For the past few years or so, I have wanted to get Photo Cards to mail at Christmas, of course that also meant getting a decent family photo taken!Last month I was able to accomplish the family photo, and at around the same time I was blessed with a review opportunity that allowed me to get some Photo Cards as well.
PNI Digital Media is a name you may not have heard of before, but I'm sure you're familiar with them another way. You see, they are actually the company behind the photo gifts in places such as Sam's Club, CVS, Costco and Wal-Mart Canada.
I decided to have our holiday photo cards made at Sam's Club, since we shop there frequently and I have easy access to pick up there.
Making the cards was a simple task. There is a quick Java application that runs, which enables you easy access to all the photos on your computer. Uploading of the photos is fast. The most difficult part of making the cards was choosing a design, mostly because they have such a nice selection.
Some of the features I really liked when making my cards were
- Notification that the picture resolution was not adequate for certain styles
- There were plenty of design choices, no matter which holiday you celebrate during the season
- The ability to have more than one photo on the card if you choose
The system is pretty user friendly, the only part I didn't care for was that if you needed to change the orientation of the card, it dismissed any photo you currently had selected (in its defense, it warns you about this). Then you have to start all over again with the new orientation.
To order from Sam's Club you do need a membership, a perk to using PNI through them is you can choose to pay for your order when you pick it up in the store.
After I had completed my photo card and was pleased with it and ordered it, I was sent a confirmation e-mail. That was a bit messed up; it had my cards slated for pick up in December of 2007 and I was to get my order from a store in Rhode Island (I live in South Dakota). I think that was just a hiccup in the system though, as when I logged into my account at Sam's online, the information was all correct and my photo cards were to be ready in a week.
Fast - Fast - Fast!! A week is awfully quick, but surprise, I received a call just 4 days later that my cards were ready for pick up.
And here is the sneak pre-view of our family Christmas greeting this year....(You get to see it even before my Mom!!)
I am more than pleased with PNI's service, and will use them again next year (assuming of course we can get another decent family photo ☺).
Besides using PNI for Photo Cards you can also make Photo Books, Collages, Calendars, Photo Enlargements as well as other gifts. Some can be picked up in your local stores or have them shipped to your home. Certain items can have as little as an hour turn around time.
Ellen, a PNI rep, has great tutorials on her blog
Today's Ellen, for all sorts of photo gifts, plus you can find the latest blog giveaways sponsored by PNI there as well
☺.
Win It!! One lucky reader will snag a photo gift from PNI. The winner will be able to choose from an 8.5"x11" Calendar from CVS, A Set of 50 4"x8" Holiday Photo Cards from Sam's Club (you must have a membership to order) or for my Canadian readers a Custom Photo Calendar from WalmartPhotoCentre.ca.
To enter leave a comment letting me know which photo gift appeals to you the most at CVS, Sam's Club or Walmart.ca, and what photo(s) you would use for it.For extra entries (the above must be done first) you can:
1. Visit Today's Ellen and subscribe to the blog feed. (You'll get great news on PNI photo products!)
2. Follow Ellen on twitter.
3. Become a fan of Three Different Directions on Facebook
4. Follow me on twitter and tweet this giveaway (this can be once per day, please leave the direct link to your tweet in the comments). Just click the birdie.
5. Follow my blog publicly.
6. Subscribe to my feed via e-mail or reader.
7. Blog about this giveaway linking back to my blog.
8. Add my button to your blog.
This giveaway will end on November 10, 2009 at 11:59 pm cst and open to U.S. and Canadian Residents ages 18+. The winner will be chosen by random.org and will be e-mailed. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the e-mail or an alternate winner will be chosen. By entering this giveaway you are stating that you have read my **About Reviews and Privacy/Rules declaration and agree to them. I received a complimentary set of holiday photo cards from PNI to create and use to formulate my own opinion of PNI's products and services prior to writing this post.
