Tag Archive | greeting cards

Receiving and Giving Gratitude in 10 Minutes

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There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude -a quiet joy.

-Ralph H. Blum

Thanksgiving is on its way and I want to share a little something I do that gives me great joy.  I have been taking a few minutes to send a card of gratitude to those precious people in my life for whom I am grateful.  Just a little note which says ‘I am thinking of you’ or ‘thank you for being you’ and sending it off with the touch of the SEND button.

I don’t leave my comfy home nor get out of my pjs to do it.  I simply log onto my computer, go to my site, pick a card or make one with my own photos or elements provided, write my message, click send and voila ~ I send real paper cards through the mail ~ I’ve even sent some delicious brownies and cookies among other fun finds.

The best part is that the cards cost me $.49 for a stamp which is normal and $0.62 for the card.  So for a total of $1.11, I am using my words to spread gratitude!  And yes, it’s that easy. ♥

I know I sound like a commercial, but truly, I adore what I do.  It makes me happy and it delivers happiness when I hear that a friend has received my unexpected card in the mail and is touched by the gesture.  Who doesn’t like to find a treasure in the pile of junk mail and bills?  To just know that someone is thinking of you is such a priceless gift.  I, myself, have been the recipient of many unexpected cards in my life and I can attest to the power of kindness and the amazing accuracy of a well-timed card in helping to raise spirits when you are feeling down.  And even when I wasn’t feeling down, just knowing that someone thought of me enough to write me a note and send it is priceless.

It simply raises up our loving vibrations  ~ for both the giver and the receiver!

In gratitude for your loving energy and support, please feel free to enjoy a card on me.  Just click here!

Shine On!

xo

Priceless Back to School Remedy

74464908_ 74464909_It’s that Time of Year Again…Back to school! Wishing you lots of success and achievement.

And don’t forget to have fun along the way!

I have some friends who have children going off to college this year ~ some are even off to camp for the last part of the summer as well!  And as always, I suggest my secret remedy to keeping up with your kids while they are away ~ one that is sure to make them smile and let them know how much you love them!  It’s getting that little bit of home along with a special care package that makes them smile when they check their mailboxes!

I remember being a college student (it seems like it wasn’t that long ago!) and I was overjoyed when there was a package note for me in my mailbox!  Heck, even a card or letter made me happy!  There’s nothing harder for a student away at college for the first time than seeing an empty mailbox over and over.  Sometimes it’s just a little note that can brighten their day!  Just a little ~ I am thinking of you ~ that makes all the difference!

You know what I mean don’t you?  Haven’t you ever gone to your mailbox only to find a little personal note from a friend?  You know that it’s the one you open first ~ it’s that “oh, someone thought of me today and sent me a card!” happy feeling!  There’s nothing like it as far as I”m concerned…it’s a priceless moment.

But cards are expensive and I don’t have time ~ I buy cards and then can’t find the stamps ~ who has the time to write letters anymore?  Snail mail?  Why I keep up with my kids via texts, Skype and email!  They don’t need cards ~ it’s just a waste of time and money!

Believe me, I’ve heard all of your excuses and I have a remedy for them!

What if…

  • a greeting card cost you less than $2 plus postage?
  • you could choose your card from a card catalog of over 17K cards without getting out of your jammies 24/7 and without setting foot in a store?
  • you never had to worry about finding a stamp to send the card that you just purchased?
  • you could send gift cards, brownies, books, and even presents along with your card?
  • you could write in your own handwriting and sign with your own signature?
  • your cards could be scheduled ~ send one today, one next week ~ up to a year in advance?
  • you could create your own card, add photos and even a video?
  • you would never forget a birthday because you’d have a built in reminder?

The answer is simple:  Click Here!  and send a card on me ~ to your favorite camper, college student, housebound friend/family member, to a niece, a nephew, to your mom, to your spouse ~ the possibilities are endless ~ but send one.  Take 10 minutes today and just send a card.

It’s a priceless feeling to Send Out Love!

And a priceless feeling to receive it!

Shine On!

xo

Make This World A Better Place

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April is National Card and Letter Writing Month!

