a Merry 2013 Christmas card, from our family to yours

Merry Christmas friends!
I hope you had a wonderful day filled with family, surprises, big smiles, and yummy food.
Ours was all of that and a few naps in-between.
And this season was full of my favorite holiday goodies—Christmas cards!
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I love this time of year when it’s fun going to the mailbox every day, to read updates on friends and see how much the kids have grown.  Cause when it comes down to it, good friends and family are what make life worth living.
And Sees chocolates.  And sewing too.
Okay.
Sewing, chocolates, and friends.
That’s all ya need.

So this year I decided to use my trusty Illustrator skills and tackle a simple card myself.  Because I just can’t resist how fun the cards look when they arrive.  Why are stacks so pretty?!  I swear I asked that last year….
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And how fun is it to pick our festive stamps from the post office?  Were you dying over Gingerbread House cuteness?
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Annnnd truth be told, I actually like hand-addressing the envelopes.
Lucy asked if she could help out and we had so much fun sitting at the counter together, writing, drawing stars, and chatting about Christmas.  I’m enlisting her every year.
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Of course the most important part of a Christmas card is the photo.
So we headed to our new, unfinished house to see what we could get.
And like any photo-taking it’s always an evolution of sorts till you land on that perfect pose.
And it often starts with too whiny, or too goofy,


to too busy,  too many,

to just about right.
We can work with it.

So from our family to yours,
Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, and have a fabulous New Year!
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We love you guys!
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  1. 1) April Rieger

    Love these cards! I wish I had made illustrator skills! It’s only a matter of time before I get to take one of Nicole’s classes! Happy Holidays!!

  2. oh my word–your card is so stinken’ cute (and so are all of you–obvs)!! love it.
    can I photograph you guys someday? 😉

  3. 3) Via

    Got ours in the mail today. So fun and cute! Thanks, Willard’s!

  4. 5) Jessica

    Did you print them yourself, too or have them printed? Those look great!

    • 6) Dana

      I had them printed at Costco! They were so awesome! They’ve totally improved their quality from previous years. No cheap photo paper! Now they offer nice cardstock, double-sided, and they have cool designs to choose from (although I just designed my own)….and they were only $.69 each! …..with rounded corners and pre-printed return addresses on the envelopes.

  5. 7) Nicole

    Perfect! Absolutely PERFECT!! Love you guys!

  6. Such a fun card! We never took any photos, and then I was just too lazy to try and come up with something 🙂 Merry Christmas!

  7. Those are awesome!!!! Hope you guys had a great Christmas!

  8. 11) Pamela

    I like the idea of doing something on the back! Very nice!

  9. they’re great and so much fun indeed! 😀

  10. 13) Loni

    Hi! Love your cards! You guys are so cute!

    I have a question, you took a road trip home this year. We are planning on going home (sf) this year. Any advice for traveling with kids? I have a 20 month old. How did Clara do?

  11. 15) kitty

    Love your cards! Hope you and your wonderful family had a great time!!

  12. 16) Connie

    Thank you Dana! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family as well…….

  13. 17) Carolyn Thornley

    Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

  14. 18) Lisa

    Best Christmas card I’ve seen this season, including my own!

  15. Absolutely love this. I especially love the photo you shared of Clara crying. Real life in action there. LOL!
    Melissa

  16. 20) Claudia

    I see happy! Happy always makes the best pictures!

  17. 21) Christy Haggard

    That really is a cute card. I don’t even know you but I feel like I kinda do from following your blog. 🙂 merry Christmas and happy new year from Provo!

  18. 22) Nicole P

    Cute card! Well done doing it yourself! Wish I had some help hand writing mine 🙂

  19. 23) Ashley

    Love it! So cute, as always! I finally got a computer that can handle graphics and illustrator is on my list now.

  20. 24) Tiffany

    I was hoping you were going to post more about your home building process! How did you go about choosing design elements (like that fireplace) and where did you find your finishes (floors, counters, tile) not to mention what finishes you went with…

    We are building this coming June and I would love to know more.

  21. Love the cards! Can I ask where you had them printed? 🙂

    • 26) Dana

      at Costco! They were so awesome! They’ve totally improved their quality from previous years. No cheap photo paper! Now they offer nice cardstock, double-sided, and they have cool designs to choose from (although I just designed my own)….and they were only $.69 each! …..with rounded corners and pre-printed return addresses on the envelopes.

  22. 27) Jean

    Beautiful cards…and I’m being anal here but there’s a typo…..Santa may have …..when EVERYTHING’s …..

    • oh and the gingerbread houses! i had fun with those too! 😀

  23. 30) Lori

    Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Dana! It must be so exciting to think of spending next Christmas in your new, beautiful home! What a blessing.

  24. I *love* your Christmas cards! They are Awesome!! My favorite post of yours this year (not that you asked) was the Halloween post.
    Happy New Year!

  25. 32) Tauna W.

    Cute card! I saw it at the Petersen’s this morning. I love that you did it yourself. It’s fun to see how you guys are doing there in Texas. The new house sounds like such a fun adventure. Ahhh…to paint my own house. I’m still dreaming 🙂 Happy New Year!

  26. 33) Carla Lockwood

    I really have enjoyed following your blog and seeing your family grow! Many blessings to you & your family in the coming year!

    Carla

  27. Happy New Year to you and your family ! You card looks great !
    Enjoy life in your new house.

  28. Awesome photo and great work on using Illustrator. I love reading your blog and all the wonderful photos you share. Happy New Year!

  29. 37) Lori

    Dana, you have a God-given gift in the area of creativity. Thanks for sharing it! 🙂

  30. 38) Dusanka

    It is wonderful to see and follow this family like you! All the best from the heart! Dusanka Serbia

  31. 39) Teressa

    So cute! Love to see your family getting bigger. Thanks for sharing 🙂

  32. 40) Janine Sodersten

    Very, very cute card! I pride myself on trying to do something fun each year for people to look at and read Can you tell me how you did the bubbles? I saw you did them at Costco, but does Costco have cards with bubbles you can fill in?

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