To make custom cards at home, there are two or three steps depending on what kind of card you want to make. If you want to create a custom card with a photo (for example, a holiday card) you will need to start by choosing or taking a photo. Next you will need to design the card. You can do this using design software you have purchased, or free online software and online design templates you can personalize. Lastly, you need to print out your custom cards. You can do this by printing at home, or having them printed with a custom-printing service. In summary, these are the steps to make custom cards at home:
No matter what kind of custom cards you need, Avery products, services, and free tools make it easy to create them yourself. For instance, custom holiday cards. You might be making them for your clients and employee appreciation at the office, or sending them to family and friends.
You can design your cards with free Avery tools and templates online. Then print them on your desktop or office printer. Or, have us print them for you with our WePrint® professional printing service.
In this article we’ll walk you through all the steps to make custom cards on your own using Avery products, services, and free tools. Plus, we’ll answer frequently asked questions about making custom cards at home.
Yes! Even if you don’t have any graphic design experience, there are predesigned templates and free printables that you can customize. For example, free Avery card templates can be personalized with your own text, images and more. In fact, you can even learn how to design business cards on your home computer using free Avery software and templates.
Certainly, the easiest software to make your own cards with is Avery Design and Print Online (ADPO). Not only is it totally free, but you can also save your projects in the cloud and access them anywhere when you’re logged into your free Avery account. Not to mention that ADPO is loaded with free predesigned templates that are easy to customize.
You can also make custom cards at home using Avery templates and common desktop software such as MS Word. Or, Apple Pages as well as the Adobe image editing suite (Photo Shop, Illustrator, InDesign, or PDF).
Look for the template link on the Avery product page for any printable item, then click “Start Designing.”Of course, our gallery of Christmas cards you can personalize is definitely a great way to browse free templates for making custom cards at home. Additionally, our popular blog articles rounding up favorites are also great for browsing. For example, this article full of modern business card designs or this one featuring free printable cards for friends and family.
On the other hand, there are several additional ways to find templates for specific Avery products if you have your product number. Firstly, our template finder page which has a search bar to enter your product number. Or, if you already have ADPO open, simply enter it in the search bar there.
You can also type the product number in the search bar on the Avery website. Then click on the product to view the product page. Once you’re on the product page, click the template link underneath the product feature list. Then click the big red “Start Designing” button. You’ll immediately see a wide variety of predesigned templates and a blank template to design from scratch.
Pro Tip: Your Avery product number is usually found on the packaging. However, if you don't have that handy, feel free to contact our excellent Customer Care team. They're always happy to assist by chat or by phone at (800) 942-8379.Simply replace the photo in a predesigned image with your own to create a photo card in minutes.
Turning photos into cards doesn’t get any easier than using an Avery template designed just for that purpose. If you have an image in the same ratio as the stock image in the template, literally all you have to do is replace the stock photo with your own. If your photo is a different ratio, crop it to match first and then proceed. Moreover, you can upload photos right from your smart device or computer. In fact, check out this awesome gallery of holiday card designs that you can use to turn any photo into a custom greeting card!
Of course, you can upload an image to any Avery card template to instantly make it a photo card. Once you’ve picked a high-resolution image that you love we have a super helpful video to help you work with images using Avery Design and Print Online. Or, try this help article with images.
Pro Tip: When printing photo cards, inkjet printers are the best option for high-quality printing at home. Otherwise, use WePrint to have them custom-printed for you.
Here are the individual steps for printing custom cards at home with pictures.
1) Preview & Print
Once you’re happy with your design, click the green “Preview & Print” button.
2) Review the front & back
On this screen you will be able to zoom in to review your design closely. You can also rotate a virtual version of the card to view the front and back, or inside if it’s a folded card.
3) Choose print yourself
To print at home choose “Print Yourself” and proceed to step 4. Otherwise choose “Let Us Print for You” and follow the prompts.
4) Choose print options
Next, you will be prompted to choose some print options. If you are printing on both the front and the back, don’t miss our tips for printing double-sided cards below.
5) Get PDF to Print
Click “Get PDF to Print.” First you will be prompted to save your design for later access. Then a window will pop up with tips and a button to open the PDF.
Opening the PDF may vary between browsers. This video walks you through the steps for printing from different internet browsers.
