Frequently Asked Questions

To See a step by step video of how to create a custom paper size Click Here

To download the template, please enter your ITEM NUMBER/SKU NUMBER in the Search Box on the home page of this website, in the clearly-labeled lower right search box or click here to go directly to the Templates Search page. Your SKU number is the last five digits underneath the barcode on your product package, usually found on the back of the product packaging. The SKU number takes you to the template that corresponds to the product you purchased. Click on the template to download a Microsoft Word template. You can save this document to your computer to create custom copy for your print-at-home design.

Step 1: Select and open your template in Microsoft Word and customize with your personalized information. Replace sample text in the template by highlighting the sample text, and typing over it. You can then format the font style, size, and color with the directions below.

Step 2: Please use the following directions to help you format the font in your project – be sure to type your personalized text first! To change font style and size, highlight the text you wish to change, and then click on FORMAT in the top toolbar, and select FONT from the drop down menu to open the font options box.

Step 3: Save your project by clicking on FILE in the top toolbar, and select “Save As…” from the drop-down menu. A “Save As” dialog box will then open; in this box you can set the location where this document will save (i.e. “My Documents,” “Desktop,” etc.) and create a title for your document. Be sure that the “Save As Type” field says “Word Document” or “Microsoft Word Document.” Click on SAVE to finish. Once you do this, you will have a copy of the template saved to your computer, which you can return to at anytime. To retrieve this, launch Microsoft Word, and click on FILE<< OPEN to browse for your saved project.

Step 4: Before printing, check and adjust the following printer settings: (To access these settings: click on FILE<< PRINT in this box, click on the PROPERTIES or PREFERENCES button. A new box will open up which will contain the various setting options within your printer. Search in these tabs for the following settings.) PAPER SIZE: In the paper-size drop-down box, select CUSTOM SIZE, if available, and enter in the width and height of your paper: 5.5” x 8.5”. You may also need to look for a section that says “Scale to Paper Size” – this should also have a drop down box where you’ll now want to select custom size. (NOTE: not all printers have this feature or need it adjusted. Test print prior to selecting the “Scale to Paper Size” setting.)

PAPER/MEDIA TYPE: Set your printer’s paper type toCARDSTOCK or HEAVYWEIGHT. This is probably currently set on ‘plain letter paper.’

PRINT QUALITY: Change this setting to BEST.

OTHER PRINTING NOTES:

• Test Printing. It is always a good idea to test print on plain paper cut to the size of your project before using the actual stock for your project. Test printing allows you to check the alignment and look of your project, and gives you the opportunity to confirm the way in which the stock will be loaded into the printer (face up, face down, etc.).

• Manually feed the paper into the printer. It is recommended that you manually feed the paper, rather than placing a stack of paper on the printer’s tray. This will minimize the chance of a paper jam. (You can send the whole job at once, but remove all paper from the printer before sending. You will then be able to put each sheet in one at a time).

• Adjusting the margins. Additionally, if you are still having problems getting the correct alignment after checking these tips, you can adjust the top margin of the template if the text is printing too high or too low. To do this, you would open the template and click FILE >> PAGE SETUP. Then in the margins tab, either increase or decrease the top margin according to how high or low the text is printing.

You can use Microsoft Word’s MAIL MERGE function with many of our products; including place cards, address labels, and business cards.

To do this, you will need:

* a saved copy of the PRINT USING WORD template for your item

* our MAIL MERGE instructions relevant to your version of Word.

Download and save the version of our instructions from the PDF attachments below that best corresponds to your version of Word. (To check what version of Word you have, launch Microsoft Word, and click on the HELP menu to choose “About Microsoft Word.”)

Important things to remember: –In most versions of Word, you will start from a BLANK document, and then bring the template in as part of the merge process. –You will need to use the <<NEXT RECORD>> field along with your merge fields to tell the merge to update for each new card or label.

For further assistance with your mail merge, including video how-to clips, please use the following web address below.

Click here for Microsoft’s Mail Merge Instructions link

MAIL MERGE INSTRUCTIONS (2007) WITH TEMPLATE
The key to using the template for mail merge is to open the template during the mail merge process. Then, you should customize one label with your merge fields. From there, you would copy and paste the merge fields into the remaining labels (the ones with the example text). Please review the mail merge wizard instructions below for further assistance. The exact steps will vary from version to version of Microsoft Word. The following work best with Microsoft Word 2007.

