printable cards

Ideas for a Memorable New Year’s Party

There are many top 10 lists out there that will tell you about the best New Year’s Eve parties in your city, the best cities to toast the new year and the best places to be at 11.59 pm on Dec 31 2013. Yet, not many of us actually get to go to these parties. The fact is, most of us would rather spend New Year’s Eve in the company of our closest friends and family and ring in the new year in our own special way, even if it doesn’t make headlines.

Here are a few ideas to make your New Year’s celebrations more memorable and wholesome:

Take a hike for good health: Why not kick off the new year’s eve party with a nature hike in your city? Gather your friends and family and head out to a trail where you can spend the day enjoying the outdoors together? Many state parks offer New Year’s Day or First Day Hike programs, so if you can’t make it on New Year’s eve, you could join one of these First Day Hikes in your state.

Try something new: There’s something or the other we’ve all been putting off for a while. It could be learning a new language or improving your golf swing, taking that dance lesson or joining that book club. Why not start off the new year on the right note by signing up for a class or club? After all, it is a new year. Get together with a few of your friends and try something new on Dec 31st.

Lend a hand: The holidays are a great time to think of those less fortunate. Donating to charity is one thing, but giving your time has its own value. Volunteering for a cause you care about has many benefits. It boosts your self esteem, keeps depression at bay, looks good on your resume and helps you build relationships with other like-minded people. If you and your friends have always been talking about doing something for the bigger good, now is a great time to start. Whether it’s helping out at the homeless shelter or planting trees, it’s a wonderful way to give your new year a meaningful start.

New Year’s Eve parties last a few hours but the impact of each of these ideas could extend far beyond. So, as you’re planning your party this year, think about how you can make your celebrations more memorable. Our selection of free New Year’s eCards and printable cards are great for wishing your friends and family and to invite them to your party. Don’t forget to add a little reminder about the special new idea you’ve decided to take up this year.

Printable Cards – More Value, Less Hassle.

Let’s say you want to get your friend (or sister, dad or cousin) a greeting card for his/her special day.

If you wanted to get a card that looked like any other and didn’t mind spending a few bucks, you would just go out to the store, spend time browsing through the greeting card aisles, pick one you like, wait in line at the cashier’s, pay for it and walk out.

But since you’re here, I’m guessing you want something more out of a card than a standard message, without having to spend a fortune.

Correct?

You see, we folks at gotfreecards get it. People like you don’t just like to send out any greeting card. You want the card that reflects your personality and looks like it’s been created especially for the recipient.

After all, there are some occasions and certain people in your life that aren’t ‘standard’. They’re special. And why should the cards you get them be any less?

Say Hello! to Personalized Printable Cards from Gotfreecards

When we sat down and thought about what kind of cards you might like to send your loved ones, we didn’t have to look too far. We knew at once that the best, most unique card you can send someone is one that bears your stamp on it. With your picture. Your personal message. Your personality. A card created by YOU.

So, we set out to help you do just that. We came up with our Printable Cards section so you can create the greeting cards of your choice – with the images, words and colors that you like.

Although we offer some standard templates and images, you can change the way your card looks with a few very simple steps such as uploading a photo from your computer, typing in your own text and choosing the font color and size. You can even decide which way you want it printed and what goes on the cover and what goes inside.

It doesn’t get more customized than this. But there’s more.

Create Now, Send Later – Save Your Printable Cards Online

What if…you’re creating a very special printable card for someone and the phone rings. Or your baby wakes up. Or there’s someone at the door. Or the printer is out of ink?

Don’t you just hate it when interruptions force you to stop what you’re doing and start from scratch all over again? It can be especially hard and time consuming to come back to a certain page or template and remember the exact same message you had thought about typing or to re-upload an image from your computer.

We pictured you facing this problem and Voila! the answer presented itself.

Printable Cards that you can save online and access later.

It’s really simple. If you have to stop midway as you’re creating your card, or if you just want to save it for printing later, just click on the Save This Card link at the bottom of your Printable Card. And your card is saved. Later, when you’re ready to finish and print it, simply retrieve your card from the My Saved Cards section. Create it, print it and Send!

