Trying to do Business Cards Using Publisher - Part 2...

L

LJV

I apologize for this, but my previous thread I think maybe was looked at as
being closed so I wasn't getting any responses. Please excuse me for being a
little impatient here, but I would just love to get some good advice here on
how to solve my ongoing problem. So I just started a new thread, but it
really is a continuation of my previous one under basically the same heading.

It looks like I have a problem here. After I applied my 2 by 3.5 business
card graphic to the blank business card template in Publisher by applying it
to the Master page, it looked great online and when I printed it at home it
looked good too, and also in print preview. But I don't have a color
printer and so went to Staples to have them print my business card (file) out
and to cut them.

When they got done, the graphic is not filling the whole card?? There was a
little bit of white space on there after they cut them on some of the bottoms
and on one of the sides. I had them only print ten for me, and they wouldn't
print less. I still got charged $16 though. And they weren't willing to
give me too much advise as to what went wrong. I got the impression that
they didn't like the fact they I didn't have them create one of their
business card designs for me from start to finish. I felt their reluctancy
to print what I had already created myself.

But what I have heard so far is that, I should try to save my graphic that I
created in Photoshop elements as a PDF file rather than a PNG? Also, I
should make the graphic in Photoshop elements and the blank template within
publisher about 1/8" to 1/4" larger all the way around. Will this do the
trick? And if not, any other suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again,

LJV
 
M

Mary Sauer

Did you create a PDF for the print? I don't know why the cards would not print
to the edges if Staples are using standard business card stock. Printer
limitations wouldn't matter. You may have better success if you setup the PDF
printer when you save the cards. It very well could be the publication is
remembering your printer's margin limitation.
 
C

Carrie

Good stuff in this
http://bodacious-business-cards.blogspot.com/

You probably don't need the tutorial parts, but here's a link to getting the
cards printed (online) at the bottom.
Under the May 19 2008 blog entry.
I think online printers is where you submit the design (maybe pdf) and they
print it and mail them to you, of if you're close enough you can pick up.
I looked into this recently with Kinkos (which is now part of FedEx) and it
had a program you download in order to upload your work for printing. But,
it had no prices or any idea about prices. I emailed them about this and
they said you had to set it up FIRST before ordering it.
Looking around online I found several other printing companies that claimed
to be less than Kinko, but I never got into ordering from them.
The problem, at least with calendars, they usually want a minimum number
and it comes to $2000 or so at one time.
Anyweay, I know the person (from online) who has the Bodacious cards, he
makes them for people and gets them from the printers he gives links to. He
also shares how to do this yourself.
Hope it helps.
 
M

Matt Beals

C

Carrie

Matt Beals said:
Printingforless.com is a client of mine. They do great work.

Here's a business card template for 10-up on 8.5 x 11
http://www.mattbeals.com/misc/publisher_business_cards.zip
Click to expand...

Oh nice!
Good to know someone who knows them
The person who made the website with the link and recomendation seemed
positive about them.
What I am sort of looking into is having calendars printed. Like ones I
could make from my photos (I live in Vermont which is scenic) and possibly
sell on ebay or in local tourist shops.
I THINK I would have to get an ISBN number if I wanted to have them sold,
other than on my own.
The problem I have run into with having printing done is most places want
to print a miniumum number which comes to $2000 or so (plus shipping)
I can understand why, but I don't have that kind of money and can't think
on that big a scale right now.
I haven't looked into the Printingforless website for more details yet.
Glad I could pass on a company that's really good.
 
L

LJV

Actually the way I had done it when I went to staples was that I saved my
Photoshop elements file as a .png and then inserted into a blank master page
business card template in publisher and saved this file as a .pub.

