Saturday, December 10, 2011

Journaling card tutorial - Printing directly from printer

Hi there,

I wanted to take some time and show the process that I use to print my journaling cards. I have a printer that I can feed my journaling cards and print directly onto them. I wanted to show the process for those of you that can do the same. (If you have a printer that does accept smaller paper sizes) I have the Epson R1900.  It is really simple and you will love it !!

The first thing that you will want to do is find out your printer page size minimum. Mine is 3.50 inches X 3.50 inches. If you don't know what it is, go into the printing menu(as if you were printing something) and click on size or it might say change paper size. It will let you what the smallest - biggest size that you can print. Since my paper starting size needs to be 3.50 inches, we want to make a layer or background that is 3.50 X 3.75.

The actual journaling cards are about 2.75 inches by 3.75 inches. Since the width of the cards is smaller than my print paper size I had to put it on a background first.

Step #1. Click file, new, blank file and it will bring up this screen. You need to make it 3.50 X 3.75.

It should look like this.


Step #2.  Now I have found it a slight problem (at least for me) with the digital cards. The sizing is a little weird for me. They are 2.90 by 4 inches. And the actual journaling cards are 2.75 by 3.75 so I have to crop the digital card down to 2.70 X 3.75 and that seems to fix it. When I would print from the original size that the digital card was it would not fit on my card exactly where I wanted it too. I am thinking maybe the new cards are going to be this size ? Maybe. Will know tomorrow when my new kit comes in. Because my new plain grid journaling cards are that size - 2.9 X 4. Just a thought.

So you will need to crop the digital journaling card to 2.70 X 3.75.  Click on the crop tool. It is on the left hand side. Looks like a square box. And put in your crop size to 2.70 width and 3.75 length. ***UPDATED - Make sure that the resolution is 300*** Found towards the top below the main menu. *** SO THIS STEP IS VERY IMPORTANT ***

*** You can also use this method to journal on the plain journaling cards or other papers that you want to use Just use the digital card as a guide. ***

Step #3. Place your journaling card to the very left of your background.

It should look like this.


Now you are ready to journal and add your "STUFF". I added my journaling, leaving some room for an embellishment I want to add after printing.

The really nice thing about these digital cards is that if I want to add something later, after I have my journaling done, I just place the item directly onto the physical journaling card. And then I know exactly how much I need to leave for the item. I love it.

Step #4. Journaling. I added in my journaling.


Step #5. Remove the journaling card. You can either hide it or delete it. If you want to hide it so that you can access it later if you need to just click on the eye directly to the left of the layer. It will remove it and simply click it again to make it appear. ***VERY IMPORTANT ***

It will look like this



Step #6. Printing. Click on print. The print screen will come up.


Click on change settings. It might vary with each printer.

And then click on advanced settings. This is where you are going to change the paper size and such. I change the paper to plain paper when I am printing my journaling cards.

Now click on size. Scroll down to user settings. Change the size to 3.50  width X 3.75 length.


Click ok for this screen.

I always click on print preview so that you can see if everything is correct before you print. Also if you put things to close to the edge of the card you can see it in the print preview if it will cut some of it off. I've done this. So it is very helpful.  Make sure you click on portrait and not landscape option as well.

Click ok. Your screen should look like this.



Step #7. Click Print !!

Now you are ready to embellish it. Or slip it in to your album. Here is my finished journaling card in my album.


Simple as that. I have just gotten so used to this process that it is like second nature. So fast and easy to print my journaling cards. I hope you find these hints and steps helpful so that you too can print on your cards easily. Let me know if you have any questions.

And have a wonderful weekend.

P.S. Just about done with another week of PL and I've got some DD pages that I need to share. Stay tuned later today or tomorrow.




6 comments:

Anonymous said...

WOW!!! Thanks so much. I left a comment the other day that I was going to purchase this printer and after your few tutorials and encouraging reccomendations, I went ahead and ordered. I really appreciare all your efforts in putting up these tutorials. I love coming to your blog and and continually inspired by your projects.

Mindi said...

You won't regret your purchase. It's a great printer !! I love it !! Enjoy. Thanks for the comments.

Mallory said...

So do you have to purchase the digital journaling cards to do this? Or is it included in the PL core kit?

Mindi said...

Mallory - The digital cards are not included with the core kit. They are all offered seperately through Jessica Spraque on her website. You don't have to have the digital journaling cards. They just makes it ten times easier to print onto the journaling cards that come with the PL core kit. For me they are just a guide so that I can place my journaling and other stuff onto the card. Hope that helps.

Waseem said...

this is informative post..i wish to keep it in mind and use it along with plastic card printing..if possible.

Anonymous said...

Very helpful for those whoa are new in plastic cards...but i suggest you should video tutorial as it helps a lot in understanding rather than snaps....