I’ve been asked many times what I do for a living and always it’s hard for me to describe.  I’m a mom, wife, daughter, care-giver, sister, cat mommy, former teacher, breast cancer survivor and blogger.  I’ve taken over closing out my Dad’s business and his estate, taken over his responsibilities with my Mom because she’s not able to handle the house etc., I’m still dealing with my own health issues and oh yes, I have my own business which I love and enjoy!

I help people worldwide to connect with others and to send out love.

Plain and simple.  I believe that time is short here on Earth.  Reaching out via a heartfelt card is priceless.  Add your own pictures, perhaps even a video, make it simple, inexpensive and fun and voila, you’ve got yourself a guaranteed way to make this world a better place.

It’s a building business tool.  It’s an artistic medium ~ putting your photos on canvas, on postcards, on metal.  It’s a whole photo store which you control for a price that can’t be beat.

It’s simple ~ children can do it, grandparents can do it, even the most technology-lacking people can enjoy it ~ and the techies ~ well, they’ll have a ball with it!

It’s bringing people closer ~ it’s never forgetting a birthday or an anniversary.  It’s reaching out to a friend when they live far away.  It’s sending a thank you note the easiest way possible and enjoyable!  It’s moving with the times like Amazon, Netflix and online banking.  It’s building your business one personalized note at a time, but making it easier than you can imagine!

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said,

people will forget what you did,

but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ~ Maya Angelou

Click here to try it for free today!

Shine On!

xo

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Making Special Valentines!

Creating Classic Custom Valentines ~ Reblog from SOC!

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Creating custom cards is one of the great things about SendOutCards. While we have an extensive collection of cards for almost any holiday, sometimes a card that you customize all by yourself is the best kind of card.

A lot of the same can be said about creating Valentine’s Day cards, even when you’re creating them in bulk. While cards continue to become more extensive in design and bigger in size, the classic Valentine  (the smaller ones you received as a kid and/or in elementary school) are still some of the best kinds.

So how can you give out these classic cards without limiting yourself to the pre-made cards at the store? How can you add your creative twist to this classic?

We’re glad you asked!

One of the many great hidden treasures in the SendOutCards Photo Store is the Playing Cards Deck. But how can a deck of cards help you create personalized Valentines? An ordinary deck might not get you far, but the Playing Cards Deck from SendOutCards is a different story.

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These custom Valentines are perfect for kids to bring to school and they’re also a fun way to create a classic Valentine to give to your friends, family, neighbors or coworkers.

For the sample above, we created a variety of 54 Valentines (including the Joker cards). All the designs you see are in the Artwork and Backgrounds gallery within the SOC Photo Store.

Start creating your own personalized, classic Valentines by  following the steps below!

If you don’t have an account, log onto http://www.sendoutcards.com/126830 and send a card for free ~ when you do, you’ll create a free account.

Then after you’ve made your free account you can begin!  If you already have a SendOutCards account then…

Start, by logging into your SendOutCards Photo Store Account by visiting: http://www.socphotostore.com. After you’ve logged on, you’ll see a wheel of different projects you can create. Click on “Other Gifts” option on the first wheel.

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That will open a second wheel, where you’ll need to click on “Playing Card Deck.”

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Next, you’ll be taken to the customization page.

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Select the “Design Your Own” option and then click “Next Step.

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The cards are separated by suites. However, in the “Design Your Own” option, this isn’t applicable, since there will not be number or suites appearing on your custom cards. Be sure you click through each suite and create a design for each card. There are a total of 54 cards (including the Joker cards).

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The SOC Photo Store has hundreds of built-in background and graphics that you can select from. But you can also upload your own graphics and photos in the “My Photos” option. For this example, we’ll be pulling graphics from the SOC Photo Store library.

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You can design your cards on a white (default) or a solid color background. There also custom backgrounds, separated by categories. For the cards in our example, we’re using the backgrounds in the “Valentines” folder.

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Next, we’re going to add some artwork on top of our background image. Again, we’ll be pulling the graphics from the SOC Photo Store library. You can find an array of different images under the “Artwork” option of your menu. Like the backgrounds, these graphics split into different categories. For example, we’ll be pulling graphics from the “Valentines” folder.

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To add graphics, just drag the graphic you want to use onto your card.

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Depending on the card you’re working with and the look and feel you’re trying to achieve, you’ll have to adjust the size and position accordingly.  You can do so by using the dark grey menu above.