And just like that – for $ 0.00 and a few minutes of your time, you would have created a one-of-its-kind, priceless greeting card that your friend (dad, cousin or sister) is sure to love.

Have you tried our new Save This Card feature? Tell us what you think!

Let’s say you want to get your friend (or sister, dad or cousin) a greeting card for his/her special day.

But since you’re here, I’m guessing you want something more out of a card than a standard message, without having to spend a fortune.

Correct?

After all, there are some occasions and certain people in your life that aren’t ‘standard’. They’re special. And why should the cards you get them be any less?

Say Hello! to Personalized Printable Cards from Gotfreecards

So, we set out to help you do just that. We came up with our Printable Cards section so you can create the greeting cards of your choice – with the images, words and colors that you like.

It doesn’t get more customized than this. But there’s more.

Create Now, Send Later – Save Your Printable Cards Online

What if…you’re creating a very special printable card for someone and the phone rings. Or your baby wakes up. Or there’s someone at the door. Or the printer is out of ink?

We pictured you facing this problem and Voila! the answer presented itself.

Printable Cards that you can save online and access later.

It’s really simple. If you have to stop midway as you’re creating your card, or if you just want to save it for printing later, just click on the Save

This Card link at the bottom of your Printable Card. And your card is saved. Later, when you’re ready to finish and print it, simply retrieve your card from the My Saved Cards section. Create it, print it and Send!

And just like that – for $ 0.00 and a few minutes of your time, you would have created a one-of-its-kind, priceless greeting card that your friend (dad, cousin or sister) is sure to love.

Have you tried our new Save This Card feature? Tell us what you think!

Free Cards to Beat Back to School Blues

Nobody’s ever explained it to me.

How does summer pass by so quickly? And why?

It’s always been the case. Even when I was in school, it seemed as if the 10 months of the school year dragged on for ever, but the 2 months we were off – just went by in a flash.

When I was a kid, we lived far away from my grandparents, cousins and my extended family. Since we lived in a different country, we got the chance to visit them only once a year. Those summers were the best! It was like being in a whole other universe with no school, homework or teachers, no reminders of regular school routine. Spending your vacation in a completely different setting can be so refreshing.

Back to School Motivators – New School Supplies

Anyway, it would all pass far sooner than I liked. The only thing that motivated me to head back home and get ready for another school year was the thought that I would be getting new school supplies, crisp new notebooks, shiny new pencils and pens, a brand new bag, maybe, new uniforms and shoes. Those were the little things that made the transition back to school somewhat easier. Of course, back then, I didn’t have to worry about shelling out my hard-earned money for any of those things.

The Back to School Price Tag

Today, it’s a different story. As a parent, I see the back to school routine in a slightly different light. Yes, it means kids go to a new class to learn more than they did the previous year and that parents can breathe a sigh of relief as they wave to their kids getting on the school bus after spending two boisterous months at home. It means the house is quiet again, at least for a few hours everyday and that stay-at-home or work-at-home parents get some time to themselves once again. But all of this comes at a cost, of course. My daughter hasn’t started school yet, but I’ve heard that back to school purchases can cost anywhere between $200 and $400 per child!! Whoa! No wonder then, why I see that some parents are as concerned about schools reopening as their kids.

It’s always a good idea to spend money wisely and save where you can, regardless of the state of the economy. But the current crisis makes prudent spending a necessity.

In the next post, I’ll share some back to school money saving tips that you can use to cut your costs while still getting your kids everything they need.

Meanwhile, check out our free printable Back to School cards. They’re great for cheering up kids who’re not too happy about going back to school. And if you’re trying to find back to school deals, how’s a $0 greeting card for a start?

Don’t forget to share your tips on back to school saving in the comments.

How to Create Your Own Printable Cards

If you have never sent a Printable Card before, we have good news for you. If you have been using the Printable Cards section on gotfreecards to wish your friends and family on special occasions, then we have even better news!

Introducing the new, improved, easier-to-use and better-to-view, personalized Printable Cards with photo.

If you want to send a Printable Card, here’s what you do.