First, download and save the template to your desktop. To download the template, please go to http://www.gartnerstudios.com In the “Search Box” on the home page (lower right box) or the link at the bottom of every page enter in the SKU/Item#, which is the last 5 numbers on your product’s barcode. Then underneath where you see DOWNLOAD TEMPLATES, right next to the PRINT USING WORD arrow, select your appropriate template (example: Invitation Template or Label Template). Once you complete this screen, the next screen will either allow you to go directly through to the template or to save the template directly to your computer as a word document. Please follow the onscreen directions to save the template directly to your computer.

Then, launch Microsoft Word, and open a new blank document. In the Microsoft Word document, go to:

MAILINGS >> START MAIL MERGE >> STEP-BY-STEP MAIL MERGE WIZARD Under “Select Document Type”–Click on LABELS button.

• Click on NEXT…Starting Document

• Under “Select Starting Document”– Start from Existing Document (select the downloaded and saved template)

• Click on NEXT …Select Recipients

• Select Recipients Data Source (Browse for your spreadsheet, etc.)

• Click on NEXT STEP… WRITE YOUR LETTER (you may have to click this twice) Set up the merge fields…

• Highlight ONLY the 1st cell of sample text

• Insert your Fields (First Name, Last Name, etc.) — these can be found under “More items” or in the Mailings toolbar under “Write and Insert Fields<< Insert Merge Field”

• Then, place your cursor AFTER the text fields you inserted (First Name, Last Name, etc.). On the top toolbar, click on the “Rules” button (top right corner of the “Write and Insert Fields” section of the Mailings tab). From this drop-down list, click on the words “Next Record”. You should see <<Next Record>> inserted after the name fields you inserted on the first field.

• For example: <<First Name>>, <<Last Name>>, <<Next Record>>

• Then copy and paste this one cell’s information into all remaining cells with sample text on the first page of the template. Do not paste the information into the blank cells. Delete the remaining pages of the template, if necessary. (To do this, highlight the following pages, and then right-click to select “Cut”)

• Click on NEXT … Preview Your Letters (Edit if needed).

• Next: Complete the Merge. Use “Edit individual letters” to see the entire document, and make any formatting changes.

We do not recommend running our envelopes through your printer to avoid the risk of a paper jam, so we do not provide envelope templates on our website. Instead, we suggest either handwriting or printing on clear address labels and applying them directly to your envelopes. Handy Envelope Dimensions A2= 4.375” X 5.75” A4= 4.75” X 6.5” A7= 5.25” X 7.25” A8= 5.5” X 8.125” A9= 5.75” X 8.75” A10= 6” X 9.5

Check out these directions after downloading your item’s template from this website by entering the item # or the second set of five numbers from the barcode in our template search bar. Click here to go directly to the Templates Search page.

Step 1: Highlight the sample text with your cursor, and begin typing your customized text “over” the sample. Use the TAB key to move to the next cell making sure to type your text only in the cells that contain sample text. If creating return address labels, you can copy and paste this information once you’ve created it in the first cell.

Step 2: To change font style and size, please highlight the text you wish to change (type your personalized text first), and then click on FORMAT in the top toolbar, and select FONT from the drop down menu to open the font options box.

Step 3: To save your project, click on FILE in the top toolbar, and select “Save As…” from the drop-down menu. A “Save As” dialog box will then open; in this box you can set the location where this document will save (i.e. “My Documents,” “Desktop,” etc.) and create a title for your document. Make sure that the “Save As Type” field says “Word Document” or “Microsoft Word Document.” Click on SAVE to finish. Once you do this, you will have a copy of the template saved to your computer, which you can return to at anytime. To retrieve this, launch Microsoft Word, and click on FILE<< OPEN to browse for your saved project.

Step 4: Before printing, check and adjust the following printer settings: (To access these settings: click on FILE<< PRINT to open the “print dialog box.” In this box, click on the PROPERTIES or PREFERENCES button. A new box will open up which will contain the various setting options within your printer. Search in these tabs for the following settings.)

PAPER/MEDIA TYPE: Label paper is thicker than text stock or plain paper. The label paper is the equivalent of 65-70# cover stock paper. Set your printer’s paper type to LABEL or HEAVYWEIGHT. This is probably currently set on “plain letter paper.” If you do not see one of these paper type options noted above, please check to see if your printer supports printing on label paper. Check the printer’s manual or manufacturer’s web site for the media specifications for your specific printer model. If your printer is not built to print on this, you may encounter uneven printing. You will need to use a different printer if this is the case.

