upcoming birthday

  In our family we have a summer birthday coming up! 

Our middle child will be turning 7!  It's hard to believe!

I am in busy birthday celebration planning mode.  I like this part!  Not saying that I don't enjoy the party, but planning what the invitations and decorations will look like is always the fun part for me!

I started with these cupcake wrappers I found at Jo Ann's as my jumping off point.  I could have bought everything in this line there but I limited myself to these 2 things.  I loved the colors and it seemed so summer-like. 

A couple of weeks ago I downloaded the free 30 day trial of Adobe Illustrator.  It's awesome!  It took me awhile to learn the program, but I feel comfortable now in what I want to do.  After the 30 days I don't know what will happen....I'm not able to pay for it so I want to make the most of it right now.  Anyway, I made these invitations for our party.

The banner I created in the invitation, I plan on making actual banners to hang within the house.  There are a few pictures below.

I also made my own envelopes to coordinate with the invitations along with the stickers.  I do have a similar template available in my Etsy shop for sale.  It is an A2 size.  If anyone is interested I can modify it to whatever size you want.

I'm also in the process of making a new "birthday" wreath for the front door.  I found this hot pink linen on sale at 75% off at Jo Ann's.  Then I plan to hang a mini banner on the wreath with a grouping of flowers and a birthday sign. 

(Puzzle pieces not included in birthday wreath.  Our kitchen counter is the place to be and everyone has to share it.  I actually like them in the picture!  They coordinate with my banner.)

Then I made 2 sets of bigger banners.  I really haven't planned on how I will hang them yet.  We are having a swimming-water sliding party in our back yard and I don't know if I will have some decorations out there as well. 

I will have to say the banners were quite involved!  They took sometime.  I used a heat bond interfacing that I have never used before so there was a learning curve to it with me.

I had seem on someone's blog they made a similar banner from their Silhouette machine.  Ohh to have one of those!  My birthday is in September.....just maybe I will ask for it and Illustrator. 

Well better get back.  It's nap time and I want to sew a little while everyone is sleeping.

Thanks for stopping by.

Bye for now!