6) Review the PDF
Always review your PDF file before printing. The first preview in step 2 shows you the individual design. The PDF shows you exactly what your whole project will look like.
7) Print (or go back to edit)
If you’re not ready to print, use the “Customize” button to continue editing. Remember to review any changes you make in the new PDF file that will be generated.
When you’re printing custom cards at home, always set your paper type to “cardstock,” “heavy weight,” or “specialty”. This is important so that your printer can adjust the feed to accommodate sheets that are thicker than regular paper. Additionally, you want to make sure that the scale is set to 100 so that your design prints at the exact intended size and alignment for the card sheets.
Whenever you are printing, it’s always a good idea to print a test sheet on plain paper first. One reason to do so is to make sure the sheets are fed in the right direction. To do this, place an “X” on a corner of your test sheet to confirm which way the paper feeds into the printer. This is especially important if you are printing two-sided cards, or cards with printing inside. Another reason is to check alignment. If the scale is off, or the designs go “out of bounds” into the margins, you’ll usually be able to see it right away.
Pro Tip: Place your test paper over your card sheet and hold them up to a bright light to check for alignment between the design and the Avery card sheet.
If your test sheet doesn’t come out right, you can go back and test printer settings until it’s correct. In fact, we have a fantastic help article just for troubleshooting printing issues. However, don’t be shy to call our Customer Care team if you need to! They are happy to troubleshoot with you and walk you through the process.
Many of the steps for printing double-sided cards are the same as printing on one side. For example, you start by clicking “Print Preview” to review your design, then choose “Print Yourself.” Next, choose the option to print the front and back of the sheet, then click “Get PDF to Print.” You will be prompted to save your project, followed by a pop up with printing tips for your browser.
Here is where the process begins to differ. To print double-sided cards you’ll want to click the print icon, choose the printer as usual, but print the front and the back of the card separately. First, change the pages to “Custom” and choose to print page one, which is the front. Review your settings, then print the front of your cards on a plain piece of paper to practice which way to feed the card sheets.
Once you’ve confirmed that the front of your card sheet prints correctly, click the print icon again. This time, change the pages to “Custom” and choose to print page two, which is the back. Then re-feed the test sheet to print the back side. Finally, when you’re happy with both sides of your cards, follow the same process using card sheets instead of test paper. If you’re printing multiple card sheets, print all of the front sides and then all of the back sides.
When ordering custom-printed cards you will choose your quantity and card material after designing your cards.When you’re finished designing your custom cards, follow steps 1 and 2 for printing at home, then choose the “Let Us Print for You” option. A pop up window will explain that there are two quick steps to check that your design transfers to custom-printed product. Click “I’m Ready,” to proceed. You will be prompted to save your design, then you will be taken to a preview screen where you can zoom in, see the front and back of your project, and view a PDF proof.
Always review your PDF file before printing. The first preview shows you the individual design. Compared to the PDF, which shows you exactly what your whole project will look like. Once you’ve reviewed your project, click “I Approve My Design.” After being prompted to save your project again, you will be taken to a new page to choose your quantity and card material options. Once you’ve made your choices, click “Proceed to Cart” to add the cards to your cart and check out as usual.
Making your own custom cards at home is easy when you have Avery products, tools, and services in your corner. The basic steps to making your own cards are:
Our free online design software and free predesigned card templates are the easiest way to make your own custom cards. Not only can you make custom cards on your home computer, but there are several other benefits. For one thing, you can save projects in the cloud and access them anywhere when you’re logged into your free Avery account. Additionally, you can customize our free templates online, or download versions to use with common desktop software.
In fact, making custom cards is so easy with Avery tools that you can even turn a photo into a card pretty much instantly. Simply upload your photo to one of our predesigned templates for photo cards. No matter what kind of custom cards you’re designing, you can either print them yourself, or use our WePrint service to have them printed for you. And, our help resources, and Customer Care team will be there for you every step of the way.
Do you have a question about designing or printing your own custom cards? Let us know in the comments and we’ll do our best to find a solution for you.
