When it is time to celebrate a birthday, you want your invitees' attention, but generic store cards can get lost among the bills and junk mail in a mailbox. Make your own birthday invitations by using Windows Paint, a graphics program included with your Windows operating system. With Paint, you can customize an invitation without paying exorbitant printer fees and include in-jokes with guests or create wording tailored to the occasion. Another benefit of using Paint to make your own invitations is you can print as many -- or as few -- as you want; you're not tied to buying store-determined boxes of cards.
Instructions
1. Start Windows Paint and click the Paint button, the small drop-down arrow in the top-left corner of the screen. Choose "Properties." Enter the dimensions for the invitation into the "Width" and "Height" boxes, such as "5" and "7" respectively. Verify the "Inches" radio button is selected; if not, click it. Click the "OK" button to resize the Paint canvas.
2. Click a small colored box in the Colors section of the ribbon to serve as the invitation background. If no colors appeal to you, click the "Edit colors" button and choose a new color. Click the paint bucket icon in the Tools section of the ribbon and click the Paint canvas to fill it with color. Skip this step if you'll be printing on printed or colored cardstock.
3. Choose a dark color from the Colors section of the ribbon. Click the "A" icon in the Tools section. Click the top of the invitation and select a font and text size.
4. Type the main attention-grabber, such as "It's Rose's Birthday!" or "Please Join Us for Ed's 65th Birthday."
5. Adjust the text color, font or size if desired and click lower on the invitation. Type the party details such as the date, location, time, theme, whether food will be provided, what to wear or bring and respond, such as by telephone or a specific email address.
6. Choose a new paint color you haven't yet used. Click the Brushes button on the ribbon. Click the Airbrush button from the Brushes drop-down collection. Click the Size button on the ribbon and choose the thickest/bottom line width.
7. Press and hold down the left mouse button and drag the cursor around the borders and blank space on the invitation, depositing confetti/sparkles. Continue clicking and dragging to add more sparkles or choose additional paint colors and click more for a rainbow confetti look.
8. Click the Paint button. Choose the Save As option. Enter a name to save the file with and click the Save button.
Tags: section ribbon, button ribbon, click Paint, Colors section, Colors section ribbon, icon Tools, icon Tools section