Groovin’ with the Go-to Gals – I’m Puzzled!

Betsy Veldman

It’s October once again and around our house that means we’ve got a birthday right around the corner. This Sunday, my oldest son will turn nine! I can hardly believe it! 

Well, each year I try to come up with something clever for his birthday invitations. I feel lots of pressure because my family members now expect something fun and clever! Last year I made secret decoders, which was super fun and you can read about in this blog post. See? I’m feeling lots of pressure to top that one! 

Well, I’m not sure I topped it, but I did come up with a fun and easy way to create an invitation that’s actually a personalized crossword puzzle. Do you know a kid that doesn’t like puzzles? 

All of the clues have to do with the date, time and location of the party. By the time the recipient finishes the puzzle, they will have all the details they need to get themselves to the party! 

There are many sites on the web that let you make your own crossword puzzles. I used Crosswordpuzzlegames.com to create mine. It allows you to type in your words and the clues that go with them, then just click on a button and it creates the puzzle for you. So easy! After printing out my crossword, I added just a few simple stamped elements to dress it up. 

On the backside of the card are the party details, clearly spelled out, just in case! This was super fast and inexpensive, and I think his buddies will love it!

Did you know there are lots of other sites out there to make all sorts of different puzzles? You can make your own word searches at www.armoredpenguin.com, mazes and more at www.kidcrosswords.com and a plethora of puzzles at www.edhelper.com. I’m thinking of all sorts of possibilities, including Valentine treats with hidden love notes, children’s birthday cards, get well cards and so much more! 

I’d love to see your ideas for creating something “puzzling”!

Betsy Veldman,
Paper Crafts Go-to Gal

P.S. Make sure you check back with us tomorrow when Jennifer spotlights the five winning cards from the World Card Making Day gallery! To see Cath’s five winners, head on over to Moxie Fab World!