Things You'll Need:
- Card Stock
- Computers
- Greeting Card Software
- Word-processing Software
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Step 1
Evaluate your printer's capabilities. Most printers can only take up to 8 1/2 by 14-inch (legal size) paper; some won't accept paper smaller than 8 1/2 by 11-inch (letter size) paper.
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Step 2
Make sure your printer will accept card stock paper. Most ink-jet and laser printers will, but some older printers won't. Read your printer's instruction manual or check the manufacturer's Web site for details.
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Step 3
Use a "tent" card for easiest design and readability. Tent-style cards are printed on both sides of the paper, and usually use up only half of a sideways (short side) sheet. When the card is printed, cut the sheet in half and fold over to create a card.
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Step 4
Design a "four-fold" card for smaller, side-opening cards. Four-fold cards are folded in half from the top of the sheet, then in half from the side, creating a small, side-opening card. These are tricky to print; greeting-card software programs will automatically lay out the printing for you.
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Step 5
Purchase postcard paper to print postcards. Postcards are typically four to a page and can be designed for front-to-back readability. Many software programs, including word-processing programs, will design the layout for you.
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Step 6
Consider a "newsletter"-style card for longer, more detailed greeting cards. A newsletter can be a single page, printed front to back, or a tent-style, side-fold page designed to be read like a card but with a newsletter format. Newsletters can be created quickly and easily with most word-processing or greeting-card programs.
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Step 7
Choose 25 to 30 pound card stock paper. Your local office supply or stationery store will carry card stock paper in a variety of styles and colors. Many papers have directions for certain software programs inside the package.
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Step 8
Ask your local office supply or stationery store if they sell individual sheets of card stock paper if you intend to create one card at a time. Some stores also carry packages of card stock in different colors.
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Step 9
Print your greeting card on regular paper before using the more expensive card stock. This will allow you to correct any errors and see what the finished product will look like.
