UPDATED: CREATING NOTE CARDS WITH YOUR PHOTOS
Text and images copyright Heather Forcier

One thing I get asked quite often is how I prepare my own blank note cards.  In response, many years ago I wrote an article on the topic; this is a detailed update to that original article.

Wishing to keep my investment to a minimum and not wanting an obligation for a larger run of a single image, I found some alternatives that allowed me to create cards on my own in small quantities with images selected at my discretion.

PRINTING FROM HOME
I print my own blank note cards on an Epson Stylus Photo printer, placing two cards per 8.5”x11” page. I cut the page in half and then fold each piece in half, with the resulting card 4.25”x5.5” in size.

The paper I use exclusively for note cards is Epson Enhanced Matte, also called Ultra Premium Presentation Matte.  The color saturation is very flattering on the printed side, and the current version of the paper doesn’t contain a watermark on the back and is a different surface than the printed side which is ideal for people wishing to write in the note cards.  Should you desire a glossy paper, you can glue paper liners inside to cover any paper watermarks and/or create a good writing surface for the card.

I order envelopes from PaperDirect. Although they have an assortment of colors for similarly sized envelopes, I have always purchased the formal white coordinating A2 envelope (EVA083).

To protect the cards individually, I order bags from Associated Bag Company. They are clear, 1.2mil plastic bags (69-1-05).

To package note cards in boxed gift sets, I order clear display boxes from Clearbags.com (FB3, FB6).  They have a variety of sizes allowing note card sets from 4 to 12 cards with envelopes.

Please keep in mind that suppliers may change product specifications and/or numbers. If ordering, please confirm that the dimensions of each product will fit your cards.

When printing the images, I maintain 35mm aspect ratio with a border on the face of the card. On the back I print my copyright, information about the photo, and my website address. Download a JPEG version of my format create layers for your own images and text: here. Keep in mind when saving the file from the web you may need to change the image size to 8.5"x11", 300 pixels per inch resolution.

Preparing my own cards, I have been able to determine which images people like for note cards without investing in larger minimum runs. It has required a little time on my part printing and assembling, but I feel it has been worth it for the flexibility of creating them with whichever images I want whenever I might need them.

 

Text and images on this site are copyright Heather Forcier, all rights reserved. No downloading, hotlinking, or other usage allowed without express written permission. Images contain embedded digital watermarks.