Since I got ready for BlogHer in a few days notice, I had to whip up some business cards in no time! Here’s my no design background whatsoever way of designing your own business cards using picnik.com (a free photo editing website).
1. Upload a background. Sprik Space has an amazing series of free patterns, in 20 colors! The project possibilities with these are endless!
2. Roughly crop your photo to a rectangle shape. Then resize it to 1050x600 (unclick the "keep proportions" box) for a 3.5x2 business card. The proportions of the pattern might get skewed, so keep undoing and play around with the cropping and resizing until your pattern looks right.
3. Add text boxes with your pertinent information (name, email, website, twitter handle, Facebook page, phone number and address if you aren’t creeped out by that, etc). Change the colors and sizes and rearrange to your liking. TIP: Always note the numbers of your colors. It's easy to match later on if you mess up or recreate your file.
4. I added clip art from their selection of stickers (I do not have a premium account). Right click to rotate, flip, resize and reposition as you please. Adjust colors and sizes. TIP: Don’t make a border around your card. The cutting process is not precise, so it’s easier to just not have one.
5. Save your file.
6. Open a word doc. Insert your business card file. Double click or right click to resize to 3.5x2 (uncheck "lock aspect ratio" box). Adjust your page margins to be .5 all around. Copy and paste 9 more, so you have 10 on a page.
If you want a double sided business card, repeat all steps.
After doing a few test prints, I brought a jump drive with the two files (one for front and one for back) to Office Depot for printing (I’d do the cutting myself). It cost me $25 to print 200 business cards (20 sheets) double sided on glossy paper. Then it was just me, 20 sheets, and my paper cutter in my closet floor for two late nights. Turns out I only dished out 60 cards in my 2.5 days at BlogHer’11. Should I hand the other 100+ out to every parent I see at the park??
What do you think of this tutorial? Will you try making your own business cards? Check back tomorrow to see the business card holder I made for these pretties. Are you glad we're back to some DIY'ing around here?
Thanks for the feature Jen and Nikki!
8 comments:
omg super adorbs! good job!
Those cards are AWE-SOME!! I featured your post on my TT&J facebook page :)
xoxoxoxoxo
Jen
Awesome idea and I love Picnik! Never thought to do I this way. So much easier. Thanks!
Seen this posted on FB thru TT&J! :-)
These came at the perfect time for me, I will definitely be trying it. I bought some kraft paper, can't wait to try it out! Thank you!!!!
Hi Mindy - I just wanted to give you a big THANKS for your tutorial. I totally made my own set of business cards for a small weekend event using your toot. Hop over to see my resulting card when you have a minute. Thanks again.
Michael
http://bluevelvetchair.blogspot.com/2011/09/random-acts-of-kindness.html
Love this tutorial! I read about you on Blue Velvet Chair's blog. I plan on using this idea to help me with making buttons for my blog. Thanks so much for sharing!
super cute, mindy! they turned out awesome!
happy crafting,
linda
PS still jealous you got to go!
I LOVE this tutorial. I can't wait to try and make these. This is such a creative but brilliant tutorial.
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