FAQ's

What is for sale? View Samples
I create beautiful custom photo (announcements and invitation) cards for any occasion using your photos. Cards are flat (non opening) postcard style cards. They are printed as a professional photograph. There are several sizes available. Please see the product, pricing and payment page for more options. 

How much do the cards cost? More details on the pricing page.
$1.75US for each 4x6 or 5x5 card + flat $15 shipping* charge.
$1.95US for each 4x8 or 5x7 card + flat $15 shipping* charge.
All prices are quoted in United States dollars.

However, as of July 2007 I am offering the cards at PAR to Canadian residents.
This means that prices for Canadian residents are in Canadian dollars!!

* Shipping charge stated is for within the United States and Canada. Please email me for an international shipping rate.
*Orders of $200 or more receive FREE REGULAR SHIPPING (This offer EXCLUDES press printed cards)
*Please note that square cards (such as the 5x5) require additional postage when it is time for you to mail your cards to your friends and family

Shipping to the USA
Photo cards and press printed cards are shipped by UPS 2 day service for a flat $15.00 charge. Overnight shipping is a flat fee of $30.00. You receive your package in normally 3-4 days even with the 2 day UPS shipping and as fast as 2 days with the overnight shipping. Please be sure to order with plenty of time to meet your own deadlines.

Hand made cards are shipped after the cards are hand assembled. Cardstock is ordered in from New York. Please allow up to 3 weeks for the design and assembly of hand made cards. Shipping is a flat $15.00 charge for Priority Mail.

Shipping to Canada
Canadian orders are shipped by Canada Post for a flat $15.00CDN charge. I ship Canadian orders within 48 hours of your proof being approved by you. 

Taxes
7% PST + 5% GST applies to residents of British Columbia and Canada only. There is NO sales tax or duties if you reside in the USA.

Are envelopes included with my order?
Yes! A perfectly sized 24lb white envelope is included for each card plus a few extras. Envelopes are included for all card sizes (4x6, 4x8, 5x5, 5x7).

Is there a minimum order requirement?
Yes, minimum order of 50 cards. Please note that I am able to make exceptions with regards to children's Birthday Invitations. This depends on my current work load.

Is there a  minimum order requirement if I would like to reorder more of my cards?
Yes, for American residents you will need to purchase in 25 card increments. For Canadian residents after your initial order there is a minimum of 10 when ordering more.

What size are the cards?
The photo cards are offered in 4x6, 4x8, 5x5, and 5x7 inch sizes. If you would like a larger size such as an 8x10 or 11x14 for framing they are available for an additional cost.

What are the cards printed on?
The Photo Cards are printed on archival quality professional Kodak ENDURA photographic paper. Unless you specify otherwise; I have the cards printed with a matte finish (this resists fingerprints) unless you request otherwise. Your cards will last at least 100 years without fading and 200 years in dark storage.

Press printed cards are professionally printed on high quality card stock. These cards are offered in double sided flat cards or folding cards. There are 4 paper choices when ordering press printed cards. Semigloss, linen, watercolor and pearl. A glossy UV coating is available on the semigloss and pearl. Read more about the papers.

My hand made specialty cards are a combination of the Photo Cards professionally printed on Kodak ENDURA photographic paper. They are then HAND mounted to the highest quality card stock. Please allow 3-4 weeks for the design and assembly of these hand made cards.

Where are the cards printed?
The cards are printed by a professional lab which caters to professional accounts. Orders for US residents are printed and shipped in the USA. Canadian photo card orders are printed and shipped in Canada. All press printed cards are printed in the USA. For Canadian press printed card orders the cards are shipped to my mailing address in the USA. I then pick them up and mail to you via Canada Post.

Can I get my envelopes sent to me ahead of time?
Yes! If you would like to start addressing your envelopes early I can send them out to you now. Most people that would like their envelopes early preorder their cards as well. If you choose not to preorder and would just like the envelopes sent out the envelopes will cost $0.10ea and the $15.00 shipping charge will apply. The cost of the envelopes will be credited towards your order.

