Happy Birthday {Banner}

I've been working on this one for a while, and I'm happy to have it done now! :)  I started on this banner back in May before my husbands birthday, and then got busy working on something else, so this project got put on the back burner.  Then I was going to have it all done for my sons birthday that was last week, and I just couldn't get it finished for that either.  Well, I will be so happy to get it out next month for one of my other boys birthdays!
If you remember my Happy Birthday Decor, then you'll know that I used the same paper for this!

I used my Cricut to cut everything for this project.  I love the look of these flags for the banner, and I love that my Birthday Bash Cricut cartridge has them {among other banner shapes} on it.  The Birthday Bash cartridge also has all sorts of fun birthday shapes on it, so I decided to put something fun on each end of "happy" and "birthday".  The birthday hat, candle, cake, and gifts were the ones that I chose.  When putting these all together, I used lots of dimension squares, and I love the depth that it added.  I also added the dimension squares when I adhered them to the banner/flags.

You can see the how the letters and birthday shapes are up off the banner/flags in the next few pictures.  For the white circles behind everything, I used my Mini Monograms Cricut cartridge.  I think that they add some fun character to the overall look of the banner.  

I also had fun inking the edges of the flags and the white circles/shapes on this banner.  This is the project that I was working on and decided to share a few of my tips for choosing ink pads, because I thought there just might be others that are trying to figure it out. :) 

Once it was all done, and ready to be tied together with ribbon, I wasn't sure what ribbon I was going to use.  I got out my ribbon box and was looking through it, and found all of my American Crafts ribbon that was for their birthday line a couple of years ago, and guess what!?  It matches perfectly, and I have nine rolls of coordinating, different ribbon! I was so excited.  I got to work tying it all together, and I'm just so excited with how it has turned out.

I just can't wait until the next birthday at our house, so I can hang it up!  Do you decorate for birthdays?  I know it's kind of a lot of work to put everything up for one day, but it's fun to make the birthday person feel special!  I just keep it all in one box, and grab it and any decor that I take down for the birthday just goes in that box for the day.  It works great!  My next project to go with all the birthday stuff is going to be something for my front door.  I can't wait!

Linking to:
Sassy Sites, Tatertots & Jello, Family Ever After, A Little Knick Knack, Six Sisters' Stuff, Be Different Act Normal, I ♥ Naptime, Flamingo Toes, Positively Splendid, Thirty Handmade Days, The Girl Creative, Craft-O-Maniac, Brassy Apple, Keeping it Simple, Making the World Cuter, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Cherished Bliss, You're talking too much, Mommy by day Crafter by night, Tip Junkie, Sugar Bee Crafts, Topsy Turvy Tuesdays, Not Just a Housewife, Creative Itch, The REAL Housewives of Riverton, Creations by Kara, Organize and Decorate Everything, Lil' Luna, Ginger Snap Crafts, Seven Thirty Three, SNAP, Someday Crafts, JAQS Studio, Sew Much Ado, House of Hepworths, Johnny in a Dress, Polkadots on Parade, Destination: Craft