This year...

Maddie&EthansMom wrote: I thought I would try to save money and take the kids Christmas pictures myself. I can design my own cards and order them thru Shutterfly. I think I will do one picture with them wearing Santa Hats and the other in their dressy clothes and try doing some sort of collage.

What do you think? Think it is worth the money I will save to try to do it myself?? I bought a black sheet today for a backdrop. We will see how it goes I guess. Wish me luck.

MomToJade&Jordan replied: That sounds like a good idea to me. I'm sure you will do a great job. Good Luck!!!!

kit_kats_mom replied: I think it's a great idea. I did that with K's birth announcements. I actually used Ophoto and ordered them as postcards. I just typed in the announcement info and addresses and they mailed them all for me too.

Maybe I'll do that for christmas cards this year...hmmmmm

Alice replied: OK-- this is cheating. Peter works part time for a photographers studio when he's not teaching, so he always does ours. He did this year's on Sunday.

Some things I've observed:
1. Pick a time of day when they're happy and well rested.

2. Consider the background. He has a pro background, but you could use a dark sheet or blanket propped up. Just don't let it get too busy; it distracts from the kids. And make sure it's not the color of their clothes, or the clothes will get lost. My kids get washed out from white, so we avoid that as well. (Our background is maroon, and the kids dress in green/black etc)

3. Closeups work best for us. I have lots of cutesy pictures that my friends have had taken out somewhere. And the backgrounds are really very pretty. But it's hard to see who is in the picture. Go for head shots, or chest/head shots.

4. What we did one year was dress clothes with and without Santa hats. We chose the one of Julia in her velvet dress and Brian in his dress clothes, in the Santa hats. The pictures were precious.

5. What I did on Sunday to get the smile we wanted was to stand behind Peter and put a towel over my head and do peek a boo. Dumb, I know. But they thought it was hilarious. Another year I slowly let the air out of a balloon so they could hear the noise... they roared with laughter. Or do something dumb, and then repeat it. They'll smile in anticipation. And phrases like "Merry Christmas" and "Santa" produce a much better smile than "cheese"

HAve fun!!

ediep replied: we have done this for our Christmas cars for the last two years and we plan on doing it again this year. I ordered them from stutterfly last year, I just uploaed the pic, typed in the message and that was it. I also found out that you can take the pic to target or stop and shop and they wil print cards with it even cheaper.

It is a good idea!! You can take as many as the kids will sit for and then choose the best one!

Josie83 replied: U r always so creative Aimee! I think that you should go for it . . . and make sure you show us them when they're finished! xx

MomToMany replied: That would look great Aimee! I hope it works out for you!

Please show us when you get them done .

coasterqueen replied: That's a great idea Amy! I'd go for it.

I bought photo Christmas cards last year after Christmas dirt cheap. They are cute (Winnie The Pooh) but not my idea of a Christmas card....but they were dirt cheap so I can't complain. Anyways we usually have our Christmas cards done thru JCPenny's but this year we are going to take our own photo..print them out on our photo printer ourselves and do that as our card.

We did got to JCP and got their $9.99 photo package to have Christmas pic taken of Kylie just for us, though.

Boys r us replied: Can't wait to see how they turn out!!!!!!

mummy2girls replied: Thats what im doing this year also. I cant afford profeesional ones this year:(

Kaitlin'smom replied: well I am doing a combo, cheet. We has our pictures done at JcPenneys, got an 8x10 and I will scan it and re-print them myself. I considered ordering them but they dont offer 4x6 size so it works out. i spent $3 for the pic, and had bought cards last year on clearence so I think I paid like $4 for 30 or more cards. so in the long run I think it will be cheeper, next year I am probably gonna just do it all myself, I have tons of ideas, but not the time right now


sounds good amiee

A&A'smommy replied: That sounds like a good idea to me!!!