How to Create a Greeting Card in Microsoft Publisher

Creating a simple greeting card in Microsoft Publisher is easy to do, especially if you use one of the included templates as a starting point. Customize the design to reflect your preferences and the personality of the person you're giving the card to.

Choose a Greeting Card Template

The quickest way to create a greeting card is to start with one of the built-in greeting card templates in Publisher.

1. Go to the File menu and choose New to see the template categories.

2. Select Greeting Cards. To find something specific, enter your query in the Search box.

   In Publisher 2010, click the Available Templates drop-down arrow and choose Installed Templates.

3. The Greeting Cards category contains subcategories such as Birthday, Holidays, Thank You, and blank cards. Choose a template or select a folder to view all templates in that category.

4. Select the Color scheme drop-down arrow and choose a color combination. The preview image shows the change in template elements. Some graphics retain their original colors while decorative elements, shapes, and text change to match the selected color scheme.

   When you select a color scheme, that color scheme is applied to every template (even after closing and restarting Publisher). To display the original colors, select the Color scheme drop-down arrow and choose default template colors.

5. Select the Font scheme drop-down arrow to change the look of the text. Select the Page size drop-down arrow to change the card size and orientation. Select the Layout drop-down arrow to change the look and position of graphics and images.

   There isn't a default layout. When a new layout is selected, the templates stay in that layout. To return to the default view, close and restart Publisher.

6. Select Create to open the template in Publisher.

Create Your Card

After you select a template (with or without modifications) and create the basic card, the first page of the card opens in the main viewing area. To view other pages, select the page thumbnail in the Pages navigation pane.

Now it's time to customize the card. Edit the text so that the card says exactly what you want, add or replace images, and make other changes to add your own touch of creativity.

To make changes to the card:

1. To replace the text, select a text box and enter the new text.

2. To make font and color changes to selected text, go to the Home tab and select a different font, font size, font color, or style.

3. To change the look of selected shapes, go to Drawing Tools Format to add a fill color, outline, or effect to a shape.

4. To change the look of a selected text box, go to Text Box Tools Format to apply a WordArt style, emboss the text, change the font, or change the color.

5. To change the global colors or fonts, go to Page Design and change the template, orientation, or color scheme.

   Color and font changes within the Page Design tab affect the entire document. You can use preset schemes or create your own.

Use the Design Checker

Before printing a document, run the Design Checker to look for problems so you can fix them in advance. To run Design Checker, go to File > Info and choose Design Checker.

In this example, Design Checker warns that the graphic is partially off the page. The graphic is designed to print on the back of the card, which is on the same side of the sheet of paper, so it won't be an issue.

Print Your Card

To choose print options and preview the document, go to File > Print to specify the paper size, the number of copies, and other printing options.