Creating a birthday invitation for your kids birthday party is easy and affordable. Plus creating your own birthday invitations makes it even more meaningful for your child since you have taken extra effort in making his or her birthday even more special. You can make attractive birthday invitations that are even more beautiful compared to those commercially bought birthday cards by simply applying a few very simple desktop publishing and design principles. Simply follow these ten simple steps to make not only birthday invitations but also other types of greeting cards.

Here are the steps involved in creating birthday invitations:

1. Make sure to use an appropriate software

There are various software programs used for creating birthday invitations as well as other types of greeting cards. These include: PageMaker, InDesign, PhotoShop, and other professional desktop publishing software. However, if you are new to desktop publishing and your main concern is to create your very own birthday invitations or greeting cards, consumer software is an easier way to go. Be sure to familiarize yourself with some of the basic operations before you actually begin your project.

2. Better to pick a birthday invitation format

Before you actually decide on the kind of birthday invitation that you want to do, be it funny, serious, oversized, top fold, side fold, and even personalized, it is important that you have a vision of the design that you want to create. This can help you in speeding up the designing process of your invitations, even if you are using templates straight from the software.

3. Try to set up an invitation document

If you are going to use a blank template or wizard for the style of birthday invitation you want, use it to set up your birthday invitation. You may also create a layout from scratch using your desired size. For a top or side-fold card, printed on letter size paper, it is best to create a folded dummy and then mark the front, inside front, message area then finally the back of the greeting card.

4. Choose the graphics for your birthday invitation

If you prefer to have a simple birthday invitation it is easier to stick with one image or a few simple icon-like figures. If you prefer to use less realistic clipart, you may end up with a more cartoonish appearance. Unleash your creativity and make use of color and lines. All of these contribute to the overall style of the birthday invitation. Likewise, mix and match images that share a similar style.

5. Modify the images

There are some graphics that work without modification but requires simple changes in terms of size and color that can improve any birthday invitation layout. You can also use color and frames or boxes with dissimilar images in order to come up with a more unified appearance.

6. Select a font that would best suit your birthday invitation

Chose your font to best suit the type of invitation youre sending out.

7. Arrange text and graphics

Play about with the text and graphics until you find a layout that works best with your chosen graphics and font style and size.

8. Create consistency in the look and feel of your birthday invitation.

Try to keep your invitation simple with clean lines for maximum effect. Too many conflicting styles, fonts and pictures look messy and can detract from the actual purpose of the invitation.

9. Add a credit line

Put a credit line on the back of your created birthday invitation. You may place your name to show that you were the one who took the effort in creating the birthday invitation that they are now admiring.

10. Proofread and print your birthday invitations.

It is important to do a final proofread before printing your birthday invitation on an expensive specialty paper.