HALLOWEEN INVITE 2013 : 6 Steps

Here's an invitation from 2013 and instructions on how to make these and package them. The theme was a butchers and the house was decorated to match this theme.

Step 1: Draw It...

I know it's pretty obvious but draw your design as it helps solve any problems before you do any actual making.

Once you have drawn your design then draw using Illustrator or another package, use pictures to trace and you can buy stock images if your design is personal and not being sold then this is pretty reasonable.

Step 2: Laser Your Design and Cut Out

I use a Denford laser to etch into this chopping board which was bamboo and created some lovely laser etching effects. I then cut the chopping board cleaver out on a bandsaw and sanded on a sanding disc to get the right effect. You could laser the board but the laser I used only goes to 9mm.

Step 3: Next Create a Screen and Screen Print Your Newsprint Wrapping

So I'm not going to explain screen printing as there are lots of tutorials on here and YouTube but create a large enough screen to print a large piece of newsprint or tissue paper to wrap your board in. I personalised the designs using the outer packaging.

Step 4: Personalising and Packaging

So you've made the wrapping, now roll the chopping board in cardboard so you can wrap it easily. I wraped this like an envelope and using a foil sticker to seal the tissue.

I also then created a label wrap for the outer box using Kraft sticker paper from Amazon (Silhouette brand). I inkjet printed the label and it's important you wrap the box in it's constructed form so that it folds back nicely.

Use the same sticker paper to make an internal sticker with the invite and persons name.

Step 5: Complete!

Wrap the box with a butcher queue ticket and string you can again personalise the box for each person (otherwise once closed you have no idea) and I went the extra mile by screen printing and sewing a canvas bag.

Happy Halloween!