A New Tradition

This year I am starting a new tradition: Valentines Day Cards. With all the craziness of the holidays and getting family pictures done (WAY too late), Christmas cards just didn't happen. And since I want to send our extended family some sort of family picture and well wishes, I thought instead of just making these really late Christmas cards I would do something a little bit funner and lighten my Christmas load.

PHOTO: This year it was VERY difficult to get a good family picture all together, with a two year old and eight month old chances were pretty slim they would keep still or not have some sort of meltdown. So I ended up using individual shots and made into a collage on a 4x6 photo. I got them from Walgreens photo (you can even order online, super easy) and they usually have some sort of sale/coupon code you can use. All you do is pick the photos you want and what color background. This one I did a fun green, and I am working on another batch with a red background.
I got this note card set from the dollar store. Yes, it was only a dollar. I was only looking for some envelopes to put the pictures in but this set was perfect (and the perfect price!)
It came with a scalloped back card (red) and a rectangle note card (blue) and used those as photo mats, gluing our family photo on top. On the back I typed out a short message and glued it to the back, simple. Not pictured: I glued a little red heart punch on top of the photo on the bottom right corner.
I added a little Thomas the Train store bought valentine my son had picked out and put to: whoever, from: my two boys and let my son put the stickers they came with on them and 'draw' a little.
After addressing I added another punch out heart. I love decorating envelopes up a little bit. You can use punches, stamps, stickers, whatever you can come up with.

I am so excited to send these out and that I have a fun new tradition!