JoJo Mrgich
Photo: Leica Lucien
Every greeting card I’ve ever received lives in a box under my bed. The truth is, when times are tough, a card with a cat holding on to a branch for dear life that says “Hang in there!” can actually make me feel better. And these days, the sentiments inspired by greeting cards — whether for birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, or just to say hello — are even more appreciated as many of us still are (or feel) disconnected from one another due to the pandemic. Like many people, I saw our socially distant times as an opportunity to connect with loved ones this old-fashioned way, with a physical card and a pen. But the more I looked for greeting cards, the harder it became to find the right ones.
The best greeting cards speak to a recipient’s identity and personality, but I couldn’t find a lot that are inclusive to all ethnicities, cultures, or people with disabilities. As someone who’s never shied away from an arts-and-crafts project — I studied and work in the visual arts — I figured I could learn to make my own greeting cards the way other folks are learning to make candles or ceramics or pressed flowers or needlepoint. (I’m not talking about those clip-art cards your grandma used to make for every birthday, either; you can see some I’ve made in my Etsy shop, The Sticker Bodega.) But what I didn’t know (yet) were the best tools for the job. Between paper and printers and other gadgets, there are countless supplies you can use to make cards and things to decorate them with, with very little information about what stuff works well together. The only way to find out, I reasoned: Try as much of it as possible. And that I did, diving deep into the different types of paper, printers, and cutting machines I could use to make professional-looking greeting cards at home.
Below, you’ll find my favorite cardstocks and sticker paper for most any greeting-card project. When it comes to cutting machines and printers, my time testing supplies taught me that some are best for beginners, while others are suited for more experienced crafters. So, beneath my favorite papers, I have outlined two different greeting-card projects I recently completed (beginner and advanced), noting the machines and other smaller tools (paper trimmers, glue runners) I used for each. This way, you can better determine what supplies sound right for you.
Before I get to the supplies, though, I want to talk a little about my process. First, I suggest any aspiring card-makers — especially true beginners — check out the YouTube tutorials from Elan Creative Co., It’s Me, JD, and Nasayi that I watched (and still return to). Being an artist myself, I usually begin any project with a quick hand-drawn sketch of what I want my card to look like. Once I have the general idea, I’ll sometimes use Adobe Photoshop to design any decorative elements like stickers. If you don’t have Photoshop or don’t want to pay $10 a month to run it on your computer, I suggest checking out the free service Krita, which has many of the same design features as Photoshop, including tons of preloaded, customizable brushes you can use to make your drawings look more unique. After I complete a card’s design, I print and cut everything. I’ll use a cutting machine first to cut out the base layer of a card and score it in the middle, so it can easily fold. If I am making something more elaborate, I’ll use a printer to print embellishments like stickers or illustrations, cut around their borders with a cutting machine, and attach them to the base. I usually have my original sketches close by so I can compare them to the final product as I go.
My favorite paper for making greeting cards
Whether I’m making something basic or advanced, I always start with a cardstock base. The best base cardstocks weigh between 80–110 pounds. (To the unfamiliar, cardstocks are often described by their weight; an 80-pound cardstock means that 500 sheets of that paper weigh 80 pounds.) I often use one of these white cardstocks from Neenah as a base. Whether I am combining it with another (colorful) cardstock or stickers, the white helps whatever it is pop. The Classic Crest has a smoother finish, while the Classic Linen has more texture.
As you’ll see in some of the greeting cards I made, you can combine a base of white cardstock with an accent layer of color cardstock to create a stenciled effect with words and images. I like the colorful cardstocks from Paper and More, not least because you can get envelopes to match most. There are tons more shades to choose from in addition to this navy Blue Blazer and bright Red Pepper, both of which have a textured linen finish. You can, of course, use colorful cardstock as a base, too. Whether it’s a base or accent layer, I’d again recommend using colorful cardstocks that weigh between 80–110 pounds.
Advanced card-makers may also want to use cardstocks to make designs or shapes they stick on to their card’s base to embellish it; for that, I recommend something lighter, like a 60- or 65-pound cardstock in any finish. For something matte, you could try the pack of colorful cardstocks from Neenah; for more texture, consider something like Paper and More’s Antique Gold parchment paper. To attach extra cardstock embellishments, I’ll use runner tape.
