Birthday Banner

I decided to make my own birthday banner for Summer and Camryn's polka dot birthday party this coming Saturday. I had seen quite a few on different blogs, and figured I could handle it. I am so glad I did, I think it turned out great!

To make your own banner:

1. Choose scrapbook paper in the color scheme of your choice. I bought a package of Martha Stewart paper at Wal-Mart.

2. Choose a font to use for your letters. I wanted large letters so I used a digital scrapbooking font that I had downloaded to my computer. I enlarged the letters in a word-processing program, and printed them off. Cut them out and set them aside.

3. Use something to trace circles on the back of the scrapbook paper that you are going to use. Depending on the size you want, you should be able to get 2-4 circles with each paper. I used a toddler bowl to trace, and I got 4 circles per page. Cut them out.

4. Use the same circular object, or one slightly bigger if you want a border around your circles, to trace circles out of card-stock (paper that is a bit thicker than printer paper). Use a glue stick to glue the card-stock circles to the back of the patterned circles. This will strengthen the banner and help prevent the circles from bending.

5. Glue the letters you cut out to the center of the patterned circles.

6. Use a hole puncher to punch a hole on either side of your circles. Try to get the holes right in the center of either side so that when strung together, the letters will be straight.

7. Take thin ribbon that matches your paper, and cut them into 4 inch pieces. Use the ribbon to tie each circle to the next. Don't pull too tight, it could rip the hole.

8. Attach a longer ribbon to the outside of the banner to use for hanging. You're done!