Elements 8 on a Mac seems to have some quirky issues that some may find disturbing.
First, the effects don't always run the same each time. If the card doesn't look right when you finish, back up by doing a Command Z and then run the effect again. The most common sign of this is an oversized border around the image. It should be no larger than 1/4 inch.
The other issue is one with how the card is displayed when the effect finishes running. The card itself is created just fine but Photoshop gets confused and doesn't display the image properly. I don't know what causes this but there are some very easy and quick fixes.
1. If you simply select the Zoom Tool and click within the image, the display will correct itself.
2. You can also minimize the image window and open it again.
3. There may be other fixes, just play with it. The card itself is laid out properly (you can tell by looking at the thumbnails in the layers palette.)
See the samples at left.