Summer is over, and school has begun. What are you going to do with all those pictures you took over the warm months? Don't strand your memories on your hard drive. Take your shots of that great week at the lake, your kid's big soccer goal, the family barbecue or the trip to the zoo, and make a fun photo montage to celebrate and remember those great experiences.

Making a photo collage with Kwikpix.ca is a snap.

1. Select size, format and theme.
2. Upload your images.
3. Drag and drop your pictures into the template.
4. If you want, personalize your collage by adding and cropping images, moving them around, and inserting text. You can also add clipart.

See the demo.

Use great pics of the kids or your favourite flower or landscape photos to create a memorable calendar that makes a great memento for your own desk or kitchen wall, or a wonderful, affordable gift for friends and family. Here are a few ideas to help you get creative:

1. Relive your vacation all year round – make a calendar out of your best travel photos, and you'll smile every time you glance at it.
2. Got a great eye? Share your talent with an arty black and white photo calendar. Take your best photos, use a photo editing tool to make them black and white, and create a gift of your own artwork, personalized for friends, family, colleagues and more.
3. Create something that will make you laugh every month. Photograph family and friends making their funniest faces, and compile them into a calendar. Or go crazy with a photo editing tool. www.picnik.com lets you stretch people's features, add makeup, and even “zombify” faces by making them green and pasty.
4. Make a friend calendar for your kids. Feature their best buddies and memorable events every month, and don't forget to highlight birthdays and special events with photos and clipart. Your children will love using the calendar to keep track of homework, practices and more.

We make regular size photo calendar too and even a smart desktop calendar>/b>

Thoughtful gifts don't have to cost a fortune. With KwikPix.ca, you can make a personalized calendar for everyone on your list without breaking the bank. And you don't have to spend a lot of time working on it . With our software, you can make a gift they'll love – in less than five minutes.

How many pictures you include is up to you. If you want one for each month, you'll need 13. But you don't have to stop there. Each month has a customizable layout that lets you put in additional pictures. Each day can have a photo, too. So you can add a birthday cake for a child's birthday, a wedding shot for an anniversary, an image of last year's catch for an upcoming fishing trip. The only limit is your imagination.

See the demo.
You can make a calendar in minutes. Here's how:

1. Choose your calendar type (wall or desk).
2. Select a theme.
3. Upload your images, drag and drop them into individual page templates – and you're done!
4. Want to do more? Click on the “Customize” button to use scrapbooking features. Add images, change the background, change borders, add text and clipart – make each page yours.
5. To add images into date boxes, click on the Day/Month icon and drag and drop. You can add text, too.

You've got till midnight on November 16th, 2009 to get in your order at Kwikpix's super-low introductory price of 5¢ per 4x6 print.

If you've got hundreds (or thousands) of photos just sitting on your hard drive, there's really no better time to get them printed online. And remember, printing your digital pictures is the only way to preserve them. Digital formats are always evolving – who knows if you'll be able to access your old digital files 10 years from now. So empty your hard drive, fill up all those albums and scrapbooks, and preserve your memories.

At 5¢ a print, you can get 100 prints for only $5, 250 for $12.50, and 1000 for an incredible $50. We looked around online to see what people thought of the price and the quality, and here's what we found:

Sarah on smartcanuck.com said: "I just ordered 377 pictures, and with tax and shipping it cost me $31.46...an awesome deal I must say!!!!!!!!!!!!”

(And yes, she used just that many exclamation points…)

BoogieJet on smartcanuck.com said: "I have received 400 pictures from them in just 2 days! And the quality was totally awesome!”

And from DealDiva on slickdeals.net: "There is a delivery fee, but still the price is amazing and virtually unbeatable. I made an order and received it in 4 days only! Quality is top notch.”

Why not try Kwikpix's online photo printing services yourself? Remember, after November 16th, the price goes up to 10¢ a print. And though that's a bit higher than our intro offer, it's still the best price around.

A photo collage is a fun way to tell a story, commemorate an event, or celebrate friendships. Need some inspiration to get those creative juices flowing? Here are a few ideas to get you started.

1. Create a trip poster. Whether it's Muskoka, Mexico or Mount Everest, show off your travels in a collage. To get an informal look that mimics a table strewn with mementos, try the “collage” style background and use the “customize” tool to select a variety of borders. (There's a border in there's that's the shape of a Polaroid photo – it can look great as a part of a photo story.)
2. Make a tribute. Whether you're celebrating a retirement, a graduation, an anniversary, or remembering a life well-lived, a photo collage makes a touching gift or display. Compile your favourite images of the guest(s) of honour; for a more formal event, choose a simple black or white background and a classic or contemporary layout. Insert your photos, and use the text feature to add a heartfelt message of love or congratulations. Print a whole bunch of collages for people to take home – it's an affordable gift, and your guests will love the memento.
3. Mark a milestone. Whether it's a first birthday, a winning game or a graduation, take lots of pictures, compile them into a collage, and hang them up in your child's room.

Collages are also great for:

1. Team photos
2. Class pictures over the years
3. Mementos of a special day, like Halloween or a birthday party`
4. Photos of your children with their friends
5. Remembering a trip to the zoo, the amusement park, the museum, etc.
6. Chronicling a pregnancy
7. A photo family tree

I have a friend who moved out west 10 years ago. We don't see each other often, but every year, he sends me a card featuring photos of him and his family. When his kids were little, he sent baby pictures and family photos. These days, he sends out a collage that shows the kids in all their activities – playing soccer, at their ballet recitals, camping with friends, etc. I love getting his cards – it's a great opportunity to see his family grow up.

Want to know how you can send cards featuring your family? Make a customized photocard on KwikPix.ca. Take a look at the sample card – we've taken a family photo, inserted it into a seasonal card template, then customized it with clipart and other scrapbooking elements. You can do something similar, or create a look that's all your own. It only takes a couple of minutes.

Want to see how we made it? Check out the demo.

Make your own card:

1. Select the card type (photo or folded).
2. Choose a theme.
3. Upload your image, then drag and drop it into the template.
4. Insert your text, preview – and you're done!
5. Want to get a little more creative? Click “Customize” and you can change the layout and add captions, clipart and borders.