When my husband and I were getting ready to celebrate Christmas with our firstborn son, like most families, we decided to take a cute photo of him to send along with our Christmas cards. Per our budget, we would not be hiring a photographer so we used our creativity to come up with this finished product:

Simply tape an extra large roll of wrapping paper to the wall and drape it down. You want to be careful not to wrinkle it as you unroll it and make sure the lighting is good in the spot you choose. You could also hang a blanket.

Next, take some test shots to see how it looks and get your props out so you’re ready to go when baby is dressed.

I used various items and decorations we already had around the house. For my photo session I used a red square fabric bin, white blanket, small stocking and unbreakable plastic dollar store ornaments. One word of caution on the ornaments- be sure the small part that holds the hook is secure. Some of mine were loose. If I had noticed beforehand I would have glued them on to be safe. After all, babies put EVERYTHING in their mouths.

For the investment of $1.00 (the ornaments) we are pleased with the outcome. Since I’m not a photographer, I’m sure the lighting isn’t perfect or the focus is off; but to me it’s perfect because that little sweetie is mine. Now I have a special keepsake from his first Christmas that is adorable and budget-friendly!

Disclaimer: Always make sure that you’re not putting your child in harm to get a photo. If you are attempting a difficult pose, be sure you have extra hands to help.

A Christmas card showed up in my mailbox this November. First, I panicked thinking that I missed something.

Calm down.

Breathe.

Think.

Wait! It’s not even Thanksgiving!

Whew.

I’m good!

I’ve always been a procrastinator by nature so people who are organized freak me out a little. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to be organized and neat, but my mind does NOT work like that. I enjoy having a neat and clean house, but rarely can I keep it that way because my mind tries to focus in on everything AT ONCE. It’s a little maddening. Welcome to my world. 😉

Anyway, that nice little card reminded me that I need to find an area to display it along with the other Christmas cards that will come.

Thankfully, we just so happen to have an empty space on the wall in our kitchen. For the past several years, I have used that empty space to create a tree out of cards. I simply start with a vertical card at the top of the wall and add new cards underneath as they come. It’s a fun display and it’s so simple to do. You may have to rearrange a few cards now and then to make it look its best, but overall it is a super easy way to display the cards and make a decoration at the same time! You could even add a little bit of snazziness with a paper star or bow at the top. Happy decorating!