PRINT QUALITY Change this setting to BEST.

PAPER SIZE – IF NECESSARY, if you are working with an 8.5″ x 11″ sheet, please ignore this step. (this may be in a “Layout” or “Paper Options” tab): In the paper-size drop-down box, select CUSTOM SIZE if available, and enter in the width and height of your paper. This measurement can be found in the Page Set-up (FILE<< PAGE SET-UP), or by measuring this item with a ruler. You may also need to look for an area that says “Scale to Paper Size” – this should also have a drop down box where you’ll now want to select custom size. (NOTE: not all printers have or need this feature adjusted. Test print prior to setting the Scale to Paper Size setting.)

OTHER PRINTING NOTES: Please test print your address labels to a plain sheet of paper cut to the correct size of your label sheet. Compare this printout with label sheet to double-check the alignment, and make any adjustments as necessary. Use the manual feed option, printing one sheet at a time. You may wish to allow drying time prior to stacking.

Step 1: Highlight the sample text with your cursor, and begin typing your customized text over the sample. Use the TAB key to move to the next cell, ensuring that you type your text only in the cells that contain sample text (rows 2, 4, and 6).

Step 2: To change font style and size, please highlight the text you wish to change (type your personalized text first), and then click on FORMAT in the top toolbar, and select FONT from the drop down menu to open the font options box.

Step 3: To save your project, click on FILE in the top toolbar, and select “Save As…” from the drop-down menu. (For Word 2007 users, click on the “Office” icon at the top left corner, and select SAVE AS<< Word Document). A “Save As” dialog box will then open; in this box you can set the location where this document will save (i.e. “My Documents,” “Desktop,” a disk drive, etc) and create a title for your document. Make sure that the “Save As Type” field says “Word Document” or “Microsoft Word Document.” Click on SAVE to finish. Once you do this, you will have a copy of the template saved to your computer, which you can return to at anytime. To retrieve this, launch Microsoft Word, and click on FILE<< OPEN to browse for your saved project.

Step 4: Before printing, check and adjust the following printer settings: (To access these settings: click on FILE<< PRINT to open the “print dialog box.” In this box, click on the PROPERTIES or PREFERENCES button. A new box will open up which will contain the various setting options within your printer. Search in these tabs for the following settings.)

PAPER/MEDIA TYPE: Set your printer’s paper type to CARDSTOCK or HEAVYWEIGHT. This is probably currently set on ‘plain letter paper.’

PRINT QUALITY: Change this setting to BEST.

OTHER PRINTING NOTES: Test Printing It is always a good idea to test print on plain paper cut to the size of your project before using the actual stock for your project. Test printing allows you to check the alignment and look of your project, and gives you the opportunity to confirm the way in which the stock will be loaded into the printer (face up, face down, etc.). To print just one page, put the cursor on the page you want to print and click FILE >> PRINT. In the resulting dialog box, select Current Page and then only that one page should print. Manually feed the paper into the printer: It is recommended that you manually feed the paper, rather than placing a stack of paper on the printer’s tray. This will minimize the chance of a paper jam. (You can send the whole job at once, but remove all paper from the printer before sending. You will then be able to put each sheet in one at a time).

Adjusting the margins: Additionally, if you are still having problems getting the correct alignment after checking these tips, you can adjust the top margin of the template if the text is printing too high or too low. To do this, you would open the template and click FILE >> PAGE SETUP. Then in the margins tab, either increase or decrease the top margin according to how high or low the text is printing.

Step 1: Select and open your template in Microsoft Word and customize with your personalized information. Replace sample text in the template by highlighting the sample text, and typing over it. You can then format the font style, size, and color with the directions below. Replace sample text in the template by highlighting the sample text, and typing over it. You can then format the font style, size, and color with the directions below.

Step 2: Please use the following directions to help you format the font in your project – be sure to type your personalized text first! To change font style and size, please highlight the text you wish to change, and then click on FORMAT in the top toolbar, and select FONT from the drop down menu to open the font options box.

