How to Create Your Own Address Labels, CD Labels & Greeting Cards

Create your own CD labels, cards and more.

Let your creativity run free by designing paper goods from your home computer. There's no need to spend hefty graphic design fees on custom labels or greeting cards, and store-bought designs can feel generic and boring. Instead, create your own address labels, CD labels and greeting cards by taking advantage of a couple of programs that may already be on your computer. With just a few quick clicks, you'll have personalized artwork to add to an envelope or blank CD, or to wish someone happy birthday or celebrate another special occasion.

Things You'll Need

• Microsoft Publisher
• Adobe Photoshop
• Microsoft Word

Instructions

Greeting Cards

1. Open Publisher and click "Publications for Print." Click the "Greeting Cards" menu and scroll through the subheads, such as birthday, holiday and get well. Double-click a card and it opens in the Publisher workspace.

2. Click through the four pages of the card, listed at the bottom of the screen, to view all the placeholder text and designs. Click your cursor in a text box, which becomes highlighted. Type your greeting or personal information directly over the placeholder text. Highlight the new words, then use the text toolbar at the top of the page to format the font, size and color.

3. Click the "Color Schemes" link in the "Greeting Card Options" panel on the left side of the screen and scroll through the options for recoloring the card. Double-click a color set and the card automatically updates in the workspace.

4. Change any placeholder images on the card by right-clicking the graphic, choosing "Change Picture" and clicking "Clip Art." Type your word or phrase into the "Search for" box and click "Go." Scroll through the options and double-click a graphic; it appears in place of the generic image on the card.

Address Labels

1. Create a new Photoshop file by clicking "File" and "New." Name the file "AddressLabel" and set your preferred dimensions, such as 2.63 inches by 1 inch. Pull down the "Mode" menu and click "CMYK Color." Set the "Contents" option to "White" and click "OK."

2. Click the "Type" tool on the "Tools" palette on the left side of the screen. Select the address label font, color and size from the toolbar at the top of the screen. Position your cursor over the "AddressLabel" box and click inside it, then type the address information.

3. (Optional) Click the "Paint Bucket" tool on the "Tools" palette and pull down the "Fill" menu at the top of the screen. Choose "Pattern" and click inside the "Pattern" box. Select a background pattern for the label, such as crumpled silk or bubbles. Reduce the "Opacity" slider bar to 25 percent and click inside the white space on the "AddressLabel" box, which fills in the design.

CD Labels

1. Open a Word document and click "File" and "New." The "New Document" panel opens. Type "CD" into the "Search online for" box and click "Go." Scroll through the results and click a link to see a preview of the template design. Click the preview's "Download" button and after a few moments, the label appears on your Word workspace.

2. Highlight the placeholder text and replace it with your own, such as the name of the compilation or your band. Add more text if desired, such as the name of the songs on the CD.

3. (Optional) Give the label a color or background design by pulling down the "Format" menu at the top of the screen and clicking "Background." Click a colored box to fill in the label with solid color or click "Fill Effects" and select from background designs such as tie-dye, grassy texture or sunbursts.

Tips & Warnings

• Microsoft Word is available with your computer's installation of the Microsoft Office Suite. Depending on your version of the Suite, Microsoft Publisher may also be included. Photoshop is available as part of the Adobe Creative Suite. Both Publisher and Photoshop offer free downloadable trials, which means you can experiment with creating cards and labels to find the software you're most comfortable with before spending any money. All three programs can make labels and cards in a variety of sizes to suit just about any customization requirement.

References

• In Pictures: Microsoft Publisher
• University of Washington: Photoshop Type Tool
• Baycon Group: Microsoft Word Tutorial

Resources

• Address Labels: Standard Address Label Sizes