Rainbow birthday Party part 2 The invitations

One of the important things you need to find for a party is the invitations. It is what sets the theme and gives all the important information for your guests.

I like to find invites that are different and that standout and if it is interactive that is a plus.

So as I was flipping through a book from my shelf called 365 Rainy Day Activities by Vivienne Bolton I came to an activity called Magic Picture where you have this black and white picture in a frame but when you pull it out from the side it turns that black and white into a colored one. I thought that it would be perfect.

So here is how I made it. I used MS Publisher to help me make this but you can certainly do this without it.

Magic Picture Invitation

I had to decide what size I wanted it to be. So I went to my trusty Publisher and created a box that is 5" by 3 1/2".

Then I created a second smaller box to fit inside to make the frame. This one is 4 1/4" by 2 3/4".

I then pasted my picture and sized it to the smaller box and I used this as my template.

Then I printed it out along with a page with just the larger (outside) box to color my picture on.

I used my light box so that I can see the outline of the rainbow easier (another way to do this is to tape your template to a sunny window). Then I colored in the picture. At this point I didn't outline anything.

Here is what it looks like colored and cut out.

Next I, once again, used my template and a sheet protector (but I think you could also use a transparency or even acetate folded in half). I lined up the fold of the sheet protector with the top line of the larger (outside) line and paper clipped it together. Using a marker I outlined the outside box.

Then I outlined the rainbow. I tried to use permanent markers but when I drew on the plastic it left a gray faded out line. So I went looking around for something better


I ended up using black fabric paint. The tip on the paint allows you control it but I do not have a very steady hand and sometime little globs of paint would come out making it not look very neat. Over all I think it turned out ok. Since I still have time before I need to go into mass production I will be on the look out for something better. Anyone have any suggestions?

Here is the rainbow outlined with the paint. After the paint was dry I cut it out. Tip: the simpler the picture is the easier it will be to outline

Then I opened up the plastic and taped the colored picture to the inside.

Back in Publisher I created the outside "frame" for the picture. It has to have three parts (boxes)that fold together. The top two boxes are the same size as the larger box on the template which is 5" by 3 1/2". The bottom box I made it 1/8" shorter so that it measures 5" by 3 3/8".

On the top box I pasted a copy of the smaller box which is the same size as the smaller box in the template 4 1/4" by 2 3/4". This marked where I needed to cut it out. This is the front of the invitation.

I then used the text boxes to put the wording in. When working with it this way the top box with the frame is upside down. So I made my text boxes to fit the top and bottom part of the frame. Then I rotated them so that they are upside down. Then on the middle box I put in my party information (this will actually be the back of the invitation). The bottom box with be on the inside.

Here it is printed out with the window part of the frame cut out.

Flipped it over

Folded the bottom part up.

Then I folded the top part down and cut out a notch in all three layers on the right side.

I opened the top flap back up and inserted the rainbow picture making sure the colored part was behind the bottom flap and the outline was on top.

Then I folded the top flap back down and taped the bottom and the left side so that it would stay closed. That it. It's finished.

Here is the front.

Here is the back

Here is what happens when you pull the rainbow out. Its like magic.

If you have Publisher and want the templates for this just let me know. I also might be able to convert it into MS Word for those that don't have Publisher. With the template you can change the picture to anything you want and also change the party info.

***UPDATE***

So I found something better and so much easier than the fabric paint. I found some transparencies that you can run through your printer. So I just printed out the rainbow outline onto the transparency and it worked like a champ.

linking up with

Part 3