Christmas in July: Plan Your Holiday Photo Cards Now

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Every year I say I’m going to plan ahead and NOT wait til the last minute to order my winter holiday cards, but things come up…I get busy and forget. I’m sure you can relate!

This year, our newest blog sponsor, Basic Invite, is here to help us all do better, with a Christmas in July reminder: Summer is a great time to plan out and capture your family and pet photos for your Christmas cards and holiday cards.

They are also offering a 30% OFF discount to our readers so read on to learn more!

You might be thinking. “How can I do holiday photos when all my Christmas decorations are packed away?!?”

It’s easier than you think. All you need is a few simple props, like some Santa hats and mini trees from Michaels or the Dollar Store. Walgreens still has Red Noses for sale at many locations (check by the registers).

Any string of fairy lights will help set the scene, or take the photos you love and add some sparkly touches with filters in your favorite photo app or software.

Look around for items you already have that might work. This is a GREAT excuse to get some matching pajamas for your family and pets!

Your Christmas cards don’t even have to have a holiday theme. Summertime is beach, pool and vacation time, so remember to take a few nice shots with the family (and pets, of course) so that you can share your memories with friends and family when you send out your cards this winter. Any great family photos YOU love will make the perfect images for your cards.

There are tons of themes and templates to choose from, so it’s almost a no-brainer once you have your favorite digital photos picked out!

Basic Invite is one of the few card websites with almost unlimited color options and instant previews online. Once you select a design you can change the color of each element on the card to over 180 different color options so you can make sure the card is exactly how you want it down to the littlest detail. This is what really sets them apart from almost any other online stationery company.

And if you have a business, or are in charge of ordering business Christmas cards this year, now is the time to get it done. You can get really creative with cards that fit the personality and tone of your business!

Whether you are ordering cards and invites for business or family, you want to make sure your cards look their very best, right?

Basic Invite is one of the few websites that allows you the ability to order a printed custom sample of your actual card or invitation so you can see exactly how it will print as well as the paper quality before you ever have to place your final order.

You can also choose from over 40 different envelope colors. That will really help your cards stand out!

And to make life really easy, use their address capturing service letting you share a link on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or any other form of social media to request friends and family’s addresses which can be stored and used for recipient address printing at no cost on all card orders.

Hopefully all this has motivated you to get started on Christmas and holiday cards, invites and more, now rather than waiting til the last minute.

To take a closer look at all the design options, templates and pricing, visit the Basic Invite website, and use promo code below for 30% OFF any order!

August BarkBox Review + Coupon (Total Eclipse Edition)

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Not only is BarkBox the most popular subscription box service for dogs, it’s also out of this world…especially this month! The August BarkBox theme was Invasion of the Space Squirrels and that was perfect to go with this week’s spectacular solar eclipse. In addition to 2 amazing dog toys and 3 tasty dog treats, the BarkBox also included some Canine-O-Vision space glasses. Special glasses so your dog could watch the total eclipse of the sun? Not exactly, but I’ll get to later.

We hope you’ll stay for our monthly BarkBox review, but if you’re just here for the BarkBox coupon code, scroll straight down to the end and find out how to snag a FREE BarkBox with any order of 1 month or longer!

Daisy’s been getting her BarkBox deliveries for several years now, and it’s still something we always look forward to! Each month we show you what toys and treats are inside that month’s BarkBox, and how the total value of the individual items compares to the price of a monthly subscription.

Be aware that each BarkBox subscription is customized for your dog’s size and allergies, so individual items will vary. Here’s what we got in her August Space-Themed BarkBox:

August BarkBox Dog Treats

Double Pork Apple Bar ($3 retail value) We get super excited whenever Daisy gets Etta Says! dog treats in her BarkBox. They are always full of crunchy, meaty goodness and this time we got double the yum with 2 crunch bars of pork and apple. One to enjoy now, and one to save for later.

Astro Bacon Dog Treats ($6 retail value) Everyone loves bacon, even aliens! These tasty treats have bacon blended with pork stock and molasses in an oat-and-brown rice batter to create a chewy, smoky snack. Wheat-free and all-natural.

