Graduation Invites--Mass Production in Thrifty Style

After viewing the Josten's catalog that was sent home with our high school senior, I decided that I was definitely going to make Dani's graduation invites and thank you cards. I have never seen such crazy inflated prices.  For a family on a tight budget right now, these prices made me feel a little faint.  I'm so glad that Dani was all about being thrifty like her mom when it came to the invites!  We did REALLY good today--I think I made the invites for maybe .50 each. Granted there's no fancy embellishments, but they will be much easier to mail out this way. 

 So today I sat down and my goal was to finish 2 dozen invites.  I wanted to do most of it while Evan was napping, because he is in full destruction mode when he's awake.  I must have forgotten that 2 year olds have no mercy.  I also learned that big sisters have absolutely no interest in chasing him while mom makes cards. 

Dani really liked criss-cross cards  and we decided that we liked just one flap covered w/ DSP.  That was great, because each piece of 12" x 12" DSP would cover a dozen flaps. 

We chose a textured cardstock for the belly band.  We contemplated using ribbon, but again much less costly.  Today, I used not quite 2 sheets of 12" x 12" Pumpkin Pie Cardstock. 

Using the corners I cut away to make the criss-cross card bases, I punched the Basic Black scalloped circles.  I also used scraps of Whisper White cardstock that were big enough to punch out 1 3/8" circles.

 

My friend, Wendy was so nice.  She used her die cut machine and cut out these cute little bitty number 1's for us.  I just didn't have anything the right size.  Thanks, Wendy! ♥

They were buggers to get on though--they were tiny!

Yep, thrifty moment.  I cut my dimensionals into halves or fourths.  They go 2 to 4 times further and work just as well.

All popped up! We are in the home stretch....

Here are the 2 dozen invites (minus the party information).  No one seems to know what time the ceremony is so I have no idea what to put for a start time for her party.  LOL  You know those last minute details.  :)  Dani said she will find out tomorrow so I can type up and print out the insert.

I think they turned out pretty cute.  Now I have to pick another day to make another couple dozen.  Oh boy!