The bug party invitation prototype is done. Yes, I prototype my invitations. I design and print the prototype at home and then I usually send the file to a copy center to print on nice glossy paper with their fancy color laser printer. The images below are of the prototype, which was printed on plain copy paper with my cheap $50 color printer.
The invitation is more than just an invitation! I designed the bug party invitation as a mini coloring book featuring some kid favorite bugs. I love interactive invitations, because they help set the tone for the party and get the party-goers engaged with the theme even before they arrive at the party.
The cover of the coloring book is the actual party invitation. True to my inspiration on the bug party mood board, I designed the cover to look like a bug diagram. The labels to the bug parts are actually the party details. Of course, as the title of this post suggests, my favorite part of the invitation is the cutesy “Please join us and the bugs to celebrate!” line. Design-wise, I love how I overlaid the word celebrate in white on the number 2.
The invitation is printed double-sided on one 8.5 x 11 inch sheet of paper. I cut the invitation in half length-wise. And then folded each half of the paper in half cross-wise. I nestled the folded pieces together to create a coloring book with the invitation on the front.
To speed up the design, I downloaded free bug coloring pages from XXX and XXX. Then, because the resolution was pretty poor, I used the Live Trace feature in Adobe Illustrator to improve the look of the bug images. The Live Trace automatically traces over the original image and replaces the lines to look more like an inked drawing. I added the frames and the text on each coloring page. I colored the bug on the cover with the Live Paint feature in Adobe Illustrator.
To hold the book together I stitched across the top with my sewing machine in green thread. In addition to holding the coloring book together, the stitching also helps perforate the pages. The individual coloring pages can be torn out along the perforated stitched line for easier coloring.
No coloring book would be complete without crayons. The plan is to include two crayons with each invitation, bundled together with jute twine. Don’t worry, I won’t be sending them with used crayons…this is a prototype remember. I still need to buy some for the invitations, so I borrowed a few from the crayon bucket to take photos with. I definitely plan to include crayons for local invitees, but I am considering how to do this for invitations that need to be mailed. Perhaps a bubble mailer or a small box. Our guest list isn’t too long, so I am not concerned about postage cost. Any recommendations for mailing the invitations with the crayons?
Cute invitation idea! I love that it lets the kids get creative and colour their own bugs :)
I don’t know how you would feel about rolling them up but I saw another blog where a lady mailed a coloring book and some crayons in a water bottle or Gatorade bottle. She only had to use a few stamps. Just an idea :).
Audrey, You are a genius. I think you are referring to he Givers Log, where she mails all sorts of unconventional items. Thanks for the reminder.