Koha Jerky Bites ($8 retail value) These wild game flavor dog treats are a blend of pork liver and venison. Their grain-free, and only 4 calories per treat. We like the small size of these for pocket treats and training rewards.

August BarkBox Dog Toys

Mighty Mort Space Squirrel Dog Toy ($12 retail value) Born on Planet Squirrelion, this cute guy is full of squeaks and fun. He’s got a long furry tail that’s ideal for shredding and thrashing, and four tentacles that are perfect for a pup who loves to fetch and carry their alien pal while they play.

Pup and Away! Spaceship Dog Toy ($12 retail value) This toy is perfect for fetching and a game of tug, thanks to the rope at the end.  Daisy’s been having a blast flinging it around and chasing it when we launch it into orbit.

I’d mentioned that this month’s BarkBox included a very special pair of glasses. Since everyone we know has been hunting to find a pair of eclipse glasses, that’s what I first thought when I saw them. The info card explained that these special glasses are actually decoder glasses and that the paper in the box is encoded with some special messages.

“Look at the paper with the Canine-O-Vision glasses to decode the epic battle of Star-Pup vs Space Squirrel!”

I love the clever extras and attention to detail that the BarkBox folks come up with each month and this is a great example!

BarkBox Cost and Value

By our calculation, this month’s BarkBox had $41 worth of dog toys and treats if you were to purchase them all separately. That’s a great value when you consider that subscription prices start at $21/month with free US shipping. In addition to saving money, we also love the WOW-factor and excitement of getting a new delivery of surprises each month. It’s a chance to discover new dog treats and toys that we might not have known about otherwise.

BarkBox Coupon Code

Even better, get a FREE Month of BARKBOX added to any plan with coupon code WOOFWOOFMAMA when you order a 1, 6, or 12-month BarkBox subscription using this link.

Want to see what was in previous BarkBoxes and read other reviews? Visit our BarkBox Coupons and Reviews page for more!

FREE Photo Gift: Put Your Pet on an iPhone Case, Mousepad + More!

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Free Shutterfly gift

Today and tomorrow only, get your choice of FREE photo gift from Shutterfly!

Get One Set of Playing Cards, Mousepad, 5×8 Notebook, or iPhone Slim Case for Free!

Use  Shutterfly Code YOURCHOICE at check out. Valid 7/16-7/17 only.

I made this photo mouse pad with Daisy’s pictures for Woof Woof Papa last year using a similar deal. That was before her ear surgery obviously!

Dog Photo Mouse

Get One Set of Playing Cards, Mousepad, 5×8 Notebook, or iPhone Slim Case for Free!

Use Code YOURCHOICE at check out.

Valid 7/16-7/17 through Shutterfly.com. Promo can only be redeemed once per account and/or billing address. Taxes, shipping and handling will apply.

FREE 2016 Photo Calendar, Art Print, Address Labels or Custom Playing Cards

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Shutterfly free gifts

Here’s a super fun end of year freebie offer from the folks over at Shutterfly.com. Choose your free photo gift of a customized 2016 wall calendar ($24.99 reg) one 8×10 art print on signature cardstock ($14.99 reg), one set of address labels ($9.99 reg) or one set of playing cards ($19.99 reg) with the design and photos of your choice.

Just make sure to use Shutterfly promo code GIFTME and order HERE no later than 11:59pm PT on 12/28. There’s a limit of one free gift per billing address. There are plenty of great design templates to choose from and you can upload your own digital photos to personalize your free gift. Just pay shipping and handling. Visit Shutterfly here to get started!

Show Us What Makes Your Dog or Cat a #NaturalCharacter

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Daisy natural character

If you’ve met or seen Daisy then you know she’s got personality PLUS! From her goofy, toothy grin to her silly antics…she always keeps us laughing. She’s our Crazy Daisy, that’s for sure! Want to show off your fur kid’s natural character, too?

pet food sponsor

Natural Balance is celebrating every pet’s unique personality by highlighting what makes each of them shine, and we want you to get in on the fun!

Add a photo of your dog or cat at NaturalCharacters.com and tell the world what makes them such a unique character. You can also browse the gallery to see, like & share more natural characters across the USA. And Canada, we want to see your favorite characters, too!