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Perfect for your Cars birthday party, these super cute pit pass invitations will make each kid feel like an extra special VIP. Get the free printout and tutorial to easily make your own.
Despite not knowing where the party would even be held (we are doing some construction at home), I had already begun to make the invitations for our Cars birthday party weeks ago.
I had thought about making race ticket invitations, but when I looked up what a race ticket actually looked like, I also saw VIP passes of sorts, and thought a Cars pit pass invitation would be cuter.
Just as almost everything that one can think of, somebody has pretty much always already done it. While searching the internet for ideas, I found people who had already done similar pit passes for their kids’ parties.
I also found some templates that could be quickly and easily used for instant invitations, but, even though they were cute, I wanted to make things complicated and make my own. I searched for public domain Cars clipart, and these images are floating around on numerous sites that claim they are public domain images. Hopefully they are, but I don’t think you should have a problem using them for a personal project like a kids’ birthday party. (I would’t suggest selling products using them, though). 😉
To begin making the top part of the invitation with my son’s name written in the Cars logo, I started by downloading the blank logo here.
Then, in Photoshop, I wrote his name in Magneto Bold font (free download).
I used the second half of this tutorial, and a bit of experimentation, to get the chrome look that I wanted.
I played around with photoshop for awhile, and I came up with the above template. Feel free to download mine (Or here with writing that you can change) and use it yourself for your party!
(If you don’t have photoshop, here is a jpg template (but it won’t be as easy to customize.))
I then added my customized logo and the information about the party with options for both Spanish and English, of course.
Here is my customized logo with my son’s name in photoshop format, so you can easily change it to the name you want without having to adjust all of the settings.
I added a picture of my son, along with the logo of my friend’s preschool where we will be holding the party, on the Spanish pit pass invitation.
Once I had the pit pass invitation all planned out, I wanted to make them look authentic, so I printed them out on a thick photo paper and laminated each pit pass. I then punched a hole in the top for my homemade lanyards.
I would have bought the lanyards, but surprisingly lanyards, at least the ones available for shipping to Spain, are pretty expensive! Even when buying in bulk, I couldn’t find any for much less than a euro a piece. I wasn’t about to spend that much, especially since we had an idea to give one to everybody who comes to the party. That would add up pretty quickly!
So, instead, I bought red cord wherever I could find any. Even something as simple as that can prove to be difficult here.
One day, though, I found the perfect find: Cars shoelaces. They weren’t as cheap as the red cord, and there were only a few left, but I snatched up all of the remaining shoelaces.
Once I had my cord ready, I still wasn’t sure how I was going attach it to the pit passes. I decided I’d need some sort of lanyard clip, but couldn’t find any anywhere either, so I ordered some tiny ones over the internet.
I still wasn’t sure how to attach the the lanyard clips to the cord.
Just when I was about to give up, I found some crimp end findings at a local store. They’re great because they hold the two ends of the cord together and have a loop for hooking in the lanyard clips.
To help fit the cord ends in the crimp end findings more easily, and to ensure they wouldn’t unravel, I first burnt the ends of the cord, and pinched the two ends of the cord together. The melted cord united both ends, keeping them together even without the findings. I then crimped the findings over the burnt ends.
I finally was able to hook the lanyard clips though both the loop on the findings and through my hole in the pit pass invitations, and that was it!
Quick, easy, and cute!
At the party, everybody wore their passes. I had originally planned on only giving them out to the kids, but they ended up being so quick, easy and cheap to make, that I made some for everybody.
Cars Party Ideas – My Son’s 3rd Birthday
Alley
I’m planning my twin boys 3rd birthday. Any chance you can email me your templates? They’re awesome!
Tracy Ariza
Hi Alley,
They should all download correctly now in the links within the blog post.
I didn’t know how to host Photoshop files, so I used to have to email each person the template individually, but now that I’ve figured it out, I have them all available for immediate downloading within the post.
Are you having issues downloading any of the particular templates- because I want to be able to fix the links if they aren’t working correctly! 🙂
I hope your sons have a very happy birthday!
If you have any issues, let me know and I can email them to you. I thought I’d answer like this first, though, because it gives me feedback on what is working and what isn’t!
