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Welcome! We love working with all of our clients, and the pictures are adorable. Here are a few of our favorites! It’s hard to choose which to feature on our blog, so if you keep checking back, you will see that we alternate the designs. We love hearing from our clients and viewers, so please send your thoughts to design@vanillaprintdesign.com. We may just post your comments! Read some of our praise below. .............................. Birth Announcement Blog  ..............................  ..............................  ..............................  .............................. - Lisa, CA “These are perfect. Thank you!!” - Tamara, MA “Our announcements are the cutest things I have ever seen!!!! We love them. We will certainly use you all for our christening announcements and all else in the future! Thank you so much.” - Renee, NC ..............................  ..............................  .............................. The purpose of a birth announcement is to simply tell others about the birth of your child, but a birth announcement also acts as a keepsake for others to share your experience. Think of it as the introduction of your child to members of your extended family and friends. But, a birth announcement shouldn�t be a long letter. Instead, when creating the birth announcement for your child, pick an introductory phrase, but your child�s birth information, and a photograph in most cases, makes up most of the card. What should be included? Typically, birth information includes date of birth, name, sex, length, and weight. Occasionally, the time and place of birth are included. Closing the card should be the names of the parents and any siblings. If you�ll be having twins, one suggestion is to have each side as a separate announcement for each child. The included photograph in the birth announcement should have the baby in a natural position. Some tips about taking a good photograph of your baby can be found here on our website. When submitting a photo to Vanilla Print, the photographs sent should be about 1800x1200 pixels and 300 dpi (dots per inch) each. Once we have your photographs and you have a card design picked out, we can correct, crop, or alter any photograph. Some effects include making a picture black and white, sepia toned, or hand-color tinted. Like any card, birth announcements have a few rules of etiquette to follow. Most important, make sure to send the announcement within the first six months after your baby�s birth and, for sending purposes, compile the names and addresses of all the people you plan to send an announcement to before the baby is born. In some cases, if the baby grandparents are planning to send the announcements to their friends as an announcement for their new grandchild, their names such also be included in the announcement. In addition, if you�re planning to send out the announcement near a holiday combining it with a holiday card is acceptable. By creating a personalized and custom announcement through Vanilla Print, you can include photographs and have a wide array of card designs to choose from. During the creation process at Vanilla Print, four sets of eyes oversee the creation process and we�ll work closely with you to meet your expectations.  ..............................  .............................. New Trends in Announcements & Invitations For years, photo announcements and invitations looked mostly the same. But things have changed, and today almost anything goes when it comes to designing unique wedding invitations and personalized birth announcements. Here is a wonderful time to let your personal style and expression shine when letting friends and loved ones in on your exciting news and special occasions. Since there are no longer any hard and fast rules for choosing wedding or bridesmaid dresses, it is perfectly tasteful to go classic, modern, or even a little funky with your designer invitations and custom announcements, too. Here are just a few options you have when choosing styles for your wedding invitation or special announcement. � Classic � Nothing looks as fresh and clean as a classic monogrammed style in a signature color. Clean backgrounds and familiar script or block lettering make for a timeless look that works well with wedding invitations. � Modern � Subtle changes can take a classic look and make it more modern. Edgier lettering and subdued colors such as grays, browns, and metals make this design unique. Art deco touches also add a nice touch. � Funky � Do you like to mix patterns in your home? Do the colors turquoise and bright red just look �right� to you? Then don�t be shy � let them loose in every area of your life, including personal invitations and announcements. Your friends and family will enjoy seeing a little of your individuality shine through. � Natural � Working with the environment doesn�t have to mean losing style points. Ask your designer for invitations printed on recycled paper or use natural inks. There are many options to choose from in giving your birth announcement or wedding invitation a personal touch. Many artists are using vibrant updated colors not previously available, or black and white for a more traditional feel. You can choose a rich sepia tone for an antique aura or go all out with hand-colored tinted photography to give your picture a unique look. Many designers are finding creative ways to display text in baby birth announcements and wedding and shower invitations: Dates, names and other information can be displayed in different ways to add a signature quality. For example try typing �10.11.08� rather than the traditional �October 11, 2008�. A little change can spark up your invitation in a major way with a personal quality. “Oh my goodness! It looks terrific!” - Jill, NY “You guys do such great work!” - Amanda, TX “Thank you so much. I got home to my printed cards and I lOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE them! Thank you for making such wonderful print pieces for me!!!!! I am so excited!!!!” - Jeni, SC Personalization has never been more fun. In an age of mass-produced merchandise, personalized items offer a unique way to give heartfelt gifts to the ones you love. While more traditionally personalized items like mugs and photo frames continue to be wonderful gifts, there are many other ways to add a distinctive touch to special moments. Personalization can also include customizable options such as colors, patterns and styles. In addition to your name or initials, create a truly memorable gift by making the entire presentation something unique. � A great way to add some fun to any celebration is to come prepared with a personalized platter. Something that speaks