Even with modern technology like email and cell phones, printed invitations
have remained the most common way to let people know about your upcoming party
and will continue to remain popular due to the timeless rules of party etiquette.
Invitations can be a major cost, especially for large parties, like weddings
and some baby showers. However, with a little creativity and time, you can make
your own printable invitations, even if you have no artistic skills.

1. The first step is designing your card. You can use a simple word processor
like Microsoft Word and if you want, you can go to the Adobe's website at http://createpdf.adobe.com
to convert your file into a pdf file. Select the proper dimensions and print
out a sample on some plain white paper just to make sure it is the right size.

2. Next, you will want to find the proper card stock to print out your invitations
on. Your local office supply store will have these and you can purchase them
inexpensively there.

3. Use the word processor to insert text boxes with the words you want on your
invitation. Play around with the fonts and text color.

4. There are many sites that offer free clip art and pictures that you can
use for your invitations. Just do a search for "free clip art" on
the search engines and you will find many sites that provide these services
for free. Browse through and download the pictures you want and then insert
them into your card at the desired location.

5. If you use a background image, make sure it does not obscure the text on
the card. Ideally, background images should be watermarked. Most word processors
will allow you to select background images and make them watermarks. Another
alternative is to click on all the text boxes and give them solid colored backgrounds.

6. Need a catchy poem or verse? Once again, you can search the internet for
related verses. For example, if I am making baby shower invitations, then I
can search for "baby shower poem" or "baby verse" and any
other related phrases.

7. Save the master copy of the finished card and print out a sample copy on
plain paper to see what it will look like. If it looks good, then you can start
personalizing each card and printing it out on card stock.

8. If you do not have a color printer, then create a personalized copy for
each guest and save it as a separate file on a disk. Take the disk to your local
print shop and have them print out a invitation for each guest. Some print shops
may even print out the invitations for you if you give them the guest list and
template. A print shop will cost more than printing them out yourself, but probably
less than buying invitations from somewhere else. Plus the product should look
very professional and they may even have the right card stock available. Additionally,
print shops can do engraved invitations as well, which are good for upscale
occasions like weddings.

Some other guidelines include try to stick to a central theme, don't try to
use too many pictures and colors, and compare your card to others at card stores
to get a feel for what a good invitation should look like. Remember that most
invitations are simple and have just a few graphics and maybe one verse. As
you can see, there are infinite possibilities when creating your own party invitations
and not only is it a fun project, but will also save you money.

About the Author - Criss White is a professional web writer on baby
and new mother topics for baby and pregnancy websites. For baby shower supplies,
visit My Baby Shower Favors
(www.mybabyshowerfavors.com) and for more information, and more baby related
articles by this author, visit Baby
Shower Ideas (www.mybabyshowerfavors.com/articles). Note: If you find this
article useful, you may reprint it on your website, e-zine, or in your newsletter
as long as the credits above remain in tact and the hyperlinks stay active.

About the Author
Criss White is a professional web writer on baby and new mother topics. For baby shower supplies, visit My Baby Shower Favors
(www.mybabyshowerfavors.com) and for more information, and more baby related articles by this author, visit Baby Shower Ideas (www.mybabyshowerfavors.com/articles).