Birth Announcements

Handmade cards provide a wonderful way for parents to share the news of a new baby. This five-by-five-inch card features a baby carriage on the front and can be made with any type of paper: origami, decorative stationery, or softly hued card stock. Make the cards in advance, so when the baby arrives, you'll just need to jot down the details.

Materials: Heavy paper in a variety of colors Ruler Scissors Glue stick Small- and medium-size circle stickers, optional Rickrack Scalloped scissors Vellum paper and envelopes

Instructions:

1. Fold a 10-by-5-inch piece of heavy paper in half; use a straight edge such as a ruler to make a crisp fold.
2. Cut a different color piece of paper slightly smaller, 4-1/2 by 4-1/2 inches, to fit on top. Center it on the card, and adhere with a glue stick. Repeat with an even smaller piece of paper, 4 by 4 inches, in a different color.
3. The baby carriage is made out of two different-size circles – you can use either stickers or paper circles. To make the body of the carriage, use a medium-size circle (about 2-3/8 inches in diameter), and cut out one-quarter of the circle. Center the carriage on the card. Attach two smaller circles (about 3/4 inch in diameter) for the wheels of the carriage.
4. Glue a piece of rickrack to the opening of the carriage, or using scalloped scissors, cut out a strip of paper, and attach for a decorative finish.
5. To make the inside announcement, write the baby's information, or print it out from a computer onto a piece of printer-weight vellum paper. Include your message. Cut the paper to 4-1/2 by 4-1/2 inches. Use a glue stick to apply glue sparingly to the back of the vellum paper, and attach to the inside of the card. Enclose card in vellum envelope.

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