Look Who's One! and a Festoon

Happy Birthday Big Al. His mommy stripped him down to eat his cake. This boy knows how to party!The rest of us kept our clothes on and had cupcakes and ice cream.Another blurry picture. The other grandma and grandpa were there and so were some aunts and uncles.For his fabulous first birthday, Mimi decided to try to make a festoon that I saw over at Joy's blog. The rest of the banner was made by his mommy with her new Silhouette machine that she got for her birthday.First you pick out some tissue paper in some pretty colors, although this would be a great way to use up tissue paper from gifts from other occasions. You could also use pattern tissue for that shabby chic look. (Just trying to be green.) Then you cut the tissue into strips, I cut mine in about 1 1/2 inch strips.

Then you stack the strips, I stacked about 15-18 strips together...

Then you sew down the middle of the strips, it doesn't have to be exact...

Connecting the strips together by adding the next pile and continuing to sew...

Until you have a festoon as long as you want...

Then you fold the strips on the sew line and cut through the tissue to the sew line...

Then you watch an entire Oprah while you cut and cut and cut. Then you fluff it and ruffle it until it gets big and fluffy. And that's it. It'd be a fun holiday decoration (green and red, or orange and black). For a school function with the school's colors, or how about a baby or bridal shower. It was a fun and easy project. I think I'll be making some more. Thanks Joy.