Step 3: Save your project by clicking on FILE in the top toolbar, and select “Save As…” from the drop-down menu. (For Word 2007 users, click on the “Office” icon at the top left corner, and select SAVE AS<< Word Document). A “Save As” dialog box will then open; in this box you can set the location where this document will save (i.e. “My Documents,” “Desktop,” a disk drive, etc) and create a title for your document. Make sure that the “Save As Type” field says “Word Document” or “Microsoft Word Document.” Click on SAVE to finish. Once you do this, you will have a copy of the template saved to your computer, which you can return to at anytime. To retrieve this, launch Microsoft Word, and click on FILE<< OPEN to browse for your saved project.

Step 4:Before printing, check and adjust the following printer settings: (To access these settings: click on FILE<< PRINT in the “Print Using Word” template or the pink “Print” icon in the “Print using Flash” template to open the “print dialog box.” In this box, click on the PROPERTIES or PREFERENCES button. A new box will open up which will contain the various setting options within your printer. Search in these tabs for the following settings.) PAPER SIZE (this may be in a ‘Layout’ or ‘Paper Options’ tab): In the paper-size drop-down box, select CUSTOM SIZE if available, and enter in the width and height of your paper. This measurement can be found in the Page Set-up (FILE<< PAGE SET-UP), or by measuring this item with a ruler. o You may also need to look for an area that says ‘Scale to Paper Size’ – this should also have a drop down box where you’ll now want to select custom size. (NOTE: not all printers have or need this feature adjusted. Test print prior to setting the Scale to Paper Size setting.)

PAPER/MEDIA TYPE: Set your printer’s paper type to TRANSPARENCY. This is probably currently set on ‘plain letter paper.’

PRINT QUALITY Change this setting to BEST.

Other Printing Notes:

• Test print on a test sheet or plain piece of paper cut to the size of your overlay to ensure perfect printing.
• Print one sheet at a time on manual feed for best printing results.
• Allow 10 minutes drying time prior to stacking.
• If your print is off, you may need to check with your printer’s manufacturer for further assistance in configuring your printer for vellum printing.

Our Tri-Fold Program Papers are designed to be folded in a Z-fold (like an accordion), with the front cover section to the left when you begin folding. The template is designed with this folding style in mind. If you would like to print on the backside as well, you can download and use the template twice to customize one template each for the front-side and the back-side of your program paper. You can save this template twice directly to your computer by using the FILE<< SAVE AS… function. Please be sure to test print to determine the correct way to feed the paper with your printer.

Some printers will not automatically detect the Page Set-Up settings from your template. In this case, you will need to adjust the “paper size” setting manually under your printer’s settings to configure it for printing to this custom sized sheet of paper. To do this, open the template and click on FILE<< PRINT in this box, click on the PROPERTIES or PREFERENCES button. A new box will open up which will contain the various setting options within your printer. Search in these tabs for the following settings: Locate your paper size drop-down box (this may be in an “Advanced”, “Features” or “Paper/Quality” tab… it may be also be called “Resizing Options”)– it is likely defaulted to letter size. In the drop-down box or just below it, select “CUSTOM/User Defined” and enter in the width and height of your paper. This measurement can be found in the Page Set-up (FILE<< PAGE SET-UP), or by measuring this item with a ruler. *****You may need to name/save this setting. Be sure after defining this size, you also select it. Some printers will make you exit and re-enter the Properties/Preferences to be able to select a newly defined size.******* You may also need to check the CUSTOM setting in the Scale to Paper Size drop-down box found on the initial screen of FILE >> PRINT in order for the custom size to register with your printer. Please test print your project to make sure you are happy with the final alignment. You can make additional test sheets by trimming a plain sheet of paper to the size of your project. If you are having problems setting the paper size, please consult your printer’s manual or the manufacturer’s website for further help.

