Reunion Invitations...

I took on an incredible project that consumed most of my August.  It was making 500 invitations for our 40th High School Reunion coming up in October.  Hence, why I haven't been seen on the Blog since the end of July... :)

 

I started out, once I got the go ahead, by cutting all the pieces.  I was able to use three different blue cardstocks that I had originally purchased for Zack's "Any Hero" project from four years ago.  The rest of the blues needed, I purchased from Michaels during a sale.  I then, packaged all the parts into 50 card packs to keep the "like" blues together.

 I stamped all 500 of these pieces using my MISTI.  Thank  GOD for the MISTI!!  Each piece was then partially embossed...

 

 This part was actually really fun.  The pieces were first cut on my Silhouette and then assembled...

 

 I had 167 done when I headed to Ohio with everything in tow at the end of August.  I started to panic that I wasn't going to meet my deadline of August 31st.  Making the first half had so many issues, like; the ribbon sticking to me and not where I wanted it, gluing the wrong side of the tassel and ripping the embossed piece with the tape gun.  However, by the time I got to the second half,  everything went like clockwork...

 

I spent day after day in Ohio, putting the rest together...

 

 

 

Then they were put on the heavy card backs.  And no, you're not seeing all 500 at once.  They were done in sections...

 Each one was then put in an envelope, along with a response card and envelope, and a commemorative stamp on the outside.  There were 146 invitations for those outside of Connecticut.  There were 240 invitations for IN Connecticut but outside of West Haven and 114 invitations for those who are still in West Haven...

Most of the out-of-state invitations were sent from the main post office in Columbus, OH on August 26th.  On our return trip to Jersey on August 28th, we stopped at the main post office in Harrisburg, PA and sent another 150 or so.  Saturday, August 29th, another 100 hit our local post office in South Bound Brook, NJ.   The last batch was in the mailbox by 4pm, ONE hour before closing so I could happily say that I made the deadline... what a task!

It was quite amazing to me, to learn that the majority of graduates never left the state.  I'm clearly an odd-ball...

The final result...

 



All the printing inside, all the envelopes and the response cards and envelopes, were done by the Ernman, who btw, is also a graduate of this class.  A joint effort for sure...

 



And the back blurb, designed by Ernie, to let all our classmates know who made their invite.

 

It's taken me a whole month to regroup but I'm back in the saddle... yay!