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Our Holiday Card Photo Tips + $250 to Artifact Uprising to Send Your Best Cards Yet.

November 12, 2015

We have teamed up with one of our favorite photo companies, Artifact Uprising, to introduce you to some really fantastic holiday card options and give one of our readers $250 to their site to spend on cards, prints, photo gifts, art--anything you'd like. Everything is so beautiful!

Last weekend, we called up our friends, the Pugmires, and sold them the sweet deal that if they snap our family photo for our holiday card this year, we'll snap theirs and then we can all come back to our house for dinner. They took the bait! I've found it is so much less stressful when a friend of family member is taking our photo. I also ease tensions by not regulating clothing too much (let's all just wear something wintry! Sure, Greta, you can wear...Dad's....hat. Ha!) and setting expectations--I'm not looking for 100 good photo options, I know with little ones and a dog, I will count my lucky stars if we get one! So I told Preston, we just need one good one.

Our Holiday Card Photo Tips + $250 to Artifact Uprising to Send Your Best Cards Yet.

Our Holiday Card Photo Tips + $250 to Artifact Uprising to Send Your Best Cards Yet.

We drove up the canyon until we found some evergreens and the tiniest bit of snow and after about 10 minutes, in two different settings, we got one!! (Not without a few outtakes, of course. Although, sometimes the outtake ends up being the one, you know?) One thing I love about Artifact Uprising's cards compared to others is there is such a focus on your photo without any distracting fonts or cheesy words.

Our Holiday Card Photo Tips + $250 to Artifact Uprising to Send Your Best Cards Yet.

Our Holiday Card Photo Tips + $250 to Artifact Uprising to Send Your Best Cards Yet.

Our Holiday Card Photo Tips + $250 to Artifact Uprising to Send Your Best Cards Yet.

They even have 3-in-1 cards now that are a card, print and gift tag!

Our Holiday Card Photo Tips + $250 to Artifact Uprising to Send Your Best Cards Yet.

The photo focus makes sense since Artifact Uprising is a VSCO company, which if you haven't heard, makes the most amazing photo filters. (You can download the VSCO app on your phone from the app store) In all of the examples, the photos are just so breathtaking and have depth and richness and a little bit of moodiness and sometime a vintage feel and that comes a lot from the VSCO presets they were process with. I've been using VSCO filters exclusively for my instagram photos (I'm a big a6 preset fan over there), so I decided to try some on our one good photo (literally, the only usable one! And I couldn't be happier with it!)

Our Holiday Card Photo Tips + $250 to Artifact Uprising to Send Your Best Cards Yet.

Our Holiday Card Photo Tips + $250 to Artifact Uprising to Send Your Best Cards Yet.

^^Processed with VSCO a10 preset

Our Holiday Card Photo Tips + $250 to Artifact Uprising to Send Your Best Cards Yet.

^^Processed with VSCO a5 preset

In the end, the colors and vibe in the latter one felt the most us. We cropped it in a bit and settled on this red, 3-in-1, Merry Christmas card , but all of the holiday cards (they have over 100!), no matter which you choose, are printed on 100% recyclable paper and feature kraft envelopes.

Ready for a giveaway!? Win $250 to Artifact Uprising to spend on anything you choose. Just go browse Artifact Uprising's holiday card collection (or any of the other products on the site) and leave a comment/link to which one you'd choose! Winner will be chosen November 18th! Take luck. ;)

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  1. A6 fan over here, too! *Represent* haha.

    Love the simplistic designs on Artifact Uprising. We used them to do our wedding albums! Their foiled cards are beautiful and I love "Bold Stamped Holiday Card" design.

    Reply

  2. I love Artifact! Last year we used the multi-image because I wanted to use a bunch of shots of the kids from throughout the year, but this year I'm hoping to get a nice family shot and use it with the Square Gratitude Holiday Card because that's what this season really is all about!

