If you're looking to design something business card sized, you need to keep 3 things in mind.
#1 - The final size is 3.5" x 2"
#2 - Keep all of your text, all of the important stuff, in an area that's 3.25" x 1.75"
#3 - Make your design bleed over the 3.5" x 2" thing by 1/8" in every direction, to account for cutting errors.
That means come up with an image that's 3.75" x 2.25", plan on 1/8" being cut off of every side, and put everything important another 1/8" inside of that.
You can put 8 to a sheet.
If you want them laminated and still have them be business card size, drop each of those dimensions by another 1/8".
(Hopefully I explained that well enough. If not, just look at
http://www.printingforless.com/Business-Card-Specifications.html or something similar for pictures to explain it)
