Hello and Happy New Year! I almost didn’t get a chance to join in with Creative Fingers Challenge this week. I just couldn’t find the time to sit in the craft room and enjoy myself. So, instead of trying to rearrange my time to make something using a traditional handmade card method, I turned on my computer and printer to create something using my digital stamp stash.
I always struggle to get my February birthday cards finished on time so this year, I’ve given myself permission to make some quick cards that are still as unique as any other creation. For this card, I started by searching my digital stash for a masculine digital stamp that would work well in an almost clean and simple design. I didn’t need to look any further than the pre-coloured Toolshed Ted image from Dr Digi. Doc colours his images so well that I just couldn’t do better myself!
I opened up the free Avery Design and Print Software (in my phone browser!) and chose the 5″×7″ label 3325. I don’t have the exact gold edged card bases that fit this template so I just print on a regular sheet of A4 white cardstock. The saved file is centered on the sheet so it really doesn’t matter what cardstock I feed through my printer, the finished file will still work just fine. I then chose the blank design template and highlighted the right side of the template. When printed and folded, this will become the front of the card and the fold will be in the right of this panel.
Once I clicked the “edit selection” button, I added the Toolshed Ted image and centred it using the tool behind the “more” button on my screen. I then created the two text boxes and, after typing my text, I vertically positioned them manually and centred them automatically. I added the thin black border using the shape option. I altered the selected rectangle shape so it had no fill colour and a black outline and again, automatically centred it on the screen.
After all the editing was complete, I clicked the green project button to download a pdf copy of the entire card. The program prompts you to save the creation online but I don’t bother with that option unless I’m planning to come back at a later time to edit. I simply click the green print button to save my finished project as a pdf download.
When I’m making quick cards like this, I usually make a printed insert to go with it. I could try to create the back of the card while I’m designing the front but I always get confused on which way to feed my already printed front back through my printer so that it prints the greeting in the right side. So many times have I put the cardstock in the wrong way and printed the wording on the left side of the card, or even upside down! I just gave up in the end and now I print a separate insert sheet on plain copy paper instead.
To create the insert, I used the exact same settings as I did above for the card base. I arranged my text and added a border on the right side. I find adding a border can help me to score and trim the insert down to the size I want. Adding the border isn’t necessary if you’re confident with being able to fold and trim without it. And, I love to add a little “something” other left side, just to give a little more sophistication to my otherwise bland insert.
To finish my project, I printed the card front pdf onto cardstock and the insert pdf onto plain copy paper. I scored the card base copy, folded it in half and trimmed it around the outer edges so it measured 5″×7″ in total. I prefer to fold first so I know my card front will appear centred on the finished card. I’ve tried just trimming around the edges first in the past and I found I struggled to score and fold it precisely. I just find it so much easier to trim after I fold because any errors in the edges get cut away as I trim down to size, and I do the same with the insert.
I then added a thin line of PVA glue to the inner area of the card base, just left of the fold line and place my folded insert into place before closing the card to glue it into place. Adding the glue just left of the fold line ensures the insert will always open as the card is opened. Adding glue to the right of the insert will usually mean the insert remains closed as the card opens and the recipient will need to open the insert manually.
I have been using this software, in all its formats over time, for well over 15 years now. Its print quality outperforms most other printing programs and, being able to see what your card will look like before you print is a great reassurance to both beginners and more experienced cardmakers. Even if you’re only printing individual elements for your card, I find it makes it easy to size everything perfectly so there are no disappointments when assembling the card. I’m so reliant on this program now that I use it every time I need to print digital card elements. I’d be simply lost without it!
If you love the Toolshed Ted image, you can find a 10% off discount code over in my Facebook group. All group members are welcome to use the code for every purchase made. You can also find a bit more information about this software in this post over on the Facebook Group’s blog. Thanks so much for spending time with me today, I look forward to next time! 😊
Constantly Carding 
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