    Reply

  5. They are all so beautiful, but after looking at them all, I love the simplicity and message of “The Square Gratitude Holiday Card.” Man, I would love this giveaway!!!

    Reply

  7. Oh! I love AU and VSCO! We used them to make our wedding album :) I think their minimalist greeting card layout would be perfect for our Christmas card!!

    Reply

  10. I do a photo Christmas card each year. I had never heard of this company before - thanks for sharing! I love the Colour block Christmas card ✨

    Reply

  15. I love Artifact Uprising (and VSCO). I've been meaning to create one of their books using the images from my daughter's dance recital... maybe winning will be the motivation to finally do it. Your card/picture looks great!

    Reply

  18. It's so hard to choose one design but i love the "happy holidays" in black script for this year's cards. Thanks for the giveaway.

    Reply

  20. I love Artifact Uprising. I ordered print a few months ago and they were amazing.
    I would choose either the If It Is Beautiful Holiday card or the Merry Everything !
    Whoever wins will not be disappointed!

    Reply

  21. I love this site, never heard of it before. I'm always looking for a new card site. I love the Merry Christmas Card with the one picture. So cute.

    Reply

  22. I'd choose the Merry Christmas classic card. I just ordered a bundle of single prints of my three older kids and our newborn. The quality is amazing and each print looks like a piece of art!

    Reply

  34. Oh, all of these are amazing! We missed sending out cards last year due to living in the fog of having a newborn. I have the perfect photo to compliment the "Be Merry & Bright".

    Reply

  35. I love the simplest things card or if it is beautiful card. And I'd also love to make a photo book of baby girl's birth. thanks!!

    Reply

  36. http://www.artifactuprising.com/photo-cards/holiday-cards/the-simplest-things
    is the one I would choose since I don't usually say Merry Christmas or Happy New Year because I sometime get the cards out too late for Christmas and/or just want to send a neutral note. Plus I have been working on celebrating the simple things in life that make it so special like driving up to an intersection and the light turns green so you don't have to wait or my daughter finds the first daffodil of the season or getting a postcard instead of bills in the mail! Thank you!

    Reply

  42. Oh my goodness me oh my! I have been looking everywhere for the perfect cards for our first married Christmas, and I do believe I have found them! I love the minimal and clean look of these cards. They are simple but soo stunning. I am obsessed with the 3 in 1 cards but am torn between getting the "may joy always find you" in the red or grayscale.
    After browsing their other products, I also am going to make my parents and in-laws a photobook from our wedding. They are beautiful.

    Loving Artifact Uprising... seriously, what a find.

    Thank you for doing such an amazing giveaway and introducing me to this company!

    http://www.artifactuprising.com/photo-cards/3-in-1-cards/may-joy-always-find-you-red
    http://www.artifactuprising.com/photo-books/hardcover-books

    Reply

  44. I love the simplicity of these cards! Their holiday ones are great but I would use the $250 for my save the dates! I think this website offers the refreshing style we needed.

    Reply

  45. This company does amazing work and I would love to have the opportunity to create more prints for my family!

    Reply

  47. I would choose a photo book or a few large format pics...or both! We went to Italy a couple of months ago and I have some beautiful pics documenting our time there. A photo book and/or some large format pics would be fabulous!

    Reply

  50. Love the Be Merry and Bright card!

    I have artifact uprising square prints from my instagram all over my office and they are so beautiful and such good quality.

    Reply

  53. I love the red Merry Christmas card you chose - so simple - but my love of script fonts is luring me to the Merry Christmas Card (Script) option instead!

    Reply

  54. I had so much trouble finding a simple and modern photo book company, but this is the one! If I win, I would like to make a photo book for my honeymoon to Italy. Thank you for the giveaway chance and information about this great company. Happy holidays!

    Reply

  59. Family photos are always a struggle for us. In fact, we haven't had any taken since I was pregnant with our second son, who is now 2.5 years old! Oops!

    Having a friend take the photos would make it so much better. In fact, the photographer who took the last ones is a great friend and they've always turned out so nicely.

