Using Publisher

• 1). Open Publisher, click “Publications for Print” and select “Banners.” Scroll through the banner designs and double-click one, which opens the item in the Publisher workspace. To change the banner size, click “File” and “Page Setup,” then type in your preferred banner size and click “OK.”
  
  
• 2). Click your cursor into the placeholder banner headline, which becomes highlighted. Type directly over the highlighted text with your own, such as “Happy 10th Birthday, Max!” or “Congrats on your A+ report card, Eddie!” Use the text toolbar at the top of the page to change the font, size and color of the letters.
  
  
• 3). Right-click the picture on the left side of the banner. Select “Change Picture” and choose “Clip Art.” Type a word or phrase into the “Search for” box, such as “birthday,” “balloons,” “presents” or “soccer player,” and click “Go.” Scroll through the graphics and double-click one, which appears in place on the banner. Repeat to change the picture on the right side of the banner.
  
  
• 4). (Optional) Give the banner a colorful background by pulling down the “Format” menu and selecting “Background.” Click one of the colored squares, which instantly changes the color of the banner’s background. Skip this step if you plan to print the banner on colored or foil paper.
  
  
• 5). Pull down the “File” menu, click “Save As,” give the banner a name and save it to your computer.
  
  

Using Paint

• 1). Open Paint, click “File” and choose “Open.” Navigate to a digital photo of your child on the computer and double-click the file name, which opens the image in the Paint workspace. Click the “Select” tool, which looks like a box made of dotted lines. Draw an outline around the picture, right-click the outline and select “Copy.”
  
  
• 2). Pull down the “File” menu and click “New.” Click the “Image” menu and select “Attributes.” Set your preferred banner size, such as 70 inches by 10 inches, and click the “OK” button. Right-click the banner white space and select “Paste,” which pastes in your child’s photo. Drag it into place on the left side of the banner.
  
  
• 3). Click the “Text” tool, which looks like an “A” on the “Tools” palette. Click on the banner; if a text toolbar does not appear, click “View” and select “Text Toolbar.” Select a font and increase the font to 150 or 200. Type the banner headline, such as “Get Well, Rose” or “Have Fun at Camp, Frances!”
  
  
• 4). Click the “Airbrush” tool, which looks like a spray-paint can. Select the large whirl head and choose a paint color from the “Color Picker” at the bottom of the screen. Click around the white space of the banner, adding confetti. Switch paint colors and keep clicking for a rainbow effect.
  
  
• 5). Pull down the “File” menu and click “Save As.” Give the banner a name and choose a place to save it on your computer.
  
  

Using Word

• 1). Open Word, click the “File” menu and select “New.” When the “New Document” pane opens, type “banner” into the “Search online for” box and click “Go.” Scroll through the results, double-click a link for a banner preview and click “Download” to open a banner in your Word workspace.
  
  
• 2). Highlight the placeholder banner message with your cursor, then type the new headline right over the words, such as “Sammy’s Birthday Party Here!” or “Goldie’s Halloween Party House.” Use the text toolbar at the top of the page to change the font to a kid-friendly choice such as Bradley Hand or Kirsten, and increase the word size or change the color of the letters.
  
  
• 3). Click once on a placeholder image on the banner to highlight it, then press the “Delete” key to remove it. Pull down the “Insert” menu, click “Picture” and select “From File.” Browse to a picture of your child on the computer and double-click the image, which appears on the banner. Drag it into place with your cursor.
  
  
• 4). Add a graphic to the banner by pulling down the “Insert” menu, clicking “Picture” and selecting “Clip Art.” Type a word or phrase such as “party,” “kids” or “gift bags” into the “Search for” box and click “Go.” Scroll through the results, double-click a graphic to add it to the banner and drag it into place with your cursor.
  
  
• 5). Pull down the “File” menu, click “Save As,” name the banner and save it to your computer.