Paper invitations are perfect for your party

If you’re planning any type of party this summer you’re going to need an invitation. And if you want to encourage really good attendance, skip the e-vites and emails and return to good old-fashioned paper.

You can prepare the most amazing food and transform the yard but it won’t mean a thing if no one shows up. So before you plan the menu, focus on the invitation.

You need to send these invitations to multiple people so they need to be quick and easy to make.

Consider a gate-folded card that opens from the middle with butterfly handles. Each card requires two matching butterflies, so simply cut out a butterfly shape, add details with a black pen and photocopy it onto coloured paper.

Cut out the pair of coloured butterflies, fold them in half and glue the inside of each one to the inside of each card cover. Leave the other half of each butterfly loose and the two halves will appear to be one butterfly when the card is closed.

Print out the party information on the computer, attach the printout to the inside of the card and add a little colour with themed stickers to complete the invitation.

It’s easy to continue the butterfly theme with a dimensional place card for each guest cut from coloured card stock. Mark the centre of each butterfly with a pencil line and cut half way down from the top on one and cut half way up from the bottom on the other one. Interlock the pair by sliding the two butterflies together along the cut lines and the butterflies become dimensional. Label each place card with sticker letters or handwrite the name of each guest.