Printing on card stock: Our place cards, business cards and invitations are made of heavyweight paper, also known as card stock. Please use the Card Stock or Heavyweight Paper setting for your printer if available. This setting is generally found under FILE–PRINT–PROPERTIES, and then media or paper type or something similar. Please consult with your printer’s manual or manufacturer’s customer support line for further assistance finding these settings. Print quality: Avoid using the “fast draft” or “draft” setting. This setting often results in the paper moving rapidly through the printer, potentially resulting in crooked or misaligned text. Test print: It is always a good idea to test print on plain paper before using the actual stock for your project. Test printing allows you to check the alignment and look of your project, and gives you the opportunity to confirm the proper direction to load the stock into the printer (face up, face down, etc.). To print just one page, put the cursor on the page you want to print and click FILE >> PRINT. In the resulting dialog box, select Current Page and then only that one page should print. Hand- feed the paper into the printer: It is recommended that you hand-feed the paper, rather than placing a stack of paper on the printer’s tray. This will minimize the chance of a paper jam. You can send the whole job at once, but remove all paper from the printer before sending. You will then be able to put each sheet in one at a time. Adjusting the margins: Additionally, if you are still having problems getting the correct alignment after checking these tips, you can adjust the top margin of the template if the text is printing too high or too low.  To do this, you would open the template and click FILE >> PAGE SETUP. Then in the margins tab, either increase or decrease the top margin according to how high or low the text is printing.  For example, if the text is 1/4″ too high, then increase the top margin by .25″. If the text is too low, then decrease the top margin by .25″. When increasing the top margin, be careful not to increase it too much. It may cause the last row to shift onto the next page. If this happens, reduce the bottom margin. Another option is to use your mouse to highlight all of the text within the template. While highlighted, right click your mouse and in the pop-up menu, scroll down to Cell Alignment. From there, you can scroll over and select the box (containing lines) that will reflect where you’d like to move the text within the cell. There are 9 options in this area that may help you raise, lower, center or left/right align the text within the cells.

Generally, most business card printing problems are a result of the heavier stock paper not feeding through the printer properly. Thus, you get the correct alignment printing on plain paper but not on the heavier card stock. You may need to change the PAPER TYPE/MEDIA TYPE in your printer settings. To do this, open the template and click on FILE<< PRINT in this box, click on the PROPERTIES or PREFERENCES button. A new box will open up which will contain the various setting options within your printer. Please use the Card Stock or Heavyweight Paper setting for your printer. Please consult with your printer’s manual or manufacturer’s customer support line for further assistance finding these settings. Also, you may want to change the PRINT QUALITY to ‘Best’ for a more successful print.

Step 1: Select and open your template and customize with your personalized information. Replace sample text in the template by highlighting the sample text, and typing over it. You can then format the font style, size, and color with the directions below.

Step 2: Please use the following directions to help you format the font in your project – make sure to type your personalized text first! To change font style and size, please highlight the text you wish to change, and then click on FORMAT in the top toolbar, and select FONT from the drop down menu to open the font options box.

Step 3: Save your project by clicking on FILE in the top toolbar, and select “Save As…” from the drop-down menu. (For Word 2007 users, click on the “Office” icon at the top left corner, and select SAVE AS<< Word Document). A “Save As” dialog box will then open; in this box you can set the location where this document will save (i.e. “My Documents,” “Desktop,” etc.) and create a title for your document. Make sure that the “Save As Type” field says “Word Document” or “Microsoft Word Document.” Click on SAVE to finish. Once you do this, you will have a copy of the template saved to your computer, which you can return to at anytime. To retrieve this, launch Microsoft Word, and click on FILE<< OPEN to browse for your saved project.

Step 4:Before printing, check and adjust the following printer settings: To access these settings: click on FILE<< PRINT in this box, click on the PROPERTIES or PREFERENCES button. A new box will open up which will contain the various setting options within your printer. Search in these tabs for the following settings. PAPER SIZE: IF NECESSARY, if you are working with an 8.5” x 11” sheet; please ignore this step.# In the paper-size drop-down box, select CUSTOM SIZE if available, and enter in the width and height of your paper. This measurement can be found in the Page Set-up FILE<< PAGE SET-UP, or by measuring this item with a ruler. You may also need to look for a section that says “Scale to Paper Size” – this should also have a drop down box where you’ll now want to select custom size. NOTE: not all printers have this feature or need it adjusted. Test print prior to selecting the “Scale to Paper Size” setting.

PAPER/MEDIA TYPE: This is typically defaulted to ‘plain letter paper.’ Set your printer’s paper type to match the stock you are working with:

• Business cards, place cards, invitations, program papers, certificates, favor tags, etc: CARDSTOCK or HEAVYWEIGHT.
• Vellum overlays: TRANSPARENCY
• Address or All Purpose Labels: LABEL or HEAVYWEIGHT
• Stationery: SPECIALTY or OTHER SPECIALTY PAPER

PRINT QUALITY: Change this setting to BEST.

