Feb 22, 2009

Making Party Invitations

Kelli, There Is No Place Like Home, is hosting a craft week and giveaway. Stop in to visit her and see her wonderful cards and links to more crafts on other blogs!

My son is getting married in June. His fiance is one of the sweetest, most precious young women I have ever known. To say I am thrilled my boy chose so wisely is an understatement. I had some occasional nightmares about who might one day call me mother-in-law...but let's don't go there, because he chose sweet Jenni! I've decided that the kids were simply born in the wrong decade. They dress like and love the same things we did in the '70's when I was a teenager. But I love that about them! Their wedding theme is orange Gerber daisies - I had daisies at my wedding in 1970! Their colors are Spring green and orange - bright orange! I am involved in hosting a shower for Jenni this Spring. Jenni is such an unselfish girl and I want everything to be perfect for her. I couldn't find anything that looked just like her - pink frilly invites just wouldn't do for our girl, so I decided to make the invitations for the shower, something I've done for other parties I've hosted. It's time consuming, quite a bit of work if the party is large (I made 96), and not usually less expensive than buying ready made invitations. But if you have created a picture in your head of something you just have to have - that stores just don't make (my husbands frequent description of the way I work), then making invitations is the answer. As a tutorial, in case you are interested in making your own invitations for a party you might be hosting this Spring or Summer, I've posted pictures below that I took during the process of making Jenni's shower invitations.

The first step in preparing for this project is to know how many you need and decide on a theme for the invitations. I spoke with Jenni about her preferences and we decided to follow her wedding theme of orange, green, and daisies. Decide if you want a folded invitation or a multi layered card like the design I used.

Gather all the materials you will need: plenty of paper in all colors you want to use, scissors, paper cutter, punches, ribbon, invitation size envelopes, and address labels. It's also a good idea to have a tray to place finished invitations as you go along to keep them clean and crisp.


I cut the number I needed of each color paper to the correct size.


I planned to use the orange paper as the base of the invitation. The green with tiny white polka dots was the second layer so I cut each of those pieces slightly smaller than the orange and then punched a daisy from the bottom edge of each green piece.


I used Print Shop to type out the text of the invitation and printed on a good quality white linen paper - no watermark. The white pieces for the top layer are cut smaller than the green. I just cannot work in clutter so I cleaned all scraps and trimmings from the table before assembling the invitations.


As you can see, I placed the green piece on top, making sure the borders were straight and even. Sometimes I had to trim a little to make them perfect.

After securing each piece with adhesive I was ready to start applying the orange ribbon. Self healing cutting mats are wonderful because you can quickly and easily eyeball center. I used a 1/8" punch to make two round holes centered at the top of each invitation. Then I fed the ribbon through the holes and tied a bow on the front of each invitation, trimming the streamers evenly.

The finished product - 96 custom invitations!


Print and apply your address labels...


Stuff the envelopes with any bridal registry cards...


Stamp and stack up your labor of love, ready to drop in the mail!

Making your own invitations is a project anyone can do beautifully. Just plan ahead, organize all the needed elements, and pay attention to the details!

19 comments:

Secondhand Blessings said...

Truly a labor of love it was on your part to make 96 invitations!
they're beautiful.
Thank-you for the 101 on invitation making! I'm not good a thinking up things on my own and usualy do better with something that has instructions to follow. I'm more of a recreate kind of person than a create something.
Brenda

Secondhand Blessings said...

I forgot to mention to count me in on your one year anniversary giveaway!
Brenda

pam said...

Those invitations are SO cute and 96 of them...glory that's a lot. I think I made 40 something for graduation announcements and I didn't think that was ever going to end.

One of my daughters has a friend who wants the same flowers and colors for her wedding. Steph's wondering how she will look in BRIGHT ORANGE. :) Such happy colors.

Thanks for the award---I LOVE this blogging world and coming to your site always brightens my day.
Of course I can't remember if I've signed on for your celebration giveaway... :) how special that would be to have a piece of your artwork---in heaven I will be able to paint. :)

I heard more snow was falling your direction this last week...don't know what you got...you people up there really should learn to share. :) We've barely had any this year. :(
Thanks again for the award, you're a sweetie!

Old Centennial Farmhouse said...

I love these! Little works of art, all in themselves! How fun to be throwing a bridal shower. I am going to be doing one this spring, too! It's a retro kitchen shower and I'm sure I'll be posting some things I plan to do for that! Gerber daisies are so gorgeous!

Count me in on your anniversary giveaway! Sounds wonderful!

Melissa said...

Kathy,

Thanks for stopping by my place and leaving such a nice comment. I really appreciate it.

Your Jenni sounds like my Patrick's Amber. I adore her also (actually I was involved in "fixing them up"!). Isn't it wonderful when our children pick those people that we would have picked!!!

Your invitations are so pretty!

Heather said...

your invites are gorgeous! you're very talented!! can't wait to see pictures from the shower and the wedding!

Ceekay-THINKIN of HOME said...

Oh Kat...the invitation turned out adorable. I love the daisy punch and the orange bow. They are so Jenni and Jacob! Thanks for the award.

~CC Catherine said...

Kathy......SUPER sweet invitations for Jenny...she must be thrilled! And, CONGRATS on your sweet awards! You deserve ten of them! ;) Seriously...you're a great friend and a great soon to be mother-in-love! ;) ~CC Catherine

Brittany said...

You did such a good job on those invitations! I bet your soon to be daughter in law will be so excited to see them! She's blessed to have you!

Sweetie said...

The invitations that you made are beautiful. I'm so happy that you are so pleased with your future daughter-in-law. She is fortunate to have you in her life. And - of course, include me in your one year anniversary giveaway.
Hugs,
Sweetie

Unknown said...

You're so lucky your son found a sweet girl to be his wife and daughter for you. That's awesome. Great job with those invites, they are so bright and energetic. I love them.

Danette said...

Kathy~
Thank you so much for the award. I'm so very touched! I can't figure out how to get it to my sidebar so I'll have Hilary do it when she gets home from work today.
I am also very touched by how much you love your new daughter~in~law to be. I am very close to my mother~in~law who I have known since I was 15 & lived next door to for nearly 23 years now. It's more than wonderful to have such a relationship with ones mother~in~law. You & sweet Jenni will be blessed through the years, as will your lucky son!
Love to you,
Danette

Karen at Nittany Inspirations said...

Good job on the invitations. Weddings are such fun. Please enter me in your give away. Congratulations on your anniversary, too. Blessings.

Terry said...

Not only did you transform a bedroom into something so beautiful but you also make such cute invitations! Please enter me in your drawing!

Wishing a nice weekend!

Terry

Barbara Jean said...

very cute, and such good instructions.

Thanks and blessings,
Barbara Jean

Clare said...

What lovely invitations, just love the colours you have choosen.

count me in for the giveaway.

Clare

The Old Parsonage said...

That's awesome. Remember to keep one for the happy bride to be. I'm sure that she'll want a keepsake.

They are truly blessed to have someone like you in their lives.

Best Wishes to your son and future daughter in law!

teachermomof2 said...

Love the invitation! What a special gift for your son and future dil.

Unknown said...

It is a labor of love, but they are worth it. I love the invites. I also made my invites and although they turned out beautiful it took me a couple of months to like them again!