Birthday Party Ideas » 3/4 » DIY Inspired
14th May2012

Lego Marshmallow Pops

by Dinah Wulf

Legos Legos everywhere!  It seems that EVERY little boy I know is obsessed with Legos.  A friend of mine, Tami, threw a Lego themed party for her four year old son.  She made these adorable Lego Marshmallow Pops inspired by Living Locurto for the treat pales to pass out as favors for all the kiddos.  This simple DIY party favor was a big hit at the party.  Here is how she made them.

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Materials You’ll Need:

  • Extra Large Marshmallows
  • Large Marshmallows
  • 6” Lollipop Sticks
  • Yellow Chocolate
  • Styrofoam Block
  • Wax Paper
  • Black Royal Icing or Black Food Marker
  • Small Plastic Treat Bags
  • Twist Tie or Ribbon

Step One:

Cut large marshmallows into three pieces.  One piece will serve as the top of the Lego persons head (extra-large marshmallow).  Place the cut piece on top of the extra-large marshmallow.  The cut side will adhere to the extra-large marshmallow.

Step Two:

Insert a 6” lollipop stick into the bottom center of your Lego head.

Step Three:

Follow the yellow chocolate melting instructions on the package and dip each Lego head.  Allow it to cool and harden by inserting the stick into a Styrofoam block lined with waxed paper. Yellow chocolate can be purchased at any craft store or online.

Step Four:

When the chocolate is cool and hardened, get creative and draw faces with Black Royal Icing or Black Food Marker. Tami suggests to not use the fine point marker, as it needs to move around a bit.

Step Five:

Package your Lego Marshmallow Pop favor with a plastic treat bag and tie.

Other Lego Party Theme Ideas:

Use Legos to make a Happy Birthday sign for the guest of honor and place it on party table.

Make a small Lego coloring book to give away to each guest.

Thank you, Tami for sharing this! AND and even bigger thanks for the Lego Marshmallow Pop… mmm mmm good!

 


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Category : DIY Budget Party, Kid Stuff, Sweets and Treats
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3 Comm
09th May2012

Recycled Water Bottle Flowers

by Dinah Wulf

Repurposed DASANI Water Bottles

DASANI believes in not only promoting the recycling of its bottles, but also promoting the many cool items the recycled bottles can become.  That’s why they partner with companies with similar mindsets, such as New Balance.

DASANI and New Balance have partnered together for the launch of newSKYTM, a line of footwear made from recycled plastic bottles. Together, they are working to both show consumers that there can be all kinds of exciting ways to recycle materials into new uses, and that we all need to do our part in protecting our environment.

I decided to tackle another Repurposed DASANI Water Bottle project (check out my Recycled Water Bottle Butterflies I made recently).  This time, with Mother’s Day coming up, I wanted to create some eco-friendly gift wrapping by making Recycled Water Bottle Flowers.

I started with the small 12 ounce bottles.  These were the perfect size.  There are several ways of making flowers, just use your imagination.  First I cut the bottles in half and started cutting.  Use both the top and bottom for your flowers.

Paint or decorate your flowers any way you wish with craft paint, spray paint, and/or glitter.  I used a metallic paint.  For the center, I folded colored scrapbook paper lengthwise and fringed it with scissors.  Next, roll the fringed paper as shown and insert it into the center of your flower. I used hot glue to attach the flowers to my gift wrapped packages.

Wait! There’s more…

New Facebook Photo App

Get creative with Facebook’s new timeline feature and support a good cause by ‘recycling’ your Facebook photos into an eye-catching image to top off your profile. For each photomontage created through the app, DASANI® will make a donation to the national non-profit organization, Keep America Beautiful in support of recycling initiatives on college campuses throughout the U.S.

Fans who have ‘liked’ the DASANI® Facebook page can access the application on the Photosynthesis tab of the Facebook page.  First, fans will select a photo from either their Facebook albums or a design from DASANI®, to create into a photo-mosaic. The Photosynthesis app will ‘recycle’ all of the fan’s existing Facebook photos into a stunning mosaic that fits perfectly as a cover image on their profile. Each time a fan participates, DASANI® will donate $1 to the nationally recognized nonprofit, Keep American Beautiful, in support of their Bin Grant Program on college campuses.