    Picking a card? I think the three-in-one would be excellent: http://www.artifactuprising.com/photo-cards/holiday-cards/merry-everything-blue

    Reply

  60. The softcover photo 6x8 books - I want to make each of my children a book of their year as a Christmas gift. I would also do the Merry Christmas Card (Classic)

    Reply

  63. Artifact Uprising is one of my favorites-- we used them for our weddin album! I would definitely pick out some new lay-flat albums or the Joy 3in1 Christmas card!

    Reply

  64. Wow! All of these are gorgeous. I would choose the "May Joy Always Find You" (Script) card. But it's so hard to choose!

    Reply

  70. I hadn't heard of this company but I'm super impressed with Christmas card selection. I've been looking at every site around for some good Christmas card options and I think we've found the winner. I love the simplicity!! I think I'd choose the Modern Christmas or Merry little everything.

    Reply

  88. I love the Merry Everything in blue! But I also recently ordered square prints from them and they cam out so nicely, I would definitely get those again too. It's such a nice way to print out photos from Instagram which I typically forget about printing!

    Reply

  92. This is wonderful! I was just admiring the "Hello New Year" card--my (new) husband and I are just sending out cards for the first time and it would be perfect!

    Reply

  93. The site it stalling on me so I cannot check out the options just now, but I got engaged in Aug so we want to send out something special this year so I hope I can still be in the running. Thank you.

    Reply

  94. I love the personal feel of handwritten fonts! I would definitely go with the "Merry Christmas" in script! Simple and yet so beautiful and really lets the focus be on the photograph! Well done on your holiday pic- so nice!!

    Reply

  95. "The Year Behind Us" card is beautiful! Our new home flooded this year so we've been in renovation mode (which is why I frequent your site steadily - your design advice is top notch). Everyone who goes through unexpected renovations knows how both trying and rewarding it can be and I believe that card truly expresses my thoughts about this year and our optimism going forward to next year. We are eager to get back into our house and can't wait to spend many more years there enjoying the space.

    Reply

  96. I would choose the 'Merry Christmas' in script card. I love that family can just pop it in a frame after for a picture that lasts through all the seasons!

    Reply

  97. I have been a big fan of Artifact Uprising for a while, but have always been intimidated by their picture perfect marketing. My photos just don't look as awesome as their promo stuff! But I've decided to take the plunge this year for holiday cards. And I might even put a photo book together, because I have so many photos I would love to print. Thanks for the giveaway!

    Reply

  98. I'm making our holiday cards this year, but if the budget allows I would LOVE to get our parents one of the lay flat photo albums. They are so special!

    Reply

  100. I love the card you picked! And your picture is just gorgeous. My favorite part is Faye's little piggy tails sticking out! Adorable! :)

    Reply

  102. I like the modern merry christmas. It just feels wrong to me to take the Christ out of Christmas on a card - no happy holidays from us.

    Reply

  107. I love the everyday card. Something you can pop in the mail to send to a friend to let them know you are thinking about them.

    Reply

  108. Wow. Love these. Hard to choose--I think I'd go with the Merry Christmas Serif card. Thanks for introducing me to this brand!

    Reply

  112. I've never heard of this company, but am glad to learn about it. I too like the simplicity of their cards. My favorite is the Happy Holidays Card in Red Script.

    Reply

  116. We just got married and also went on an amazing 2 week honeymoon to Italy. We could really use a few hard cover books!

    Reply

  119. Your fam is so adorable! I love that you keep it simple. We (hubs, 2 li'l boys and our four footed friend) walked to the park down the street with camera & tripod in tow. So much money (and stress) saved and if they don't turn out all that great you can always try again, no loss, and we had fun playing at the park! ;)

    Love Merry Little Everything!!

    Reply

  121. I love the merry + bright holiday card.
    So cute. Finally got professional family pictures done this fall with the sole purpose of using for Christmas cards this year! Would be awesome to win this. Thanks for the giveaway.

