Lori Palay and Seraya Amirthalingam created the company to allow people to create greeting cards for some of the "less typical" moments in life.

Readers can browse hundreds of images and sentiments, and choose elements that express their exact thoughts at the company website (www.writehook.com). The custom cards can then be mailed to recipients.

"I am a cancer survivor, and when I was sick, people were incredibly generous," Palay said. "I was too sick to write thank you notes, and I kept thinking there has to be a better way to do this. There has to be other people who are in my position."

Their mission is to tell the truth about motherhood in their cards, to capture the craziness, messiness and hard work that makes the job a joy.

"There was a lot of pastel and fluffiness," said Hauber of Colorado Springs, Colo. "There wasn't much humor, much reality, much color and vibrancy."

Hauber is a graphic designer with two kids -- Eli, 3, and Emerson, 10 months. Chmel is a Denver-based freelance writer who also has two kids.

Chmel wanted to start Motherhood with Attitude and needed an artist. Hauber was toying with what she calls the grittiness and messiness of motherhood in her art, and needed the proper medium. When the two freelancers met on a project, the match was made.

The cards will be available at select retailers starting in mid-summer, Burger King spokeswoman Heather Krasnow said Tuesday.

Financial terms of the agreement weren't disclosed.

Andrews McMeel Publishing, a division of Kansas City-based Andrews McMeel Universal, will design the cards. Recycled Paper Greetings Inc. of Chicago will produce and distribute the cards.

"We're always looking for clever ways for the King to surprise his fans," Russ Klein, Burger King's president of global marketing, strategy and innovation, said in a release. "Now special occasions will be even more memorable thanks to the King."

I was struck by the bluntness of the messages inside: "Honestly, I never knew anyone who was arrested before," one read. Said another: "I know that I have not visited you. But I still care about you. . . . When are you getting out anyway??"

I stood with my daughter, reading them aloud and joking about the comic possibilities they provided: "Sorry about your arrest. I guess the shoot-out wasn't such a good idea." Or, "Too bad I can't hide a file in your cake. Happy Birthday anyway!"

It's easy to poke fun at the notion of Hallmark-like greetings for miscreants. But Terrye Cheathem didn't create Three Squares Greetings: For Those Who Can't Come Home as a joke.

"When I hear somebody laugh at them," Cheathem said, "I know that person hasn't gotten the telephone call, yet, saying their son or brother or nephew has been arrested."

At Three Squares Greetings, we know that it's been impossible to find greeting cards to express difficult, sensitive, and sometimes mixed feelings to loved ones and friends who are "caught up" in the criminal justice system. For all these reasons, we have dedicated ourselves publishing a vast array of greeting cards to encourage and lift the spirits of those who can't come home. Our cards address occasions such as birthdays, holidays, and other events for those who just can’t come home.

We take our funny card business very seriously because we recognize that many people connect with others through humor. Our partnership with Comedy Central is yet another example of our commitment to truly understand what consumers find funny so that we can be sure our products deliver on that," said Michael Brown, Vice President of Licensing for American Greetings. "Comedy Central is a destination for laughs for millions of people every day, and we're proud to be bringing the humor from some of the network's most recognizable shows to life in a new way."

In an effort to ensure the Company continues to create funny cards that resonate with consumers, the humor team at American Greetings conducted a six- month long research project to get to the root of what makes people laugh today. The findings revealed distinct differences in the way men and women use humor to communicate. As the result, American Greetings recently unveiled hundreds of new funny cards that appeal to a woman's sense of humor by highlighting the funny parts of everyday situations and experiences. The licensing agreement with Comedy Central, the #1 cable network in primetime among men 18-24 and men 18-34, allows the Company to create humorous cards that appeal to what men find funny, according to the research.

"Once in a blue moon, people will surprise you ... and once in a while, people may even take your breath away,'' reads one quote from "Grey's Anatomy'' on the outside of a card, with this on the inside: "Thank you for making mine a lifetime of blue moons.''

And there is this from Lost: "You're one of the good ones" on the outside of the card, and inside, "... and I'm one of the lucky ones. Very lucky."

Rocker Gwen Stefani and author J.K. Rowling, the movie Top Gun and TV shows The Office and Cheers are among other sources.

According to Steven Willensky, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for American Greetings, the collaboration between American Greetings and DeGeneres is the result of extensive research the company conducted to get to the root of what's funny today.

"The research revealed that a majority of women prefer to laugh at material that is more relatable, especially when it's based on everyday situations, and that's the humor that Ellen is known for," said Willensky. "the ellen collection is one of the many ways we are marking the launch of our newest funny cards that find humor in the real-life experiences women encounter."

"I look at having a line of cards as another extension of being a host; helping you wish your loved ones well, piggy-backing on your birthday greetings," DeGeneres said. "I like to be up in the middle of everything and doing it this way is much easier than crashing parties."

Cards in the ellen collection highlight many of the comedian's trademark fashions, like crisp white pants, argyle sweaters and Chuck Taylor-like sneakers. Her love for animals is also incorporated into several designs that show her with "Pig," her white French bulldog.