How to make business cards and craft fair packaging!

Hi friends! Next weekend I am exhibiting in a really nice craft show featuring all Maine in Maine artisans. I felt like my business cards and packaging needed an overhaul, this is what I came up with:

I wanted bright colors but also a streamlined professional look. I decided to use some watercolor images from GraphicStock for my new branding. I know you are probably wondering why I didn’t just use my own paintings for this and that is a great question. I find it extremely hard to simplify my own work, I want to show more than is suitable on a small canvas like a business card and the end result looks amateurish and confusing. I wanted a really clean look with info on how to contact me for future purchases and where to find me online. For the packaging I wanted the price, my name and vendor number so I can use this for craft fair packaging as well as in my retail space which is a rented booth in a multi-vendor antiques mall. I don’t want to have separate packaging at different places. Also I used to hand stamp all of my jewelry cards and I just don’t have time for that anymore. Today I am going to show you how to create a business card from start to finish using an image from GraphicStock (but you can use any JPG or PNG file you want) and the steps are the same for making packaging, signs and tags. Feel free to follow along, take notes and pause the video when needed to follow along. I am using Paint Shop Pro but you can use Photoshop, Gimp or other imaging editing software with similar results.

Video!

You will need:

• Photo editing software-I am using Paint Shop Pro but you can use the software you prefer like Photoshop or gimp or any image editing software.
• White Cardstock
• Graphics/logos you want to use
• Computer and printer
• Optional: Clear “cello” bags, laminator, scrapbook paper or kraft paper bags if making “grab bags” and any packaging supplies you normally use

Directions:
1. Download any images and graphics you want to use.
2, For a business card create a new 3.5″x2″ 300dpi document.
3. Copy and Paste in graphics and add text. Arrange elements until satisfied. Save this file in your software’s native format to make editing easier later on, then flatten and save as a JPG to use in the next step.
4. Make a new 8.5:x11″ document and copy/paste in the business card 10 times. Tip: set up a .5″ grid and use the snap to grid feature to help line everything up.
5. Flatten and print your business cards.
6. Cut them apart.

You can repeat these steps in any size to create sheets of tags, labels and signage.

Please visit our sponsor GraphicStock to get a 7 day FREE trial to download anything you want!  If you cancel your subscription within the 7 days you will not be charged but they are pretty sure you will find enough value that you will want to stay, it’s kinda like a Netflix for graphic lovers AND they have lots of lovely things for digital scrapbooking and hybrid crafting!

Next week I’ll show you how to make the cute business card holder! Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!