1st Birthday Banner Tutorial

The fun thing about this banner is I can use it for so many birthday parties all I have to do is change the year!

But do you want to know the best thing about this banner

It was Free

I had all the supplies on hand and did it all in one night

It is easy and you can totally make it your own 

So shall we get started?

I think so

These are the supplies you will need:

-Card stock in the colors you would like (I already had all of mine in my stash)

-Silhouette machine (if you don't have one this is all do able with tracing and scissors)

-Long string

-clothes pins (I had a huge pack I got at the dollar store a while back)

-Distressed Ink

-Scissors

-Hot glue or glue dots...or both

-hot glue gun

-glue stick

-rick rack (in your color choice)

-Ribbon (in your color choice)

-Rope

-Buttons

-Burlap

-Sticker dots

-Sand paper

And anything else your creative self wants to use to make this personalized banner your own

and special for your occasion

...And here is what I did:

First things first I picked out my color scheme....I decided on Red, Dark Blue, Light blue and yellow

I wanted something that would be perfect for 

Little M's First Birthday Elmo Party

I loved the way these looked together 

After I chose the colors I laid them out in the order I wanted them

Then it was time to cut the triangles on my lovely silhouette

She makes stuff like this so much faster and easier

I used the triangle from the "6 Banner flag set" shape that I had in my library

The perfect sized triangle was 9.450 inches tall and 7.3 inches wide

After all the triangles were cut out it was time to

cut the Happy birthday!

I used the "A Truer Blue" font

at 222.6 pt. size

I wanted the 1st on the banner to stand out

So I used a different font

I used the "Cry Kitty" font 

The number "one" was size 206.8 pt.

and the "st" was size 43.7 pt.

All of these sizes fit perfectly in my triangles

And it looked so cute All laid out like this but....

for me this just wasn't enough they needed some pizazz

So what I did next is wear them down a little

I felt like they were too clean cut

and I love the older worn look

So I took my distressed ink that I already had and inked it all up

I did this to every triangle before I went on to decorating them each individually

Then I knew on a few of them I wanted some cute pinwheels

So first you cut a strip of paper as thick as you want 

Then you fold it according style all the way down the strip

Then I formed it into a flower shape and stapled the two pieces on each end together

I love the look it gives 

and they are so fast and easy

You can make them different looks

by doing the crimps closer together or further apart

I got the look I was going for perfectly

Now we are ready to decorate each triangle

This is the part where your creativity and personalization comes into play

Have fun there is no right or wrong

Just whatever YOU come up with

But for fun here is how I decorated them

Some are simple some are more creative

Its a good mix

I cut out a burlap rectangle to start out with

Then I glued a cute bumpy circle that I cut from my silhouette right on top

Then to finish it off 

I bent a piece of ric rac in half and fanned it out into a triangle and stapled it to secure it

And added a couple buttons to give it its finished look

Lastly I added on my H with some double sided tape

(You could glue on the letters but I didn't know how permanent I wanted those to be yet)

I started out my A with some white ric rac down the right side

Adding some Chevron cut card stock on top

Then I used another bumpy circle cut from my silhouette 

And just taped the A right on top of it all

I LOVE the white letters with all the color

It really made them stand out 

And it was easier to read

Remember we are making this our own

Doing whatever your creative hands are doing

Don't stop them

You just might like what they whip up

I cut a strip of burlap and layered some Chevron cut card stock on top

Put some fun sticker dots I had on hand on the bottom corner

I pinwheel in the middle and 

the P right on top

Don't ya love this?!

Again I used the Burlap (I am loving the burlap lately if you cant tell) and cut it into a triangle

I layered on top some Chevron cut card stock in diagonal rows

I overlapped some bumped silhouette cut circle and Added a button on top

Lastly the Letter P

Oh so little BOY don't ya think?!

This simple one is quite possibly my favorite

I used some rope that I had left over from 

Little M's adorable dresser handles

All I did is cut it into strips starting small and getting bigger and 

secured them with hot glue

Then just added the Y on top

I for sure wanted this one to stand out a little

It is his special first birthday after all

I cut a piece of sand paper into a rectangle 

Roughed it up a bit (I love the look of this)

Added some ric rac diagonal lines 

Secured the 1st on top and 

Wala!

Lastly we are onto the Birthday

I wanted the B to be more simple next to the 1st (again I wanted it to stand out)

I just cut some cardstock into That shape and secured them on with glue

Then just added that amazing B

I love this font

Another one of my Favs

It reminds me of the beach

Oh man I want to go to the beach

Anyone want to come with us

Let plan a summer trip

Ok...Ok...back to the banner

First I cut out some cut patterned paper in a rectangle and glued it on

I added a couple triangles of burlap

glued a pinwheel on 

And Secured the I right on top

With this one I found some cut pattern paper and cut it into strips

Then I glued it onto the back of the triangle so It looked like a border around the flag

Then I added some brass, gold, silver and black brads

and taped the R on

Another fun one that matches the boys room perfect :)

I just cut the ric rac and overlapped it into a triangle shape

bordering the flag

And added the T

Use your imagination

Use inspiration

And don't be afraid to try something new

This reminds me of a shirt

I would love a striped shirt that color

I just cut some card stock into strips and glued them down

And just added the H right on top

Simple...but not PLAIN!

Burlap again!

I just cut it in a fun shape and made it work

Creativity is the key

Added some stickers and buttons 

Put the D right on there and done!

This one is so fun it reminds me of super heroes

This color scheme could work for a super hero party too 

ooo I just thought of that 

yay me haha

I just cute three triangles and positioned them and so

slapped a bumpy silhouette cut circle on top 

And tape the A on

Super A

All I have to do is exchange that for an M for my little man :)

and I could put it in his room

He is my super hero

Last but not least we have the Y

I just used another pinwheel 

Put the Y on top and added some more ric rac 

above and below the pinwheel

Then I just attached the banner to a string

with clothes pins

And it was just perfect for his fun Birthday Party

It was so easy 

and I really did have fun doing it

I love to be creative

Especially when you cant go wrong

And when its free it is even better

I have a few ideas to do with it now that the party is over 

First I am going to keep it and just switch out the year 

I think I will use it for a superhero party for his second birthday

Oh what do you think?

Second I am going to Make another one with the same colors 

that says MADDUX for his cute bedroom!

Do you like that idea?

Now go and make one for yourself

Birthdays, Graduations, baby showers, summer parties, 

the sky is the limit

Ready set go...create!

And if you have any questions at all remember you can always email me or leave a comment 

I will answer them all

This banner is linked to all the linky parties in my parties tab

and

Lastly I have another question for all you lovely people visiting here 

My cute friend is doing a fun 30 day challenge of different hair styles for 30 days

She has long beautiful hair

well my hair is far from long 

and I know a lot of people with short hair

So what do you think about me doing a 2 week challenge

of 14 different short hair styles

Would you guys like that

Would you follow to see what I come up with?

I need some input before I do it for sure

So please give me some advice about this

Thank you