How do I send my pictures to you?
Emailing your photos as an attachment in .jpg, .tiff, or .bmp format is the best and quickest way to get your photos to me. When emailing your photos please DO NOT send them to me through your online photo sharing / storage vendor (Snapfish, Kodak Gallery, Winkfish, or any other online photo sharing gallery). I am not able to download a HIGH RESOLUTION version of the photo from their website and will not be able to create a quality card for you.

If you have questions about how to send your photos as an attachment please email me and I will help guide you. graphicthinking@dccnet.com.You many have to email only one or two pictures to me at a time as the picture files may be quite large... this is exactly what I need.

You may also snail mail your photos to me at these addresses:

PLEASE EMAIL ME TO LET ME KNOW YOUR PICTURES ARE ON THEIR WAY.

Should I shrink my picture size down to email them to you?
NO!! Large image size is VERY important for both quality and creativity. Please send the LARGEST sized photos you have. Do not crop or alter the photos in any way. I will take care of all that. If you are scanning the photos first please be sure to set your scanner settings to at least 300dpi (dots per inch). The  size should be a minimum of 1200x1800 pixels. BIGGER IS BETTER!

How do I know if my picture size is OK?
I will email you to confirm that I have received your photos and I will let you know at that time if they are an acceptable size to work with.

I have photo editing software... should I crop my images before sending them to you?  
NO!! Please do not do any editing to your photos. I use the benchmark photo editing program Adobe Photoshop CS3 and Illustrator for my work. I also have a Wacom Tablet and I am able to perform magic with these tools. :) I can remove backgrounds, change scenery, move people, remove object, add objects, remove blemishes, red eye, change colors, turn color pictures into black and white or sepia toned, hand color and selective color... the list goes on. Have a look at some of my before and after images and you will get an idea of the magic I can perform.

Is it ok to send you my snapshots?
Yes, I can do wonders with any photograph. Please view my photo enhancement page to see many before and after images. I can turn your images black and white, crop, merge, tint, etc. etc. Have a look. 

Photo enhancement is what really sets me apart from the competition. I use professional tools and am skilled at photo restoration and manipulation. I can remove items from your photos or even blemishes from your baby's face.

THE END RESULT IS SO NATURAL NO ONE WILL EVER KNOW.

When will I receive my email proof?
If you choose a Gallery design shown on my website your proof will be emailed within 48 hours of receiving your photos. If you do not choose a design shown on my website or request a custom proof it may take 3-7 days to receive your proof depending on the number of custom orders I am currently working on. (Please note that most of my work is custom). Please remember to check your email.

Your proof will arrive by email. Complimentary hard copy proofs are also available (by request) for photo cards only.

How long will it take to receive my order?
Once your design is approved and payment is received I will send the cards to print. For US residents the cards are shipped by UPS 2 day air service. With the time for printing and delivery, it normally takes 3-4 days for the cards to reach you. I can ship photo cards from Canada any day of the week and ship by XpressPost by Canada Post. XpressPost is normally 2-3 business days.

What forms of payment do you accept?
I accept Paypal, money orders, and personal checks (as long as you promise they are good) to the above address. ;-)  You can also call or email me your credit card information to process for you. Call me toll free at 1-877-596-3434.

Can you mail me a sample?
Yes, just send me an email with your address. My samples of regular photo cards are FREE!

Can I see my card and what you can do with my photos before I make payment?
YES!! I am so confident that you will LOVE your cards that I am willing to create a proof for you even BEFORE you make payment. Visit the FREE PROOF page.

Can I order more cards afterwards?
Yes, I keep your file and you are welcome to order prints after your initial order.

Error Free Guarantee
If there is an error made by me on the cards after you have approved the proof, I will RUSH re-prints and ship at no charge. If an error is made out of my control (by you), I will re-print and ship at a 50% discount off the regular price. I must be notified of any problems within 10 days of receiving your order.

Returns
I do not accept returns on custom printed or custom produced items. If there is a mistake made on your item that differs from your order or your approved proof, our error free guarantee will be implemented. I guarantee the accuracy of your order, or your order will promptly be corrected. Shipping charges for all orders shipped out are non-refundable. PLEASE CHECK YOUR PROOF CAREFULLY. This includes checking all text that I have inserted or you have supplied.

Please email me if you have any other questions. Thanks! Linda

graphicthinking@dccnet.com