    Reply

  122. This is a great giveaway opportunity with a great company. For the past few years we have done a happy new years card since it is also our wedding anniversary. So I would definitely vote for the "to the year behind us card" Cheers - CT

    Reply

  124. I love this giveaway!! I never really looked twice at these simple cards to be honest, and reading what you said about the text/font not taking away from the picture really resonated with me. Simple text it will be for this card!

    And my stupid android won't copy and paste! But I like that simple Merry Christmas 5x7 one. So beautiful.

    Reply

  125. I was just looking at their calendars today! I think the wood board on them is so nice, would be a great christmas gift!

    Reply

  129. I love it all!! The cards are to die for. And that print + wood cleat is amazing. Oh, I love the wooden box too!! It's all perfection.

    Reply

  134. I'm already working on a photobook to chronicle the first year of my son's life, but we're doing holiday cards too. I can't pick which one until we have our photo, but I like the merry little everything card and the classic cards a whole lot.

    Reply

  135. I LOVE Artifact Uprising, their photo books are the best. We'll be getting the Merry Little Everything cards for Christmas and then January 1st I'll be ordering my 2015 photo book :)

    Reply

  140. Love the merry little everything photo grid card! I've already got all our pictures set to upload and make it! Also love just about every single thing in their gift section...calendars would be great for grandparents!

    Reply

  141. I'd love to make a 12-month calendar for my dad, he'd just love it since he got me a DSLR for Christmas last year.

    Reply

  142. What a great giveaway!! I have been meaning to capture a picture of my family for a couple of years! This card seems very fitting for the last year of our life... In all things gratitude. I am very thankful for my family! Happy holidays!

    Reply

  143. Such a cute idea and beautiful photos! I'd chose Artifact Uprising's "To the year behind us" New Years card because of what feels like a monumental year my husband and I have had in 2015. xxoo

    Reply

  145. I like their Merry Christmas (script) cards. And I was JUST asking a friend about swapping family photo shoots! We just need ONE good photo for Christmas cards. Yours turned out beautifully!

    Reply

  146. You've totally inspired me. I was in the process of preparing for a formal family portrait tomorrow (bow ties and all). It was stressing me out. I saw this and bam! Inspired. I cancelled the plans, tomorrow we are going on our favorite hike with our German Shorthair, 3 young kids and jackets. So relieved.

    Reply

  147. I love Artifact Uprising! Their cards are so simple and lovely. I've had my eye on the Merry Christmas script card - sweet and elegant.

    Reply

  151. I love the Merry Christmas Card (Classic)

    Love the simplicity of all the cards. Such a great alternative to all the flashy ones out there!

    Reply

  155. Love the lay flat photo album and all the Christmas cards are gorgeous! You're family photo is so fun and I'm totally inspired by the casual look for our family photos on Sunday! Thanks!!

    Reply

  158. I've been lusting after Artifact Uprising's photo books for a while now and would love to make 1 (or 2, or 3!) of photos from a trip to New Zealand!

    Reply

  160. I've ordered prints but never knew they had cards as well! I love the "May joy always find you." My mom, named Joyce, passed away recently and would love this card to honor her at the holidays.

    Reply

  161. I love the year behind us and years ahead of us New Years cards. The sentiment is so simple and beautiful! I want these so badly!!

    Reply

  165. I am currently scouting our Christmas cards, and love the Modern Christmas card with the different languages listed. Simple, classic and festive! Plus, being in school for Spanish makes me want to buy anything with Spanish script on it! :) Thanks for the ideas!

    Reply

  167. I love your pictures and card choice! I think I would do the Merry Christmas Card (Serif) with the pictures we got this fall! Thanks for the ideas!

    Reply

  175. What cute pictures! I love the merry little everything card! The simplicity of these holiday cards is awesome and definetly something I could see myself using.

    Reply

  178. Ooh - I have been looking for a place to print our wedding photos in a lay-flat book, and would splurge on that if I could!

