How to Design Birth Announcements

Customizing your birth announcements is a simple and affordable way to make sure you get the exact look you want. Announcing the birth of a baby is a joyous celebration, and now you don't have to settle for mass-produced birth announcements. Read on to learn how to design birth announcements.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Printable Customized Birth Announcements

1. Peruse the variety of birth announcements available online and in local retail locations. Make notes on what you like and dislike. This information will give you a starting point when it's time to design your own announcements.
2. Determine how many announcements you want to send out. Setting a budget will help you keep costs in line and avoid unpleasant surprises, regardless of whether you plan to print your own or have your customized birth announcements printed for you. A general rule of thumb is that if a household has children over the age of 18, they should receive their own announcement.
3. Take multiple photographs of your new baby using a digital camera. Take some in black and white as well as in color. You'll want to have a wide selection to choose from when it comes time to design your announcements.
4. Design multiple announcements, playing with colors, borders, fonts and pictures. Use a free online service that allows you to print from your home computer. Avoid abbreviations and contractions.
5. Print one of each of the announcements you've chosen and take a few days to review them. Ask the opinion of those who matter to you in making the final selection. This ensures you'll be happy with the customized birth announcements you've sent for years to come.
6. Purchase extra ink cartridges and paper to ensure you're able to print all the announcements you want. Prepare to print extras, as ink can smudge and paper can feed in at an angle. Eliminating those last-minute stress factors allows the process to go smoothly.

Scrapbooked Customized Birth Announcements

7. Choose background papers and embellishments that suite your tastes.
8. Print out a photograph of your new baby to attach to the birth announcement.
9. Create your layout without using any adhesives until you've achieved the customized birth announcement that's perfect for you. Once you've determined the layout, you can embellish with fancy edging, lace, charms or stickers.
10. Secure the elements to the paper using the proper adhesives that are acid free and made to adhere papers and photographs. For charms, you might consider a stronger adhesive.
11. Continue to replicate your announcements until you've created enough to send out. Or, take your completed layout to a local printing store to have multiple copies printed for mailing.