Happy Birthday Cake Banner Tutorial (or any occasion really!)

So it's been almost 6 weeks since I started this blog, and I've done nothing in the way of blogging. It seems that I always come up with great ideas for posts when I'm nowhere near the computer, or don't have the time to write anything down. We've been surviving well, and keeping busy. My step daughters birthday is Wednesday, and Thanksgiving is Thursday, so most of my past week has been consumed with getting everything together for that. Luckily we aren't having the holiday here and are going to Charlies family's house, but being the busy person I like to be, I've volunteered far too many things and my plate runeth over so to speak.

DIY & Adorable!

Audrey is going to be 6, and while it's not a "big" birthday, it actually falls on a day when we have her, so we're throwing her a party at *GASP* Chuck E Cheese... not my favorite, and not my idea, but she wanted it so that's what she gets. Luckily I do have a little bit of say, so at least the theme of her party will be sort of DIY and adorable.

Every year I try my best to make her a really awesome birthday cake. Age 4 we had Elmo and Cookie Monster red velvet cupcakes, her favorite flavor at the time. 5 was a Tinkerbell Ice Cream cake, where we used her real Tinkerbell doll, and made the cake into her dress. She had a bite and was pretty much over it to play with her new toys. This year I plan on making a 6 layer rainbow cake that I saw on Pinterest (follow me!). I also made a super cute cake banner for the top and below is a tutorial on how to make your own, and it's really easy, even if you aren't crafty!

All you need is...
* 2 wooden skewers
* Colored material - I used felt scraps in rainbow colors
* Embroidery Floss
* Needle
* Super glue

Here is my craft space, complete with morning coffee, baby toys and binkies. I find it really important to put aside some space for you to do your projects, even if it's just the kitchen table on Sunday morning. My crafting space changes from day to day, and I have half a closet in the hallway where I store everything in their own drawers. It's nice to liberate my supplies from time to time!

I started off by planning my banner on a piece of paper. I find it's easier to visualize this way and gives me a map to follow if I get interrupted, which I did... several times.

Visualizing on paper...

Next I cut out the felt pennants and arranged them in order.

I love to embroider, so I free-handed the letters on each pennant, but you are more than welcome to use a template, pattern, or if you don't stitch feel free to use a sharpie, puff paint, or anything else you have on hand that works.

Once you have all of your flags done and written on, cut two lengths of floss, and string the letters on it with the needle. Leave a good portion of floss at both ends so you can center the banner and tie it to the skewers. I secured my knots to the skewers with a drop of super glue so I wouldn't have to worry about it slip sliding away.

Ta-Da!