Join Cricut and The Birthday Party Project to make joy

19 August 2021

Cricut and The Birthday Party Project join forces to Make It Forward.

What if a simple project, like a T-shirt or birthday card, could make a kid’s day truly special? If one project can spur that much joy, imagine what hundreds — or thousands — of projects can do. That’s why we want to Make It Forward by partnering with The Birthday Party Project.

There is endless creativity happening every day, and we know so many of you are using that creativity to make for others. Here’s a new opportunity that we believe makes a difference and with your help, we can inspire other makers to join in — or, as we like to say, make it forward.  

Meet our new partner, The Birthday Party Project. Their mission: acknowledge the life, dreams, and birthday wishes of children who wouldn’t otherwise be able to celebrate.  

The Birthday Party Project has helped more than 65,000 kids across 18 cities in the United States celebrate their birthdays. 

They have an amazing team that dedicates their time and resources to fulfill birthday parties all over and right now, their focus is on sending custom birthday bags to kids so they can celebrate wherever they are.

Learn more about their founder, Paige Chenault, and how Paige believes crafting and the Cricut community can play role in their organization.  

Make It Forward with us

We need your help: we’re launching a Make It Forward challenge with our community to make 5,000 projects in 5 weeks to provide to The Birthday Party Project. Imagine all the cards, banners, T-shirts, water bottles, activities, and more that we can make for kids to receive on their special day.

The Birthday Party Project will take what you make and include them in birthday bags for kids all over the country, who will receive them to celebrate when they otherwise may not have.

Keep reading to learn more about how you can get involved and Make It Forward for The Birthday Party Project.

Help us make for The Birthday Party Project

Here is what The Birthday Party Project needs to create these special bags:

  • Create for kids ages 6-12
  • Encourage projects to be gender-neutral
  • No names, only imagery and phrases
  • Specific projects to make:
    • Gifts: “It’s my birthday” T-shirts, custom water bottles, pencil kits, backpacks
    • Party décor: Birthday banners and cards
    • Activities: Coloring pages, stickers, and puzzles
  • All projects can be sent directly to The Birthday Party Project*:

Address:
The Birthday Party Project
ATTN: Cricut projects
2143 Farrington Street
Dallas, TX 75207

*All shipping methods accepted.

Free Cricut party projects and images

Here is some inspiration for you as you consider making. Each of these projects can be found in Design Space and if you search under “free images” you can find hundreds of free party and celebrations images to use.

Make It Forward projects from the community

See our awesome community in action already making projects—make sure to share your projects to inspire others using #makeitforward and #cricutmade.

Let’s Make Day

On Saturday, August 28, 2021 in our Cricut – Official group on Facebook, join us for community making of celebrations projects.

Our admins, moderators, and engagement team members will be busy all day making their projects to donate to The Birthday Party Project. Throughout the day, from 10am to 7pm ET, they will be sharing more than 60 projects they have been working on.

You can also see what the community is making and sharing to inspire other by searching the hashtag #makeitforward on Instagram and Facebook.

We cannot wait to make with you.

The Birthday Party Project questions, answered

Why is Cricut partnering with The Birthday Party Project?

Both Cricut and The Birthday Party Project each have a mission to bring joy. We feel strongly that our community celebrates that mission too and would join us in helping craft amazing celebrations projects that bring joy to kids all over. The simplest projects can have a major impact and can encourage others to pass on their creativity for kindness too. Learn more about how we want to Make It Forward.

Where can I get more information about this organization?

Read more from their founder, Paige Chenault, about how the organization got started. You can also visit The Birthday Party Project website.

What are the projects you need me to make?

The Birthday Party Project has very specific needs that we want to help fulfill, which is why we’ve partnered with them to create the perfect project roundup. The specific projects needed are:

  • Gifts: “It’s my birthday” T-shirts, custom water bottles, pencil kits, backpacks
  • Party décor: Birthday banners and cards
  • Activities: Coloring pages and puzzles

You will find free projects and content from Cricut in Design Space.

How many projects can I make?

Even one project can make a difference, but we encourage you to create as many projects as you’re willing to make. We will work closely with The Birthday Party Project team to inventory the projects on a weekly basis and communicate if we need more of a certain type.

What if I only want to make a specific type of project?

That is completely fine. We totally get it if you’re more comfortable making many of one type of project, like cards or t-shirts.

What colors for the projects should I consider?

We encourage using gender-neutral colors, images, and phrases, and welcome use of holographic and glitter materials as well.

What materials do you recommend for these projects?

The majority of materials used in these projects are paper, iron-on, and vinyl. We want to focus on projects that will ship mostly flat and arrive in good shape. In the projects recommended, you can find the exact supplies you need to make that project.

Where are the best places to buy blanks for these projects?

Cricut.com and retailers (where Cricut is available) provide a number of blanks in different sizes including T-shirts and bags. You can also shop locally or online at your favorite stores to find a variety of blanks.

What size T-shirts should I make?

We need all sizes and are size-inclusive. We welcome youth sizes 6X-16 or 18-20, and adult sizes.

What if I want to make a different project to donate?

We appreciate your creativity and want to make sure you have room to make it special, but we’ve worked closely with The Birthday Party Project to define the exact projects needed to fulfill the needs of their kids.

How much time do I have to complete the projects?

The Make It Forward challenge for The Birthday Party Project is 5,000 projects in 5 weeks. You will have 5 weeks to create and make these projects. We also hope to continue working with The Birthday Party Project in the future to make projects for every season.

Do I have to pay for shipping?

Yes. We encourage you to ship at the lowest and most convenient cost to you.

If I want to share my project on social media, what hashtag should I use?

We love when you share your projects. Tag us and make sure to use #makeitforward and #cricutmade when you do.

How will I know when my projects have been sent to kids?

We are working closely with The Birthday Party Project to inventory all the incoming projects and track their journey as they’re sent out to different kids. Due to privacy concerns, we won’t be able to share every story, but we will do our best to share stories that are approved.

Who can I speak to about helping another organization?

We want to hear from you! We know there are many organizations out there that may benefit from personalized crafts. Read more about our Make It Forward initiative, and submit a personal story or local organization that you feel deserves attention. We cannot commit to helping every organization but will do our best to read through every submission.

If I’m not in the U.S., am I able to get involved?

If you don’t live in the U.S. but would like to participate, please do! We welcome our community around the world to participate. We hope to expand our support of other organizations globally over time.

What if I don’t want to make a project, but can donate materials?

Cricut is providing The Birthday Party Project with a large bundle of supplies so they can make with them at their Dallas headquarters. The real need is for finished projects that can be put into custom birthday bags for the kids.

What will go into the birthday party bags for kids?

Each kit will vary depending on different needs and ages, but we will focus on providing gifts, party décor, cards, and ready-to-play activities.

Can I use my own content for these projects?

Yes, you can use your own content, including images you upload directly to Design Space. You can also use any licensed content you’ve purchased in Design Space to make your projects.

What is the deadline to submit my projects?

We are hoping to get all of the projects in to be counted by September 25, 2021 but projects will be gladly accepted beyond that as Cricut continues our partnership with The Birthday Party Project.