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(More customer reviews)A year or so ago, I found Hallmark Card Studio 2009 (Hallmark Card Studio 2009 Deluxe) and installed it on the Windows side of my Mac Pro, and really enjoyed the professional quality card that it produced, especially when I used the Hallmark Premium paper. Unfortunately, a Windows 7 update occurred, and suddenly the program crashed, and no repair, reinstall, etc., worked to get it working again. The installation of the 2010 version, (Hallmark Card Studio Deluxe 2010), though, worked until, you guessed it, another update for Windows 7. There was a patch that the software folks had that helped, but that only worked for a short while.
When I received a notice that Hallmark was coming-out with a version for the Mac, I waited to see if it would be sold on Amazon.com, and finally it was. I have used it for almost a month, and while I find that has a different interface, probably one from an older version, the ability to "tweak" the program is the same as the Windows, only a little more rudimentary, and most notably the quality of the card is as good as one you would buy in the store (see uploaded screen-shots of "crabby lady" card. All without the crashes!!!
There are two differences that I have noticed out-right. The first is that you cannot tell whether the card is a "half-fold" or "quarter-fold" until you go to print; however, when printing, depending on your printer, you have several options available, according the the limits of your printer. In my case, I can print the card as "half-fold,' "quarter fold," "side-fold" and "top-fold." I have printed the manual, and am trying to discern if there is any short-cut to doing this other than to make like you are going to print the card and see in the preview what type of card you are printing. I am sure I am missing something, but what I am doing before I start individualizing the card is I look to see what type of card it is by selecting "print," then not executing the print command BEFORE I put any effort into individualizing the card. On a positive note, the requirements of going through a "print" subprogram to determine how you insert the paper in your printer is no longer required for printers that print on both sides of the paper (my printer is an HP Photosmart Premium). You just select printer from the drop down menu and check the box for printing on both sides, and let the printer do everything. UPDATED: There are time, though, when, if you have "borderless" printing selected, you have to take and manually reinsert the card for printing the inside. My HP printer HP Photosmart Premium Fax All-in-One Inkjet Printer (CC335A#ABA) prints from the front, and that means I have to place the paper, print-side up, with the back of the card going into the printer first, to print the inside (I'll post a picture of this).
With regards to inserting pictures, changing type, inserting text, etc., the program is pretty intuitive, and is, for me, a lot easier than the Windows version, especially for inserting text and/or changing the font. I have a lot of nieces and being able to individualize these cards is a godsend, especially when even the biggest card shop does not have that many cards devoted to nieces. With Hallmark Card Studio for Mac, I can easily modify the card, and even change out the graphic in seconds. When you want to insert a picture, don't be alarmed, as I was at first. Going to the "Insert" menu, it has Get Picture from Camera or iSight, and I thought, I want a picture from a file or desktop. Choose "Get Picture from Camera or iSight." Then, at the bottom of the work screen that shows a recent picture, choose "Choose." From there, you will be shown your drives and files. What is really neat about the picture insert process is that you can slide the picture around and crop it using a "slider," even hit a button to get the "sepia" or other picture-types one gets when you take a picture using your iSight camera. (I love my Mac!)
Using the premium card stock, Hallmark Half-Fold Glossy Premium Photo Greeting Cards - 15 count, or the matte version Hallmark Blank Greeting Cards Half-fold Matte Premium 20 Count and you will produce cards that no one will ever know, unless you want them to, is one you've made yourself.
Thank goodness, this finally came-out on the Mac platform. (I updated this to include the instructions for printing both sides of the paper if you have "borderless" printing activated. I've used this Mac version for two more months, and I'm finding it even easier to use, and no "crashes," even with updates to the Apple Operating Software.)
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