In addition, the fan’s profile photo will be added to the DASANI® mosaic of supporters, which will be featured on the Photosynthesis tab.

Thanks to DASANI for sponsoring today’s post!

 

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Category : Crafts, Kids Craft Ideas, Trash To Treasure
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9 Comm
03rd May2012

Purple and Pink Masquerade Party

by Dinah Wulf

Mardi Gras isn’t just for February!  A Purple and Pink Masquerade Party is a fun party theme for any time of year.  Masquerade parties are associated with carnivals, aristocracy, royalty, and luxury.  It’s a grand celebration where the attendees are dressed to the hilt in elaborate costumes.

More modern masquerade parties although inspired by European traditions, are more casual, however do not lack in the fun and excitement!  This real party, by Maily Cano, was decorated in vibrant purple and pink hues, with draped violet curtains and beautiful pink flowers.

 

  

Clustered metallic and feathered masks on a stick grace each table as a centerpiece.

The chairs were even draped in a purple satin fabric.

Here are some party ideas fit for a perfect Masquerade or Mardi Gras inspired party.

  • Make your own masks with decorative card stock or scrapbook paper and dowels.  Add ribbon, feathers, and plastic gems or glitter as embellishments.  Masks can serve as party favors for your guests.
  • Don’t forget to reuse and recycle. Check your cupboards or local thrift stores and yard sales for wine goblets, silver and gold utensils or decorative candlesticks to create opulent centerpieces.
  • Purchasing inexpensive fabric is more budget-friendly than, buying table cloths at a department store.  You can use fabric to layer on food, favor, or gift tables.  Use sturdy cardboard boxes underneath to create height.
  • Play classical music in the background.
  • Have a contest for best costume.
  • If your party is more casual, or for younger teens or kids, have a mask/headpiece/hat decorating activity.

Do you have any Masquerade Party suggestions?  Feel free to leave a comment!

 

All Purple and Pink Masquerade Party photos were taken by Brendan Cao Photography.

*******************************************************************************************

UPDATE!

Introducing DASANI’s Photosynthesis App!!!

Get creative with Facebook’s new timeline feature and support a good cause by ‘recycling’ your Facebook photos into an eye-catching image to top off your profile. For each photomontage created through the app, DASANI® will make a donation to the national non-profit organization, Keep America Beautiful in support of recycling initiatives on college campuses throughout the U.S.

Fans who have ‘liked’ the DASANI® Facebook page can access the application on the Photosynthesis tab of the Facebook page.  First, fans will select a photo from either their Facebook albums or a design from DASANI®, to create into a photo-mosaic. The Photosynthesis app will ‘recycle’ all of the fan’s existing Facebook photos into a stunning mosaic that fits perfectly as a cover image on their profile. Each time a fan participates, DASANI® will donate $1 to the nationally recognized nonprofit, Keep American Beautiful, in support of their Bin Grant Program on college campuses.

In addition, the fan’s profile photo will be added to the DASANI® mosaic of supporters, which will be featured on the Photosynthesis tab.

Thanks to DASANI for sponsoring today’s update!

 

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Category : DIY Budget Party, Holidays
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2 Comm
30th Apr2012

Recycled Water Bottle Butterfly

by Dinah Wulf

Recycled Water Bottle Butterflies (23) (560x420)

I was originally inspired by this great post from Instructables, one of my favorite websites. I am throwing a garden themed party this year for my daughter’s birthday and thought that these would be perfect. They would also make cute adornments for gifts.

Here is how I made these cute Recycled Water Bottle Butterflies.

Materials:

  • DASANI water bottle
  • Utility knife and scissors
  • Sand Paper (I used 100 grit)
  • Craft paint
  • Glitter
  • Plastic Beads
  • Twine
  • Hot Glue

Make sure your DASANI water bottle is clean and dry. Using a utility knife, cut off the rounded top and bottom of the water bottle so that you have a perfect cylinder.  Next, cut that cylinder in half, lengthwise to make two pieces.