OTHER PRINTING NOTES: Test Printing. It is always a good idea to test print on plain paper cut to the size of your project before using the actual stock for your project. Test printing allows you to check the alignment and look of your project, and gives you the opportunity to confirm the way in which the stock will be loaded into the printer face up, face down, etc.. Manually feed the paper into the printer. It is recommended that you manually feed the paper, rather than placing a stack of paper on the printer’s tray. This will minimize the chance of a paper jam. You can send the whole job at once, but remove all paper from the printer before sending. You will then be able to put each sheet in one at a time. Adjusting the margins: Additionally, if you are still having problems getting the correct alignment after checking these tips, you can adjust the top margin of the template if the text is printing too high or too low. To do this, you would open the template and click FILE >> PAGE SETUP. Then in the margins tab, either increase or decrease the top margin according to how high or low the text is printing. For example, if the text is 1/4″ too high, then increase the top margin by 0.25″ If the text is too low, then decrease the top margin by 0.25″. When increasing the top margin, be careful not to increase it too much. It may cause the last row to shift onto the next page. If this happens, reduce the bottom margin. Another option is to use your mouse to highlight all of the text within the template. While highlighted, right click your mouse and in the pop-up menu, scroll down to Cell Alignment. From there, you can scroll over and select the box containing lines that will reflect where you’d like to move the text within the cell. There are 9 options in this area that may help you raise, lower, center or left/right align the text within the cells.

Postage is determined by primarily by weight, which may vary from item to item, depending on the number of enclosures. Postage may also be determined by unique sizes and additional special services such as hand canceling, delivery confirmation, and registered mail. Because of this, we recommend taking one completed invitation to your local post office to check the postage required. For invitations, especially those with a pocket style envelope, embellishments, charms, or ribbons, we strongly recommend having these items “hand-cancelled” at the post office. Square products will also require additional postage. For more information, you can also talk to your local postmaster. We like the Post Office’s “Customer’s Guide to Mailing” for all sorts of great information about mailing your project!

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Our products are compatible with most home and home office printers currently in use, both laser and ink jet, and do product testing to ensure this compatibility. However, in some cases, due to printer manufacturers’ specifications not within our control, a product may be incompatible. Gartner Studios strongly suggests that consumers check their printer manuals for paper requirements and related instructions to ensure perfect printing. You can consult your printer’s instruction manual or contact the help desk of your your printer manufacturer to confirm compatibility with your product. Some important notes:

• We recommend using the “manual feed” and “best quality” options for all of our printable products.
• Our cardstock (place cards, invitations, business cards, certificates) items are produced on 80# cover cardstock.
• Vellum items may require you to adjust your printer’s settings for best printing results.
• Some laser printers are not compatible with foiled products. Please consult your instruction manual to ensure compatibility.
• Many of our items are smaller than standard sized paper; you may need to adjust the PAPER SIZE setting in your printer’s properties to print your project.
• We do not recommend or support printing to envelopes.

If it seems you are missing a piece in your kit, please send us a message by visiting our “contact us” on this site and filling in the message fields Be sure to include the following information with your message: –the item # of the product you purchased –the specific pieces that are missing. A member of our Customer Service Department will work with you directly.

If a portion of your kit is damaged, please send us a message by visiting our “contact us” on this site and filling in the message fields Be sure to include the following information with your message: –the item # of the product you purchased –the specific pieces that are missing. A member of our Customer Service Department will work with you directly.

Many of our items that have an imprintable top sheet with a back card and include a ribbon for assembly. Here’s how we’ve assembled these kits and tied the bows in our samples:

1. Feed the ribbon through the imprintable top sheet and backer card from the FRONT side. If your kit includes a charm or tag, string these onto the ribbon before threading through the cards.
2. Cross the ribbon on the backside of the card, and feed the ends back through the opposite hole-punches out towards the front.
3. Gently pull tight to secure.

You may find it easier to feed the ribbon by folding over a small bit at the end and feeding the loop through rather straight from the end. Trim off any frayed ends if necessary.

Online orders have both a “processing” and a “shipping” time. Online order processing time, the time it takes to fill your order, will take approximately 2 business days for blank orders. Personalized orders take approximately 3-5 business days. Shipping time, the time it takes for your order arrive via our shipper, is in addition to the order processing time. We offer two shipping options: UPS Ground and UPS Second Day Express delivery. Ground shipping can range from 1-5 business days for delivery via UPS Ground service or 2 business days for Second Day Express delivery. At this time, Gartner Studios does not ship outside of the United States.

