New Birth Announcement Designs!

To kick of 2008 we just added new photo birth announcement designs to both our boy and girl birth announcements galleries.

Our newest birth announcement designs reflect the fun and unique style of the current trends. We incorporated fresh color palates and subtle backgrounds in many of our new designs. We also added elegant monograms on several designs to add a classic look.

We are looking forward to welcoming 2008 by adding many new products and designs on a regular basis. Check back soon for even more new birth announcement and photo invitation designs.

As always if you don’t find what you are looking for please contact us about a custom design.

Merry Christmas from the Addie Kate family!

As our Christmas festivities wind down we would like to take this time to extend our well wishes to all of our valued customers and readers. We are happy to be a part of your families season and look forward to many new things in 2008!

This next year we hope to expand our invitation and birth announcement galleries as well as offer a brand new line of holiday cards for next years season. We are also working on adding new products. Be sure to check back often!

More new designs!

At Addie Kate Creations we have been busy this week doing a lot of custom design work. We have modified the designs we created and they are now featured in our card gallery. We have added several new holiday photo card designs. Check them out they are the Bright, Festive Polka Dots, Fun Flakes, Retro Dots, and Hope designs.

We also have added a few new designs to our photo birthday invitation gallery. The Birthday Dots design (in both boy and girl versions) and our winter one-derland design are the newest addition to the card gallery.

We love doing custom designs so if you can't find what you are looking for don't hesitate to contact us about creating something unique for you!

Holiday card solutions for last minute shoppers.

It is not too late to order traditional photo cards from Addie Kate Creations. We do not have an official "deadline" but cannot guarantee that orders will arrive before Christmas if ordered after December 15Th.

We do have a variety of options though that can help you out if you are still waiting to take holiday card pictures.

Our print at home option is a great last minute choice. You provide your pictures and we customize your holiday photo card, birth announcement or invitation. After we have designed a proof that is exactly what you are looking for we will e-mail you a high resolution file of the photo card. You can print this file at a one hour photo lab and have your card in your hands the same day!

Another way to beat the clock is our full service mailing option. You send us your excel address list and once your proof is approved we will mail your holiday photo cards for you within two business days. Talk about hassle free!

Our traditional photo cards still feature a fast turnaround time. After we receive your pictures we provide a proof within 24 hours. After the proof is approved we will ship your photo card order within 2 business days.

Happy Thanksgiving to our friends, family and customers!

Happy Thanksgiving to our friends , family and valued customers! We hope you have a wonderful day and lots to be thankful for.

Here at Addie Kate Creations we have a had a wonderful year making people smile with our photo birth announcements, Holiday cards and invitations. We have had the pleasure to build relationships with many wonderful vendors and interact with lots of fabulous customers.

Most of all we are thankful for our wonderful family and adorable daughter Adeline.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving and don't forget that this is a great time for a family photo!

New Birth Announcement and Holiday Card Designs!

We just added several new designs to our birth announcement and holiday card galleries.

Our new girl designs are Alexandra, Ariana, and Alyssa. our new boy designs are Abbot, Bennett and Blake. Our new holiday photo cards are Fun Dots, Well Wishes and Winter Wonderland.

For our most recent designs we were inspired by elegant textured backgrounds and fun retro touches.

As with all of our holiday designs the message can be customized as well as the color scheme.

Impress your friends and family with one of our "of the moment" new photo card designs!

Ideas for Holiday card pictures

Every year I have a great time coming up with a new fun idea for a Christmas card photo. I decided to compile a list of all the great ideas I've used and seen on others holiday photo cards.



Baby with Christmas lights

Place your baby or toddler on a dark background with a lighted string of Christmas lights to look at. Turn of all lights and utilize the natural light available. Take lots of photos of your baby looking at the lights. (Disclaimer- Christmas lights contain some lead so do not let your child put them in their mouth and wash your child's hands thoroughly after your photo shoot).



