How To Make A Save The Date Flag Banner and Free Session Giveaway

I just love crafting! Whenever I have some time to myself, I go into my crafting room and sit at my jewelry design desk. I have container after container of Swarovski crystal beads, Bali sterling beads, and much much more. There is just something about using your creative mind and your hands to make something one of a kind. That is how I felt about the Save The Date Flag Banners when I first saw them. How fun to be able to make something cute for your engagement session and be able to use it after for sending out Save The Date Announcements. So in the spirit of sharing ideas, I decided to make one of these banners and give you step by step instructions on how to do one for yourself. And if you read to the bottom, you'll see where I'm giving away a free session and file to one lucky reader.

First, you will need the following items: crafting paper or vinyl sheets, a piece of cardboard (a file jacket works just great for this!), a ruler, scissors, peel and stick letters to spell out your message, a glue stick, pen and ribbon. I got all these supplies at Joann's Fabric Store. Try to buy two or three co-ordinating paper patterns that compliment each other, perhaps even colors that will match your wedding decor.



Then take a ruler and cut out a flag shape on the cardboard. After trial and error, I found that you don't want to go any wider than six inches for each flag. Four or five would probably be ideal. If you look at the photograph, you'll notice that I shaped it so that later I can fold over the flap to glue it shut. Now use this template on the back of each scrapbooking or vinyl sheet and use a pen or pencil to draw out this shape.



Cut out each flag and then fold the flap.











Use a glue stick only on the top half of the flap to glue it shut. You need to make sure to leave unglued area for the ribbon or twine to go through later.

Take your peel and stick letters and spell out your message on the table. Make sure you have enough letters before starting this phase. Peel off the backing and stick each letter centered on the front of each flag, making sure to alternate patterns as you go. Depending upon your skills, you may want to measure from the top of each flag so that your letters are even. Hey me, I'm a "wing it" kind of gal and I sometimes love imperfection in hand made items.


Now comes the part that measuring is a must. Count how many letters you have and times it by the width of each flag. For "Save The Date," there are 11 letters and I did a 6 inch width on my flags so that would be 11x6=66 inches. Now take this number and add 24 more inches, in my case 90 inches. That's how much ribbon or twine you'll need to string up your flags. Start stringing your flags one by one, one word at a time.



What I did also to make sure that there is a space between each word, I double knotted at the beginning and end of each word and then put about two inches between them.








So if you followed my directions, you should have something that looks like this. Use your judgment to make whatever changes you fancy because as you know, your unique style should show through everything you craft. I just loved the soft greens of the scrapbook paper patterns I chose and knew that future couples would find it a universal color to go with any outdoor session I photograph.

So here's how you can benefit from my labor of love. Just go to my A Slice of Life Photography - Escondido, CA Facebook Page and comment below my posting on this article with your names and wedding date. I will choose one lucky winner to receive a free Save The Date Engagement Session plus one retouched file to use for their Save The Dates. But hurry, this contest will end on August 10, 2011. And hey, even if you're not getting married, maybe you know someone who is so forward this article on to them. Happy crafting everyone!