How to Make Birthday Card on the Computer

Level of difficulty: Easy

Sending of birthday cards is a one fine way of letting someone know that they are remembered during that special day. It also carries added value when the birthday card is personalized just for the recipient. With the increasing availability of computer systems and printing devices in the home, any computer user can create personalized birthday cards and other types of publications. This can be done with the use of an ordinary computer along with a desktop publishing program like the Microsoft Office Publisher which is bundled with the Microsoft Office productivity suite. This specialty software allows the creation of almost any type of design that can range from entry-level programs to the more complex text composition and proofing procedures. This software also provides a real time preview feature that allows the computer user to see the actual output of the design for a better and more relevant computing experience.

Materials Needed:
- Computer
- printer
- Microsoft Publisher
- images or clipart
Step 1
To begin creating the birthday card, click on the 'Start' Menu, choose 'All Programs', select the 'Microsoft Office' category, and click on the 'Microsoft Publisher' option.
Step 2
When the program opens, click on the 'File' Menu, and select the 'New' option.
Step 3
This will open a dialog box. Under the 'Start from a Design' window, click on the 'Greeting Cards' category. The different card templates will be displayed at the right pane of the window.
Step 4
Click on the 'Birthday' category. Select from the different Layout styles included in the software like Juxtaposition or Greetings Bar. Choose which applies more to the intended design output of the birthday card.
Step 5
Specify a folding pattern that will be used. In the navigation pane of the 'Greeting Card' option, select from the Size and Fold choices based on specifically labeled sizes. Refer to the actual size of the paper to be used as a basis for choosing the preferred setting.
Step 6
Proceed by changing the color of the birthday card. Click on the 'Color Schemes' option located at the pane on the left side. Click on the various color schemes to see a preview of how it will look like on the intended design.
Step 7
Modify the default font of the card style. Click on the 'Font Schemes' to view the available options for this category. Same with the other options, the user gets a real time preview by clicking on the samples.
Step 8
Review the selected options applied on the birthday card. At the bottom of the design pane, click on the displayed numbered icons which appear to be small pieces of paper. Click on every page to see the contents.
Step 9
Double click on a text box and wait for the cursor to change. Start typing the message greeting to be included in the birthday card. Add more images if necessary.
Step 10
In the 'File' Menu, choose the 'Print' option. Verify if the correct printer is specified and that the 'All' option has been chosen for the pages to be printed. Specify the number of copies you want to print. When satisfied with the values, click on the 'OK' button.
Step 11
Click on the 'File' Menu once more and select the 'Save' option. Select the preferred location where the birthday card will be stored. Click on the 'Save' button one more time to confirm the action. When done, exit the program.