 

Next, cut each piece in half to make four pieces.  This will now be four butterflies.  Fold each piece in half as shown. Cut a “V” shape on the top and bottom, and then another on each side.  You can cut and shape the butterfly wings as you like.  Gently sand each butterfly.  This will help the paint to adhere nicely to the plastic. Make sure you clean off any debris before you start to paint.

 

I used craft paint and glitter to decorate each butterfly.  For the bodies, I hot glued black plastic beads together and then hot glued twine in a “V” shape for the antennas.  IMPORTANT: When hot gluing the body to the butterfly, place the hot glue on the bead and then glue onto the plastic.  Do not put hot glue directly onto the plastic or it will melt.

 

Here are some after photos. The tutorial is for the liter bottle; however I made some with the small 12 oz. bottles too! Check them out (bottom right photo)!  If you add a few more beads, the 12 oz. bottles make perfect dragonflies.

 

Why I chose DASANI:

DASANI has partnered with a variety of organizations to promote the importance of recycling:

• Coca-Cola Recycling: Since 2007, Coca-Cola Recycling has worked with the Coca-Cola system and community partners to increase the collection of beverage packaging for use again in North America. They currently manage 30 dedicated recycling centers, a commercial brokerage network, an online recycling bin fulfillment site and the execution of hundreds of local recycling programs around the country.

• Recyclebank: Since 2006, Coca-Cola has partnered with Recyclebank, a meaningful rewards program that motivates people to recycle by rewarding them for their efforts. Recyclebank Points are earned based on the weight of the recyclables and are redeemable for valuable discounts, free products, gift cards and movie tickets, to name just a few.

• Keep America Beautiful/Bin Grant Program: The Coca-Cola/Keep America Beautiful Bin Grant Program donates recycling bins to kick-start recycling programs for local organizations. Through your support, you’ve helped us grant bins to non-profits, government, civic organizations, schools and for profit corporations.

Check out this quick YouTube video!

DASANI’s PlantBottle® Saves Energy

Thanks to DASANI for sponsoring today’s post!

 

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Category : Crafts, Kids Craft Ideas, Trash To Treasure
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12 Comm
24th Apr2012

Cherry Themed Twin Baby Shower

by Dinah Wulf

Earlier I shared a sneak peek into this Cherry Themed Twin Baby Shower, showing you the invitations that I made and the game prizes that doubled as centerpieces.  We had such a great time and I wanted to show you a little more of some things my girlfriends and I did.

Party Favors

I found these cute little baskets and filled them with a liner and round red chocolate candies.  I simply made a label on my computer that said, “Double the Sweetness”, printed them, and used ribbon and cardstock in pink, red, and green to embellish each basket.  We had a favor at each place setting and scattered a few on the buffet table.

Food and Drink

We wanted the shower to be casual and fun so we decided to serve a buffet and had each guest help themselves.  I made signs for the drink table outside.  One for the guest of honor’s sweet tea craving and one for the Champagne punch.

I also made simple signs to “Please Help Yourself” so that guests would know they did not have to wait to dig in.

Instead of having a messy fruit bowl, I made individual fruit cups with cupcake liners and used a circular craft punch to line them with foil.

For dessert we had red velvet and chocolate cupcakes with two cherries on top.

 

Decorations

Outside we hung a clothing line with pairs of matching clothes for the twin babies.

The game prizes doubled as centerpieces and graced each table with two “twin” balloons to represent two cherries.

Small pink and red lanterns were hung in pairs with green ribbon to look like giant cherries.

We also had a cherry themed shirt made for the guest of honor to wear at the shower. Congratulations, Jen!

I LOVE MY GIRLS!! BTW, Watch out because I’m rallying for the favorite Auntie position!

