Paper Craft: “Fiesta” Party Banner

If you’ve noticed, banners are HOT right now in the papercrafting world. They are simple, fun ways to make a party or season more festive. (Remember our sweet Easter banner?) So today we are going to party it up with this “Fiesta” banner!

Supplies:

• K & Company “Cut and Paste” 2-sided cardstock
• Chipboard Letters
  
• White Tissue Paper
• Gold Glitter Glue
  
• White Spray Gesso
• Red Glitter spray, optional
  
• Gold Eyelets and setter
• Craft Glue
  
• Glue Dots
• Ribbon for hanging

Tools:

• Scissors
• Fancy-Edge Scissors
• Paper Trimmer
• 1/8  inch hole punch

Start off by choosing the letters for “fiesta” and placing them in a box lid to catch the over spray. Using the spray gesso, coat the fronts of the chip board letters with 2-3 light coats of primer. Follow with 2-3 coats of glitter spray, if you like. (Alternatively, paint them with white paint.) After mine were dry, I used the gold glitter glue to outline the letters to make them pop.

Now let’s get our little flags ready. You’ll need 2 pieces of coordinating paper- I chose red and green for the traditional Mexican colors. You’ll need 3 of each, so cut the paper into 4X6 inch pieces using the paper trimmer. Using the fancy-edge scissors, trim off the 4″ end just a tad.

Now fold over that fancy edge about a 1/2 inch. (See? Isn’t this two-sided paper great?) Staying close to the bottom of the fancy edge, use the hole punch and punch 3 holes per flag. I just eyeball this, and I start with one in the middle and then space the other two out. What we’re doing is creating a sleeve for the hanging ribbon and adding a detail all at the same time.

Set your eyelets into the holes.

Next, make a tissue-paper fringe. Cut 2″ in tissue paper (I just cut it from a single sheet on the short end). Glue the tissue to the back of the flag using craft glue, about 1/4″ away from the edge. Just go back and forth until you’ve used the entire length of the tissue.

By the time I got done finished gluing the last flag, the glue had dried enough that I could start cutting the fringe of the first one I’d done. Just using my plain ol’ scissors, I cut little fringes into the tissue, about 1/8 inch apart:

Lay out your flags, alternating colors. Using your pop-up Glue Dots, attach your chipboard letters to the front of flags.  I also added a little “scallop” trim on the bottom of the flag, just above the fringe, using more glitter glue. (What can I say, I’m a fool for sparkle.)

Add extra glitter glue details!

Now, be patient, and let your glues dry. Once the are, string your ribbon through the top sleeves, and, if you like, add some tissue paper flowers to jazz it up. (See the Tissue-Paper Flower tutorial HERE.)  I just added a few rosettes to mine.

Now you are ready for your Cinco de Mayo party, or any other opportunity to party down. And here’s another hint for you: because this paper is two-sided, you can actually dismantle your banner and make another version using the back side. How about one that says “Party” or “Summer” or even “Mom”?  With just a few tweaks you’d have a second banner in no time!

Have fun at YOUR fiesta!!

Read about our Cinco De Mayo flower pot craft HERE for another great themed craft.