Many of our products are available on this website. We also have a variety of products in major retailers such as Michaels, Target, Walmart, Party City, Staples, Office Depot, TJMaxx, JCPenney, A.C. Moore, FedEx, and many more. We also offer products at our MARA-MI store in Stillwater, Minnesota. russell+hazel products are available at our russell+hazel flagship store in Minneapolis or on russellandhazel.com.

Our BRIDES collection of products is exclusively licensed to Michaels stores for retail, and because of this, we are generally not able to sell these items online. Michaels stores determines which items are offered online, and at this time, this collection is available exclusively in store. At times these items become available online, and when that is the case we will post these links on our site. In the meantime, please visit your local Michaels store for further purchasing information. If the products are not immediately available at your local Michaels store, you may wish to speak to Michaels’ Customer Service at 1-800-MICHAELS or a manager regarding special ordering or transferring stock from another store for you.

Our kits are assembled together at the time of manufacture, and because of this, the individual pieces are not available for sale separately.

For orders placed through our website, we have a 60 day return policy on non-personalized products. Personalized items cannot be returned. If you would like to return your non-personalized order, please contact Customer Service at 1-888-235-0484, and we will provide you with return instructions. When calling, please a copy of the order’s packing slip available. Please note that items being returned must be in their shipping carton and unopened original packaging. Shipping charges are not refundable.

Not all Gartner Studios items are available for purchase directly through our website. An item may not be available for a few different reasons: the item may be currently out-of-stock the item may have been discontinued and is no longer available the item may be licensed exclusively to a particular retailer, and due to this agreement, we are not able to sell this item directly. For example, BRIDES products are available exclusively through Michaels stores and not available for online purchase. If you have additional questions about locating the availability of your product, please visit our contact us page and submit your question. We are happy to assist in any way we can.

Thank you for your interest in Gartner Studios. We are excited about the opportunity to work with your company! Simple visit our Wholesaler Page and fill out the short survey there, so that we may better process your request. After you have completed the survey, you will be contacted directly by a Gartner Studios customer service representative. We look forward to hearing from you, and working with you in the future.

We appreciate your interest in Gartner Studios. Because we support our own talented in-house design team for all of our product development and design, we do not currently accept unsolicited offers from outside artists. If you would like to more information regarding career opportunities with Gartner Studios, please contact our Human Resources department directly.

Thanks to the hard work of our creative team and wonderful response from our customers, Gartner Studios has experienced fantastic growth. We are always looking for talented and committed people to our join our team. If you would like to more information regarding career opportunities with Gartner Studios in Stillwater, Minnesota, please submit your cover letter (along w/salary requirements) and resume online for further review. Gartner Studios is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, public assistance status, veteran status, disability or sexual orientation. Individuals are evaluated and selected on the basis of merit.

Unopened Duff products ordered from Duff.com or GartnerStudios.com may be returned within 30 days for a refund, with the exception of food products. We do not accept any returns on food items or non-food items that have been opened. Shipping costs to be paid by the customer. For questions, contact customer service at 1-888-235-0484

Yes. The Duff fondant is both gluten free and nut free.

The airbrush is a terrific cake decorating tool! Click here for all of our tips and tricks for using your Duff Airbrush Machine.

If you properly clean and take care of your Duff Airbrush Machine, it will last longer. Click here for detailed instructions for cleaning your Duff Airbrush Machine, including photos.

The shelf life of Duff fondant is 21 months. Open the tub, use what you need, and seal it back up so it stays fresh longer. If the fondant gets stiff, that’s a good thing. Warm it up for a few seconds in the microwave or simply use the warmth of your hands. The Duff sprinkles, Primary, Pastel, Neutral and Brights (set of four), have a shelf life of 36 months. The Duff flavored sprinkles, such as Cookies & Cream, S’Mores, and others, have a shelf life of 12 months. All Duff cake and brownie mixes have a shelf life of one year.

One box of Duff cake mix makes approximately 18 cupcakes.

At 7,000 ft., for each cup of liquid called for in the recipe, add an additional 3 to 4 tablespoons of that liquid. For cakes, lower the oven temperature by 20 degrees or so and slightly shorten the cooking time. Keep changes to a minimum the first time you prepare a recipe and subsequently adjust as necessary.