 

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Category : DIY Budget Party
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5 Comm
17th Apr2012

Cherry Themed Party Sneak Peek

by Dinah Wulf

My girlfriends and I are throwing a baby shower for one of our best friends who is having twins!  I was too excited to wait until after the party show you pictures so I thought I’d do a quick sneak peek of some of our Cherry Themed Party ideas.

We decided on a cherry theme because cherries are fun, vibrant in color, and typically come in pairs! Our mommy-to-be and guest of honor is having twin girls so we chose to use both red and pink for our color scheme.

Easy DIY Invitations

Of course I couldn’t BUY the invitations! I had to make them myself! So I followed my own Easy DIY Invitation tutorial, bought these supplies, and made these adorable invites.  See? I told you this tutorial would work ANY theme!

Baby Shower Game and Prize Idea

Next, I want to show you what I did for the baby shower party game gifts.  One of the games we are playing is called the dice game.  For this game, all you need is five or more prizes, a pair of dice, and a plate.  The game is timed, typically fifteen minutes.  Each guest takes turns rolling the dice one time per turn.  If you roll doubles, you take one wrapped gift. The gifts are not unwrapped until the game ends. Once all the gifts are taken, the gift stealing begins! If you roll doubles, you continue to take a gift until the allotted time ends.  It’s possible for one guest to end up with more than one gift.

Anyway, instead of using a gift bag and tissue paper, I wrapped each gift in a small picnic basket and used a cherry dish cloth to cover or hide the gift. Also, these prizes double as table centerpieces, cutting the cost of the party!

Can’t wait to show you the rest! Stay tuned :)

 

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2 Comm
16th Apr2012

Tea Party Inspiration

by Dinah Wulf

I have been contemplating what to do for my daughter’s 2nd birthday party.  For some reason I keep going back to a tea party theme.  I know she’s a little young, but I think it may work.  It’ll be a small and simple party anyway… we won’t go big until she turns five years old (at least that’s what I’m telling my husband).

I decided to get some inspiration from the World Wide Web and… man… there are some GREAT ideas out there… TONS of tea party inspiration right at your fingertips! I love it all!

Check out what I found.  The Better Homes and Gardens Alice in Wonderland Mad Hatter party is tremendous!  One of my favorites is using colorful vintage tins as flower vases.  I found a ton of cool ideas from party favors to decorations, and centerpieces to finger food ideas.  I also dug up some of my past ideas that I thought would go nicely.  I added links at the bottom for tutorials and for sources for your reference.  I hope it helps.

If you have more ideas, please comment! I’d love to read them.  I need all the tea party inspiration I can get.

Tea Cup Candles

Mad Hatter Tea Party

Stacked Tea Cups

Pink and Purple Dessert Table

Fabric Flag Banner

Tea Party Dress Up

Accordion Flowers

Tea Cup Dessert Display

Mini Cupcakes in Tea Cups

Party Pinwheel How To

Paper Dahlia Favors

Tea Party Favors

Tea Pot Flowers

BHG Mad Hatter Party

 

Did anything on this inspiration board actually inspire you? Please fee free to leave a comment! :)

**Don’t forget to enter to win a $50 gift certificate to iStencils.com! The giveaway ends soon!

** Thanks to Amy from Pound For Pennies for featuring an article I wrote today for her Green Theme!  Check it out and peruse her site for some awesome coupon deals!

 

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Category : Special Occasions
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4 Comm
12th Apr2012

Hello Kitty Themed Party

by Dinah Wulf

Most every little girl I know, including mine loves Hello Kitty. I have to admit that I was obsessed when I was little, and honestly I still am! I think the first stuffed animal I bought my daughter before she was born was a Hello Kitty doll.

From the cute bow in her hair, to all her cute little friends there’s nothing more girlie than a Hello Kitty Themed Party. This party was beautifully crafted and orchestrated by my friend, Maily Cano for her niece’s birthday. I don’t doubt that she lives by the “go big or go home” motto!

One of Maily’s hobbies and many talents include floral arrangement. With fresh flowers from LA’s floral district, she made these beautiful pink and white centerpieces for the food table.

The dance floor was surrounded by pink drapes and tinsel, and decorated with Hello Kitty images cleverly and inexpensively made out of felt.

