The Print Shop Deluxe, our TopTenREVIEWS Silver Award winner, is a versatile new version of Broderbund's popular greeting card software. If you are looking for variety in texts, clip art, photo editing tools and more, then you should check The Print Shop Deluxe.
This greeting card software is a bit challenging to use, but it offers a vast amount of project options and the tools to work with to create a wide variety of cards to suit virtually any occasion.
From Bar Mitzvah greetings to Christmas cards, from baptismal notices to "Congratulations on Your 50th Wedding Anniversary!" cards, you can find and make just about anything you want with The Print Shop Deluxe.
Ease of Use: 
The Print Shop Deluxe's design is quite attractive and self-explanatory. However, this software was not quite as easy to use as we would have wanted. Initially, we found it took quite a long time to install this product and we also encountered difficulty opening it the first few times we tried. However, after that, it opened easily.
There is a bit of a learning curve before you can feel completely comfortable navigating this greeting card software. However, it compensates for this with the enormous number of text, editing and other creative tools and options that come with this application.
Feature Set: 
The Print Shop Deluxe is a greeting card software product that contains a sizeable amount of project options, a full library of templates and clip art, plenty of creative project templates, lots of greeting card options and auto-correct features for photographs that can greatly enhance their quality. This software contains the options and tools to help you construct and design all manner of cards. Among the newest features is a redesigned workspace where you can get started. You also can add attractive frames and borders to any photograph.
If these numerous choices somehow do not fulfill what you want for creating the perfect greeting card or eCard, you could always choose one of the application's blank templates. Then you can add any text, art and photos you that you have imported and any embellishments you want to make your card look exactly the way you had envisioned it.This version now offers new design tools such as drop shadow, gradients and tranparencies.
You are not limited to standard greeting card sizes and styles with this greeting card software. For example, you can pick a picture postcard and make that your greeting. From charming birth announcements to fanciful invitations to bridal showers, this application offers enough versatility to keep you happily occupied with projects for family and friends for hours.
Another worthwhile option you can find with this greeting card software is the capability to make your own envelopes and match them in design, color, text and virtually any other fashion to the cards you are creating. You also can make matching stationery sets, which lends a certain flair to any greeting card since everything is coordinated and attractive.
You also can devise greeting cards for small business purposes to announce everything from an open house or a change in ownership to a holiday greeting for customers. In this area, the clip art library and your own photos may be invaluable.
When it comes to photos, this application is well equipped to meet nearly every need. You can crop photos and other images to any shape you choose. You also can edit them into particular designs, specify a certain number of color gradient stops and select colors. In addition, you can add a drop shadow to any photo, and you can even enhance that by changing the shadow color, distance and crispness of the shadow's overall appearance.
You get an auto-correct capability that can help you get the look you are seeking. You also can try such things as turning a photo from color into black and white for a different look or attempt a retro look by using sepia. You also get red-eye removal for humans and for pets.
Another feature that you will enjoy – and your friends and family will adore you for – is the spot photo touch up ability. This software function lets you doctor pictures of people to make everyone look considerably better. Armed with this, you can erase scars and blemishes, take away wrinkles and whiten teeth, all characteristics that will make the subjects of your photos even more attractive.
As for export options, you can print anything you choose on your home computer. This software also gives you the ability to print to the web.
Ease of Installation:
We ran into some problems installing this greeting card software and found that it took a long time to install. At first, it would not open after several attempts. However, we eventually got it open and were able to see all the different project possibilities this software contains.
Help & Support:
The Print Shop Deluxe provides a number of ways to get answers to any questions about it. You'll find information ranging from the status of your order to how to operate the software itself. There are helpful video tutorials that explain a wide variety of the tools that you can find on the software. Through these, you can learn everything from how to edit pictures or place drop shadows on text.
The Broderbund website for The Print Shop Deluxe offers a section that contains answers to many commonly asked questions. If you have other difficulties, there is email and phone support. One feature we found especially useful is the live chat, which offers answers quickly to nearly any question that might arise.
Summary:
This greeting card software is jam-packed with print project ideas and opportunities, as well as the tools you can use to construct greeting cards that look exactly the way you want them. It would be nice if it were a bit easier to install and use, but once you get the hang of navigating this application, the number and style of lovely cards you can make are limited only by your imagination. The Print Shop Deluxe offers a number of extras, including effects, photo editing tools, color adjustments and more, that make it a fun and worthwhile greeting card application.
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