Santa's Cookies

Take a picture of your child in their holiday outfit "stealing" Santa's cookies. You can caption your holiday photo card to say "I'm sorry Santa". Or a similar fun saying.



Naughty and Nice

Pick a collage holiday card design and feature one photo of your child smiling sweetly and one photo of your child mad (we all have those!).

Christmas wreath

Take a close up of your child peering through the middle of a Christmas wreath. This makes for a beautiful, simple photo for any of our individual picture holiday cards.

Our Christmas Gift came early

This is a great idea for to use on a holiday birth announcement. Place your baby in a large box to appear it was unwrapped.

Ho Ho Ho

Place your baby in the bathtub with a Santa hat on. Put bubbles on your babies face as a beard. Too cute!

These are just a few ideas to get you started. Have fun capturing that perfect moment!

Thanksgiving is the perfect time to take Holiday Card Photos!

It is always difficult to coordinate a family picture. Getting family organized for a holiday card photo can be frustrating and futile. Avoid the hassle of getting family together by taking photos when your family is already gathering at Thanksgiving!

Most likely when you are together for the holiday your family is already at least a little dressed up and in good spirits after a Thanksgiving meal. For great holiday card photos you can focus on candid shots or take a group photo. Even if you aren't using a picture of extended family on your holiday photo card you can still take advantage of the opportunity to gave another family member take a picture of you immediate family.

Addie Kate Creations will be accepting photo holiday card orders through December 15th so you have plenty of time to get that perfect picture!,

Why choose Addie Kate Creations?

Addie Kate Creations offers artistic and modern photo cards that aren’t offered by any other company. Larger photo card companies operate by allowing a customer to upload a single photo to a template design. At Addie Kate creations we work with each individual customers photo to crop and edit the photo to ensure it looks it's best. We also offer free customization of fonts colors and text. Your photo card from Addie Kate Creations will stand apart from the many cards your family and friends will receive this year.

Our unique designs aren’t the only thing that makes us different. Addie Kate Creations offers a full service mailing option designed to make sending holiday cards easy and hassle free. The Holidays are hectic enough without having to worry about addressing and stamping a card and sending them off to friends and family! How does it work? You e-mail us with an address list and we will stamp and send your cards for you within two business days of approval of your proof. The mailing option is also available for our girl birth announcements, boy birth announcements, holiday birth announcements and photo invitations.

This holiday season all orders also include free return address labels. Your labels are designed to match your holiday card or birth announcement. They provide your photo card with a pulled together complete “look”. Similar labels sell at other companies at up to 30 dollars per set.

Holiday Birth Announcement Wording Options

Many parents that are blessed with fall or winter babies choose to combine their holiday card with their birth announcement. This is a practical, cost effective and festive option for new parents. We have often been asked what about the appropriate wording for holiday birth announcements. I have listed some options below that range from short and simple to more elaborate.

Our Christmas gift arrived early this year, introducing….

This holiday season we joyfully announce the birth of our daughter…

This Christmas season we welcome with love..

Our most precious gift has arrived….

We introduce this Holiday Season….

We celebrate this holiday season with the birth of …

Our greatest gift is here…

Happy Holidays from our newest family member…

With great joy this Christmas season we introduce…

God has blessed us this Christmas season with the birth of…

The above phrases are just a few examples of wording that both wishes your family and friends a joyous season and announces the birth of your child. Addie Kate Creations can customize your photo holiday birth announcement with any of the above phrases or with an original phrase of your own choosing. As with all of our design colors and fonts can be adjusted as well. Happy Holidays from the Addie Kate family to yours!

Sample Holiday Card Phrases

Simple greetings such as “Happy Holidays”, “Merry Christmas”, “Seasons Greetings” and “Happy Hanukkah” will always be classic and popular choices for holiday card phrasing. If you are looking for something a little more unique check out our list of sample holiday card wording below. Remember Addie Kate Creations can customize any holiday photo card with the wording and colors of your choice.

