DIY: Making a Paper Party Banner

It's easy to whip up, and can be customized to any color scheme.  Here's how.

1.  To start, you'll need six pieces of twelve by twelve inch scrapbooking paper (available at crafts stores).  Choose solid colors, patterns, or a mix of both -- the possibilities are virtually endless.  Get creative!  Fold each piece of paper in half; each paper will give you two equal-sized flags.

2.  Take one piece of paper and make sure that the fold is at the top.  Then, using a pencil, draw a line down the middle of the folded piece of paper at the six inch mark, and then make notches along the bottom of the paper at both the three inch mark and the nine inch mark [see white indicators on photo].  Repeat this for all six pieces of paper; doing this ensures that each flag will be the same width, and will help you cut even triangles.

3.  Now you're ready to draw the flags.  Using a straight edge, simply draw a line connecting the top corners of the flag to the three inch mark, and repeat for the flag on the opposite side [see red lines on photo

4.  Following the lines you've just drawn, cut out all twelve flags from the paper.

5.  On a space with a long surface area (like a dining room table, counter, or the floor), unwind a long piece of sturdy twine and start placing the flags onto the twine, one right after the other.  The twine should go inside the flags' top fold, and make sure there's enough twine left on either end to hang the garland.

6.  Apply glue to the inside of each flag and press shut.  Let the flags dry on a flat surface before hanging.

Use tacks or nails to hang your banner to the wall, over a doorway, on a mantle, over a headboard, around a table...wherever you want to add a bit of whimsy and fun!