Is it too early to mention the big C word? If it is, look away, people! Oh wait, I might have done that already when I shared my cranberry mincemeat recipe a couple of days ago. There is no going back: Christmas is on its way! We even had our first mince pies today. Why not, hey?
Even with the best of intentions, we end up rushing our Christmas cards at the last minute every single year around here. Most of the time, our friends and family are lucky if they get our card on the 24th of December, if not later!
When The Card Gallery contacted me to review their bespoke card service, I was over the moon! It gave me an incentive to start thinking about our Christmas cards early.
I really enjoy making cards with the little ones. You might think they look rough around the edges, but I like cards made by the children that actually look like cards they made themselves. They love the creative process and getting involved without having to worry about making the cards look perfect.
Once our thumbprint snowmen were ready, I scanned the three designs we had created and saved them. I emailed the one we had chosen to The Card Gallery and gave them our text for the inside of the cards.
They did everything else. They resized my image, chose festive fonts and colours for the front of the card and emailed me back the next day with a proof. I realised I had made a spelling mistake and amendments were made that same day! Our cards arrived later that week and the quality was definitely there!
We needed Christmas cards in French as well so I decided to use a printing company. I had to design the postcards myself in a specific format and it took me forever. The price did not include envelopes, proof, VAT or postage so what appeared quite cheap initially ended up costing me quite a lot. As for the final result, it was fine but nowhere near as nice as what I received from The Card Gallery.
I soon realised I needed a few more Christmas cards. I went straight back to The Card Gallery and chose one of their personalised Christmas cards I had spotted before. They really have an impressive selection of designs to choose from for a range occasions, all of which can be fully customised.
There were no added charges and I did not have to worry about the design as I would get a proof. You can check and amend your order as many times as you want before printing starts, and I find that really reassuring. Delivery was free and my order arrived just a few days after I had approved the proof sent by email.
I could not fault the service offered by The Card Gallery and I will certainly be using their services again! To me, the advantages of choosing them rather than another printing service are: the ease of the ordering process, friendliness of staff, quick delivery and getting the design we really wanted with a minimum of fuss. Turnaround is quick and they have no hidden charges.
Disclosure:
– I was sent thirty free Christmas cards for the purpose of this review and no payment was received. All opinions and photographs are my own.
My children and parents!
Not too early to mention Christmas at all, I’m even more exciting than usual this year and I can’t wait to start putting up the decorations.
I loved your thumbprint drawing when I first saw it and it makes such cute Christmas cards. Trouble is it’s reminding me that I really need to start writing mine 🙂
I almost took the decorations out of the loft on Thursday but got reasonable in the end. I have to say I love our Christmas cards for this year.
Oops, should have read your competition question before writing my comment, then I wouldn’t need to leave two!! Top of my christmas card list this year is my husband as I spend ages writing cards for everyone else and then forget to give him his.
That is so sweet! I cannot remember the last time I wrote a Christmas for Hubby…
J’avais adoré les rennes l’année dernière et j’adore cette version ! Bravo 🙂 xx
On s’amuse bien! Pour une fois, mes cartes ne seront pas en retard, hihi.
My parents are at the top of my list, can’t forget about them!!
Definitely!
My Family xxx
My family in australia
My mum and my sister. I have been unwell lately and they have been here for me.
I hope you get better soon. Look after yourself.
Tes cartes personnalisés sont super belles, il y’en a quelques artistes à la maison pour ce que je voit ! C’est une très belle idée. Pour l’instant je ne pas commencé avec la “folie” C. !
Je dois avouer que je n’aurais jamais crée nos cartes en octobre si on ne m’avait pas proposé de les imprimer pour nous!
My mum and dad.
My Mum and Dad 🙂 thank you for the giveaway x
My pleasure!
My daughter
My family
My son who lives in New Zealand
my wife
My 88 year old Mum – while helping her to look for lost documents the other week, I found out that she’s kept every hand made card I’ve ever sent her, so I know it’s worth making her something really special
This is so lovely. She definitely deserves special cards.
my colleagues at work
My immediate family
My family x
My children & grandsons
our grandchildren
Best friend
My parents and my brother
My grandparents
my family
My husband xx
Santa!!!!!
