Christmas Cards w/Shutterfly

As most of you know, Purple Banner was started after searching in vain to find adorable items featuring show animals. Everywhere we looked there was an abundance of Holsteins and other oddly proportioned animals that just weren’t what we had envisioned. So, we made our own, and now we jump at every opportunity presented to incorporate our love of agriculture into our everyday lives, off the property.

Christmas is right around the corner and one of our favorite things is sending and receiving Christmas cards. We start thinking about the color, design, and PICTURES in, well, if you want to be completely honest…June. Crazy, we know but there is nothing better than checking the mail and finding Christmas cards! The aforementioned cards have actually been known to stay up for months on end. Who doesn’t like looking at them? Husbands don’t count!

We were fully prepared to design our own however, after scoping things out we came to the realization that Shutterfly is now offering “Story” cards. Christmas letters make cards even better and now you can include them! Talk about stoked!

Or, if you are in the giving spirit you can choose a card from Heifer International....

Or  LIVESTRONG...

and 10% of the proceeds will go to that organization.

Can't you just imagine these with pictures of your kids and their animals?  In the showring or out in the barn?  My favorite part about this (besides the fact that they are offering bloggers 50 free cards  http://bit.ly/sfly2010) is that YOU get to decide. 

Now if you are like us, you have 100's of pictures to choose from, but this one fits eight...

...and that's just the outside! 

So run on over to Shutterfly and check out which card you are going to be putting in the mail.  They also have fabulous grandparent gifts.  Heaven knows my mom will be wanting another personalized mug seeing as she broke her last one.  And don't you think my desk at school would be a little more cozy with a desk calendar chalked full of my sweet girls faces? 

Our cards are already picked out....but some things have to be kept a secret right?

JACKPOT

Like Lauren, Ashley, received one of our shirts as a gift for her new little man.  She decided that he needed something to match and contacted us about a blanket.  We were thrilled because little C is as cute as cute can be! 

I mean look at the boy...

 I am always praying the entire time we wait for a custom print to come in because we have had some rather strange looking fabrics arrive at our doorstep.  And GOD is so good because this print is precious!

Ashley wanted a minky dot on the back and I must admit it was perfect!  Now I am just wondering what we should print next??

Crowned

A friend of ours is having Christmas pictures taken and wanted something special, something handmade, something different for her little girl to wear.  So we talked and decided on a blue tutu and a chandelier shirt like the one we did here.  And then we changed our minds.  We are so glad that we did!  We love the way that the crown turned out and the black added into the tutu gave it an "edge" that it was lacking before.

She's going to rock it with leggings and Converse!  We can't wait to see the finished product!

And the Kids Have It

Lauren contacted us about making a blanket for her little girl Morgan.  She had received one of our shirts as a gift and was hoping that we could make something to match it.  

The shirt...

The fabric... 

We put a black mink on the back and I loved how soft and cuddly it was. 

Lauren said that as soon as she received the package Morgan saw the blanket said "Goat!" and took it right away.  That makes me smile every time I think about it.  Life is all about the little things isn't it?

Branded

Zane and Traci, from ZNT Cattle, contacted us for some "design help" (her words ;)).  After discussing multiple options they decided on a black zip up hoodie for their daughter N. 

They also wanted their logo incorporated and giving a nod to their own design we etched the letters into the steer and then layered them to create something that would stand out.  We loved the way that it turned out and were THRILLED to hear that they did too!