Cake tattoos were designed to stand out against white buttercream frosting. Adding coloring your buttercream may change the color and the appearance of the tattoo, but you can certainly try different things to get a variety of effects. Why not?

If stored correctly fondant will dry firm, but will not dry out. Store fondant strips in a sealed container at room temperature. Please remember, fondant is made to cover cakes. It is not gumpaste and will not perform like gumpaste and will not dry hard. For firm decorative elements, we suggest you use gumpaste for best results.

When applying the cake tattoo, you need to apply at least 15-20 minutes prior to cutting the cake to allow the tattoo time to meld into icing. Please note the colors in the cake tattoos are sensitive to light, especially pink, purple and some red. Protect your tattooed cake from direct sunlight and strong fluorescent lights.

This really depends upon the type of cake that is being decorated. If the cake is iced with buttercream frosting, refrigerating for several hours is better than for several days. If the cake is iced with fondant, it will do better in the refrigerator for several days. Cake tattoos can be applied to cakes that will be stored in the refrigerator. Store the cake uncovered in the refrigerator until it cools down to prevent condensation from forming inside the packaging. Condensation will drip onto the tattoos and may cause the colors to run. Cake tattoos can also be applied to cakes that will be frozen. However, it is important to take precautions with the freeze and thaw cycles to avoid build-up of the ice crystals. Thaw frozen cakes slowly, preferably uncovered in refrigerator, to avoid sweating and running of colors. If the tattoo bubbles during freezing, GENTLY TAP (do not rub) the tattoo to release the bubble.

Yes, the Duff gel colors are gluten free.

The packaging reflects any allergen ingredients and/or contact with those ingredients.

You can leave the fondant rolled out on the counter covered or not covered. If you’d like to cover it, something like plastic wrap works well. If you want to place the rolled fondant in the refrigerator, place the fondant in a cake a box first then place in the refrigerator. Fondant can be stored in the original container and in the cupboard for up to 21 months. Just keep it airtight, and you can use it over and over again.

Fondant works best when it is used to cover cakes, as opposed to use as a molding product. We find that using gumpaste for molding is much more effective. We have used the Duff white fondant and pressed it into molds. It does harden so that you can paint it or airbrush it and use it as a decoration for cupcakes and cakes.

Yes, you can put your cake in the refrigerator after the fondant is applied. Please know that all fondants will sweat when taken out of the refrigerator, so it is best to place your cake into a cake box that will absorb most of the moisture. If the box will not fit in your refrigerator, no worries. Take your cake out of the refrigerator several hours before the event to allow time for the fondant to air dry. Do not touch your cake during drying because it will leave fingerprints. If you need to speed up drying time, place a fan in the room, but not too close to your cake.

Do not refrigerate or freeze leftover fondant. Simply seal the container so it is airtight. Fondant has a shelf life of one year at room temperature.

If you use a thin layer of icing for a crumb coat, your fondant-covered cake will stay fresh for 4 to 7 days after the icing and fondant is applied. Be sure to seal the cake completely with fondant.

Our cake decorating kits generally include all the fun things needed to decorate the cake featured on the box. What it does not include is the actual cake mix and fondant. Those items need to be purchased separately so that you have the flexibility to choose your favorite flavors.

1. Using your cursor click inside the text box you want to change
2. Now you will see Textbox tools options available in the tool bar
3. All the way to the left of the tool bar you will find “text direction”. Click on it to change the direction of your text.

Refer to the image below…

Yes, you can use Duff’s Color Gel to color cake batter in addition to coloring frosting.

The tattoo should adhere to porous so using a Duff Tattoo on an ice cream cake should be fine.

If diluted enough the gel colors and Vodka should work just fine in the Duff Air Brush machine, if not diluted enough the gel will clog the machine.

Yes. The Duff Gum Paste is gluten free?

The wires are made of stainless steel.

Yes. The Duff wires are food safe.

Two 8in round layers – 32-35 min Two 9in round layers – 28-31 min One 13x9in pan – 32-35 min One 10in pan or fluted tube pan – 43-48 min 24-30 cupcakes (fill ∏ full) – 21-24 min

This depends on how much you use and how thick you spray the color on. You will be able to cover one 8” layer of a cake or even more.

Please place some water (as a test) into the section where you would add the air brush color. Usually the machine will not air/color until there is liquid added.