But i just now tried saving my original PSE file as a PDF, but I cannot
insert this file into the master page in Publisher when it's a PDF?
Publisher is asking me what am I converting the file from and then gives me a
bunch of options to choose from? But no matter what option I choose, it
gives me an error saying that "an error occurred while importing this file",
and won't insert it? Maybe I should keep saving it as a .png from within
Photoshop Elements. But someone at a print shop told me I could save it as a
PDF. I don't know?? Like I said, I'm not real knowledgable about Publisher
yet so I am pretty confused.

LJV
 
L

LJV

Thanks to both Carrie and Matt for all the info you gave. I'll look into
these online print shop outfits. But I would like to know how I can fix this
up myself at some point.

Thanks,

LJV
 
C

Carrie

LJV said:
Thanks to both Carrie and Matt for all the info you gave. I'll look into
these online print shop outfits. But I would like to know how I can fix
this
up myself at some point.
Click to expand...

Not that people on this group aren't super smart, but have you tried typing
the problem into google or some search and see what you get on webpages?

I've done that with something I'm trying to learn or figure out and usually
find webpages that have the same question (or enough similiar) and sometimes
the answer. Or something else I can try.

I didn't realize Staples did printing (I order paper, etc from them. I
live in a rural area with not much around).
I did look into Kinkos- now FedEx, or maybe something else, but didn't
like how they have no prices, and won't even give an idea of them (via email
when I asked) you have to set up the job FIRST and then they tell you.
 
M

Mary Sauer

It very well could be the master page. Have you tried putting everything on the
publication page? Send the objects you have on the master page to the back. When
you take this file to Staples is it one card? Are you using 2007? There is a
free save as PDF add-in for Office.

Download details 2007 Microsoft Office Add-in Microsoft Save as PDF or XPS
https://www.microsoft.com/downloads...11-3E7E-4AE6-B059-A2E79ED87041&displaylang=en

This is free
http://www.primopdf.com/

Acrobat offers 5 free conversions on their web site
http://createpdf.adobe.com/

If you want I will take a look or you can send the file to Matt Beals. He knows
more about this than I do.
mary-sauer at columbus.rr.com
matt at mattbeals.com
 
L

LJV

Mary,

Please excuse my lack of knowledge with Publisher here. I am learning it as
we speak. First I have Publisher 2003, and yes I am taking it to staples as
both one card (one file) and also as a template with 8 up on a page (a
separate file). But I had to increase the size of my graphic and template in
Publisher to 3.75 x 2.25 to account for the bleeding. So that's why I
created a file with one or 8 up. But Staples can only print 10 up, which
means they have to reduce my card back to a 3.5 x 2, and of course because of
the bleed, it never comes out right when they run it through their stupid
cutter - Ha! Frustrating!!

I know a little while back you had advised me to insert the graphic (my
business card) which I created in PSE, into the blank business card template
in Publisher by applying it to the Master Page because it was overflowing or
tiling. So if I go back to putting it on the publication page won't I have
the tiling problem?

I also don't quite know what you mean when you say send the objects on the
master page to the back.

My last 2 questions here are: Is it better to save my finished Publisher
files as a PDF rather than leaving it as a .pub.

And also, how do I actually save a .pub file as a PDF? I don't currently
own Adobe Acrobat, only the free Adobe reader. Can I use this add-in you
have below for Publisher 2003? Probably not huh?

Thanks
LJV
 
M

Mary Sauer

I think I told you not to use the Format, Background because it will tile. In
your case I believe you are better off not using the Master page at all.
What I meant if you have an image you want to use as a background, send it to
the back, as in layering. It will be the same as having it on the Master page.
Can you send me your card file? I will convert it to PDF for you so you can see
you don't need the card to bleed for it to fit properly on 3.5 x 2 stock.
There are free converters around, www.primopdf.com is one. Adobe will convert 5
publications for you free. http://createpdf.adobe.com/

mary-sauer at columbus.rr.com
 
L

LJV

I just sent you my card file Mary. I sent two files and they are kind of
big. It may take a little while to download, sorry about that. Maybe I
should have compressed them or sent one at a time.

LJV
 

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