The year before last Brandon and I had pictures made of the kids for Christmas, they turned out great but were terribly expensive. Very, very expensive. Sooo last year I decided to make my own. The picture above is one of the one's I made. It took a little tinkering with some random generic photo software on my mother's computer but it wasn't long before I had down which effects I liked and which ones I didn't. Sure, it's time consuming but it also saves me a bunch of money... and I think they look rather professional. Now, here's what I did.
The kids are actually sitting on my bed. That cute brightly colored candy background? That's secretly a Christmas themed throw blanket that I draped over my headboard. The picture of Bubba in front of the greenery? That's actually a close up taken in front of my tree. I was really fond of the Christmas lights, which are just your basic strand. Other options for the background could be your yard, a Christmas-y table cloth, a plain green or red piece of fabric- use your imagination! As for props you can use the standard Christmas lights (beware of the old C4 bulbs, they get really hot really fast- that's why they're a fire hazard), Walmart sells GIANT Christmas ball style ornaments, candy cane yard stakes, wreaths, or even ornaments. Walmart (I shop there a lot, can you tell?) sells a pack of quite a few thin glittery snowflakes for 2 dollars or less. You could hang these from your ceiling with fishing line. However, if you choose to hang something light like that I reccomend purchasing a small bag of slipshot sinkers, located in the fishing/sporting area of your local store. The whole bag should be less than two dollars and get the super small ones. Fishing line tends to want to curl back up and won't want to drape like you like. Slipshot can be easily attached and will weigh the ornaments perfectly. The list goes on and on, go to your local dollar mart or thrift store and see what you can find, just use your imagination.
I've seen some really imaginative ideas on Pinterest recently. Pool noodles can be rolled up and attached to PVC pipe, wrapped in cellophane to look like giant lolly pops. Baloons can be done the same way to look like huge suckers. The list goes on and on, and is done so cheaply with stuff you might already have! Cardboard boxes broken down can be cut and painted to look like any size gingerbread man you want, or you could take it to the next level with a cardboard gingerbread house! Boxes are free and paint (at walmart again) can be found for less than a dollar a tube! FYI brightly colored solo cups glued mouth down look just like gum drops!! Also, don't be afraid to break out those scraps of wrapping paper and wrap whatever boxes you have lying around (I like diaper boxes) like giant presents as props!
Here is the link for the blog I got the gingerbread house idea from: Harriet in Winderland
As for outfits, there's really no need to go out and buy new ones as I've seen so many people do! Odds are, you or your child already has something perfect for the occasion in their drawers or closet. Take a look at what you already have and try to look at it in a different light. Tobi is wearing a red summer dress that was in the back of her closet, Bubba has on a hoodie with a train on it (because trains are awesome, just so you know) and if we're going to be completely honest little Miss Livvy is wearing Tobi's halloween costume from the year before.
So break out your digital camera and your creativity and get to work! I'd love to see links in the comment space below to any pics you take!! Also, if you have any links to more ideas or just have some of your own feel free to post them!
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