When you’re finished creating all your cards. Click on the “Back of all cards” option on the left hand side of screen.

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The back of the deck will have to be one consistent image and/or text. For our sample, we’ll be creating the “to and from” area.  If you decide to do the same, you have the option of filling-in your name now, or you can leave it blank and personally sign it after you’ve printed them.

Text can be added by selecting the “Text” tab on your menu.  Similar to the background/images, you’ll drag the “ABC” box on to your card and move the box according to where you want your text to be.

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Once you’ve decided, you can begin typing your text in the box in the “Text” tab. You can also change your font, size and color in the same menu box. In addition, you can move your text, rotate it and resize accordingly, using the dark grey menu next to your card.

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After you’ve added your text, you can also add any additional artwork or graphics.

When you’re done creating all your cards, click on the “Preview” option to view your work. If you’re happy with your cards, click “Add to Cart” to get your cards processed and print!

Daily Giveaway #7 — $50 SOC Photo Store Gift Card

This is just one of the few ways you can take your Valentine’s Day creativity and personalization to next level. Why not explore some of the other great tools in the photo store to surprise your someone special this holiday? Submit some of your creative Valentine’s Day ideas HERE for your chance to win a $50 SOC Photo Store Gift Card — Daily Giveaway #7 — the final giveaway in our February: 7 Days of Giveaways series.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Shine On!

xo

Who Do You LOVE?

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Happy Valentine’s Day to YOU!

There are  7 days left before Valentine’s Day ~ the holiday which allows you to open your heart and express how you feel without feeling funny because everyone is doing it!  (Yikes!  I hope my kids don’t read this post as I never let them do things just because everyone is doing it!)

I learned a sad lesson when my Dad died as the tricky conjecture of “did you love me and did you know I loved you?” can be a hard way to think when there’s not something tangible to hold, to see and to reread in the days to come.  You know what I mean, don’t you?  Tomorrow is promised to no one and we only have today.   I am a card giver (and I love to receive as well), and I want you to know why ~ it’s because the written word is tangible.  A card can be held, your words can be reread forever and no matter how long it’s been since we’ve had contact, when you write your feelings in a card, they are a lifelong memory of love.  There’s no trying to remember what you said to me or twisting memories.  It’s all there, in black and white, in your handwriting if you choose, in any color ink imaginable and in whatever language you speak because there are accents for French, Spanish, German, Italian or Portuguese in any font.  Your words, not someone else’s (unless of course you need a little help)!

What’s more special than that?  A real greeting card of love (or like) in the mailbox amidst the junk mail and bills to brighten your loved one’s day!  The beauty of it is that a card is forever, and with SendOutCards, it’s a priceless gift which costs less than $2!  Even when you add your own pictures to it, it still costs less than $2 plus postage!  You can even add a video via a QR code into your card!  How amazing is it to be able to have an interactive card ~ letting your loved one SEE you telling them that you love them!

So…Who needs to know how you feel?

Today my GIFT TO YOU is a FREE CARD ~ please send a special person a card today!

Click here to send a FREE CARD!

Who do you LOVE?

(George Thorogood’s song is below in case you want to rock out today!)

Shine On & Share the LOVE!

xo

Coffee Talk…

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A cup of coffee shared with you

is time well spent…

and warm memories made.

Thank you!

I saw this card in my SendOutCards catalog click here for more information and I had to include it because Vicki over at http://abundelic.wordpress.com/2013/01/29/coffees-on/  invited me for coffee today and I thought it would be fun to participate.  She’s asked a few questions that I needed to answer…so here goes!

1) How many cups of coffee per day? Well, it depends on what time I get up ~ usually 2 or maybe 3 at the most!

2) What is your favorite caffeine delivery system? My little Keurig!

 3) What was your best cup of coffee? Cafe au lait sitting at La Chancla Bar looking out over the Mediterranean on a bright sunny day, overlooking La Playa Blanca in Malaga, Spain.

4) What was your worst cup of coffee? On an airplane

5) What does your favorite mug say? Mom

6) How do you take your coffee? A 1/2 of a teaspoon of sugar  and a bit of  low-fat half and half

 7) When was your first cup? Spain!

 8) Have you ever gone on a coffee or tea date? Yes, many times!

