Birthday party keepsake: an autographed photo mat

Liz, of Mom-101 and Cool Mom Picks fame, made this simple keepsake for her daughter's first birthday party:

Buy a cheap photo mat, put photo of the birthday girl or boy inside, and leave a felt pen or marker for guests to sign it. After the party, just add frame and you've got an instant bday keepsake.

This would also be fun for an older child's birthday -- especially if the guests are all just getting the hang of writing. Those first tentatively-written words are priceless. Use washable markers on a well-covered table, of course.

Comments

[CJ]

My best friend did this for us at our wedding. It's really been nice conversation piece in our entry-way. I love the idea for a kids b-day party!

[Jen]

Use photo safe pens to preserve it longer.

[Kat]

You could also leave the photo out, and take a group shot. After the party, throw the pic in the mat, and frame it, as a memory of the day.

[Fiona]

What a great idea! I've seen it for weddings but didn't even think about my son's 6th birthday in a couple of weeks.

[travelina]

Graet idea! Here's a similar one, that doubles as a keepsake and tablecloth: use a plain white cotton sheet instead of those paper or plastic birthday tablecloths, and put lots of markers on the table for guests to draw on while they're waiting for birthday cake. It's fun to read the handwriting years later! Also, I took my kids to a bowling alley recently where a birthday party was in progress, and the management provided a real bowling pin for the birthday girl, and all her friends signed it. Looked like fun!