1. From the several Printable Card themes available for the occasion of your choice, click on the one you like best.

2. Cover

Do you see the two tabs Cover and Inside? First, choose the Cover tab. (It is selected by default)

3. Image

· If you’re happy with the image there, leave it as it is. If not, you can rotate it, resize it, re-position it or delete it and replace it with an image from your computer.

· To resize the image – drag its corners. To rotate it – drag the curved, green arrow on the top right corner. To re-position the image, drag it to the position you want. To delete the image, click on the X on the top left.

· To upload a picture from your own computer, click on the Add Photo link on the right. Select the image you wish to upload. When the image is uploaded, it will appear in place of the default image. You can resize, re-position or rotate this image in the same way.

· Once you are happy with the image on the Cover, you could add text.

4. Adding Text

· Click on the Add Text link on the right. It opens up a Text Box.

· Type in your message. You can resize, re-position and rotate the text box just like the image.

· Choose the font, text size, alignment and text style from the options on the right. Add as many text boxes as you want and arrange them any way you like. So, there’s literally no limit to how creative you can get with your Printable Card.

5. Inside

· If you’re happy with the image and text on the Cover, move on to the Inside, by clicking on the Inside tab. If not, go back and make necessary changes.

· Upload an image from your computer, resize or rotate it, add text and customize it just as you did for the cover.

6. Printing Your Card

· You have two options. Choose Print on One Side, if you prefer a smaller sized card that is folded over twice. (The way you would fold a handkerchief) This is a compact printable card.

· If you prefer a larger card that has a single fold across its center, choose Print Front and Back. (This opens up like a magazine or newspaper.)

Summer Family Time Ideas

Summer sure is funny. One minute you’re thinking, “What a great 4^th of July! Glorious summer days ahead.” and before you know it, it’s time for back-to-school shopping. Nobody really knows how the days in between whiz by so fast.

Between summer camps and family obligations, don’t overlook the many opportunities these months provide to bond with your kids. That’s what summer breaks are for, after all. Your fondest memories of childhood are probably those of summer breaks. Today, kids barely need the company or want the supervision of adults as they fiddle with their gadgets – text-ing, IM-ing, tweeting and downloading. So do you ever wonder how you can put the magic back into summer?

It’s easy. Try doing as many of these as possible. Feel free to add to the list and share your ideas for a great family summer time.

Get out with your kids more. Take a walk. Go swimming, hiking or biking. Take them to the park, museum, library or a picnic spot. Shoot some hoops. Drive around. Stop to admire scenic views. Just do the things that you always put off doing. Plan to spend at least a few minutes with your kids outdoors everyday.
Do crafts or other projects together. It could be as simple as going through your CD collection with your kids, listening to some of your favorite songs and organizing your media cabinet. (See how many birds you kill with that one?) Or, start a summer blog that you and your kids can update, describing the places you visit and things you do, adding photos and videos – a great way for you to get up to speed on the latest web technology. Create a scrap book or photo album. Use our free printable cards section and encourage kids to make personalized cards for grandma, grandpa or other relatives you may be visiting.
Organize ‘No reason’ parties. Why wait until a birthday to get all your friends and family together? Just pick a convenient day and invite everyone for a picnic in the park, a backyard BBQ or a pool party. Remember that sleepover you promised your kids, but have been postponing? You won’t find a better time than now. Or how about a neighborhood camp-out night in your yard? Imagine a dozen kids and grown ups lying on their backs, trying to identify constellations! Somehow, fun multiples when shared. With our Twitter Party Invite, you can send word to everybody within minutes. It doesn’t get any simpler. So go ahead and throw that summer party for absolutely no reason, other than to make memories with your kids.

Whatever you do, just don’t let the summer slip by without doing at least one new thing with your kids.

Share with us – how will you be spending time with your family this summer?

Why get Printable Father’s Day Cards?

My dad’s hilarious. Any gift I get him, for any holiday, he absolutely loves. From the World War II History 12 DVD set I saved money for months to buy for him, to a five dollar hammer I got down at the pawn shop, he just likes any gift I get him. Most dads are like that, though. And it’s not because our fathers don’t have taste. It has more to do with how much our dads like to know we’re thinking about them.

