important because often they are our only link to far away friends and relatives!

Although it is only August, consider ordering your holiday cards today!  And, since you’ve got some time to spare, consider ordering cards from a source that benefits a charitable organization!  While researching this tip, I learned that many of the cards sold claiming to aid charities, in reality donate less than 10% of the proceeds to those in need!  In an effort to spare readers from repeating my research, here are some charities that actually receive a significant percentage of the money donated!

Unicef 

This international organization assures buyers that “every donation is used to the maximum benefit of the children who need help most.”  At unicefusa.org/shop you’ll find a nice assortment of cards covering many seasonal holidays.  A card/photo holder is also available!  The prices are reasonable as well – most are sold in sets of 12 for $12.00.

Save the Children 

This organization is the “leading independent organization creating real and lasting change for children in need in the United States.”  Their web site offers really adorable cards that have been created by children!  All cards are sold in packages of five for $5.  Since these cards are manufactured by Save the Children, all profits are returned to them!

For additional options, turn to cardsthatgive.org.  This site lists charities that offer greeting cards and requires that certain criteria be met before inclusion.

Take advantage of these summer weeks – order your holiday cards and at least write out the envelopes!  Purchase your stamps now and eliminate one last expense in December!  Help yourself out and help out a deserving charity at the same time!

I recently came across a really fun idea – actual U.S. 39 cent postage stamps with the photo of YOUR choice on the stamps!  This is so cute!  Consider ordering stamps for:

• Grandma and Grandpa – depicting darling grandchildren
• Newlyweds -  use a great wedding photo for thank you notes
• New Parents – highlight a sweet baby photo for birth announcements
• Proud Graduates – class photo for announcements or thank you notes
• Over Forty Birthday – put a childhood photo of the guest of honor on the party invitation stamp
• Special Anniversary – for your parents’ 40th or 50th invitation.  Use their original wedding portrait

The source for this unique item – zazzle.com.  This site also offers a wide variety of other personalized items!

Let your imagination run and impress the recipients of your correspondence with the most clever stamps in town!

Tags: how to create personalized photo stamps, personalized photo stamps