Maily crafted large Hello Kitty heads out of felt and Styrofoam balls. Scattered around the room on the floor and tables, this is simple budget friendly way of adding pizzazz and creativity to the party decor.

There were plenty of activities for both boys and girls including dancing, a Hello Kitty piñata, and cupcake decorating. The kids also decorated small individual cupcake boxes to take home.

There was a pin the bow on Hello Kitty game as well. This project was also made out of felt.

Maily created a dress up station and called it Lana’s Beauty Shop. It was complete with vanity, boas, crowns, temporary tattoos, bracelets, and Hello Kitty bow headbands.

There were two homemade Hello Kitty cakes and homemade cupcakes for dessert.

And of course favor bags for both the boys and girls to take home.

Beautiful party, Maily! Thank you for letting me share it!

All Hello Kitty Themed Party photos were taken by Brendan Cao Photography.

What did you think of this party? I would love to read your comments! :)

 

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Category : DIY Budget Party, Kid Stuff
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16 Comm
09th Apr2012

Ombre Inspiration Board

by Dinah Wulf

If you Google the word “ombre” you’ll find a lot of information on celebrity hair styles.  That’s not exactly what I was looking for.  So I researched a little further.  The best definition of the word  that I found was from Fire Mountain Gems, “Ombré (from the French world “ombrer” meaning to shade) is a dip-dye technique used on fabric where the color is graduated from light to dark.” The term is also used to refer to design color in general, not necessarily limited to fabric.  It was popular a few years ago, but I have found that it’s a trend that is back, as it is popping up everywhere. Lately, I’ve noticed it online, in magazines, and on television.

This week’s inspiration board is all about ombre! I found a few tutorials, and surprisingly a lot of erred links! Once again, forgive me if the link isn’t there. I must say, I love the dresser drawers the best.  There are a few examples below.  It’s a simple way to upcycle an old dresser or desk or add a little pizzazz to a nursery changing table. And yes, you are seeing it correctly… a design on a radiator! So clever!

I hope you enjoy my inspiration board!

Ombre Inspiration Board Links

Did anything on this inspiration board actually inspire you? Please fee free to leave a comment! :)

 

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Category : Interior Design Inspiration
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4 Comm
08th Mar2012

Candy Land Birthday Party Part Two

by Dinah Wulf

So, because I had so many great pictures to choose from, here is part two of yesterday’s Candy Land Party post.

You can’t have a Candy Land party without candy and sweets, of course!  Jenny left no sweet tooth unturned as she had…

Colorful gumdrop cupcakes…

A homemade Candy Land Birthday cake… this cake was decked out with lollipops, candy canes, ice cream cones, starbursts for the track, gumdrops, kisses, and marshmallows.

A chocolate fountain table… this table was filled with a ton of yummy chocolate dipped goodness including pretzels, strawberries, Rice Krispie Treats, graham crackers, marshmallows, and licorice.

And a candy table that doubled as a favor table…she made treat bags handy for each guest to fill with their favorite candies.

Here are some shots of the patio, covered in colorful tulle, giant balloon candies, and a cardboard castle top.

The yard itself was transformed into a game board with the track they spent hours hand painting. The kids had a blast pretending to play the life sized board game.

What’s crazy is that I left out pictures of the bounce house and the Peppermint table filled with fresh fruit and snacks. Jenny got creative and used peppermint Christmas ornaments to decorate Peppermint Forest.

Amazing job, Jenny! When’s the next one? Tee hee…

To see more of Jenny’s work, check the posts DIY Nursery Letters or Carnival or Circus Theme Party.

 

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Category : DIY Budget Party
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9 Comm
07th Mar2012

Candy Land Birthday Party Part One

by Dinah Wulf

The famous Hasbro board game, Candy Land was first designed over 60 years ago, and yet it still seems to be a popular party theme. Today there are several different versions and spin offs of the game, with of course, an online version as well.

The theme is perfect for a party due to the famous Candy Land locations including Gum Drop Mountains, Lollipop Woods, and Peppermint Forest.