    Reply

  181. I've been obsessed with their multi image merry Christmas card for a while! No other company comes close to the beauty and simplicity of Artifact Uprising.

    Reply

  183. I am terrible when chosing cards because I think the photo helps with the message...but if I had to choose my favorites are the To The Good New Years Card (with multiple images), Simplest Things New Years Card, or the Joy to the world card. With a new baby born in September and my lack of sending a birth announcement I want this card to do double duty so I might just have to create my own - Which they have as an option!

    Reply

  186. It is a hard choice, but I think of go with - "May the simplest things bring the greatest joy this holiday season."

    Reply

  190. We've skipped cards the last few years but I'd love to send a New Year's card this year. I love when they come that week after Christmas, feels like a bonus!

    Reply

  192. Loving the 2015 Holiday Card with 12 images! Great for kid out takes. :). I've ordered a calendar from Artifact Uprising and it is gorgeous, so glad to see they have cards too!

    Reply

  197. The "Merry Christmas Card (Script)" is my jam! The fact that it looks like a vintage Polaroid with a little message written at the bottom of it is yes....just YES!

    Reply

  198. I'm currently working on lay-flat albums for our families—it will be my first project with Artifact Uprising—and a giftcard would be very, very good! Thanks!

    Reply

  201. I like the Year Behind Us cards. I never manage to get cards out before Christmas so like the idea of New Year's cards.

    Reply

  210. So many choices...right now I would choose "merry and bright" but with so many great options I will probably change my mind a few times!

    Reply

  224. I love the VSCO filters on my phone and just downloaded the free ones they have online for Lightroom! My favorite (pending the outcome of our holiday family photo shoot tomorrow) is the "All Things Gratitude Card."

    Reply

  231. I love the script-y Christmas cards. So simple and pretty. But the site was sure slow loading on my computer. (maybe it's just me?)

    Reply

  232. I would love to gift this gift card to my newly engaged friend for her save the dates! My favorite is the classic holiday card (vertical). So simply and classy!

    Reply

  234. Oh man! We love all things artifact uprising in our home! We had our eyes on the merry Christmas script with 9 images! You guys have the best giveaways! All my favorites!

    Reply

  253. Great giveaway! I've never heard of Artifact Uprising, what stylish cards they offer!
    My favorites are "may joy always find you" "happy holidays script" and "PEACE" :)

    Reply

  256. I'm big into the photo books right now. So far I've transferred 2012-2014's pictures each into the square hardcover photo book. I'm working on 2011 and 2015's books. I'd like to splurge on the layflat option for 2009's pictures when I traveled for 6 months around the globe.

    Reply

  259. Oooh these are just perfect!! If I won I'd definitley choose the joy to the world one! So beautiful!! Thanks for the chance!

    Reply

  268. I love Artifact Uprising! I want to start making yearbooks for our family. I used to scrapbook, but with three kids under 5, I have no time! Plus, I love how clean and pretty all their albums look. I want to display the yearbooks in our living room, so my kids can look back over the years at how our family has grown. Much easier than a bulky scrapbook!

    Reply

  269. I love the ''merry and bright' card! So appropriate for my little boy who is just lighting up our lives with his presence. AU is wonderful- I had the 25 square prints done and am adding them to family Christmas gifts this year. So lovely!

    Reply

  270. I would get the "year behind and ahead of us" card. So sweet and appropriate to the things that happened this year.

    Reply

  271. Love love love Artifact uprising!! I would use the Modern Merry Christmas card this year.
    Can't wait to see your final card.

    Reply

  278. I'm a big fan of the Artifact Uprising photo books, especially as you can steal directly from your Instagram feed! Since having kids I've made it a habit on Mother's Day to create books for both grandmas with pictures from the previous year. Since we live a long ways from both of the them (and they don't have Instagram!) I love that I can gift them a bunch of informal little moments from throughout our year, but that the books are still beautiful enough to be on display. I need to get going on year books for myself now!

    Reply

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