Jan's Library

Baby Shower Invitation and Matching Envelope

By: Jan K., The Proofer

You don't need a card-making program in order to make your own personalized baby shower invitations and matching envelopes!

Using Mom's Break exclusive free printable baby shower clipart and the invitation templates provided with this article, you can make your own free baby shower cards that you can easily personalize. You don't even need any special paper---just use regular computer printer paper!

For a look at the free baby shower invitations and matching envelopes, see the sample at:

http://www.jansreadingroom.com/Baby_Shower/babyshowercardsample.htm

To create a personalized baby shower card, you will need to download the free printable baby shower clipart available at Mom's Break Baby Shower.

The free printable templates for your baby shower card and envelope labels are all set up for you. All you have to do is put in the clipart that you want to use and enter in the details of the party. Here are all the instructions:

Baby Shower Card (Party Invitation)

1. Open the Baby Shower Card template that has basic invitation text in it:

http://www.jansreadingroom.com/Baby_Shower/babycard_text.doc

2. Substitute the Mom's Break baby shower clipart that you want to use:

• Select the baby rattle number or letter (or any other baby shower clipart) that you want. Open that jpg file.
• Right click on it and then click on COPY.
• In the Baby Shower card template, right click on the baby rattle K that now appears in the template, and click on PASTE.
• Now, your baby shower rattle letter or number will appear.
• Resize it so that it fits into the space available for that side of the card. Click anywhere in the clipart picture. A "box" will appear around the picture, and there will be small black boxes in the corners. Move the cursor across the black box in the corner, and the cursor will change into a slanted arrow. Hold the mouse down and drag the cursor toward the middle of the picture. The picture will get smaller as you drag. When it is the size that you want, take your finger off the mouse button, and click anywhere on the screen. The picture is now re-sized.

For more information about working with jpg files in Word, please review my helpful tutorials, which includes illustrated instructions for re-sizing pictures:

http://readingroom.janktheproofer.com/insertjpgintoword.htm

http://readingroom.janktheproofer.com/morejpgword.htm

3. Fill in the middle of the card with whatever text you'd like to include. If there is a "theme" for the Baby Shower, you can put that information in here. If Mommy-to-Be is registered at any baby stores in your area, you can also put that information in. You can also delete the text and insert another clipart picture---or you can have text and a clipart picture!

4. Complete the information on the last side of the card, as necessary.

While you are working with this card template, you might notice that text moves from the middle to the front, last side to the middle, etc. If you delete the clipart on the front side, then as soon as you insert another clipart file, the text will move back. You can also re-position text by clicking at the beginning of a word, and hitting the Enter key. Each time you hit the Enter key, the text will move down one line space. Just hit Enter until the text is where you want it.

You can also "back up" text by clicking in front of a word and hitting the Backspace key.

Experiment and be creative! Personalizing your baby shower invitation can be fun!

If you want to create your own card, then you can download a "blank" card that is already formatted so that you can fold it accordion-style:

http://www.jansreadingroom.com/Baby_Shower/card_template.doc

Baby Shower Matching Envelope Using Mailing/Return Address Labels

Now you can create your mailing and return address labels so that your envelope will match your invitation!

You are going to use the same basic instructions as provided for personalizing the card to insert the baby shower clipart you want to use for the mailing and return address labels.

For the templates that already have pictures and text boxes in the labels, go to:

http://www.jansreadingroom.com/Baby_Shower/littlelabels_withtextbox.doc

http://www.jansreadingroom.com/Baby_Shower/biglabels_withtextbox.doc

You will use the same basic instructions for working with jpg files in order to insert the clipart that you want to use. Once you have personalized the first row of labels, highlight that entire row and right click. Select Copy. Then position the cursor at the beginning of the next row of labels, and hit CTRL+V, or click on Edit on your toolbar, and then click on Paste.

If you would like to make your own mailing and return address labels, but aren't too sure how to get the template for labels, here are the blank templates:

http://www.jansreadingroom.com/Baby_Shower/littlelabels.doc

http://www.jansreadingroom.com/Baby_Shower/biglabels.doc

For more help with making mailing and return address labels, you can use basically the same instructions for creating your own labels as the instructions for making gift tags using business cards. For that illustrated tutorial, please go to:

http://readingroom.janktheproofer.com/businesscardgifttags.htm

Once you learn how to work with jpg files, and get comfortable with making invitations or cards, mailing and return address labels, and gift tags that match everything, you can really have fun! You can use these same skills for any holiday or party occasion!

Jan K., The Proofer is a freelance copyeditor and proofreader. Visit http://www.jansportal.com for more information about Jan's free crafts, recipes, tutorials, other resource sites, and free content articles, as well as Jan’s business services. Be sure to visit Mom's Break (http://www.momsbreak.com/) for free printable crafts and projects. © Copyright 2005 to present. All rights reserved.