This time of year many families are hustling to get their holiday photo cards ordered. And those of us who seemed to have slacked this year are trying desperately to book their photo shoot for their holiday card.  When it comes time to get your photo taken it’s important to realize that there is a lot more that goes into planning the perfect family photo than just showing up ready to smile.  We have researched to bring you some of the best tips out there on just how to obtain that beautiful family portrait that you will be pride to send out in your holiday cards this season.  First of all it is incredibly important to know what kind of look you want. Plan your shots. Think ahead of what kind of pose(s) you would like. Do you want a very structured straightforward look with everyone standing single file? Or would you like something a bit more organic and candid where your family is relaxed and natural looking? With plenty of time before the big day search online and in magazines for what you like. Make a Pinterest board or a small scrapbook of the photos that you like. Clothing...Read More
American Stationery has added many photo products to our collection. We now carry holiday cards, thank you cards and birth announcements. The right photo can make a piece of stationery or card look amazing, the wrong photo and it can make the card look displeasing to the eye. We know that selecting just the right photo can prove difficult at times so here are a few tips for picking the photo that completes the card and makes the great impression you are looking for. First, you have a decision to make. Are you going to choose a card design based on a photo you would like to use or are you going to choose a card for its design and pick a photo that looks nice on it? If you have your heart set on one specific photo try to pick a design that color coordinates or fits the theme of your photo if a theme is applicable. If you do not have your heart set on one photo, look around and find a design you like the most and select a photo that really stands out. Select a photo that has very little empty space. Your photo is a...Read More
I still get a small thrill from walking to my mailbox hoping to discover piles of red, green and sparkly envelopes waiting for me. Some say that the best way to spread Christmas cheer is by sending Christmas cards. Out-of-the-ordinary Christmas card ideas can mean a lot to the recipient, and can be lots of fun to send as well. We at times get in a bit of a rut, sending every one the same card from a box of 50, signing each card, then grumbling a bit about the time taken to address the envelopes and the cost of postage. We’ve sent cards like that, and received them too. At one point, holiday greeting cards were an easy way to signal to more distant friends and family that you’re living in a new city, got a new job or just provide some sort of hint that you’re alive. It’s the most non-awkward way to let your loved ones know that you didn’t forget about them or reach out to your favorite high school teacher. It’s about acknowledging people who have had an impact on your life, and allowing them to know that they matter to you. Even if you...Read More
Every year we do the same thing around the end of December, and that’s buy a new calendar, throw the old one away. Cheers to the New Year! Why not stop the old routine with a new tradition? Try something warm, near the heart even. If you are looking for a great gift idea, we have something that can be enjoyed year round. Why not make a personalized calendar? Photo calendars make great gifts for customers, friends, and family.   Sometimes it’s hard to find that perfect gift, but this is something you can come up with that is functional and personalized. It’s something you can enjoy, is fun, unique and affordable! It’s a perfect gift that you can look forward to giving every year.
In these days of economic awareness have you found yourself altering your activities? Perhaps this year you opted not to take the usual family vacation. Maybe you have even embraced a "stay-cation" in which you have explored the world not too far from your own back door. You may be lingering a bit closer to home, but there is still much to be enjoyed and memories to make. Are you finding simple joys in the common place? Did that burger at your Memorial Day picnic taste better than it ever has? Did the fireworks on the 4th of July seem brighter than usual? Are you looking forward to your Labor Day weekend camping trip with your family more than day dreaming about a trip to Paris? You may be close to home, but there is a good chance you have still caught many of these memories in photo. Digital photography has really opened up a new world to the average at- home photographer. Perhaps you have captured the look of satisfaction on the face of your grilling guru. Perhaps you have captured the awe of a little one at their first fireworks display. Maybe you will even capture the element...Read More
Photo calendars are an easy way to create a unique gift or keepsake for yourself or someone you love. You can select your favorite image for each month. Your special dates, vacations, birthdays, anniversaries, and the holidays you celebrate are distinct; your calendar should reflect those days. That is why the photo calendar is the right choice for your next photo gift. Your calendar year can start on any month you choose. This is a nice tool because you can start the calendar the month a baby was born or if you are giving it as a gift you could start it in May for Mother’s Day or June for Father’s Day, December for a Christmas gift or any other month you prefer. All elements of your photo calendar are fully customizable. You can use as many images as you like and enhance those images in many ways (fading, black and white, sepia, touch ups, etc). The Digi Lab software allows you to put images on your special dates. For example, you can place a picture in the date box of a loved one’s birthday. You can also type text in any location. The software supports several languages, too. There...Read More
Digital photography has allowed for memories to be captured and stored in a far better way than ever before. You are given the freedom to print, keep, delete, or enhance any of your images. So many times the picture can tell the story. Rather than printing out all those pictures and having to take the time to scrap book or put them in an album, why not create a photo book? Photo books are a great keepsake for displaying your most precious pictures and allow you to tell the story even better than just the photo itself can. You can make a photo book for a graduation gift that includes pictures of your graduate over their high school years. You can photo book trips or vacations. Photo books are ideal for wedding albums and honeymoon memories. There is nothing more adorable than a photo book of a new baby! If you have pictures then it can be made into a photo book. Photo books are the perfect gift for loved ones, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, or make one to keep for yourself. Creating a photo book is so easy and can be done quickly. You can download our Digi...Read More
Digital printing has become a fast way to print your stationery without sacrificing quality. One great thing digital printing offers that traditional printing usually does not is the printing of a photo supplied by the customer on their stationery. Traditional four color presses could do this job; however not in a cost effective manner. It simply did not make sense to print personalized stationery in four colors. Digital printing makes it easy and cost effective to print quality personalized stationery in full color. There are many photo products available at American Stationery and the number available increases every day! Available products include holiday cards, thank you cards, birthday and baby shower announcements, among others. Each holiday season we all receive those neat holiday cards that feature the most recent family photo of our friends and family. Most of these cards are termed "Photo Mount" cards (see Choosing the Right Holiday Card). They are called this because the photo is mounted to the card with a glue adhesive on the back. What makes digital photo cards unique is that the photo provided by you is printed directly onto the card stock. That’s right, no assembly required. You simply write your holiday wishes on...Read More
Everywhere we turn today someone is snapping, sharing or exchanging a photo. The following are a few examples of how those photos can be shared aside from the traditional printing and exchanging of prints. Those with young children in their lives want to record every special event and every year. They want to share these once in a life time milestones with grandparents, siblings, aunts and uncles, friends and more. While you are doing this photo exchange why not consider fresh new ways to share your photos. When planning this year’s birthday party, why not make it a photo invitation? This is fun for the receiver and adds a really personal touch to your invitation. There are a lot to choose from American Stationery and the turn around time is fast and easy. After a birthday or holiday it is also nice to send photo thank you cards to everyone you received a gift from. If you have a young child, just fill in the blanks and the photo can say more than the written, or lack of written words. Photos are also a great choice for holiday cards. Whether you select a traditional photo mount card or upload your...Read More