Ha, brilliant!
My Dad!
My family.
my family are top of the list
my son i love picking out his card
My Granddaughters
My husband always x
My parents
My Hubby
Both my sisters-in-law as they both live abroad and we don’t see them much
My mum 🙂 xx
My partner
my parents top of my Christmas card list but I really should get my friends in America’s ones sorted as they take quite awhile to arrive from England.
my kids!
my parents and brother
My Husband is always top of my list
my in-laws, as go ape if they don’t get a card…??
My mum. She loves a house full of cards and has even been known (whisper it!) to save her favourite cards from one year to display again the next!
Ha ha, love that!
my partner!
My Gran, she loves getting cards/letters as she doesn’t ‘do’ the Internet. I always like to put a smile on her face with a pretty card.
That is so sweet!
my mum, she loves getting cards for than a present
My grandad
My family
My Mum and Dad
My mum!!
family
My nan, she loves a nice card!
The parents! 🙂
my mummy of course 🙂
My gran & grampy – they’re the only people I know who aren’t online so I can’t just send a message!
My mum 🙂
my children partner and grandparents
My Gran
My three good friends who are travelling the world together – they are going to be staying in Sydney for Christmas & New Year so will definitely post them a card!
my mum
My Grandad
Husband then family
I write something stupid like 65 Christmas cards! Lol. Lots of people on my list, but family and best friends always at the top of mine! x
the neighbours
My best friend 🙂
probably my mum & sister
Mam and Dad as always
My Husband
My best friend x
my beautiful boyfriend
my mummy =)
My brother and his girlfriend 🙂 x
My mum 🙂
my mother
My son.
My daughter
My best friend
My Gran is always to the first to receive a card
my better half
My mum and dad
if i dont say ,y wife i will be in trouble
my lovely daughter x
My parents
I havent made a list, but I suppose my mum and dad
My mum and my nan <3
My children x
Grandparents as they always love a card
My grandmother
My parents
MY mum
MY BROTHER IN SOUTH AFRICA
My grandparents and my fiance’s grandparents.
My children are always top of my christmas list 🙂
My mum! 🙂 She’s the only person I know who genuinely appreciates the cards
Family of course 🙂
My parents are at the top of my list
My parents 🙂
My family
my 3 boys xx
my mummy
My Family
Peace and quiet
My mum is always at the top of my Christmas card list!
The staff at my local vets
My wife & children
My 3 Children 🙂
My mum
My grandson Toby a my cats
My family
Mum and dad
My two beautiful children
My children
My husband and son
We dont really send christmas cards but if we ever do it is home made ones by my children.
My children and grandchildren
My Lovely Boyfriend <3
my kids and husband
My parents
My mum
my family
My Mum 🙂
My mother in law!
My mum. That’s genuine although she would kill me if I didn’t send her one!
My lovely boyfriend <3
my parents and family
my parents
My parents and my brother – oh and my BFF Jacque 🙂
my nephews and niece
My husband.
Daniel craig!
My family
my best mate
mum
our elderly neighbour who always brings our bins in.
My mum
my mum is at the top of the list xx
My Mum.
My Daughter & Granddaughter who live far away
My great-nephew
My Mum tops my Christmas card list.
my mum
My Parents, then all my work colleagues
My parents
My parents.
my hubby and close friends and family
my mum and kids
My extended family. We rarely see each other and mostly keep in touch at Christmas.
My Husband… so patietnt and understanding
My sisters!
My nan
My Pa who lives on his own in France.
My parents x
My Mum, if I forget her I’m in trouble!
My family
My Mum as I love her to bits and she means the world to me
my beautiful wife
My daughters
Heavens above, Mel. You’re right – it is like ‘Le Coin De Christmas’ over here right now. I found this one particularly useful, as I’ve been toying with the idea of getting some Christmas cards printed with my own design. I may have left it too late to get them designed, sent off and back to me in time to post, but I am gonna take a look at these guys now. Your cards looked terrific! xx
Ha ha ha, I told you not to look! It is worth making those thumbprint pictures. They look great in a frame (or on the fridge!). x
They’re awesome, and three-year old Finley could also get involved! Right, now I’m off to smash some baubles. xx
Have fun! xxx