That’s the biggest reason to think about getting Dad free printable cards this year for Father’s Day. All the free ecards at Got Free Ecards are creative and fun, and printable cards allow you to go that extra step, in personalizing your gift. With our printable cards, not only do you have several different fun templates to choose from, but you can also personalize each card with your individual greetings, photos and messages.

You don’t need to spend a lot of money on Dad to let him know you care about him. In fact, most fathers would probably rather you didn’t spend much money. So save a little money this Father’s Day, while getting Dad a personalized gift at the same time, and check out the free printable Father’s Day cards at Got Free Ecards!

Printable Mother’s Day Cards

A Fun Project for Kids

Printable Mothers Day Cards

If you have young kids, here’s a delightful Mother’s Day project idea. Check out our printable cards section along with your kids. If they’re old enough, let them browse the section by themselves, pick out a template, type in the message and choose the images by themselves. Help them print the card out. Encourage them to add a personal touch with a photograph or by creating a hand-made drawing on the printed card. Remind them to include their names or initials along with a short, hand-written note. And presto! At no cost, your kids would have created a personalized, yet professional looking greeting card that Mom is sure to love and cherish.

All Occasions

On this blog, we’re always writing about all the different occasions to commemorate by sending a free e-card. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s, e-cards are always a convenient and cost-effective way of showing people, on holidays, that you’re thankful for their presence in your life.

But you don’t have to wait for the next holiday to roll around on the calendar to take advantage of our free e-cards here at gotfreecards.com. We have tons of birthday cards, of course, along with cards to say “Thanks” and to send your good wishes to that friend or loved one who’s been under the weather lately.

Not only that, but even if you’re just looking for a way to let someone know how much you care, you should check out one of our “Friends” cards, or one of our quickly-growing categories of knock-knock jokes. From the incredibly clever, to the just downright silly, there’s a joke for every taste and temperament.

Feel like personalizing a card? Or maybe commemorating one of the holidays we haven’t gotten around to designing for yet? Click on “printable cards” at the top of the gotfreecards.com homepage, and just follow the step-by-step instructions on the screen (or see my earlier blog on the subject).

So you see, no matter the holiday or occasion, gotfreecards.com is your best spot for free, thoughtful, and funny ways to say that you care!

Valentine Ecards for my husband

If you have popped in to any store lately, you are well aware that Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. There are big red candy boxes on the first aisle when you walk in, teddy bears for sale holding red hearts and red balloons, and even boxers adorned with little cupids for sale. And even though all of the merchandise is fun and festive and would make anyone smile, the thought of purchasing anything for Valentine’s Day still stresses me out!

I want to make sure that the gift for my husband is perfect, that it is not too corny, but also not too UN-corny. Flowers are not for my husband, and he doesn’t eat sweets, so I tend to go for the more home-made gifts. One year I made him a gift card that was good for things like a back rub, or breakfast in bed, and another year I had the kids make him a card with their picture in it. So this year, we’re going to do that again, with the help of GotFreeCards.com. I am going to create FREE printable cards at GotFreeCards.com, with pictures of me and my kids and my own corny sentiments, print it out, and give it to my husband for Valentine’s Day. It will be the perfect gift, with the perfect amount of Valentine’s Day corniness.

Printable cards how to add your photo

You’ve decided to make a free printable greeting card on gotfreecards.com. How exactly do you go about making a card with your own personal photos?

First, go to gotfreecards.com and click on “Printable Cards” at the top of the page. On the next page, click “Card with your own photo.”

To start, select, from the tabs in the middle of the page, whether you want to work with the cover or the interior of your card. Then, click one of the two buttons to the right, depending upon where you want to begin: with adding text, or uploading photographs. If you click on “Add text,” a box will appear, and all you need to do is type your message in that box. From there, you can change things like font color and size, using the menu to the right, and by using the old click-and-drag method you can move the text box around to anywhere you want it on the page.

When you’re done with the text, click the “Upload Photo” button, and a computer explorer menu will pop up. Just go through your files, find the photo you want to use, and click, “open.” After it loads, your picture will appear on the screen, and you can drag, drop and slide—just like with the text—to position it just the way you want.

After that, just switch between the “interior” and “cover” tabs to finish the card, and when you’re done, click “print.” That’s all there is to it.