After taking Baby Girl's gender reveal photos with Hannah, Curtis and I pondered exactly how use them to break the big news. We were heading to Bald Head Island, North Carolina for my sister's wedding in a few short weeks, and ALL of our family was going to be there, including Curt's parents. The prospect of telling everyone in person that a baby girl was on the way was way too awesome! It was easy not to spill the news early over phone or Facetime. 

We scouted Pinterest for ideas, to no avail. Then I looked at the rag fabric banner I'd made for Hannah's first birthday party - Eureka! A photo banner with fabric would be perfect, and would meet all of my current requirements for crafty projects: 

1. No perfectly straight lines. I cannot cut or sew perfect lines to save my life. 

2. I have a toddler. And a day job. And a small business. And two dogs, and a house, and a husband. And I'm PREGNANT. Any project that would take more than 1 hour to complete is out of the question.

3. We are on a strict budget, for all of the reasons listed in #3. 

That's why this project was perfect. Rag banners are supposed to be shabby chic - no straight lines required, and frayed edges encouraged. The only supplies I needed were 4x6 prints and signs (cheap) and 5x7 burlap banner backings, which cost less than $10 at Michaels. I already had gender-neutral fabric, twine, and clothespins. Even better? The full 8-foot rag fabric banner for Hannah's birthday took exactly 1 hour to complete. Incorporate the photos, and we were golden.

First, the project: 

1. Gather your materials - Clothespins, a couple of clever announcement signs, 5x7 burlap backers, twine, 4x6 photos, and fabric strips in your choice of colors. I cut these approximately 8 inches long and 1.5 inches wide. They don't have to be exact (did I say I loved this project?). 

2. Anchor the twine, and start tying. All you have to do is tie a knot. That's it. Make a pattern, repeat several times until you get to the length of the fabric portion you want. 

3. Start clipping! Burlap backer, sign or photo, clothespin. Easy peasy. Just keep clipping in whatever order you want... and stack them on top of each other in the order of the reveal. You can glue the signs and photos to the burlap backing if you want, but I didn't find that necessary. And that might have caused a violation of Rule #2. 

4. Finish with a second portion of fabric the same length as the first. If you want to be extra fancy, incorporate ribbons or lace. I didn't have that on hand, and obtaining such materials would have violated Rules #2 and #2. Cut and tie the twine when you are done. 

VOILA!!! 

5. Reveal!! 

The best part of this idea was that it offered a way for an interactive reveal. Sure, we could put up the banner and let people see it, but their eyes would go straight to the end for the big news! And they'd miss the suspense factor:) Stacking the banner photos and making people go through them one at a time would allow for a little more fun - proof below. A fancy box would make this even more special... but we were traveling with a toddler and had to pack for two weeks. We settled for easy! 

We also passed the banner around a huge table my extended family members, and it was so fun to tell everyone! We were so excited for the opportunity to do that in person. It was so special! 

Hope you enjoyed my first "crafty" blog! Next time back to photography... unless I can find another crafty project that meets all the rules. Doubtful.

Happy weekend to everyone!

Tara