DIY Pretty Paper Banner

Phew, now that I've bared my soul and gotten my drama out of the way, it's time to move on to more important things: fun projects. This paper banner was the primary decoration for Bojey's little birthday party last month. It was simple, cheap, and fun to make. Here's what we did:

Supplies:
*watercolor paper or cardstock
*Dot Makers, thick markers, or watercolors
*Cookie cutters
*Pencil
*Scissors
*Sewing Machine

Process:
1. Color entire sheets of watercolor paper or card stock. I prefer watercolor paper because I like how it absorbs so much color. We used dot makers for the "painting." Have you ever used them? We love them. They create a thick line of rich, bright color.

2. After the sheets have dried, flip them over and trace shapes from cookie cutters onto the back. We used two sizes of heart-shaped cutters:

3. Cut out the shapes, and use your machine to sew them together. I didn't photograph this because we were in a hurry to finish, but you should pull out a length of thread (so you have some hanging off the end), and then insert your first shape. Just as the needle gets to the edge of that shape, insert the next one, and so on. At the end, be sure to leave another long length of thread.

That's it! Easy, cheap, and kid-friendly, at least for the coloring/painting part.

And if you're like me and have to use up every bit of everything, you can use your scraps with smaller cookie cutters to make table decorations:

This held up really well, and now it's hanging on the wall next to Bojey's bed, still in perfect condition.