How to Create Top-Fold Invitations in Microsoft Publisher

Make your own invitations in Microsoft Publisher.

When you're getting ready to throw the biggest neighborhood bash of the year or gather just a few close friends for a small party, give invitees a custom way to know to "save the date" by making your own invitations. Take advantage of your computer's Microsoft Publisher software, the desktop publishing component of the Microsoft Office Suite, to make top-fold invitations with just a few clicks. Publisher's quick-start templates for just about every occasion will have you ready to fill attendees' mailboxes with just a couple of clicks.

Instructions

1. Open Publisher. Click the "Invitation Cards" button at the bottom left of the "Available Templates" screen. Scroll through the different themes, events and occasion card templates. The cards are not broken out into top-fold, but you're able to tell which ones are top-fold from the thumbnails. Any card may be customized and changed. Double-click a card and within a few moments, it opens in the Publisher workspace.

2. Click into the text box on the front of the card. The words become highlighted. Type over them with your own greeting, such as "It's a Halloween Party!" Highlight the new message and click the "Home" tab at the top of the screen. Change the text appearance with the controls in the "Font" section of the ribbon/toolbar, such as font, text color and text size.

3. Click into the text boxes inside the card and type over the placeholder text boxes, adding information on the date, time and location of the party, what to bring or wear and how to R.S.V.P.

4. Double-click a graphic on the card and press the "Delete" key to remove it. Add a new graphic related to the party by clicking the "Insert" tab at the top of the screen and clicking the "Clip Art" button below it. Type a word or phrase into the "Search for" box, such as "balloons," "ice cream cake," "motorcycle" or "moving boxes" -- then click "Go."

5. Scroll through the list of results and double-click an image to add it to the card. Drag it into place. Repeat to add additional graphics to the card.

6. Click the "Page Design" tab at the top of the screen. Hover your cursor around the different color groups in the "Schemes" section of the ribbon/toolbar without clicking any of them. Watch as the invitation changes theme colors. Click a theme family that goes with your party to commit the color change.

7. Click the "File" tab at the top of the screen. Click "Save As" and type a name for the invitation. Save the invitation file to the computer.

References

• In Pictures: Microsoft Publisher