directly to the recipient is always a good idea. � Jewelry and other items can be engraved with fraternity or sorority letters to display your school pride and other symbols for special significance. � Family pets deserve attention, too. Let Fido show off his style with a personalized nametag. In addition to providing identification for your pet there are many stylish options available to match his unique personality. � Baby gifts can become one-in-a-million gifts with some personalization. Take classic gifts such as baby cups, rattles, spoons, and bracelets, and make them unique with monogramming. � Accessories can get in on the fun, too. Everyday items such as hair barrettes or hairbrushes can become wonderfully personal gifts with a little extra touch. � If you think the traditional three-letter monogram might not work for your gift, try just one letter. � Personalization can be great for the office also. Give your career-minded friend business card cases, book marks, luggage tags, or letter openers with a monogram and they�ll be used for years to come. � Feel free to personalize wearable items, too. Hats, scarves, gloves, and mittens all look adorable with a little extra customization. This also works well with items in your home like towels and even soap. And remember, it�s not just about initials any more. While the classic monogram never goes out of style, you can have gifts personalized with everything from your favorite college or sports team, to a date or personal logo.   ..............................  How to Take Amazing Photographs 101 There is nothing quite as wonderful as seeing beautiful photos of your friends, family and scenery. For most of us, however, the secret to getting the perfect shot is just that, a secret. Fortunately you can take high-quality pictures with any camera if you heed these tried-and-true photography tips. � Living in the digital age means the cost of developing film is not nearly as high as it used to be. With digital camera technology you are free to take as many pictures as needed in order to get the �perfect� shot. So, snap away. The more photos you take the more you are likely to get the image you want. � One of the most important steps in taking a good picture is to get the subject in focus. Most cameras automatically focus in the center frame, but many will let you focus on your subject in the middle by pressing the shutter down halfway, recompose, and then pressing the shutter all the way down to take the picture. � No one likes to have their picture taken when they are hungry, tired, or cold. Try to find a good time for the subject of your photos, preferably when they have eaten, are well rested and ready for some serious smiling. This is especially true for babies and young children. � Browse through photography magazines and books. If you see a picture you like use it as inspiration for your own pose or setting. No one is born a great photographer, most learn by imitating those they like. � Backgrounds can make all the difference for your shot. A solid-colored blanket or pillow can make a great backdrop for your subject. Make sure you get rid of anything that will reflect light. � Don�t rely on traditional poses for your pictures. Try taking a close-up shot of your child and remember to get down to eye level for a really personal shot. You don�t need your subject in the middle of your frame for every photo, try varying the placement of your child for a different perspective. � A nice touch in pictures with more than one sibling is to make sure their faces are very close together. This provides visual interest and will ensure the person looking at your picture is drawn to both children at the same time! � Natural light is best, but the most important thing is to make sure you have enough light. Open a window shade or turn on a light. Be careful when using a flash, though. Flares can appear in your picture from objects in the background that you may not notice at first. “PERFECT!!!! They look awesome.” - Stacy, CA “The Christmas Cards were a big hit! Everyone loved them.” - Karen, NC “I received my invitations yesterday. They are adorable. Great work. Another satisfied customer!” - Star, CA  ..............................  ..............................  “Thanks so much - perfect. I just recommended you to my friend!” - Molly, CT “I LOVE IT! Thanks so much!” - Jessica, IL ..............................  “I love it!!! Thank you so much!” -Erica, CO ..............................  “This looks awesome!” -Laura, VA .............................. When picking out a design for an invitation, the key is to have the style of the invitation match that of the event. An informal event shouldn�t have an elaborate, ornate invitation, while a formal black tie event shouldn�t have a casual invitation that would be better suited for a graduation or birthday party. Before anyone even opens the invitation, the design � and sometimes even the envelope � should hint at the event you�ll be holding. Once the invitation is opened, it should contain these key pieces of information: the name of the host or hostess holding the party, the purpose, name of the honoree, day, date, time, and location. Specifically for formal events, the year of the date should be spelled out. A note about attire can be included if appropriate attire is necessary for the event and not fully obvious. Also, everything inside the invitation should be phrased in third person, with no abbreviations and punctuation at the ends of lines. Traditionally, invitations have been sent out eight weeks prior to the event. But, even if you haven�t planned the event eight weeks before its scheduled, send out invitations soon enough so your guests have enough time to reply. If the event you�re planning is several months in advance, however, then, as a reminder, a Save the Date card should be sent out before the formal invitation. A Save the Date card allows your guests to mark their calendars or date book in advance. Then, closer to the actual event, send the proper invitation. ..............................  “I will certainly keep you in mind for future parties!” -Jaime, Washington DC ..............................  “I think it looks great!” -Amanda, IL ..............................  “LOVE! Thanks.” -Betzy, CA ..............................  “Thank you so much! I love it!” -Alicia, WI ..............................  From baby announcements and invitations, to whatever you want. Here is an example of a Save the Date card. Modify any design for every occasion in you life. All cards are custom designed. .............................. Keep checking in as we will be adding to our new blog! Look for your little ones! |
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