Alphabet Banner

(The following sentence should be sung in a sing-song opera voice) Guess what I got for Christmaaaaaaaaassssss? A Cricuuuuuuuuuuuuut!  (Return to normal voice) Now I can return the Cricut I was borrowing from my M-in-L and go nuts with my very own.

For Harry’s birthday I decided to make him an alphabet banner for his room.  I bought a 12 x 12 pack of paper for the flags and a 8 1/2 x 11 pack of card stock for the letters.  I decided to make this banner pretty big because the ceiling in Harry’s room is pretty high.  I wanted him to be able to see the letters really well.  I cut the triangles out by hand making them 12 inches from top to bottom tip.  For the letters I used the font Cuttin’ Up and made them 6 inches.  (FYI – These cartridges can get pretty pricey.  www.cricutmachine.com is a great site to get carriages and supplies on sale) (Also – cricutmachine.com did not ask me to write that.  They have never heard of me.  I’m just trying to spread some money-saving love as I hate to pay full price for things like this and don’t want you to either)

Back to the banner. Supplies needed:
pack of scrapbook paper
pack of card stock
tape runner
glitter glue
painters tape
ribbon (about 25 feet.  My spool was 30 feet and I had plenty left over)

Not all glitter glue is created equal.  Make sure to test the thickness and how well it squeezes from the bottle before you let it get near your craft.  I’ve had success with this brand I found at Hobby Lobby.

After using the tape runner to tape down the letters I outlined the letters with glitter, punched holes in the top corners and was ready to hang it up.  I used painters tape to hang it up before I connected them with the ribbon.  I chose to use painters tape so when the day comes that Harry has outgrown this I can quickly rip it all down and not have to worry about messing up the paint on the wall.

Before I began I decided where I wanted the middle of my banner to be and hung the letters M & N in that spot.  They are in the middle of the alphabet so by working from the middle out both A and Z will end up in about the same place on either side.  Once everything was taped and in place I precariously perched myself atop the ladder with the ribbon and scissors.  I cut a strip of ribbon about 10 inches, thread it through the holes and tied a loose knot.  This banner is way too long for the ribbon to serve any purpose other than decoration.

The hardest part of this craft is working on top of the ladder near the vent where the temp is about 20 degrees hotter than on the floor.

Harry’s reaction was worth all the time cutting, taping and balancing on the ladder.  We walked into the room, he got a big grin on his face and started singing the A,B,C song.

Scrapbook paper: $12.99
Glitter glue: $2.99
Ribbon: $3.99

Watching your toddler burst into song because he loves your banner so much: Priceless