and the winners are...

Thank you so much for entering the Shutterfly.com holiday card giveaway and for sharing your favorite part about the holiday season.  The winners are:

#3 - Sarah M.

#4 - iykuykur

#7 - Jes

Congrats ladies!!!  Please send me an e-mail at collagechic (at) gmail (dot) com by Monday, November 7th to claim your prize code.

it's beginning to look a lot like christmas: a giveaway!

{Comments have now been CLOSED and winners will be announced soon!}

When I envisioned sitting at the computer to write this post, I figured it would be at home, after George's bedtime, comfy in my pj's on the couch or at our kitchen table.  Little did I know, Mother Nature had other plans and decided to throw winter and thoughts of Christmas our way far sooner than usual. Meaning SNOW. On October 29th. In metro-New York. This was the scene in our house yesterday as the snow fell hard outside our window:

George, with nose pressed against this window exclaiming, "Snow!"  Yes buddy, snow.

So it is fitting that tonight, as I sit on a recliner at a relative's house (we are without power indefinitely due to said snow, but that's another story), my thoughts are turned to our 2011 Christmas cards..and yours! 

For the past three years, I have ordered our holiday cards from Shutterfly.com.  I use their photo printing services regularly and also love their cardstock stationery, so ordering for the holidays was a natural extension. This year, the early snow has me considering our card design much earlier than normal...and wondering if I'll be able to get a good shot sans snow! Here are a few of my favorites designs right now, all so different and a lot of appeal to all. This first design is so much fun and appropriate to all we have experienced this past year and are expecting for next...

This is a bit more classic, allowing for both a family shot and a single portrait of George...

And, a beautiful traditional design...

I'm not sure how I'll decide until I get the photos underway but, am confident I'll find a design that fits our family this year.  Our Christmas cards paired with custom thank you notes will add the perfect personal touch to our holiday.

So, where do YOUR cards come in?  Shutterfly is generously giving away 25 of their beautiful holiday cards to three, yes, three of my readers.  I'm so grateful and thrilled, and hope you are as well. 

Here's how you can win your very own set of 2011 holiday cards:

1) Leave me comment on this post telling me that you'd like to win a set of cards and your favorite part of the holiday season

That's all.  No catch, no running around linking up posts.  Just a simple givaway from Shutterfly and me, to you, just in time for the holidays.  Pass it along to your friends and good luck :)  Winner will be announced on Thursday, November 3rd.

Standard disclaimer: Shutterfly contacted me to offer this giveaway and I am receiving compensation in the form of our holiday cards.  I only blog about companies that I have worked with in the past and where I am happy with the products and/or services I have received.

the month of love and...a giveaway!!!

Valentine's Day.  I have vivid memories of the holiday in my elementary school years.  Painstakingly decorating a paper mailbox for my desk (always a class project), selecting just the right character themed valentines for my classmates, deciding which of my friends would get the coveted larger cards in the box and then the fun of tearing open all of the sticker seals or tiny envelopes handed out that special day and deciding which were the favorites. And, of course, conversation hearts!

Then the angst of middle and high school Valentine's Days.  The anticipation of wondering whether a crush would reveal himself by passing along a card, candy or the most meaningful single red rose.  In young adult years and in longer relationships, the day was about nice dinners out, and the tightrope mushy cards that communicated that we cared but, not quite saying "I love you."

Now, Valentine's Day is a fun excuse to send a sweet sentiment to loved ones and friends. My husband and I exchange cards but, skip gifts and overpriced restaurant dinners.  We don't need this one assigned day to express our love for one another when we do it all through the year. February is our month anyway with the emphasis on our February 28th wedding anniversary!

Having George sets the Valentine timeline in motion again.  The next few years will just be fun for us, dressing him a cute outfit and taking sweet photos to share.  But, before we know it, we'll be taking him to shop for paper valentines. This year, I'm planning to send out some holiday cards to a few of our nearest and dearest - a very fun excuse to share how big our boy is getting. We ordered our Christmas cards from Shutterfly and were so thrilled with their selection and results that I have brand loyalty but, which design?  I'm loving both of these.  Which I choose will depend on the orientation of the final photo :)

So darling!!!  If cards aren't your thing, I've also ordered photo gifts and mugs from Shutterfly and have been very pleased. 

Okay, you've read this far so here is the GIVEAWAY!  Shutterfly is generously offering 25 FREE Valentine's Day photo cards to one of my readers (s&h is not included).  Want to win? 

Here's how to enter:

1) Leave a comment on this post telling me and Shutterfly what Valentine's Day means to you this year (Mandatory entry).  Make sure you enter your e-mail when commenting so that I can reach you in the event you are the winner.

2) Share a link to this blog post on Facebook AND leave a separate comment telling me you've shared (one extra entry)

3) Tweet a link to this blog post AND leave a separate comment telling me you've shared (one extra entry)

I will draw a random winner after 5:00 pm EST on Thursday, February 3rd.  Good luck!!!

*Standard disclaimer: Shutterfly is providing me with 25 cards, as well as the giveaway, in return for this post.  However, I only accept giveaways from companies that I trust and have used in the past with excellent quality results.  The end.