So now I guess it’s my turn to host my first virtual coffee and tea date and I’m inviting all of you!  Please take a moment to chat below ~

Tell me about yourselves and how you like your coffee or tea! 

Feel free to invite friends and even host your own! 

What a lovely way to keep our energy up  and connections flowing as the week begins!

Have a lovely week!

Shine On!  Or dare I say, “Cheers to Tuesday!”

xo

Love is in the Air…

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Love is in the air…

While I was in the grocery store, I happened down the card aisle as I love cards and saw the sea of pinks and reds!  Ahhh…Valentine’s Day is coming ~ which of course, brought a huge smile to my face because I love sending out love and this is the holiday for just that!

How do you feel about Valentine’s Day?  Is it the holiday that you love (pun intended!) or is the one that you’d rather skip for personal reasons?  Do you feel it’s a lovers only occasion or are you like me and think that it’s the perfect time to send out love to everyone that you care for in your life?  You see, I’ve always been the type of person who wants you to know how much I love you because I never want any regrets.  In fact, I make sure when my boys leave everyday for school and my hubby goes off to work, that I kiss them all goodbye and tell them that I love them.  I just can’t help it ~ it’s just the way I’m wired!

I’ve told you how I’ve reached out with my cards to others and how I’ve said what I wanted to say without worries of silence on the other end of the phone ~ I’ve reconnected with family click here to read   with whom I’d grown apart through my cards and healed relationships…and hopefully I’ve made others’ days with a surprise card in the mail amidst the bills and junk mail.  You know how that feels don’t you?  That happy surprised feeling when you see that envelope in the mailbox ~ it’s the one you open first because you want to know what it says ~ it’s a priceless feeling which is why I send a card everyday!  I want everyone to get that special smile on their face!

How about you?  What keeps you back from sending cards?  Don’t know what to say?  Hate spending $5 or more for a card which doesn’t say what you want?  Do you find that you buy a card but never send it because you can’t find a stamp or the right address?  Or is it that you can’t find a card that you like?  Do you speak French, Portuguese, German, Italian or Spanish and want to write in your language but find that it’s difficult to find cards?

I have the perfect solution for you ~ you can now send a card from anywhere in the world to anywhere in the world!  You can send a card from your iPhone or android phone or you can send it from your computer ~ all you need is wifi which means you can be on the beach or out at the soccer fields and send a card!  We have over 16,000 cards in our card catalog or you can design you own in less than 10 minutes.  You can use what is written inside the card and/or add your own sentiment in your own language!  You can write in your own handwriting font or choose from our many different ones!  You can sign your name in your own handwriting as well!  You can add as many pictures to your card as you’d like and even attach a video via a QR code to make your card interactive!  There’s an online address book which also works as a personal assistant reminding you of upcoming special birthdays as well!

In 10 minutes, you can find a card, write your heartfelt message, even add a gift, gift card or even Mrs. Field’s cookies, click SEND and viola!  Your card is sent whenever you wish ~ you can schedule your card and gift to be sent up to a year in advance!

And the best part is that your card, even with all the pictures you’d like to put in it and even a video if you wish would never cost you more than $2 plus postage which is .46!  And yet, your recipient gets a real card in the mail and not an e-card from you!

Just click here!  The account is free and you only pay for the cards you want to send!  Who needs to hear from you this Valentine’s Day?  What are you waiting for?  Just try it ~

You have nothing to lose, but LOVE to gain!

What is we all sent love out everyday…imagine what a wonderful world this would be!

Love is in the air…enjoy the video below…perhaps you remember the song?  

Shine On!

xo

This is Your Life…

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Daily Prompt: This Is Your Life

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/01/11/daily-prompt-your-life/

If you could read a book containing all that has happened

and will ever happen in your life, would you?

If you choose to read it, you must read it cover to cover. 

I thought perhaps I’d try one of the daily prompts today.  I started following them awhile back but I never acted upon them.  However, today’s piqued my interest enough to follow through so here I am!

If I could read a book about my life, I most certainly would read it cover to cover.  Through my love of reading all types of books, but especially autobiographies, this would be my genre and therefore a resounding YES as the answer to today’s question.  I love to learn about others and listen to their stories about their lives so I would definitely read my own.  I think it would be fun!

