Create unique invitations for your child's party.
Turning 16 is a special milestone in a young person's life. While the party and the gifts are special, it all starts with the invitations. Create elegant invitations that will spark anticipation among your teenager's friends. If you are not the creative type, enlist the help of friends or even your child to help you fashion invitations with that unique "wow" factor.
Tissue Paper Invitations
Use tissue paper to create a unique invitation.
A unique way to embellish your invitations is to print the greeting in heavy black ink or bold font directly onto a single piece of card stock. Next, wrap the card in either light blue or light lavender tissue paper. To do this, lay the card on top of the tissue paper and fold over the back as you would wrap a present. Hold the folds, which should reach to the center of the card, in place with a single silver or gold foil sticker. You can also use a small piece of clear, matte tape and then glue a small silk flower over it. You should be able to read the invitation text through the tissue paper. You can play with this idea by choosing a pastel colored card-stock and using white tissue paper.
Ribbons and Bows
Fold black card stock in half by folding the top over the bottom. Use a silver gel pen to write the invitation on the front and inside of the card. With a sharp craft knife, make five small, vertical slits about an eighth of an inch long across the bottom of the card. Cut deep enough so that the cut goes through both sides of the card. Weave a deep maroon ribbon through the slits to hold the card shut. When friends and family receive their cards, they will have to pull the ribbon through in order to open it. You may even consider having the birthday girl or boy's name and birth date printed on the ribbon. Or, print the phrase "Sweet Sixteen" on the ribbon.
Photo Invitation
Make a photo invitation with taupe card stock, a brown paper bag, twine and a black-and-white head shot of your teenager. Fold the 12-inch by 12-inch card in half vertically. Cut an oval from the brown paper bag with pinking shears. Use stick glue to adhere it to the card. In the center of the oval glue a copy of the head-shot that has also been cut into an oval. Glue frayed twine around the outer edge of the card, framing the photo in a square. Hot glue the twine to the outer edge of the card along the fold for an elegant sweet 16 birthday invitation.
Tags: tissue paper, card stock, brown paper, edge card, outer edge, outer edge card