Hot Air Balloon Invitaton Available in my Shoppe

The party is finally cleaned up, my craft room/office is starting to look back to normal and the chaos is winding down. I have a darling little one year {and a two year old, yikes} and it's time to share her birthday party invitation. This is DEFINITELY my most favorite invitation I have ever designed.

I just listed this in my shoppe {after getting several requests for it} and it is available here for $18 for the printable file. Did you know I also offer printing? In fact, I can also line your envelopes with your own photo. I've got 45 envelopes to line for a client today.

DIY Photo Envelope Liner Tutorial

I'm so excited to share the tutorial for the photo envelope liner. And, I'm thrilled to reveal that I am a new contributing writer over on the Birthday Girl blog. I've been a longtime follower of Becca's blog so it was such an honor to have her ask me join the team.  This tutorial was the first one that I shared on her blog and make sure to stay tuned for more party related tutorials. 

Here are the materials/steps to making your own custom photo envelope liners:

Supplies needed

-Pencil

-Double Sided Tape

-Scissors

-Ruler

-Envelopes (I always use the A7 envelopes from Paper Source)

-Cardstock

-Photo cropped and resized to be 6.5 inches wide x 6 inches tall and printed on white cardstock (can be cropped with free photo editing software such as Picasa. I use Photoshop.)

Directions

1. First, we need to create our envelope liner template. Place envelope on sheet of white cardstock.

2. Using a pencil, trace outline of envelope onto cardstock...

 

 

3. Now we need to trim down our template so that it can slide into the opening of the envelope, I measured in 3/8 of an inch from each side using a ruler and then cut out the liner.

4. Make sure that the template fits inside the envelope properly before we move onto the photo...

Note: If you want to skip these first 4 steps, Paper Source sells pre-made templates for all of the envelopes, available here.

 

 

5. Making sure to line up the edges, trace the template onto your printed photo...

 

 

 6. Cut out the photo liner.

7. Place the photo into your envelope and line up the top point just below the glue line of the envelope.

8. Hold the liner in place and fold the flap down to create a crease in the liner.

9. Apply two pieces of double sided tape to the back of the photo and press onto flap to secure the liner in place...

 

 

That's it! Once you get the template made, the process is pretty fast. Plus, your friends and family will love it so much, I promise the effort will be worth it. 

This same process can be used without a photo. I line my Christmas cards with wrapping paper from Paper Source every year. But beware, lining envelopes is slightly addicting.

Happy lining! XO

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a superhero party! {Featured on Amy Atlas}

 

 

Supermoms  do rule!!! Especially one seriously supermom... Miss Sarah Crawford of Lil Hoot. I've blogged about Sarah before when I shared her insanely creative Fun-do party {that was also featured on Amy Atlas here}. Not only is this lady creative, witty and fun but she is so so kind. If she didn't live clear across the country, I think we might be constantly joined at the hip!

Alright back to the fabulous party Sarah threw for her nephew Mac's second birthday...

Sarah asked me to create the party printables with a fresh color palette and a modern vibe and I think she got what she asked for. I finally listed the entire superhero collection in my etsy shoppe, they are available a la carte or as a package. Visit my etsy shoppe here.

I'll let the gorgeous photos do the talking...

Pinata by Whack (I just used them for Q's pinata and it was incredible)

 Note to self: Definitely make surprise balls for our next party, so fun!

Last three photos by Paiges of Style

Sarah, thank you, thank you, thank you for letting me be a member of your team. You truly do create parties with heart! Hoot Hoot!!!

Photos by Meredith Nelson

Sweets by Stacey Butler of Sugar on Top

Fondant Cupcake Toppers and Cake Bunting by Cakes and Kids 

Cake Face!!!

 

If any of you have been wondering why I've been MIA, it's because of this little darling's 1st birthday party. We hosted the party on Saturday and it consumed my life for the last couple of weeks. Do you remember the invite?

It was FABULOUS! (if I do say so myself) and I can't wait to share the pics taken by Carly with you.

Doesn't Quinne look like a little bulldog (in a cute, ladylike way) covered with homemade buttercream frosting? This was right before she hugged her cake (for real) and then smeared frosting in her eyes.

Be back tomorrow with a real post!

Photo taken by Carly Taylor Photography.

Quinne's Hot Air Balloon First Birthday Invitation

Can you spy my trusty two year old assistant?

It's hard for me to even believe that my baby is turning one next week. I cried last year when Charley turned one and I have a feeling some tears just might be shed this year too. But on a happier note, I get to plan a party!!!

I decided to go with a hot air balloon theme for Q's party and use a crazy rainbow + hot pink color palette. Can't wait to share the rest of the details with you in a couple weeks. But for now, here is a peak at the invitations and envelopes that just went out in the mail. I think this invitation might be my favorite thing I've ever designed...

Here is the whole shebang. Invitation, envelope liner and label!

Closeup of the invitation

I am sort of obsessed with lined envelopes and I thought it would be fun way to incorporate a photo of Quinne. Plus, I've never seen anyone use a photo as a liner before. And I just love this photo of her!

I always use a label on my envelopes. That way I don't have to write out our address.

And because I am a proud Mama, I have to share some of the pics that I took to use for the invitation. 

Could this girl be any cuter? This is the photo I cropped to make the envelope liner.

The hot air balloon collection including invitation, banner, water bottle labels, cupcake toppers and wrappers, etc. will be available in my shoppe after Q's party hits the blogworld in a couple weeks!