As for the card above, (it’s from SendOutCards  ~ click here for more info).  I imagine that this would be the cover of my book about my life ~ and the title of it.  What do you think? 🙂

I’d love to hear from you!  So…please answer….

1. If you could read a book containing all that has happened and will ever happen in your life, would you?  If you choose to read it, you must read it cover to cover.

2.  Why or why not?

3.  What do you imagine it would be titled?

Thanks for sharing!

TGIF!

Shine On!

xo

 

Be the one who remembers…

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2012 was a rocky year for me, 4 major surgeries, the passing away of my Dad, the added responsibilities that accompany closing down his business (of which I know little about) and the taking care of my Mom who relied on my Dad for everything.  AAngel (my sister) and I have been dealing with all of the nuances of this literally life changing event in our family and it’s been sad and hard and frustrating.

However, it’s made me realize how grateful I am for everyone and everything in my life.  There’s a saying that I heard which says without the clouds, you cannot experience the rainbow…so as the rains came, I knew that eventually the sun would emerge and I tried to simply be in that moment and not fight the sadness.  It was a huge shift for me and one that I am grateful for experiencing.

My goal this year is again, to be present, to enjoy the Presents of Presence as it were…and to be grateful for the experiences of 2013.    Part of being grateful I believe is to show your gratitude and connect by sharing it with others.  With my Dad’s death, I learned how much of an impact he made on so may people simply by calling them on their birthdays.  I learned that he called all of his clients on their birthdays every year and sang the first line of the birthday song to them.  Now you may think that is nothing, but I can’t even begin to tell you how many emails, how many notes, how many phone calls I’ve received from people in the last 6 months telling me how their birthdays weren’t the same without my Dad’s traditional birthday call.  Something so simple and yet so powerful…I love the legacy that he left for so many people…

In the same vein, although with my own twist, I’ve done the same thing with my business ~ except since my choral days are over, I’ve turned to card sending which for me is a bit more concrete because you have a card to hold, to cherish and to be a loving reminder for years to come.  How I wish my Dad had written more cards to us instead of calling ~ imagine how wonderful it would have been to have held his loving words in my hands when I needed to hear from him now that he’s passed?  Imagine your loved ones holding your priceless words of encouragement, your pictures, your videos in the palm of their hands for years to come?

Are you a card person?  Or are you like AAngel and find having to drive to the store to then stand in front of the shelves until you find a card that costs between 4-6 dollars which doesn’t quite say what you want appalling?  You want to be that person who remembers everyone’s special day, but quite frankly, you simply don’t have the time to add one more ‘do’ on your to do list?  You have an entire family and work schedule to keep track of so how can you keep track of anyone else’s stuff?

Well, the solution is simple…SendOutCards is a free system which keeps track of all of that for you ~ and acts like your own personal assistant whether you use it for business or personal use!  Need reminders of friends’, family members’, clients’, customers’ birthdays, anniversaries, children’s names or need to write notes about them?  There’s an online address book which allows you to put everyone’s special days in the calendar so you never miss sending a card and even a gift!  You can be that person who remembers everyone and makes them feel special!  You simply log onto your computer, iPhone, iPad, kindle or android at any hour, from any place and send a card/gift on time ~ saving you time, saving you money (a card costs less than $1) and getting the card that you want instead of trying to be satisfied with something that only feels ok from the store.  Add pictures?  Add a video?  Add your logo?  Sure!  Write in your own handwriting?  Yup!  Pick a card from our catalog or make your own from scratch!  Add a gift card?  Mrs. Field’s cookies?  A toy?  Jewelry?  A trinket?  Yes!  You can even schedule your cards to be sent out up to a year in advance!  Or send the same card to many people but personalize each one!  It takes 5 minutes to do and yet, SendOutCards is not a household name…yet!

We are an INTERNATIONAL company with distributors in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, United Kingdom and Singapore.  But you can be a customer from anywhere and you can send cards and gifts to anywhere!  That’s the beauty of the free system!  Buy only what you need ~ there’s a pay as you go option or a subscription ~ whatever works best for you!  Yes, it’s that simple!

So come join me and be the one that remembers ~

Give the priceless gift of thoughtfulness

You’ll be glad you did!

http://www.sendoutcards.com/126830

Shine On in 2013!

xo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=JJic3b_MU9Q