Susan R. Opel
So you read blogs, right? (Um yes, you’re here aren’t you?)
And would I be right in presuming that maybe you spend an ample amount of time on your computer every day? Go ahead and admit it – from recipes to organization to email to maintaining and making friendships to shopping to banking to inspiration, your computer is a useful tool in so MANY ways.
But what about crafting?
Oh yes, crafting. If you have Microsoft Word, you’ve got a world of possibilities just a few clicks away. No, you don’t need Photoshop or a special program – just Word, where countless school papers have been generated and fliers for school, store, and church events have come to life.
You see, once upon a time I was a middle school teacher, and my 8th grade English class produced a newspaper once a month. We did it all in Word. If there was something that I wanted to do, I figured out how to do it, and by default taught myself a whole lot.
Now 8th graders, Lord love ‘em, tend to ask lots of questions (the same ones over and over), so I created a 21 page document called Miss Susan Opel’s Guide to Outstanding Word Documents for each of them to use. It contained everything I’d learned along the way. The document helped cut down on the questions AND helped them to experiment even more.
Eventually, I used the guide in teaching a few scrapbooking classes, and I’ve shared it with friends who needed some tutoring. Sadly, it’s quite out of date since it was originally written in 2002 or so, but in Cool Tools for Paper Crafters, I was able to resurrect and update some of my very favorite tips. In Cool Tools for Paper Crafters you’ll find how-to’s for Using Shapes in Word as Design, Creating White Text in Text boxes, Using WordArt for Sentiments, and Using a Circle as a Frame for a Sentiment.
Using shapes in Word as design.
Creating white text in text boxes.
Back in September, I wrote this blog post where I gave away sheets of sentiments in a circle frame that I had created in Word. Lots of you were interested in knowing how to do it yourself. And voila, here I am to teach you step by step!
Creating a Circle as a Frame for a Sentiment
Open a Word Document, and then go to the menu at the top of the screen. Click on “Insert”. Find “Shapes” and click on it.
Step 1: Create a circle – Once you’ve clicked on “Shapes” from the “Insert” menu, a cascading menu will appear. Click on the oval option. See Figure 1. Left click, hold and drag your mouse, and create a circle in your document.
Figure 1.
Step 2: Size your circle – Click on the circle and a new tab will appear at the top of the page called Drawing Tools. Once you click on that tab, you’ll be able to size your circle to a 1.5″ diameter. See Figure 2 far right.
Figure 2.
Commercial break: My favorite thing about doing this is that by creating these circles to be 1 1/2” in diameter, they coordinate perfectly with a 1 3/4” circle punch!
Step 3: Add text – You can type text inside the circle by simply right clicking and choosing “Add Text”. If you want something larger to fill the circle, you can layer a text box over the circle instead (fig. 3) and choose “No Outline” and “No Fill” for the colors of the text box (which you can find on the Drawing Tools tab) (fig. 4).
Figure 3.
Figure 4.
Step 4: Lock the circle and text box – To make it easy to copy your sentiment circle to make multiples, you can “Group” your elements. Simply click on the text box, hold down the shift button and then click on the circle. Keep the shift button down and right click. The menu shown below will appear. Click on “Group” and your elements are locked together for easy copying! See Figure 5.
Figure 5.
Now you can copy and paste your sentiment several times. 20 of these circles fit perfectly on an 8.5” x 11” piece of cardstock. Be sure to spread them out evenly so that the circle punch has room to breathe.
Print the document, punch your circles, and you’re ready to create 20 cards just like that. And if you save the document, you can do even more later when you run out.
Here's the finished product! Just add a scalloped circle, some patterned paper, ribbon and bling!
OK – are you ready to give this a whirl? Once you start playing around in Word, you just might come up with some fun ideas of your own (my students taught me a ton). I’d love to see your projects using this tutorial, so feel free to post them on our Facebook fan page!
Wanna learn more of my favorite computer tips for crafting? Well, you need a copy of Cool Tools for Paper Crafters, then, right? Leave a comment by Friday at 5 PM MST and we’ll pick three lucky winners to snag their own copy!
