Easy Shop Banners For Mac Users

So I have recently found the easiest, quickest way to make a simple shop banner using my Mac.  I was so excited, because for some reason I did not think it could be done easily.  However, using this method I have been able to create a Zibbet Shop Banner an Etsy Shop Banner in no time at all!!! So I am going to show you how as well. You are going to be just as excited I'm sure.

1. First you are going to need to make sure you have the following programs:

1. iPhoto

2. Pages

3. Preview

You can check to make sure you have these applications by going to the finder or you might have an applications folder on your dock (they should all be in there).  On my computer I already had iPhoto and Preview, but I did not have Pages.  If you are like me, you might not have pages already installed on your Mac.  Don't worry though you can go to the apple store, and get a 30 day free trial!!! So you don't have to pay anything. NOTE: after your 30 day trial the program will still open but you wont be able to save anything until you purchase the program. So once you download the program get to work!! Although, I like it so much I am considering paying for it so I can keep using it after the trial is up... just a side note haha.  

2. So now you have all of the neccessary programs.  Open up I photo and select the photo of choice for your background.  Once you have picked out the lucky photo,  I like to duplicate it in case I mess it up. To do this click the photo, the on the tool bar up top click photos, the click duplicate. There, now you have two.  Next, click the copied photo then, click edit, then click crop. Next the cropping window will pop up.  Now you need to check constrain. Once you have done that in the left box type in 640 (for Zibbet) or 720 (for Etsy) and the type in 120 (for Zibbet) or 100 (for Etsy). DON'T HIT APPLY. In the background you will notice a highlighted area on the picture. Move this area around until you have it highlighting the part of the picture you want to use.  Once you are happy with this click apply. Next if you want, you can play around with different effects to get the look you want. When you are finally finished click done. Next you need to export.  So click File then Export. Now change "kind" to JPEG, the "Quality" to High. Next change "Size" to Custom, then Max change to "Width" of 640 (for Zibbet) or 100 (for Etsy), then change "File Name" to "Use File Name". Then hit "Export".  Finally choose where to save the file (I normally choose the desktop so its easy to find).  

3. Now that you have the photo in the shape of your banner. Open up pages.  Once it is open choose blank canvas. Once this opens click the blue inspector button (mine is in the upper right hand corner of the page).  Next click document and uncheck the headers and footers. Now you can close the inspector if you want.  Now that that is finished drag your banner into your blank document.  Click Text Box and one should pop up on your document somewhere.  Once inside of your text box you can change the font, color, and size on the tool bar at the top of the page.  You can re-size the text box and move it around.  Have fun make it yours.  If you want more fonts or don't have any you like you can go to dafont to find more.  Make sure you aren't violating any copy rights though, so read before you download.  Once you are happy with how your banner looks you need to group everything together into one object.  To do this click an item and hold the command key down as you continue clicking objects until you have successfully clicked all of them.  Once you have done this you need to click arrange (its on the very top tool bar of the screen) and then click group.  If you change your mind later you can always go back and hit the ungroup. Finally go to the very top tool bar again and click edit and then click copy. Yay!!! you are almost finished. Only one more step to go.

4. Now that you have your completed banner you need to open the last app. Preview.  When you click to open this app. nothing happens, but you will notice that the top tool bar now says Preview instead of Pages.  When it says Preview, click file, then click New From Clipboard.  Now it will open your banner in the Preview app.  Now go back to the top tool bar and click file, then save as... When the save as window opens up type your file name in the "Save As" box.  Select your location to save it in the "Where" box, then in "Format" click JPEG then in "Quality" slide the cursor over to Best. Then click Save.  Congratulations!!! You have now finished your banner and can upload it to Zibbet or Etsy or wherever else you need it. 

I have read and re-read this to make sure I didn't leave out any steps or type something in wrong, but if it doesn't work for you or you realize I left something out please email me onmommysapron@gmail.com so I can edit this little tute.

Also, Don't forget Mothers Day is only a couple of weeks away.  You can use coupon code: MOHTERSDAY at htt://www.zibbet.com/OnMommysApron, and you will save 10% off of your Mothers Day order.  We are also having free shipping on all of our aprons.  So take a look and let me know if there is anything else you would like to see.