Personalized Cards And Gifts (NAPSA)—Being close to family and friends is important, espe- cially when loved ones are miles away. Technology, such as e-mail, could have made handwritten holiday cards a distant memory, but today’s technology can actually make holidays more personalized. Homemade cards and gifts touch the heart like no store-bought item can. With the right tools, anyone can create inventive cards and gifts at home that will be a hit. ware, which can re-size or edit the photo. The photo editing software can also help create gifts. If a loved one’s cherished photo is old and tattered, simply scan the A picture’s worth a photo to makeit look like new. Pint-sized Van Gogh Couldn’t get the kidsto sit still easy to trade photos over e-mail. However, when feeling nostalgic, there’s nothing better than a crisp, full-color photo of loved ones. erator—most parents have their child’s latest masterpiece hung there. A child’s drawing makes a unique holiday card. Using a flatbed copier and scanner, the pages from a favorite book or is to feature a picture on the front be copied. This is ideal when mak- the recipient of the card. If the includes glitter or pipe cleaners. Scan the drawing into the computer, and use the photo software to edit out fingerprint smudges or other blemishes. A creative saying, such as “wishing you a colorful holiday,” will help complete the thousand words Digital cameras will be a hot gift again this season, makingit A unique twist to holiday cards that includes both the sender and desired photo isn’t available digitally, simply scan it into the computer to makereprints. Digital photos can be printed on a high- resolution color printer, then framed or madeinto personalholi- day cards. For photo-quality print- outs, an inkjet printer with a resolution of up to 2400 by 1200 dots per inchis ideal. One device that can help is the PrinTrio™ by Lexmark, a high-res- olution printer that also features a color copier and flatbed scanner, enabling a variety of creative pro- jects. The PrinTrio is great for consumers because it is easy to use and less expensive than simi- lar devices on the market. The PrinTrio comes with easy-tounderstand photo editing soft- for a photo? Then check the refrig- other three-dimensional items can ing color copies of an artwork that theme. It’s the thought that counts A holiday gift doesn’t have to be expensive to be special. There’s no better way to capture the essence of the holidays than to create a card or gift from scratch. Adding personal touches makes gifts more meaningful, bringing both sender and recipient closer during the holidays, even if they can’t be in the sameplace. For more information on the PrinTrio and creative arts and crafts, visit www.lexmark.com.