Making stickers to embellish a card is also more of an advanced technique, too. But to anyone who likes the sound of it, I like to use sticker paper from Online Labels. The gloss will give the stickers a shinier look; the matte, a more muted effect. Printing stickers on these full sheets makes it easy to use a cutting machine to create both kiss-cut stickers (with a border around their design) and die-cut stickers (no border).
Online Labels also sells full sheets of colorful sticker paper (like these blue, green, and yellow sets), should you want to experiment with printing a sticker design on something other than white paper.
The tools I use for simple (but not basic) cards
Photo: Leica Lucien
The birthday card shown here, which I made for my sister, is one of the simpler styles of cards I’ve created. It is essentially two pieces of cardstock (a white base and a colorful accent layer) glued together with an adhesive runner. All of the detail work was done on the Cricut Joy — a small and mighty cutting machine — but I used the machine’s compatible card mat and pens, too. I like the card mat because it’s designed with templates to make three different sizes of cards; it is also sticky, so it holds paper in place as the machine is cutting it or drawing on it. This stickiness wears off, though, so you will have to replace a mat eventually. To cut the cardstock to size, I use a paper trimmer, because you get straighter lines than if you use scissors (but you can use those, too).
While the card’s letters and little balloon drawings might look like a lot of work, they’re really not when you use Cricut Design Space, free software you can download on your computer or phone and use with the Joy machine. It includes tons of fonts and graphics (like the balloons on the front of this card) that the machine can cut or draw with one of its pens. The software has prompts for you to enter the type of cardstock you’re using — 80-pound is considered “medium” cardstock — and a selection of stencil fonts (I used DIN Stencil Heavy here). Once you choose your font and desired words, the machine will cut out the letters itself; the software also lets you note the dimensions of the card you’re creating, and where you’d like any design elements, so you can ensure everything is properly aligned. To draw the balloons, I just chose that graphic in the software, stuck one of the Cricut pens in the Joy’s penholder, and let the machine do the rest. (You can also have the machine write messages on the inside of a card more or less the same way, and there are lots more pens and markers it can use.) Once I had the words cut and graphics drawn, I cut my accent color cardstock to size and glued it behind the white base layer with an adhesive runner.
The tools I use for more intricate cards
Photo: Leica Lucien
This card, which I made for my friend’s husband (they met on a dating app), is a bit more advanced: It incorporates stickers I made (the hand holding the phone, the blue hearts), in addition to a cardstock base and accent layer (white and red). The Cricut Joy can’t cut sticker paper, so if you’re going to make a card with stickers, I’d recommend the Silhouette Portrait 3, a cutting machine that can do everything a Joy can and more. Making stickers also requires a printer — my two favorites are the HP Tango printer below (better for glossy stickers) and the more expensive Canon PIXMA TS9520 (better for matte stickers), either of which can obviously be used for things beyond sticker-making. (And most people won’t need both! But the detail-obsessed, like me, might appreciate knowing each printer’s strength.) Like the Joy, the Portrait 3 also has compatible cutting mats and pens that I’d recommend using for the same reasons I recommended them to Joy users. And I’d again suggest using a paper trimmer and an adhesive runner, since cards like these also require some precise cutting and assembly.
I drew the phone-in-hand image myself in Photoshop, printed it out on glossy sticker paper, then imported the design to the Portrait 3 so that I could use the machine to properly cut it. The Portrait 3 also has compatible design software (the basic edition is free) with its own stenciled fonts and graphics that it can cut out or draw with a compatible pen. But, unlike with the Joy, you can use that software to make your own illustrations that could become stickers, too (there are tons of tutorial videos that show you how). The heart stickers on this card, for instance, were designed using a preset tool in the cutting machine’s software. Because you can pair the Portrait 3 to whatever printer you have at home, it’s super easy to print any illustrations designed on it — and any graphics designed on the cutting machine won’t need to be imported to it when it comes time to cut them to size. (If, say, you wanted to make cardstock embellishments instead of stickers, you could follow this same process: Design them on the machine and print them using the lighter-weight cardstock I recommend.) Like the Joy, the Portrait’s software makes it easy to note the dimensions of your card and then arrange its elements to fit before it gets to work scoring, cutting out stenciled letters (I used the Awery font for this card), and what have you. After cutting out the card’s words, I assembled my already cut stickers around it and then used the glue runner to affix the red accent cardstock behind the white base.
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