Customizing Your Holiday Cards

• Using Microsoft Word features• Page Setup• Text Boxes

Robert PetrilakNovember 2005

Customizing your Card

• Pick a card that has a blank inside panel• Determine if the text will be horizontal or

vertical• Prepare one or more messages• Measure the card in it’s open position• You can select different cards for different

groups of people

Prepare your document• Open word• Select File/Page Setup

•Select the Margins tab•Set the margins at .5 inches•Select the Orientation, usually Portrait

•Select the Paper tab•Set the Width and Height to the size of your card•Click OK

•From the Menu select Insert•Select Text Box

•Click in the Box that opens •Resize the box by dragging on the corners to the approximate size you need for your message

•Cut and paste or enter your message in the text box

•Use Word’s editing features to format your text

•Try to match your Font and text color to the printed message in the card you selected

•Set the text alignment to match what you need for the card

•Click on Format on the menu bar and select Text Direction

•In the Text Direction dialog box select the Orientation

•Click OK

•For example, I’ll select a vertical orientation to display on the next page

•This orientation would be used if your message needed to be inserted on a card with a blank page on the right side

•We can drag the text box down to the bottom of the page if the message needs to be located on the left side of the card•We will return to a horizontal position for the card we are creating

•To format the Text box, click on the border of the box

•Next, right click on the border and select Format Text Box

•The Format Text Dialog box appears•Select Fill Color as No Fill•Select Line Color as No Line•Click OK

•Your card is complete and ready to print

•Before printing, use Print Preview to make sure everything is correct

•Print preview will show exactly how the card will print

•To make any changes, click close to return to edit the card

•You aren’t limited to one text box

•I’ve added two more text boxes below, one to insert the picture and the other to add the caption

•All Done!

•Let’s print the cards

Preparing your envelopes using Words Mail Merge Function

•Before proceeding, make sure you have prepared a list of names and addresses for your envelopes

•You can prepare the list in either a word table or an Excel spreadsheet

Your Table or Excel Data Base• You will need the following fields

32159ZIPFLStateThe VillagesCity123 South StreetStreet OR Address 1WilliamsLast NameBob & JeanFirst nameExampleField

•Measure the size of your envelope•Open Word•Select File/Page Setup

•Select the Margins Tab•Set the Margins to ½ inch•Leave Orientation as Portrait

•Select the Paper tab•Set Paper Size as Custom•Enter the Width and Height

•Select Tools•Select Letters and Mailings•Select Mail Merge

•Your Document will open•Leave document type as Letters (Do Not Select Envelopes•Select Starting Document

•Enter your return address in the upper left hand corner•Move the cursor down to the line the address will be placed on•Click on Select recipients

•Under Select recipients, select Use an existing list•Under Use an existing list, click on Browse

•Browse to the file that contains your addresses•Select the file (a Word Table or Excel spreadsheet)•Click Open

The Mail Merge Recipients dialog box will openSelect the recipients you want included in the merged documentClick OK

•Click on Write your letter

•Click on Address block•Deselect Insert company name•Then click on Match Fields

•Make sure the field names on the left match the field names in your address list•In this case, the field Address 1 must be matched to our field named Street•When complete, click OK•Click OK again

•Click on the <<Address Block>> field to select it•Position the field by moving the left indent or by using the tab key

•You can now use the editing features in word to format your text•Font, Font Color, Size, Etc.•When complete, click on Preview your letters

•The preview of your first address will appear•To view other addresses click on forward and back buttons

•When you are satisfied that everything looks good, click on Complete the Merge

•On the Complete the Merge page, Click on Print•The Merge to Printer dialog box will appear•Select which records you want to print•Put your envelopes in the printer and click OK

That’s It, you’re all done!