Auntie Joan Stamping

Like many Stamp' Up! demonstrators, I find the new My Digital Studio to be an powerful design tool. You can make amazing scrapbook pages and adorable greetings cards in just a matter of moments. Of course, once you create one of these great digital treasures, you'll probably want to print them since they are too cute not to get instant gratification.

I've got an HP OfficeJet 7000 which prints 12 x 12 scrapbook pages and borderless photos. My challenge was how to print greeting cards from My Digital Studio. I love the design of the card but was hoping for a hybrid card -- one where I can design and lay it out digitally then print it on cardstock and add my own 'real' embellishments.

Here's how to print your My Digital Studio greeting cards on your own printer using standard 8 1/2 x 11 inch cardstock:

1. Create a new project and select a 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 landscape card size.

2. Pick one of the designer templates (I chose Summer Home Card 2), accept the default Page Arrangement and select Pick and Click to insert photos individually.

3. Name your project. You can of course, change or embellish the Designer card or add your own photos.

4. When you're ready to proceed, use the page bar at the bottom to duplicate your designed page.

5. Add two blank pages to your project, then arrange your pages so the two blank pages are first (1 and 2) , and the two designed pages are last (3 and 4).

6. Check your project for errors then save and print.

7. At the print screen, pick your printer first. Click the printer properties and select 8 1/2 x 11 borderless paper. (This is critical.)

8. Click Page Setup, match the same paper selection, set the layout to landscape and set the margins to 0.

9. Select all the pages to print and click on Advanced. Set the Image Adjustment to Center on Page with zero margins and change the Number of Images per Sheet to 4.

10. Preview and print. You'll have two cards printed on a standard cardstock page. Just cut, score and fold.

For a hybrid card, add your own embellishments such as buttons or brads or ribbons. The quality of the print is stunning and with the texture of your own embellishment, it's a beautiful greeting card.