Create personalised cards for every occasion with Canon printers

A personalised card feels more thoughtful than a store-bought option. For the giver, it’s also an opportunity to create a message and design that are just right.

Whether you’re crafting a festive Christmas greeting, a celebratory birthday card or a heartfelt thank-you note, a Canon PIXMA or SELPHY CP1500 printer has all the features you need to make your card unforgettable. These printers can help you bring your creativity to life, making it easy to add a personal touch to any occasion.

Read on for a step-by-step guide to crafting unique cards for every occasion, with design tips and ideas to spark inspiration.

A Canon PIXMA or SELPHY CP1500 printer is an ideal companion for DIY cardmaking projects.

Canon PIXMA printers are designed for high-quality photo and text printing, using a wide choice of paper types including Canon Double-sided Matte Paper MP-101D – the 7x10 inches size of this paper is pre-creased and comes complete with envelopes to make the process of creating and sending greeting cards quick and easy. You can print wirelessly direct from your smartphone or tablet using the free Canon PRINT app for iOS or Android, and use the free Easy-PhotoPrint Editor app on your smart device or computer to create your own custom card designs. To get you started, there’s a variety of templates available for download from Canon’s Creative Park website, which you can then personalise.

The Canon SELPHY CP1500 is a compact photo printer, perfect for producing cards that feature high-quality photography for any occasion. Using dye-sublimation technology, the SELPHY CP1500 produces vivid, durable prints on postcard-sized paper (available as both KP-36IP postcard-backed paper and RP-108 postcard-sized paper), ideal for cards that feature family photos or snapshots of special moments. It’s also compatible with a wide range of sticker paper, which gives you even more ways to adorn printed projects (and other objects) with personalised decorations. Using the SELPHY Photo Layout app, you can add frames, filters and QR codes directly onto your design, perfect for event invitations and announcements.

Here are some quick tips to get started.

1. Templates and inspiration

If you’re using any Canon PIXMA printer, Canon’s Creative Park website is a fantastic place to start, with templates and designs to download, customise and print. If you’re using the Canon SELPHY CP1500, the SELPHY Photo Layout app offers helpful features such as collages, custom frames and font options.

2. Add a handwritten touch

Consider adding an extra personal note or doodle to your printed cards. For an extra creative flair, use personalised stickers printed on your Canon SELPHY CP1500 to print labels with the recipient’s name or fun messages.

3. Use embellishments for added style

Enhance your cards with simple additions like ribbons, wax seals or craft punches for unique shapes. By combining these embellishments with your printed designs, you can turn each card into a keepsake.

Canon’s printers make it easy to capture the spirit of any holiday, from Easter and Valentine’s Day to Mother’s Day and Halloween. Canon’s Plus Glossy II paper offers a smooth, polished finish for designs with vibrant seasonal colours. Creative Park’s templates feature holiday motifs including eggs, hearts and seasonal foliage.

Step 1: Select the perfect paper and template

If you’re using a PIXMA printer, explore Canon’s Creative Park for Christmas templates featuring holiday borders, festive fonts, and cosy colour palettes. For a festive Christmas card, start with Canon Matte Photo Paper for a soft, professional finish or SELPHY’s postcard-size sheets with built-in address lines for easy mailing.

Step 2: Create your design

Using the SELPHY Photo Layout app with your SELPHY printer, you can incorporate family photos or holiday elements like snowflakes or ornaments, and even apply festive filters and frames to create unique designs. For PIXMA users, the Easy-PhotoPrint Editor app offers flexibility to experiment with different layouts and sizes, perfect for customising larger foldable cards with plenty of space for handwritten notes. For a more interactive approach, create a pop-out effect by carefully cutting out certain elements and folding them following the instructions from Creative Park.

Step 3: Add personal embellishments

Once your design is printed, consider adding some personal touches with small embellishments, such as ribbon, glitter, or seasonal stickers, which you can create and print with the SELPHY CP1500.

To stay ready for any holiday, create a set of cards in advance. Print cards for a variety of occasions and store them for quick access whenever a holiday comes up.

Step 1: Choose bright colours and festive templates

Birthday cards are a celebration, so bright colours and cheerful themes work best. Canon Double-sided Matte Paper MP-101D, which boasts rich colour reproduction, is ideal for bold, vibrant designs to be printed on your PIXMA printer. The paper is also pre-creased and comes with envelopes, making the process of creating and sending greeting cards quick and easy. Browse Creative Park templates featuring balloons, confetti, or birthday cake illustrations.

Step 2: Add interactive details

To create personalised stickers with the SELPHY CP1500, start by using Canon's SELPHY Photo Layout app. This app enables you to design small sticker sheets with names, text, or fun images, ideal for customising cards with a personal touch. Choose your desired images or add text within the app, adjust the layout, and then print directly onto Canon’s sticker paper (available in a small format specifically for the SELPHY CP1500). This sticker paper ensures easy application for a polished finish on cards or gifts.

Alternatively, Creative Park offers creative options for foldable and pop-out designs to print on your PIXMA printer, adding an extra element of surprise to your card.

Step 1: Tailor each card to the occasion

The Canon PIXMA range and SELPHY CP1500 printers offer flexibility for creating themed invitations and announcements. For a baby shower or wedding, PIXMA’s various paper sizes can create large-format invitations with ample space for detailed designs. Creative Park provides templates with soft pastels, elegant fonts, or themed illustrations to match any event.

To create personalised stickers with the SELPHY CP1500, begin by using Canon's SELPHY Photo Layout app, which offers various templates for sticker design. You can print on Canon’s specialised sticker paper, such as the 54 x 86 mm sticker sheets, which are ideal for printing small, durable stickers to adorn cards, invitations, or gifts. For best results, use the dedicated SELPHY sticker sheets (available as KC-18IS square stickers or KC-18IL mini stickers), which are perfect for creating compact, vivid stickers that are easily applied without the need for glue. These stickers are an excellent choice for adding names, images, or personal touches to enhance cards or invitations. It’s also worth noting that SELPHY consumables come in paper and ink sets for ease of use.

If you’re using a PIXMA printer, Canon’s range offers additional creative flexibility, with options to print on various paper sizes and styles, including photo paper in sizes from 10x15cm (4x6") to larger-format A3. For invitations or cards with a unique, standout design, try Canon Double-sided Matte Paper MP-101D, which is ideal for foldable, high-quality print projects. Canon also offers Photo Paper Plus Glossy II, available in A3 and A4 sizes for large-format photo prints that provide a professional look with a vibrant, glossy finish. For smaller, photography-based cards consider Canon PP-201 Glossy II Photo Paper Plus 5x5 or Canon PP-201 Glossy II Photo Paper Plus (available in 4 x 6 inches).

Step 2: Add QR codes for convenience

The SELPHY CP1500 lets you print QR codes directly onto a card or you could use the mini stickers to enhance a card with links to event details, RSVP forms, or a website. This practical touch makes it easy for guests to access details about the event.

Whether you’re celebrating a holiday, a milestone, or a small, thoughtful moment, the Canon PIXMA range and SELPHY CP1500 offer the perfect combination of versatility and ease. With their exceptional print quality and user-friendly features, these printers ensure your creations will always stand out, making every occasion even more memorable.

Just remember to make the most of Canon's creative tools, such as the SELPHY Photo Layout app and Creative Park, to enhance your designs and bring them to life!

Written by John Marshall