Jen
Hi! I just came across your site tonight after searching online for while! I’ve been trying to get my son’s name “jack” in that Cars logo but not having much luck! Can this only be done in Photoshop? I’m asking bc I don’t have photoshop 🙁 is there anyway to email me an editable word file so I can put in his name? Please let me know when u can as his cars themed party is on Saturday… Thanks so much in advance!!
Tracy Ariza
Hi Jen,
I actually don’t have Word myself! I would have no idea how to do that even if I did.
You caught me running out of the house now, but when I get home, I’ll try to remember to look to see if I can find my editable file, and see if I can try to help you out.
The other option is to try Pixlr editor. It’s very similar to photoshop- and done online. You may be able to fix it there. I haven’t tried it, though, to know for sure!
Ashley c
the fact that you took tome to put this up for free is amazing. You are a wonderful soul. Im on a tight budget and my son is 3 and wants a cars birthday party. this will be a great add to the party. Thank you
Tracy Ariza
Hi Ashley,
Thanks so much for commenting.
I’m so happy that you were able to use it and that it has helped you out.
I hope your son has a very happy birthday!! 🙂
Kyriaki
Hi Tracy!
Amazing work! Thanks a lot for sharing the template! My son’s 5th birthday party looks too promising, thanks to your invitation! You have amazed all our invitees. FYI, this template is now also available in Greek! Cheers from Athens!
Tracy Ariza
Hi Kyriaki,
I was just in Athens last summer. It was beautiful, and we had a very nice taxi driver who showed us around. 🙂
I’m happy I was able to help you, and hope your son has a very happy birthday!
Adisa
Hi Tracy im from Germany and im searching since weeks for something like this for the invantions for my son 2.Birthday Party. I can not downloadet it 🙁 Maybe you can send it to me? Your Work is amazing. Sorry for my English is bad. :/ XOXO from Germany
Tracy Ariza
Hi Adisa,
Thanks for your comment!
I’m currently away from my computer, but I’ll try to find the files for you and send them to you later on today.
Andrea
Hi Tracy,
I’m sure you are probably getting sick of emailing everyone but I couldn’t seem to figure out how to download the pit passes, and believe me, it pains me to even ask as I always roll my eyes at those who appear not even to bother trying to download it themselves first before asking haha!
So I’m not sure if you are still able to send them or not, if not no problem, I just came across this and it is amazing!!! Way better than what I had been trying to come up with on my own 🙂
Our party is on Sat so if you do happen to check this and can send it to me then that would be amazing and if not then no worries 🙂
Cheers
Tracy Ariza
Hi Andrea…
No problem. I actually enjoy receiving comments from people. 🙂
I have it on my other computer, and will try to get them out to both you and Michal today!
I’ll try to fix the links. I’ve been working on getting some of the older links fixed lately. It’s hard because my hosting company won’t let me host my photoshop images on my blog, but I’ll try Google Docs perhaps.
Tracy Ariza
I think I have fixed the links now.
Could you please check and let me know if you can or can’t download from there. If not, I’ll be happy to email them to you!
Michal
HI
I love these! Sorry, I can’t download this as well. Where you able to locate the file on your computer? I would love it if you could email them to me. With Darrell on it? If not then, it’s okay.
Thank you!
Edith
Im in love with these but when I click on your link to download it wont let me 🙁 IS there a way you could email it to me? I really like them!! 🙂
Thanks
Tracy Ariza
Hi Edith,
I recently lost all of the files on my computer, but I suspect that I should have a backup of this on one of my hard drives.
I’ll look for it tomorrow for you!
Emily
Hi Tracey
This is fantastic & exactly what I’m after. Unfortunately I don’t have photoshop & I’m trying to do this in word. Is there anyway of emailing my son’s name in the cars logo? His name is Michael. Much appreciated 🙂
Gina
Hi Tracy!!
I was reading some of the comments and noticed you were emailing some. I LOVE this. I have been working on trying to make a logo like this for over a week not and just can’t get it. Would you send me one with my son’s name Levi on it? He turns one in two weeks. Thank you!!!