I wanted to share a real party thrown by one of my best friends, Jennifer Hostetler. Jenny is an extraordinary party planner and is one of the most detailed and creative people I know (Some of Jenny’s other projects include DIY Nursery Letters and a Carnival Theme Party). She transformed her back yard into a real life Candy Land board.  I have to edit so many pictures, that finally I decided to break it up into two different posts.

This first post will show the making of Candy Land, and tomorrow, I will post the fabulous results!

Candy Land has several characters including the Gingerbread People and Mr. Mint.  Here are a few of the characters Jenny created with cardboard and paint.  Her nephew surprised everyone and played the role of Mr. Mint!

One by one, her and her husband painted many signs for each of the lands…

Painted gumdrops…

Hand painted Styrofoam circles and attached sticks…

Blew up balloons and wrapped each one in cellophane and ties with ribbon to create oversized candies…

… And painted each winding space for the Candy Land game board track.

Wow! I’m tired just writing it! Come back tomorrow and see Jenny’s back yard Candy Land party transformation!

 

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Category : DIY Budget Party
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7 Comm
01st Mar2012

Baseball Themed Baby Shower

by Dinah Wulf

Throwing a themed baby shower doesn’t have to break the bank.  My girlfriends and I hosted a small baseball themed baby shower for one of our best friends years ago and I came across some old pictures.  Here are a few quick and easy ideas.

Invitations:

Make DIY invitations that look like game tickets or scoreboards.  Here is a simple invitation tutorial that will fit any party theme.

Budget Party Decorations:

Borrow sports equipment like baseballs, bats, and gloves from friends or family to use as props, scatter them on tables, or use them as part of centerpieces.

Decorating with scrapbook paper is very inexpensive.  Print out each letter of the baby’s name and cut and paste it to a 12X12 piece of scrapbook paper to resemble blocks. Suspend the “blocks” with fishing line. Don’t forget to do both sides! Total cost of this preject? Less than $5 bucks!

Print out black and white photos of the Mommy and Daddy to be. Paste them on scrapbook paper and scatter them around the room and on tables. There’s no need to use photo paper.  Regular printer paper works just fine.

Party Favors:

Cracker Jacks and Peanuts make great party favors.  Tie them in a pretty bow and add a tag that says, “Coming to Home Plate!” Another option is candied or caramel apples.  Shopping at a club warehouse store for these bulk items will significantly cut down on costs.

Serve All-American Food:

Consider serving traditional All-American finger sized foods such as pigs in a blanket, sliders, and French fries in small paper cones or potato salad.  Fill cupcake liners for individual servings with peanuts, popcorn, or caramel popcorn. Use plastic colored baskets with paper liner as plates.  If the budget allows, rent a nacho warmer and have a nacho bar or rent a cotton candy machine.

More fun ideas:

Label areas around the venue:

  • Make a sign that says “Welcome to home plate!” or “Celebrating an All-Star Baby Shower!” by the front entrance.
  • Locker Rooms: Hang a sign above the gift table
  • Rest Rooms: Hang Women’s and Men’s restroom signs or symbols on the bathroom door
  • Bleachers: Hang a sign above a seating area
  • Concession Stand: Hang a concession stand sign above the dessert or food table

 

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Category : DIY Budget Party
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4 Comm
02nd Jan2012

Wine Bottle Frames

by Dinah Wulf

I made these wine bottle frames out of recycled wine bottles for a wine tasting party.  It was also a bridal shower party, so I used them for a “who knows the bride best game”. I framed each question and placed the wine bottle frames all over the room so that the guests could mingle, talk, drink their wine, and play the game at the same time. Each guest wrote their answers next to the corresponding question number on their wine scoring card.

These wine bottle frames are very simple to make. The materials needed are, an empty wine bottle, a wooden frame, picture frame hangers, and string or ribbon.  I purchased the wooden frames from IKEA which were only $1.99 for a set of three…CHEAP!

