Monthly Archives: August 2008

Envelopes for Note Cards and Greeting Cards

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With a dozen different envelope styles and hundreds of sizes in existence, how do you choose the right one for your note cards and greeting cards?

For artists who are creating greeting cards we like to simplify the process by following standard envelope styles, sizes and general availability in the United States.

Style
Oak Creek Printworks includes announcement style envelopes with all custom printed greeting cards, and we sell announcement style envelopes in four sizes. Announcement envelopes have a square flap, while Baronial envelopes have a deep, pointed flap. Announcement envelopes are readily available in all the standard greeting card sizes. Baronial envelopes are manufactured in a variety of sizes, but available here by special order only.

Size
The smallest announcement style envelope is an A2. If your card folds to one-quarter of a letter sized page, it’s an A2. The matching A2 envelope is slightly larger than the 4.25”x5.5” folded card, and measures 4.375”x5.625”. Envelopes and packaging for A2 note cards are available in the Oak Creek Printworks store.

The A6 card is slightly larger, measuring 4.625”x6.375” when folded. Its matching envelope is 4.75”x6.5”.

The A7 card folds to 5”X7”, and the corresponding announcement envelope is 5.25”x7.25”.

The A8 card folds to 5.25”x7.875”. The companion envelope is 5.5”x8.125”.

The A9 card is an 8.5”x11” letter sheet folded in half to 5.5”x8.5”. The companion envelope is 8.75”x5.75”.

Square cards fold to 5.25” square. The companion envelope is 5.5”x5.5”.

Other envelope sizes, and colors other than white are available by special order.

Give Yourself Permission to Create

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Writers get it and artists do, too. From time to time, we all feel blocked. Some may wait until inspiration strikes, but those on a deadline to produce a “finished product” can’t always afford the luxury of waiting for the muse. Sometimes we need to go out and track the muse down.

As a young journalism student I was instructed to begin typing and keep typing, ignoring mistakes. Usually about the 5th or 6th paragraph important information would begin to emerge. It’s easy enough afterwards to go back and cut.

Eventually I learned that the same principle applied to my photography, illustration, design, and painting. While some instructors insisted on a plan, it was rarely my style, and I later found much support for the approach that let the art lead the way.

As a teacher I’ve heard many reasons for not making art. What’s holding you back? What are your fears? There is no failure. Set aside a regular time slot for your art. Make an appointment with yourself and by all means, Give Yourself Permission.
Click here to download a PDF file saved as a high resolution, printable permission slip.

permission slip

Square Greeting Cards Are “In”

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Wow! It seems like a real run on square cards lately. We’re seeing all sorts of interesting artwork coming from all over the globe that lends itself to printing on square cards.

You can print artwork on square cards that trim to 5.25”. Each custom printed square card ships with a 5.5” envelope. Clear, protective packaging is available in a variety of closure styles. Cards can be packaged individually in a snug-fitting clear plastic sleeve, or in sets in a larger sleeve, or a clear plastic greeting card box. Boxes ship with a gold seal, or you can dress up your gift card set with an elastic stretch loop, available for purchase in a variety of colors.

Before preparing your artwork for printing, decide if you want your card to have a white border, or if the image will bleed (print all the way to the trim). If you want the card to have a white border, make sure your artwork is square. If it is rectangular, the horizontal and vertical borders will be uneven.

Although your artwork and card are square, the card still has a horizontal or vertical orientation, and its orientation is what determines the placement of the artwork in relationship to the fold. A greeting card that has a fold at the top of the card has a horizontal orientation and opens in an upward direction. If your image has a vertical orientation, the card has its fold on the left.

Take into consideration that the specifications listed above reflect a standard set up for printing greeting cards in America. Other countries may have different standards and cards may read in different directions.

If you want your image to bleed, it must extend 1/8-inch beyond the trim on the three sides without the fold. The additional image area is necessary to insure that no white edge shows on your card. Make sure that your signature and important image data are far enough from the edges so that they won’t be trimmed away.

Reduced

This is a reduced view of the 5.25-inch square greeting card template. Click on the image to view and download a full size 72 dpi .jpg template that you can use to create the square greeting card.