Wishing you a very merry and bright holiday season

Warm wishes from our family to yours this holiday season

The magic of Christmas never ends and its greatest gift is family and friends

Joy and Blessings from our family to yours

Best Wishes for the Holidays and Happiness throughout the New Year!

Wishing you a merry, bright and beautiful Christmas

May you be blessed with peace, love and joy throughout the New Year

May peace and joy be yours this holiday season

Wishing you a joyous Holiday Season and a Prosperous, Healthy New Year

May health and happiness bless you in the coming New Year

Joyful Holiday Wishes from our family to yours


Whether you choose to use a simple holiday wish for your family seasons greetings card or a longer phrase, remember that you family holiday photo card is a wonderful expression of well wishes to your friends and family. Make sure your photo holiday card is as unique as you and your family are!

Holiday Card Trends

At Addie Kate Creations we like to take some time to predict what each year’s trends in holiday cards will be. Here are this years thoughts.

It’s all about the photo- Photo cards are becoming more and more popular whether for birth announcements, invitations or moving announcements. Holiday cards will be no exception. His year we will see more and more families go beyond the traditional one photo card and select a collage photo holiday card. We will also see lots of photos that are creative and artistic rather than the traditional family portrait.

Custom Cards- Many style conscious families will choose a unique custom card vendor such as Addie Kate Creations to provide their holiday card. Many of the large retailers carry cookie cutter designs and discerning customers are searching for smaller vendors that create a custom holiday card to suit their taste.

Simple Messages- This year’s holiday card designs are accented with simple greeting such as “Peace, Hope and Love” rather than long complicated verse. Less is more this year when it comes to the text on your holiday card.

Retro Design- Retro and vintage accents will appear on many holiday card designs. You will find cards that feature traditional elements with retro color schemes as well as mod characteristics.

Elegant and Simple- The classics will always have a place in holiday card designs. Simple black and white photo cards are always beautiful and are showcased with clean lines and a minimalist design.

Now is the perfect time to order Halloween Photo Cards!

Now that October has begun it's time to start thinking about Halloween. You most likely have selected a costume and maybe have even taken a trip to the pumpkin patch. What better way to share your adorable Halloween moments than with a Halloween photo card!

At Addie Kate Creations we can customize your digital Halloween photo card to suit your style and taste. Your family and friends will be thrilled to see your little cutie in their spooky costume.

Halloween cards are also a nice alternative to Holiday cards. More and more families are finding that it is difficult to send cards during the busy holiday season and Halloween cards are a great substitute.

Addie Kate Creations is able to ship your order within 2 days of approval of your proof. You still have plenty of time to place your order and get them out before Halloween!

Our holiday birth announcements have arrived!

At Addie Kate Creations we recently added our 2007 line of holiday birth announcements. Holiday Birth Announcements are the perfect way to combine a holiday card with a baby announcemnt.It is appropriate to send a holiday birth announcements for any baby that is born during the fall.

Our line of holiday announcements use a traditional photo card layout with subtle holiday graphics and holiday text to announce you bundle of joy. Our designs also showcase the traditional color schemes of holiday cards but with a modern flair. Instead of bright red and green we used more subtle muted tones. These touches ad an elegant and modern flair to you holiday announcement.

Addie Kate Creations also offers a large selection of photo birth announcements that can be customized as a holiday birth announcement. Holiday cards can be adapted as a holiday birth announcement as well.

Check out our galleries of holiday announcements, photo birth announcements and holiday photo cards to find the design that showcases your personal style this holiday season!

Our Family Halloween Photo Card

I spent this Saturday trying to get my toddler to sit still long enough to capture her cute personality in a photo for our family Halloween photo card. It was a difficult task but we finally were able to get her to pose in her octopus costume.

