Creative cards

FIVE on Friday: 5 Ways to Use Banners on Your Projects

Posted by: Kristen Swain · Edit

Hello Circlets! Kristen here with you today to show you some inspiration! ( I hope). This friday is all about 5… 5 something… so I thought about it for a few minutes and decided I wanted to share some ideas with you on using a very popular element. Banners! or pennants, or those hangie thingies that look so spectacularly cute on projects. Yeah, they are kind of all the rage right now, so why not give you a few ideas on what you can do with them?
I have created a set of mini cards, just perfect for giving as a pick me up, or friendly little note. These cards are sized 4.25 x 5 inches. You might say they aren’t that mini, but hey-I just sized them to the size of a slice of cake I’d like! LOL! To create these little beauties I went rummaging in my scraps box and found lots of pretty prints to mix and match.

I will show you that there are at LEAST 5 different ways to use a banner.

Use- numero uno!

Let’s start with the obvious- as a … banner! These little banners are all over the place, you can create big ones to hang, or a little one to put on your project. Just add a couple tied pieces of string or twine and have the corners touch. Drape them across, hang them straight or at angles and they are a cute addition to your project. I love to use foam tape to pop my banners up like I did on this card. Add in a diecut greeting with some little buttons and you have a quick and easy card.

NUMBER 2!!

‘Owl’ be honest, ha, this card was totally fun to create. Can you see where I’ve brought the banners in? I used them as a fun funky border on the main block of the card.  Just layer on the banners at varying lengths and cut off any excess. This is a great junction point to add a ribbon like i did and I placed my owl to look like he was sitting on the ribbon. (and what cute animal doesn’t look darling with wiggle eyes!)

3, three, and threeeeeeeee.

So, you like to make your own custom shapes, you don’t say!! Me too. And I created this sun with both the pointy kind of banner and a V end banner. See how I cut out the half circle for the sun, then I just layered the shorter shapes on and added more as I liked to finish my sun. Of course I had to add in some clouds, and a cut out greeting to finish this little cutie.

Number 4

How about ……. as party picks! (flags). Just cut your pennants out and adhere them to toothpicks with adhesive squares. Then you can decorate them as you’d like. I put pretty teal pearls on mine. And don’t they look sweet highlighting that cupcake. You don’t have to leave them plain, add in words or phrases too.

and last- but not least- NUMBER 5!!

Make your banner a big part of your project and create a background piece with a single large banner. Make several to go across a layout, or a giant one to place on your card!

Now, that isn’t all the banner ideas in the world. ( I snuck in a banner greeting for my Laugh card, and a scroll like banner on my celebrate card). But its a few cute ideas to use banners in a new way, create some fun and colorful cards, use up those scraps and even try out some new shape cuts you might find on your carts. I hope you have enjoyed this 5 on Friday!!


Designed By: Kristen Swain
Cricut Machines Used: Cricut Expression Electronic Cutting Machine, Cricut Craft Room, Cuttlebug
Cricut Cartridges Used: Doodlecharms, Something to Celebrate, Freshly Picked, Everyday Pop-Up Cards, Create a Critter, Wedding, Country Life, Cricut Font & Basic Shapes – Digital
Cuttlebug Embossing Folders Used: Polka Dots
Other Supplies: Cardstock (American Crafts, BoBunny), Patterned Papers (American Crafts, Bella Blvd, Echo Park Paper, Pebbles Inc.), Foam Tape, Buttons, Twine, Wiggle Eyes, Toothpicks, Ribbon (Doodlebug Designs), Adhesives