Blog,
Reader Comments (53)
The Sam's Club card offer would be great! seehorce(at)yahoo(dot)com
I'm a fan of yours on Facebook. seehorce(at)yahoo(dot)com
I follow your blog. seehorce(at)yahoo(dot)com
I love the Extra Large Woven Blanket from walmart.ca
dftrew(at)gmail(dot)com
I would use a picture of my family from my sister's wedding and give it as a christmas gift
ahellen@gmail.com
following on twitter @IHeartCupcakes5
ahellen@gmail.com
became a fan on fbook
amanda.hellen
ahellen@gmail.com
following publicly
amanda hellen
ahellen@gmail.com
subscribed via google reader
ahellen@gmail.com
following you on twitter and tweeted
http://twitter.com/IHeartCupcakes5/status/5242671188
ahellen@gmail.com
I love the photo playing cards and would use a picture of my dog on them!!
The CVS Calendar would be my choice. I'd go through my photos and pick the funniest ones of me, my friends, and/or relatives that I have, hopefully syncing them up by months.
The CVS calendar sounds perfect!
katiekarr at gmail dot com
I would like the CVS calendar and I would use pictures of my daughter to make a great gift for one lucky grandmother.
email subscriber
i really like the flower theme calenders at WalmartPhotoCentre.ca.
thanks
flower_child_23(at)hotmail(dot)com
i Follow Ellen on twitter.
fan of Three Different Directions on Facebook
i follow
I would want the CVS calander giveaway
pkbailey@charter.net
I follow Ellen on Twitter[pkbailey01]
pkbailey@charter.net
I follow your blog
pkbailey@charter.net
I would love to get a photo tie for my husband. It would be great.
tutucuteforme(at)hotmail(dot)com
I would make a CVS Calendar of my boys for my dad.
I like the Disney Character Plates from CVS. I'd love to win a calender from CVS. I'd use family photos to make a calender. Thanks.
partymix25(at)hotmail(dot)com
I follow your blog.
partymix25(at)hotmail(dot)com
email subscriber
By the way, your holiday photo card looks great.
partymix25(at)hotmail(dot)com
I would make the CVS calendar with family pictures, probably for one of the grandparents.
I became a fan on facebook!
I think the China Plate on CVS would make a great gift!
texas_heartland84[at]yahoo[dot]com
I would like the Photo Cards from Sams Club. Great giveaway. Thanks.
THE CVS PIcturebook STorybooks are PRECIOUS. I love the "down on the farm one", as i grew up on a farm and my tiny grandson loves farms animals and tractors, etc. How exciting to BE part of the story.
I have always wanted to do the calendar as a gift for our mom....she had NINE of us. She would treasure this forever.
ejrichter60 (AT) gmail. (dot) com
I'd love to have these cards!
I would love to have the calendar from CVS.
heatherstamper09@aol.com
the cvs gift would work for me, i would use a picture of me and my husband
The CVS calendar would be my choice. I would give this to my grandma since she looks forward to seeing my son all the time..This way she could see him everyday.
tatum810@yahoo.com
The CVS calander would be my choice. I would use pictures of my children
rjs682(at)yahoo(dot)com
I follow publicly
rjs682(at)yahoo(dot)com
I subscribed to RSS by email
rjs682(at)yahoo(dot)com
I'd love to have the calander from CVS. I'd use pics of my grandchildren
zachsgran1(at)yahoo(dot)com
I publicly follow
zachsgran1(at)yahoo(dot)com
subcriber to RSS via email
zachsgran1(at)yahoo(dot)com
I'd pick the calander from CVS and put pics of my family and pets on it
tmc480(at)yahoo(dot)com
I follow with google connect
tmc480(at)yahoo(dot)com
I subscribe to feed via reader
tmc480(at)yahoo(dot)com
I LOVE THE 11 X 14 Photo Calendar!
I would create one for my parents of all thier grandkids!
zestywonderland@gmail.com
We Wish you a Merry Christmas - 2009 Tag from sam's club with a pic of my kids :)
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