I choose to do a simple one photo Halloween card. I created the color scheme to incorporate colors in her costume. Browns, oranges pink and white all were combined for a trendy effect. In lieu of pumpkins and spiders I decided to use a polka dot theme for the card.

Overall I was pleased with how our Halloween card turned out.

Envelope Addressing Ettiquete for Birth Announcements

I am frequently asked what the "rules" are for addressing envelopes for birth announcements and invitations.

Here are a few guidelines to follow-

Inner Envelopes

Inner envelopes are only necessary on formal invitations such as weddings or black tie events. Birth Announcements and Children's party invitations do not require inner envelopes.

If you are including inner envelopes write out the name of the people invited to the event. Avoid writing "family" and instead spell out all the guests names.

Outer Envelopes

Outer envelopes should include any professional titles such as Doctor spelled out in their entirety. Titles such as Mr. and Mrs. can be abbreviated.

Street names should be spelled out including Boulevard, Lane etc.

Zip codes and house numbers should be in figure form.

Envelopes for formal events should be handwritten. It is acceptable for less formal mailings such as birth announcements, holiday cards, and birthday invitations to be typed either on the envelope or on a mailing label.

Custom Star Invite

I recently was asked to create a custom star invite for Ivy's first birthday. This was a fun invitation to create. I used hues of green and purple from the picture to give the invitation a pulled together feel. The adorable picture provided made this custom birthday invitation a one of a kind!

Custom Birthday Invitations are the perfect start to a Unique Celebration

Unique children's birthday parties are very popular with modern parents. With today's variety of popular party themes it is becoming increasingly difficult to find an invitation to set the tone for a party. Instead of choosing a generic invitation from the local party store more and more parents are turning to Addie Kate Creations to create a unique invitation that is one of a kind.

Custom card design is available through Addie Kate Creations at no additional fee. Your invitation is designed to perfectly reflect your parties theme and style. Your child is one of a kind, so why not have an invitation that is as well!

Why choose a Holiday Photo Card over a Traditional Folded Card?

More and more families are choosing to spread their warm holiday wishes via a photo card sent to family and friends in lieu of a traditional photo card. Here are some reasons customers love photo cards.

-Photo cards are easy! When you use a company like Addie Kate Creations all you do is provide your photo and your done! There is no need to fill up an empty blank card with a personal message.

-Photo Cards are fun! Who doesn't love picking out their favorite family photo and sharing it with the world? Friends and Family are always thrilled to get new pictures. It helps loved ones feel connected to see how your family has grown and changed each year.

-Photo Cards are economical! Photo cards cost about half the price of traditional photo folded cards. With the many expenses that come with the holiday season this is a great way to save.

-Photo Cards last for years! Photo paper typically has a life of 100 plus years. They are great additions to scrapbooks!

These are just a few reasons to choose a photo card this holiday season. Whatever type of holiday card you choose, make sending your holiday wishes a way to reflect the joy and wonder of the season!

New Holiday Photo Cards are Now Available!

We have recently added to our holiday gallery at Addie Kate Creations. This year we are focusing on designs that incorporate traditional holiday elements with a modern edge. Colors such as apple, lime green, teal, and brown offer a trendy take on familiar color schemes of the season. Holiday Photo cards have become immensely popular in recent years. Choosing a smaller retailer such as Addie Kate Creations ensures your unique photo card will stand out from the rest.

Our Halloween gallery has recently been updated as well. Many families are choosing to send a Halloween card in addition to, or in lieu of a Christmas card. This is a great option if you prefer to avoid the busy Christmas rush. All Halloween cards can be modified as Thanksgiving designs as requested.

Recent Design-Photo Birth Announcement

Makaylin's proud parents choose our Glory design to announce their beautiful girl's arrival. To customize their photo card design we adjusted the color scheme to a softer shade of pink. Makaylin's nickname, Kaylie was spotlighted behind her full name. Addie Kate Creations offers many birth announcements that can be customized to include the child's nickname.

