Printing Your Magical Cards
You’ll want plain cardstock, in either white or a pale color that tickles your fancy. If your printer will print on 3 inch by 5 inch cards, you just need blank index cards. You won’t even need the rest of the instructions on this page 
Printing Multiple Cards at Once
If your printer isn’t as flexible, you’ll want to buy a package of 8 1/2 x 11″ cardstock. Cardstock is just a fancy way of saying heavy paper. If you look at a regular index card, that’s cardstock weight paper. You’ll be able to print three cards per 8 1/2 x 11 page. If you’re very lazy, you can buy 8 1/2″ x 11″ cardstock by Avery or Oxford that has been perforated so that you can punch the cards out after you’ve sent the paper through your printer.
To print multiple cards, I’ve provided a template. Download the PDF template for printing 3by5 cards, and next open it in Photoshop. When you open the PDF, you’ll want to change the resolution to 200 pixels per inch. I’m using that as a guide because it’s low enough resolution that it won’t create huge file sizes, but high enough that your artwork should print out nicely. If you’ve included photos, or want better resolution for other artwork, you’ll want to work at 250 to 300 pixels per inch.
Once you’ve opened the PDF template, you’ll want to open the card or cards you’d like to print out. Copy the card by making sure that the image is flattened (Layer > Flatten Image). Next, select the card (use Ctrl + A on Windows, Command + A on the Mac), copy it (Ctrl + C on Windows, Command + C on the Mac).
Next, select the template file, and Paste (Ctrl+V on Windows, Command + V on the Mac). You’ll want to paste 3 copies, and align them using the template’s guidelines.
Now you’re ready to print. Select File > Print. Leave the settings as they are unless you’re using the perforated cardstock. If you’re using that, deselect Center and change the top setting to .5. This will make sure that your prinout matches the perforations on the page precisely.
This stuff is addictive, so make sure to print enough to share with others.
Trimming The Cards
You’ll need to trim with scissors (inaccurate) or use an xacto knife with a metal ruler on a self-healing mat.
Trimming may sound tricky, but it’s not. Stack the pages you’ve printed out so that they line up. You may want to use a binder clip to keep them together, but you can skip that step if you like.
Line up the ruler with the printed border of the card. Make sure your fingers are out of the way! We don’t want any artistic accidents here. Then use the Xacto knife to draw along the edge of the ruler. You may have to draw the knife across the line several times in order to cut, but don’t push down too hard on the knife. It’s better to use the Xacto knife several times rather than try to cut through a stack at once. Do this for each edge. If the blade gets dull, change it.
I’m totally uncoordinated, and I can do this just fine. As long as you don’t rush, I’m sure you can master this technique quickly. As I was telling my son, back in the old days before computers, everything was pasted up by hand which meant a lot of measuring, trimming, and pasting, which now makes us very grateful for how easy it is to draw a straight line in Photoshop without needing to use rulers, inks, pens, white gouache paint and razor blades (for mistakes).
There’s also something very satisfying about being able to do something tangible by hand, stacking the cards and straightening a nice pile of your handiwork. It’s a feeling you just don’t get with a pile of pixels at the end of the day.
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I’m a huge fan of the little 3×5 index card. You may be familiar with using these to organize your life, popularized by the hipster pda and the philosophy behind Getting Things Done. There are many templates for cards that you can download for free, but they tend to be a bit bland for my taste.