Instructions for Setting up Your E-Mail to send Stationery with Internet Explorer 5.0 and above. If you use a HOTMAIL account and want to set it up to use Stationery click here
First off you need to be using
5.0 or above. If you aren't sure what version you have, launch OUTLOOK EXPRESS and then click HELP/ABOUT OUTLOOK EXPRESS
You will get something like this...As you can see I am using 6.0 which is the most current one available from Microsoft.
. Downloading IE 6 is not difficult. Follow this link
Now for the first of the FUN stuff. On your Desktop create a New Folder and name it "Stationery". To create the folder Right click your mouse on the desktop and choose NEW, then NEW FOLDER. Open this folder and create two more new folders and name one Backgrounds and the other Sounds. Now you have a place ready to store all the goodies you are going to save for use in your spicy emails. Certainly there are other places where you can save these goodies, but you will find it quick and easy to get to when you want to use them this way.
Now go surfing for Gif, Jpgs, Backgrounds (image files), and Midis, or Wavs (sound files). You can find them almost anywhere. For example you can start by saving this background to your new file. Right click the page with your mouse and then choose ...Save as Background... A menu window will appear with a default destination folder. Click on the ...Active Desktop... Icon
on the toolbar. This is the one just to the right of the ...One Up Folder... Icon. This will show all the things on your desktop.
Now just click on your Stationery folder to open it and then click save. (I have mine inside the MY DOCUMENTS FOLDER that's why you don't see it here) You can save other smaller images in a similar way by placing your cursor over the image and right clicking with the mouse. Choose ...Save Target As... or ...Save Picture As... Try clicking on one of the links on the Gold Acres page like Stationery & Backgrounds and try it on something you like.
Time to create some new Stationery to use. Launch OUTLOOK EXPRESS and turn on your FORMATTING TOOLBAR if it is not already visible. Click on VIEW/TOOLBARS/FORMATTING BAR. This will appear directly above your message area. It allows you to insert images and change the Font and size and color. Click the A to change the color.
Now click on TOOLS / OPTIONS /
Click the SEND Tab. then go down to check the Mail Sending Format (the big blue rectangle below) and be sure the HTML is selected. HTML is what allows you to send and see all the fun images and backgrounds. If PLAIN is selected you can't send out spicy emails. After you select HTML click on APPLY, but don't click OK just yet. Now click on the HTML Settings Button and be sure that Send Pictures with Messages is selected.
Now click the COMPOSE Tab.
This is where you can choose your own default mail settings. You can select your favorite font and color to use when you reply to mail or newsgroups by clicking on FONT SETTINGS. All the replies as well as new messages you write.will use this font unless you change it later. Bear in mind that this is not a guarantee that the person you write to will see the same font. WEBTV can only display messages in ARIAL (it converts everything over to it automatically). Other PC users will only see your selected font if they have it on their computer, if they don't they will see their default font. )If you want to change your own default READ font click the READ tab and you can change the settings at the bottom of the box.)
Now go down to the middle of the box to the Stationery area and click in the check box for Mail and then click the Create New button. This will launch the Stationery Creation Wizard. It is very easy to use so I won't go through it here. I do recommend setting the TILE: box to ENTIRE PAGE. Also be sure that PICTURE has a check mark by it.
Then click the BROWSE button and find the ACTIVE DESKTOP button
Now click on your Stationery Folder and choose a background image file. Then click OK and you will see it appear as a small box in the upper left corner of the preview pane (as seen above) Click on Tile:/ENTIRE PAGE and the preview pane will show what your email will look like.
One of the following screens will allow you to choose a Font, and size and color it. Then it will show you how it will look over the top of your background. The wizard allows you to go back and make changes if you don't like it. You will also get a screen that allows you to control the top and left margins. These work great as long as you aren't sending to WEBTV, they move in increments of 25. Then when everything works, you will be asked to give your creation a name and you are done. It will be automatically saved for you in the Stationery file. You can create as many of stationery as you like, so feel free to express yourself and your moods. Before your leave the Stationery Selecion area choose one of the new ones for your default stationery. It will be the one automatically used each time you click the New message button
to write someone unless you choose a different one. Then click the APPLY button and OK.
To choose a different one in the future, just click on FORMAT and go down to APPLY STATIONERY and pick the one you want from the list which appears or click on Select Stationery if the one you wanted wasn't listed. Generally your most recent choices are on the list..
Or you can click on the right egge only of the New Message button
***Special note here. Some browsers (especially older versions) read your incoming message and separate your stationery as an attachment. You would be wise to warn friends not using OUTLOOK EXPRESS 4.0 or above that this might happen. You don't want them deleting all your mail thinking the attachment might contain a VIRUS. Once they know what is happening and why, they can enjoy your spicy messages without worries.
If you want to create a background on-the-fly for a single use, click on FORMAT / PICTURE. This opens a window which will allow you to choose an image to use as a background.
Choose BROWSE then find the ACTIVE DESKTOP ICON
Now your may want to add an image to emphasize a point or express your mood or just to partition the message. I quite often choose a small Gif (image) and use it like a bullet at the beginning of each paragraph. Or I choose a line or bar type Gif and use it to separate the message from my signature. CLICK on INSERT/Picture or the
button on the Formatting ToolBar.
Now choose BROWSE and go to your Stationery folder. Select the image (GIF or JPG) you want to insert. It will be positioned wherever your cursor was. You can move it using Cut and Paste or make a Copy of it to Paste in as many times as you like. You can also just right click it and then drag it where you want it. You can select how it is positioned with respect to the text by right clicking on it. BOTTOM is the default in the Drop down selection box. Experiment and find what works best for you. If you choose LEFT or RIght, your message text will automatically wrap around it. The only limitation on using images is that some of them are large file sizes and will take more time to display when your recipient opens your message. The more images you use the longer it may take to open. But the choice is all yours. Use them to express your personality and imagination.
You may also want to include background music (MIDIs) or sounds (WAVs) like thunder. You can find Midis and Wavs on lots of sites including mine.. They are usually displayed as a list of linked titles. Clicking on the title will cause the midi or wav to play. Right click it again and choose ...Save Target As... and put them in your Stationery Folder. To add them to your emails click on FORMAT / BACKGROUND / SOUND.
The next window allows you to choose a sound and also to choose how many times it will play.
Go to your Stationery folder and don't panic when you don't see any files. Outlook Express defaults to a file type of AUDIO FILES and you need MIDI or WAV files. Click on the drop down menu button next to the FILE TYPE and select MIDI, now all your music files will appear.
When you have selected the one you want to use click OPEN and you will be returned to your message and the sound will begin to play. So you can listen to it while you are writing your message if you do this first....
Now just write your message and send your Stationery on it's way. Experiment and have fun expressing yourself. And don't forget to go Surfing often to find new Stationery and other goodies to use. I update mine quite often and share them on this website. Choose any SEARCH ENGINE and type in Stationery, GIFS, JPGS, WAVs or MIDIs and then go from there.
When your friends ask how your did it just send them here.
If you have questions or problems you can
and I will do my best to help you. Please be sure to tell me what your browser is.