New cupcake themed invitation

I was recently asked to design a custom birthday invitation featuring a cupcake theme. I really enjoyed creating the cupcake graphic and incorporating it into the design. The customer requested a pink and purple color scheme which is perfect for a little girls party. This design will be available in our gallery soon along with a baseball themed invitation, a construction theme and a star themed invitation.

Recent Design- Photo Birthday Invitation

Adorable Remedy is turning one! Remedy's parents choose the playful Birthday Fun design to celebrate her big day. Playful polka dots and a trendy brown and pink color scheme make this invitation a big hit! As with any of our invitation design at Addie Kate Creations the Birthday Fun design can be customized to fit any color scheme.

Tips for a Great Halloween Photo Card

Halloween photo cards are a great way to show of your growing kids to family and friends. Here are a few tips for creative shots for your Halloween card.

1. Costume Party
This is probably the most popular idea for Halloween cards. Nothing beats seeing an adorable child in their cute costume. For best results with this type of shot take a variety of candid pictures in the costume. Pictures outside in a grassy area are great. If you have a small baby use a solid colored blanket for a backdrop.

2. Pumpkin Patch
Colorful pumpkins make for a great setting for Halloween photos. Take lots of pictures as your little one spends time picking out the perfect pumpkin. This is also a great idea for a picture of the whole family.

3. Face Paint
A unique idea for a Halloween photo card is to take a close up of your child's face after they have had it painted at a fair or other event. This makes for a fun brightly colored photo.

4.Fall leaves
If you live in a cooler climate rake up those leaves and let your child have a blast playing in them. These shots are great for both Halloween and Seasons Greetings photo cards.

Whatever idea you choose to incorporate, remember to take lots of shots and have fun!

Recent Twin Birth Announcement

It always warms my heart to do birth announcements for multiples. Twins are such a blessing! This design is personalized with custom text to announce the twins arrival home. The announcement features a black and white photo with a classic black background. Green and white provide a lovely accent. What a adorable babies!

Pre-ordering envelopes for announcements and holiday cards

Imagine for a minute that you are a new mom with a 4 week old baby. You haven't had a good nights sleep in over a month. Your mother-in-law keeps asking you why she hasen't received a birth announcement yet. The thought of addressing envelopes is enough to make you want to pull your hair out!

Thankfully this common scenario can be easily prevented. Addie Kate Creations allows customers to pre-order envelopes for any occasion. All that is required is that you pay for your order in full and your envelopes can be sent early for no additional shipping cost. Whether you are looking to get organized before the baby arrives or get a jump on your holiday cards before the busy season starts, this option is for you!

Happy Birthday to Mason! I loved creating this photo birthday invitation for cutie pie Mason's first birthday. His mom choose our Blueberry design for a festive look.

Recent Baptism Invitation

I had the pleasure of creating a photo dedication invitation for adorable Ava Hope today. What a beautiful photograph complimented by the design in soft pink, white and brown. Very classic!

Include the whole family in your new child's birth announcement

Today's popular collage photo cards are the perfect way to include your older children in your new child's birth announcement. Many families choose to include a large photo of the new baby accented with a smaller photo of the baby with it's older siblings. Recipients love being able to see the resemblance that the new baby bears to its older siblings.

Another way to include siblings is to sign the announcement from the proud parents and from the older sibling. Taking these steps to include your entire family in the baby announcement is a great way to make your children feel included!

Birthday Invitation Photo Tips

Having recently celebrated my daughter's first birthday I thought I would share some useful tips for choosing an invitation photo.



Take lots of shots. The beauty of digital cameras is that you can snap away until you get the perfect shot that captures your child's personality.



Leave room for cropping. Leave plenty of background in the photo so that you can use the picture for almost any layout.



Choose a non-distracting background. The less distracting elements that are in the picture the cleaner your invitation will look.



Add an element of your theme to the picture. An outfit or prop that goes with your party theme can add an adorable touch!



