Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Shutterfly (and I love them for it)… but all opinions are my own.
Today my heart was racing and rather than panic, I went to see my natural doc who told me my thyroid was tanked and I needed to de-stress. “You just wait until you are raising teenagers.” I told him. Because holy cow… teenagers. And homeschooling. And senior year. WHAT EVEN?!!!
I may be in denial, y’all… but the graduation cards are in. Shutterfly reached out to me to ask me if I had a graduate because their PR person is obviously on top of things – and little do they know, I was going to probably pay to create my graduation cards from them anyway. I love Shutterfly. I’ve never been disappointed with any product I’ve bought from them. I sure appreciated the accountability, also — because I’m biting my nails worried that all my son’s classes won’t be finished by the end of the summer. Now I can mail out his graduation cards, get the date on the calendar, and hold him responsible (teen guilt) to hurry up with all the work he has to get done to get his diploma.
It literally took me less than ten minutes to create my cards on Shutterfly’s website, and it took less than a week for them to arrive by mail. They have a zillion different pre-created designs that you can just drop a couple of images in and voila! Fab, expensive-looking invitations.
Just be sure to check your spelling and ask yourself if you covered all the information you want on them before you click print and pay! I accidentally left the time off of my card, but that’s OK – they can find out when they RSVP, and since there are a few months between now and August, it’s all good.
I know it’s been a little silent in here, but I’ve been busy drilling my thyroid into the ground with my crazy schedule. Because that’s helpful, right? Who knew that a tiny gland controls so much of your well-being?!
I’ve also been doing weddings and senior portraits… and all the fun things that come along with photography – books and prints, included. I love a good portrait. Funny thing is, though, I picked random iPhone photos for two of the images on my invitations. So if you don’t have a photographer to take your senior shots for you, you can still use your own images (even smart phone images) to create your cards! Take a look at mine – they came out fantastic. I love the square envelopes and design – so “Instagram-esque”. They have a lot of different shapes, though. Check them out on their Graduation Announcements landing page.
They are very inexpensive for the quality you get! Many of the designs are a little under or over a dollar each, depending on sales.
Here’s a view of what the template looked like before I added my wording and images:
My eldest is a casual kind of guy and does best in casual settings. I like my easy-going random photos of him as much or more than my formal senior shots. Whatever works for you will probably look great on Shutterfly Graduation cards as long as the resolution isn’t way too small. All you need are a couple of photos and you are good to go!
And if you need a senior portrait photographer, shoot me a line via my contact page… because I do portraits for the greater Austin area!!!
Now that Kaden’s graduation announcements are ready to mail, I’m working on getting my mama heart in check. Don’t ask me to post about the emotions behind graduating a homeschool senior yet. I need a little longer to be in denial… if just to keep my thyroid from implosion.
Do you have a high school senior? A homeschooled one? Have you already graduated one?
I’d love ideas on how to keep from blubbering like a fool on the stage… on how you can sum up the best job you’ve ever had – teaching your own kid. My heart races just thinking about saying “It’s finished”!
I know it’s just the beginning for him… but it will be something like watching that baby bird take flight – right out of the nest… regardless of whether he sticks around until college starts.
I think maybe I need to work with Kleenex next…
Hey — want to hear something awesome? I am offering a give-away because Shutterfly sponsored this post! I just want to see if you are still listening out there…
Leave a comment on this blog post for a chance to win a …. $100 Amazon Gift Card!
I have been following your blog for years because of KONOS originally. Yes, we have a senior and I am mildly feeaking out. Well, mildly on the outside but probably more so on the inside. So much to do and I can’t believe that our homeschool years are coming to an end.
Seems like a world away from those KONOS early years, doesn’t it?!!! Love ya, Sue!
Oops, I forgot to add what the best thing is about the Shutterfly announcements. They have so many fun designs that it is hard to pick just one. So I plan on order several different designs in smaller batches since I can’t settle in just one design! And since our homeschool senior is in two co-ops, he will have two graduation ceremonies! All the better to be able to use more Shutterfly designs and products. They make it so easy to coordinate invites, announcements, thanks you’d, etc.
Girl, be careful with your thyroid woes. Love shutterfly too btw.
I’m really looking forward to finally graduating one of these goofy kids! What I LOVE about Shutterfly is their books. Big, small, thin, thick, it doesn’t matter. Since we homeschool, our kids don’t get yearbooks and I think it would be really special to make a book with annual “school” pictures leading up to a great photography shoot for their senior year and put all of those pictures in it. What a great keepsake for them.
Yes – I love the paper weight and how professional they look! I’m glad he will have one to keep in his box of “goodies” from homeschooling.
I have one graduating and then 3 that are leaving for the Air Force in the next year or so. I’m going from 5 at home to 2 at home. A homeschool mom to a public school mom. A full-time student to joining the work force (to pay for my student loans). I keep telling myself that change is good…
Wow, Erica! That is a lot of change at once! God bless you! 😉
That’s a great deal! I have a homeschooled junior. He’s nearly ready to graduate and is contemplating graduating early. I’d love to use shutterfly to buy his announcements or a memory book for him (or me!).
I love the options with Shutterfly. Their products are so easy to create and the quality is awesome.
I like to take my own photos. I would have my kids senior photos developed at shutterfly!
I loved your article. I will be needed to do this in a year when our daughter graduates. Its a nice idea especially since being homeschooled in a sparsley populated area not many teens too graduate with and want to do something nice.
No seniors here yet, our kids are home schooled in 5th, 3rd, kinder, with a toddler in tow. I know when I blink they will be grown though! We’ve used Shutterfly for Christmas cards, but I don’t think I would have thought of them for grad announcements.
I’ve used Shutterfly for Valentine Cards also. 🙂 Love them.
I’m super sad…we have to have seniors. I thought this phase would never end, now that it is…I don’t like it. 😉
Yeah, letting go isn’t easy. 🙁 Next year I’ll just be homeschooling a 2nd Grader and a Kindergarten student!!!! Crazy changes.
Scrapbooks….I love shutterfly. I do photo books. I print out my pictures with them. I have done invitations!
I need to get mine ordered before your giveaway is up, but I like the ones you picked.
I love shutterfly
I don’t have a homeschool grad, yet, but I’m sure it will fly by quickly! It would be fun to have many different poses of my grad on a Shutterfly announcement, but also a scrapbook to document all their years. Thanks for the chance to win! 🙂
We use Shutterfly heavily in our house, too. So easy to put together calendars and ‘yearbooks.’ We still have a few years before needing graduation invitations, but Kaden’s look awesome! Hugs to y’all!
Thanks!!!
Congrats, K!! And you, too, dear friend!! YOU DID IT!!! You finished strong!!! Sweet grad cards, too!! Your thyroid proves it!! 😉 Been there done that with my thyroid & adrenals… Miss seeing you around —
Oh, my! Graduating? Sweet boy AND sweet mama. Miss you both.
I know! We need to have another weekend gettaway!
Even though we haven’t done this, a homeschool friend of mine makes a Shutterfly photo book at the end of each year that showcases places they went, has pictures of their art work throughout that year, pictures of them homeschooling/learning, and even funny little quotes they said through the year. I LOVE looking at her books…but still haven’t done this myself even though I love the idea!
That sounds awesome!
I have never used shutterfly before.
We love shutterfly! Our homeschool group has a shutterfly site (free!!) where we post all of our pictures. At the end of the year we make a yearbook from everyone’s posts. It’s great! Congrats on your graduate!!
Thanks! 🙂