Creche at Lake Hart
Happy Advent! Do you need some gift ideas for your donors or anyone on your list? Would you like to make photobooks but don’t know how? Are you simply unsure how to keep the next several weeks meaningful (and organized)?
What Child is This?
Looking for a creative gift idea? How about a way to showcase your pictures? Photobooks and calendars (and tons of other items) make great gifts for family or supporters; they can be simple or elaborate.
Shutterfly is a good choice–it has the highest ratings for a service that does a wide variety of products. (I’ve used MyPublisher to do photobooks and was very happy with the end results, but I’m looking for something easier to use, so I intend to try Shutterfly for my project this year). If you haven’t tried to do these projects before, then “ease of use” should be your highest criteria in choosing a service. Most of these companies ship in less than a week after you submit your project, so you still have time.
- This short video from National Geographic gives you a general idea of what’s involved in creating a photobook.
- This site rates and reviews the companies offering this service.
- See Sus’ note below for how she uses Snapfish to send a nice annual gift for donors and also for links to Snapfish’s CyberMonday special today.
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
Going digital with your Christmas prayer letter? Try SmileBox for an attractive and dynamic letter. Your message and photos will stand out. I use SmileBox regularly for family birthdays and they’re always well received!
The 12 Days of Christmas (or is it 101)?
Can’t get your head around all you need to do? Maybe one of the many free planners and checklists at “101 Days of Christmas: Christmas Planning eBook & Printables” will be helpful to you.
O Holy Night
Need something to call you to peace in the midst of the chaos? I recommend my favorite advent devotional – and I’ve tried many! The devotionals and music are just what I need to start my day as I prepare to celebrate our Savior’s birth.
If this was helpful to you, could you let me know? Do you have anything you can recommend?
NOTE from Sus:
Last year, I created a “Classic Wall Calendar” on Snapfish with our best photographs and sent them to six donors. This morning, I learned Snapfish is having a CyberMonday 50% off sale today (and up to 500 photos for a penny each). I pulled up the calendar, updated it for 2012, and ordered a dozen at half price for some more ministry partners. All in 5 or 10 minutes! This worked for me because I already had a calendar stored on their site. In addition, instead of shipping my gifts, I can have my order printed in a nearby store for easy pick-up.
Guest Post by Karen Fenz
Karen and her husband Curt are part of the Eastern European headquarters team in Budapest. They have lived in Europe for more than 25 years, where they raised three boys who now live in the States. Playing guitar on the church worship team helps keep her sane. Hiking the Alps is the family’s vacation of choice.
Karen has taught mathematics for 15 years at the local MK school, and now is spending some of her time assisting staff women with their technology concerns. As a digital immigrant, she has more devices than she knows what to do with, but enjoys exploring what they can do.
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thanks! really helpful! i love photo gifts for a variety of uses. i have found artscow (www.artscow.com) to be extremely affordable. the ship time is a lot slower (usually) than shutterfly and the like, but the prices usually make up for it. they have incredible deals/coupons – almost a new one every day. the shipping in general is pricey (b/c it ships international) however they often run deals that include free shipping.
Thanks, Amy!
I just looked at artscow (what a name!). Thanks for telling us about your experience with them.
no problem! i hope you have a good experience with them as well.