Is there any way to do this without Photoshop (or equivalent?)

I have a .pdf of cartoon images on it that I want to use to make my daughter’s birthday invitation. My guess is that I need to somehow convert the images to jpeg or something, then remove the background or “cut them out” so I am left with just the outline of the image.

I don’t have much of anything in the way of programs for this. I think Paint is it – and that isn’t going to cut it. The image quality drops considerably. I’m pretty good at fiddling around with things and figuring them out if anyone has any suggestions.

I have a friend with Photoshop, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to ask her. I would never hear the end of it and neither would anyone else.