I’m so excited that we’re having our Halloween Party again this year! Last year’s was a blast and I am already starting preparations. I sent out a save the date in the beginning of September, but now it’s time to send out the actual invitations.
I am not an evite kind of girl. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that, I just enjoy making the real deal.) Click here to see similar ones that I made last year.
Here are two simple ways to make invitations… without expensive stamps, inks, cutters or other supplies.
What you’ll need:
- two different colors of letter sized card-stock
- regular transparent tape
- double-sided tape
- scissors
- ribbon or tulle
- an ink pad or marker
First, I created a simple Word document. Orient your page to landscape, go to format and create 3 columns. Type up your party details and select a cute font. I inserted a cool skull that I got from The Graphics Fairy. Copy and paste two times so that your invitation fits 3 times on the page.
I had already cut the invitations apart before I decided to do a blog post, so no pictures. I’m sure you get it though. My printer is on the fritz, so I saved my Word document as a PDF file and emailed it to my local FedEx-Kinkos. I placed an order for them to run 15 copies of this on plain white card-stock. The total was $5 and it gives me 45 invitations. I was able to pick them up at the store and use their paper cutter to quickly cut them into thirds.
I took an old (and mostly dried up) ink pad and inked the edges of the paper. Because the ink pad was a bit dry, I took a black marker and “re-inked” the pad. Worked well enough for what I was going for, which was a dirty, smear-y look for the edges.
My next step was to take a dark card-stock and make a tri-fold in it. Easy. Don’t worry about precision or cutting. As long as it fits in a standard envelope, you’re good to go.
It looked a little too plain in there, so I took some fabulous copper colored, cobweb looking ribbon and taped that to the back of the card.
In order to economize, I cut the ribbon in half length-wise for the sides.
Better! It needed a little something.
Then you know what happened…? I ran out of the cute copper ribbon and the store didn’t have any more. What’s a girl to do when she’s making Halloween invitations and runs out of something…? If she’s me, she looks in her wedding/spring type party supplies. She finds white tulle. hmm.
I actually ended up liking how the white tulle looked more than I liked my original idea. So I did two versions.
I taped strips of the tulle to the back of the card just like the ribbon, but then I took scissors and sliced it up and frayed it.
I love how they turned out!
These cute address labels are from Bohtieque Design.
Love them!
So there you have it, these invitations are super easy to make and they are super inexpensive as well. They work out to about 43 cents a piece. Not too shabby!
(Just like last year, I don’t know what I’m going to dress up as… I welcome any suggestions you may have!)
Kristin says
October 3, 2011 at 6:42 PMThese are great! Really cool address label! Love the handmade feel and the materials are not crazy expensive. Love a good Gypsy as costume suggestion.
Pudel-design says
October 3, 2011 at 6:44 PMLOOOVE them, looks really cool!
Thank you for sharing!
Lovely greetings…
http://pudel-design.blogspot.com/2011/09/thank-you-and-giveaway.html
Connie says
October 3, 2011 at 7:00 PMVery cool Viv!
I love making invitations!
At The Picket Fence says
October 3, 2011 at 8:41 PMThose are fantastic Viv! Love the black edges and I totally want to try that myself! 🙂
Vanessa
bk says
October 3, 2011 at 10:24 PMCostume Suggestion:
Snow White
Nina Patricia @ The Adventures of Nina Patricia says
October 3, 2011 at 11:38 PMI’m in love with this invites, they are fabulous. I’m all for the real deal.
How about a flapper?
MiMi says
October 4, 2011 at 12:02 AMThose look GREAT!!!
Myya says
October 4, 2011 at 2:43 AMThose are awesome! When my girls are older & I have more me time I am SOOOO going to start throwing adult parties!!! SO FUN!!!
Kim @ Too Much Time says
October 4, 2011 at 4:00 AMSo cute! Now, why did you go an x out your address? Can’t I come too?
Impulsive Addict says
October 4, 2011 at 5:33 AMI would like to come to your Halloween party.
I would also request that you make me some cool invitations to Emma Kate’s 2nd bday party! You are uber talented! Is uber a word? It’s underlined in red. DANG IT. And I’m still drinking. Going home tomorrow. BOO.
We miss your face! xoxo
Shawn says
October 4, 2011 at 5:36 AMWhen should I be expecting my invitation?
Great job, as always!
Kelli says
October 4, 2011 at 3:43 PMI really love the thought and detail you put into things. This invitation is great!
Katie says
October 4, 2011 at 7:47 PMUmmm these are awesome. Every year we host a party and every year I want to make my own invites but run out of time. 🙁 Maybe next year!
lesley says
October 7, 2011 at 12:31 PMhow cool! I love all of the little details you added to them.
Thanks for sharing the tutorial!
lesley
freakingcraft.blogspot.com
Becca @ R We There Yet Mom? says
October 13, 2011 at 12:46 PMThose would have cost a fortune if you had them made for you!! They look awesome – so what are you going as this year? We were invited to an adult party and are thinking of going as Clive & Daphne (Phil & Claire’s alter egos) from Modern Family – lame huh???
~Becca
Gigi Baby says
October 14, 2011 at 1:24 AMThose invites are awesome and something I can totally do and not screw up lol! As for costume ideas so a mix and match of different ideas! Like my besties and I are going at Monster High Pink Ladies! Maybe you and handsome hubby could be vampire sandy and danny lol but bad sandy 2 lol just an idea
Loves and likes ya <3
Gigi
Make handmade says
October 21, 2011 at 4:28 AMGreat tutorial and pattern! thanks for sharing.