PS – We’d like to make a correction. On pg 52 of Cool Tools for Paper Crafters the Patriotic Pennant Banner was incorrectly attributed. It was made by the fabulous Stephanie Halinski! Our apologies for not catching that, Steph!
PPS – If you love the idea of computer generated sentiments, be sure to take a look at our Simple Sentiments that we offer for FREE on our website. You just might find one that tickles your fancy for your next quick card.
Thanks so much for all this info–I am going to have to try this.
Thank you for the Word Document information. I do need to try this, although my Micro Soft Word is from 2003! I would love to win a copy of Cool Tools!
Thanks for the reminder, Susan. I used to do this, but have since switched to a Mac. Guess I’ll have to get busy finding out what the possibilities are with a Mac…should be fun!
I would love to win this book. The microsoft word tips were very helpful. Awesome cards as well!
OMG just that alone is a cool tutorial! Can’t wait to see the full article!
I want to do things like this with the computer but if I don’t have instructions, I get frustrated so this would be a great copy to have!
I love using my computer programs for my creations! THANKS for the chance to win–sbmmhoover at yahoo dot com
WoW! Thanks for the tutorial! I never have had the patience to figure these things out for myself, but you make it easy to follow along! Thanks!
Susan thanks so much for this info….I’m going to have to try this out and see what I can come up with! Would love to have the chance to win “Cool Tools for Paper Crafters”, I can really use some tips for sure!
Great tips for using the computer for card making! Thanks.
This looks like a great mag.
Thanks for the tips. Can’t wait to try them out.
Thank you Susan. I use my computer for probably 80% of my paper projects. I do use Word when I need a quick sentiment and I don’t have a stamp for it. I am not sure what I would do without my computer.
thank you so much for the tip will definitely have to try this out:)
Ooh-la-la, Susan! Would be one happy crafter if I win your fabulous tutorial and tips for using Word to create cards. I love learning more WORD uses. Can’t wait to have more time to click on all your links and will cross my fingers I’m a lucky winner!
Wow Susan, great ideas! I did not know Word could do all that, never took the time. Thanks for sharing your creativity and the cards are gorgeous!
I use my computer to do journaling for my scrapbooks and have started to print out digital stamped images for my cards. I love the way you can make sentiments in circles and then punch them out!! GREAT idea!!
Thanks for all the cool info. I was so adept at word up through 2003…now i find myself lost and most of my favorite keyboard commands out of date. How fun to see a cool tutorial in my current version of word..so i can get my computer crafty legs again!
Susan, you make it so easy! I owuld love to win a copy of the Cool Tools. I don’t use my computer a lot and I would love how to do those more!
Thanks so much, Miss Susan Opel! What a great help you are showing us all the details like you have. I’m definitely giving this a try.
huge “Aha” moment for me. I can do this!!! thanks Susan!
Thanks, Susan! I like the versatility this offers. It also seems as if it would be possible to coordinate the text color with a particular patterned paper if desired.
Way to put those teachin’ skillz to use, Opie! Great tutorial.
What a great tutorial. It was so easy to follow along a for my cardsnd I now have some new sentiments. Thanks for sharing
Thanks for sharing the tutorial with us! And that guide sounds handy. I’m not too digital or computer savvy!
Can you “translate” the info for use on a Mac? Thanks for the great ideas. Cool Tools sounds like a real find!
WOW!! Thanks so much! Seems when I go there to do something, I just get frustrated and can’t figure it out. This will help!
Thanks for info on using word for designing. Will definitely be playing on the computer this weekend!
Great tips – thanks!
I use WORD for all my cards.. I don’t have a die cutting machine.
I print all my verses on the inside of my cards, plus add sentiments to the outside as well. There is so much you can do using WORD for card making.
Would it be possible to receive that 21 page document you did for those 8th graders for using Word? Miss Susan Opel’s Guide to Outstanding Word Documents. I don’t care that it was for 2002 Word because I would really like to have a simple instruction on using Word. You’re tips in Cool Tools was great.
Got a mac for christmas & still learning…would love to learn ALL that Word has to offer.
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Oh – my – goodness. I NEVER knew fun stuff could be made with WORD! I can’t wait to try these instructions. I do believe a whole new world is going to open for my crafts!!
Oh boy, could I ever use this help! I am “Word” challenged! Thank you!