The pictures speak for themselves, but all you need to do is to screw each picture frame eyelet into the wooden frame by hand in the desired area.  It takes a little pressure at first, but it should screw in fairly easily.  Use a ribbon or string to hang the frame onto the wine bottle.

Also consider, decorating the bottle with wallpaper remnants or scrapbook paper, or ribbon or you can also paint the inside of your frame with chalkboard paint.  I preferred to remove the wine label with warm soapy water.  There is something beautiful about a plain wine bottle.  Arrange your display with other wine bottles of different colors and sizes.

Another option is to frame a letter and place several bottles in a row to spell out the bride’s (guests or honor’s) new last name.  Use decorative paper as a boarder.  Make displays by using other recycled wine bottles and recycled wine crates.

 

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Category : DIY Budget Party, Special Occasions
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4 Comm
28th Dec2011

Indoor Smores

by Dinah Wulf

My husband and I were invited to a casual pot luck style party.  Our assigned dish was dessert.  Being that the evite had the words “bounce house” in it I knew immediately what to bring… Smores!   Indoor Smores are quick easy, inexpensive, and both children and adults love to participate in making and eating them.  Smores were the perfect sweet for the kid friendly evening BBQ.  I was right!  They were a hit.

Being that I didn’t have to cook or actually make anything, I decided to embellish a mason jar with a quick scrapbook paper sign and twine. I used a round dolly and inserted the BBQ skewers in the jar.  I chose to bring both mini Hershey bars and Reeses Peanut Butter Cups for a little variety. Chafing dish fuel warmers can be purchased at a party supply store and are less than two dollars apiece.  They will last for several hours.

Here are some pictures.   The party was a blast and we had a lot of fun.

 

Here are some other cool Smores inspired ideas perfect for any party. Consider Smores for birthday parties, showers, weddings, small get togethers, or as a sweet gift!

 

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Category : DIY Budget Party, Sweets and Treats
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4 Comm
29th Nov2011

DIY Apothecary Jars

by Dinah Wulf

I love the look of apothecary jars.  They are so beautiful and can serve several display purposes.  You can use them for candy, holiday decorations, or even display your collections. They look pretty on a mantel or kitchen island or even a bathroom filled with sponges or shells.  I like to use them for candy on a candy bar dessert table for parties.

Because I’m so cheap, and apothecary jars start at about twenty dollars apiece for the small ones, I decided to try a little do it yourself project.

I found a box of four glass canisters at a discount housewares store for twelve dollars.

On one of my recent thrift store ventures, I found some candle holders for $1.50 apiece.

Additional materials needed are 1) spray paint of your choice, and 2) a strong adhesive.  In my case, I chose a metallic silver spray paint and Gorilla glue.

Before you start, make sure your candle holders are clean and free of wax.  When you spray paint them, every little bump will show (I learned this the hard way).

Spray paint your candlesticks holding the can about 12 inches away in a well-ventilated area.

When the paint is completely dry, approximately two hours, glue the candlestick to the canister. I let the glue set overnight before picking it up, just to be safe.

Voila! Instant DIY apothecary jar! Fill it with whatever you like… pinecones, peppermint sticks, or ornaments for the holidays are perfect for this time of year.

 

You may also like these other crafty eco-friendly centerpiece ideas:

 

 

 

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Category : Crafts, Trash To Treasure
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7 Comm
10th Nov2011

Budget Butterfly Birthday

by Dinah Wulf

Having a party and hosting a party doesn’t have to break the bank.  There are always alternatives to spending a lot of money on party decorations.

One of my best friends had a butterfly themed party for her daughter’s first birthday.  On a strict budget, we had to get creative. Here are some creative party ideas for a budget butterfly birthday theme (or any theme for that matter) for less than fifty dollars.

Rule Number One: Use your resources.

It always helps to have fellow mommies as best friends.  We borrowed these butterflies from some of our best friends who also has a young daughter.  These wire butterflies were decorations that were in her daughter’s bedroom.

We also borrowed these lanterns and butterflies from another friend who recently threw a pink and purple baby shower.

Rule Number Two: Raid the dollar bin and the dollar store!

