How to Make Your Own Personal Christmas Photo Greeting Cards with Software Programs

One of my favorite things to do during the Holiday season is to make my own greeting cards...to tell you the truth, since receiving my first Greeting Card software program about 5 years ago, I haven't actually bought a card in the stores for any occasion....I feel that a card I make myself is more meaningful and fun since I can put photos on the card of any variety and usually more than one...I can also make up my own greetings or notes for each person individually if I want or a simple Happy and a Merry, should I want to do that as instead.

But first there are a few things you need to make your own cards;

A software program...I have three of them, the Hallmark Card Studio, Printshop Deluxe and my favorite, American Greetings CreataCard Gold..The American Greetings is the one I use the most since it has everything I need on one disk instead of taking one disk out to put another in for some of the cards or templates, as I have to do with the Hallmark and Printshop. The first thing you have to do download the application disk into your computer so when the time comes to make your card creation just insert your disk into the computer and it goes right to the matching program. Each software card program has the ability to add your very own photos from your computer files onto the card, very similar to the way we do it here on AC.

That is the next most important thing to have...your photo files, and named, so that you can acquire them easily when the program prompts you to do so. I like to keep these files separate on my desktop to get to them easily. So if I need a shot of my grandchildren or pets, vacation, friends, clip art, whatever, they are there for me to find.

It can take a half hour to an hour to create the card you want if you are familiar with the software program and each of the available options...for the first time I would allow myself some extra time, just to get used to what is on the program and how to add your pictures....You do not need to add pictures if you don't want to...the cards available on the programs are plentiful and usually will fill all your requirements.

What you will need:

The greeting card software program

Card paper, I usually buy this on sale when available at Staples, their own brand, it seems to be the most durable and heavy enough that it does not bend when mailing...but most brands are pretty good.

Your Photo and Clip Art files

To get started

Just put the disk into computer and find the appropriate greeting card Templates.....Birthday, anniversary, holidays, "Add A Photo"...this is the one I usually use.
Then pick the format you wish to use, top fold, side fold, funny or serious then just go through the available templates...remember you can change the text or even the design later should you choose to, but using the template makes it much easier in the beginning...later on you can go to the Art Shop to create a card from scratch from a blank template and do your own writing should you wish to do so.

For a photo card, pick the design you like in the "Add A Photo" selection. It will then say to go to My Photos or My Computer to get the picture you want...the program will have all the prompts you need to get you to the right place...then will open your photo files by the name selected...usually going through My Desktop. Find the photo, click it and it will appear in the blank space on the front of the card... Then follow the prompts for changing text and write whatever opening greeting you want ...next step is to open the card...what do you want on the right side and left side of the card? I usually add a few more pictures on the right blank side and maybe a clip art image from the program or my own. You can choose to be funny or serious, you can change the font size and color, just be creative. Many times the saying in the card already will be one you like and all you have to do is change the name of the person it is going to or not put one at all...You then add your own name and anything else you wish to write

The software will have many options for you especially in the Art Shop program or whatever your software calls them. You just have to play around with the program and options to familiarize yourself with the features you have to use...yes, it does take some time to get fancy but creating a simple greeting card is really easy and so much fun.

They usually have quite a lot of holiday designs and clip arts to use...if you make a mistake, no problem...there is always the erase option or start over...

And don't forget the Back Page Art...Most programs have this...you can change the name of the card to your own, like "Cards By Mom" or Created by Barb" whatever you want it to say instead of American Greetings or Hallmark, etc. and, you can erase those trademark words easily...it's all part of the program....I also like to put a small picture on the back too...something that is appropriate to the card, season or occasion.

Then hit the option to print and voila, your card design goes to the printer and you can set the amount of cards you wish to print...Oh, by the way, when you use the program for the first time you will be prompted to set your printer to the program...it is all self explanatory and easy to do.

So that's it, the way to make your own Christmas cards or whatever greeting card you want, a personalized card with your own pictures embedded right in the card, wherever you want and as many as you would like to share with those lucky enough to be on the receiving end....Guess I'd better get busy and put together my card for this year...

Happy Holidays and Happy Card making..just remember to have fun and be creative!