The theme of the invitation sets the tone for your party. Addie Kate Creations offers many themed invitations. If you are using a theme that we haven't yet featured, custom designs can be created for no additional fees.



Have fun planning!

Halloween card designs have arrived!

I recently added several new designs to our Halloween gallery .I know that it is early but as soon as I started receiving e-mails about costumes arriving in stores I couldn't stop thinking about Halloween!

Each year I receive more and more Halloween cards form family and friends. There is no stationary trend I am more excited to see catch on than the Halloween card. I absolutely love seeing photos of babies and kids in their costumes!

Delight your family and friends this year by sending out an adorable Halloween photo-card!

Birth Announcement Ettiquete

Birth Announcement Etiquette

Customers ask us frequently what the proper etiquette is when it comes to sending birth announcements. Here are some answers to frequently asked questions.

Who to Send a Birth Announcement Too?

Birth Announcements are a wonderful way to announce the arrival of your bundle of joy to family and friends. Although you may have already informed family and friends through a phone call or e-mail a birth announcement is the formal recognition of the birth. A birth announcement should be sent to all family, friends and associates that will want to share in the excitement of your new arrival. Many families use their holiday card or wedding invitation list as their guideline.When should a Birth Announcement be Sent?
Birth announcements can be sent anywhere from a few days after birth until the baby is six months old. Many expecting parents make the process less overwhelming by pre-ordering and addressing envelopes before the baby’s arrival. Another popular option is to choose the full service mailing g option offered by Addie Kate Creations. With this option customers send Addie Kate Creations their address list and we then print the announcement and mail them for the parents.

What should be included on the Announcement?

A birth announcement should include the child’s first and middle name, date of birth, time of birth, weight and length. The announcement should also include the name of the parents and any siblings.

BABYBJÖRN Baby Carrier Original - City Black Review

Having spent nearly the last five decades innovating ideas for infants and toddlers, BabyBjörn is consistently tweaking their products to meet parents' high standards of quality, functionality, and safety. So it's no surprise that this BabyBjörn Baby Carrier Original is an international favorite.

Perfect for dads on the go
Padded shoulder straps make it perfect for dads on the go.
Knowing the strain that can come with frequently carrying a 26-, 15-, or even 8-pound baby, BabyBjörn developed this carrier with wide, padded shoulder straps that help to evenly distribute baby's weight. (You should ensure that the straps are adjusted correctly each time you put the carrier on, as baby's size changes and other users may have moved them.) Taller or bigger parents may want to consider buying the larger shoulder straps (sold separately) or the BabyBjörn Baby Carrier Active that provides adjustable lumbar support.

facing outward
When infants face outward, the built-in head support for newborns folds down in front.
A size adjustment buckle allows BabyBjörn's carrier to grow with baby—from as early as 8 pounds and at least 21 inches (about one week old) to a maximum weight of 25 pounds. Newborns first face inward using the adjustable head support to keep them stable, while older babies face outward with the head support folded down in front of them. The unique design allows the front piece to be easily removed so as not to wake a sound sleeping baby when taking off the carrier. The material is machine-washable cotton and the carrier comes in a variety of colors.

Another great feature of BabyBjörn carriers is their straightforward assembly and suggested adjustments based on baby's size and weight. This makes it easy for one person to manage baby and carrier when no one else is available to help.

Tips for Taking Birth Announcement Photos

You don’t have to be a professional to take boy or girl birth announcement photos that will last a lifetime. Listed below are some simple tips that will bring out the beauty in your child and make people think you had it professionally done.

1. Use the highest resolution on your digital camera
2. Be patient and wait for when your new baby is in a good mood.
3. Solid colored sheets or blankets make the best backgrounds. Avoid busy and distracting back drops.
4. Take as many photos from different angles as possible. Standing directly over the baby works great.
5. Take many photos from each angle. You will want to be able to pick the very best photo.