It’s amazing what you can find for parties in the dollar bin at major retail and craft stores.  These purple butterflies were perfect and only a dollar and doubled as party favors for the little guests!

Rule Number Three: Get Crafty on the Cheap (my motto)!

I made this DIY party banner from ribbon and scrapbook paper already in my craft closet.  I printed the butterfly pictures from Google Images.

The hostess spent half the budget on colorful party napkins.  We made over 60 napkin tissue paper flowers and dispersed them throughout the backyard; super cheap for such whimsical decorations.

Rule Number Four: Repurpose and recycle your party supplies.

The hostess had her treasures showcased in her China hutch, however it distracted from the party theme.  We used an inexpensive plastic table cloth to cover the glass windows and created a pretty butterfly and banner display.

For the cupcake dessert display, we used cardboard cupcake towers from two previous parties and added a topper to fit the theme.

Click here for a DIY tutorial on making your own butterfly wings!

 

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4 Comm
08th Nov2011

Easy Monkey Banana Treats – Free Printable!

by Dinah Wulf

One of the best parts of blogging, at least for me, is developing relationships.  Thanks to the World Wide Web, I am introduced daily to creative people with my same interests from across the globe. Recently, I was introduced to Anneke van de Langkruis from Holland.  She sells items at her Etsy Shop, Villa Figura, such as prints and gift tags with her whimsical illustrations, perfect for a nursery.

The tutorial and free printable below  is courtesy of Anneke van de Langkruis!  Follow her on Facebook here.  Thank you, Anneke!

 

Easy Monkey Banana Treats by Anneke van de Langkruis

 

 

Preparing fun birthday treats for one or two year old’s can be a real challenge. Forget about hard candy, chocolate and chips. Too sweet and hard to chew with no teeth! Don’t bother coming up with original and complex ideas those little ones won’t even understand. Think simple and healthy!

Here’s a fun, fast and easy idea I designed for my son’s first birthday. Banana Monkeys! Their tail curls all the way around.

 

 

How to:

1. Print this simple design on craft paper or brown paper.

2. Cut around the monkey and cut out the tail into a spiral.

3. Curl the tail around a banana.

4. Fasten the little feet with a staple or small piece of tape.

 

Looking for a jungle-theme? Present the group of monkeys in a cane basket
and cut some green jungle leaves to affix to the basket.

- Enjoy!

 

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16 Comm
20th Oct2011

Wine Tasting Party

by Dinah Wulf

I don’t know much about wine, but one of my best friends, and bride to be LOVES it.  Her mother, sister, and I decided to throw her a wine tasting bridal shower party. I have to say, it was one of the best showers I have been to.  Between the bridal shower games and the wine tasting itself we had such a great time that all the guests stayed for quite a while.  Here are a few easy DIY decorating ideas for a bridal shower wine tasting party theme.

Wine Tasting Score Cards

I made cards out of card stock and scrapbook paper that doubled as wine tasting score cards and an answer sheet to a “who knows the bride best” game. On the wine tasting score card I had instructions and a rating system for five different wines.  There were five categories including, appearance, aroma, body, taste, and finish. I supplied pencils with the letter “W” all over them, the initial for the bride’s new last name.

Wine Charms

I made personalized wine charms with each guest’s monogram.  For a complete tutorial on how to make wine charms click here.  Each guest took the glass and charm home as a party favor.

Wine Tasting

The wine tasting was so much fun.  I’ve never really done it before at a party.  I went to a local wine specialty store to help me choose the featured wines.  They were able to assist me and curtailed it to my budget.  I displayed the featured wines as part of a centerpiece as well as the wine tasting steps.

Bridal Shower Trivia Game

I wanted each guest to be able to mingle and meet one another, so I had a “who knows the bride best” game. Instead of the traditional ask and answer game, I displayed each question in a wine glass picture frame and placed them all around the room and outside on the patio.  It allowed each guest to walk around, talk, and look at the decorations. Some sample bridal shower trivia questions I used were:

  • What is the bride’s biggest pet peeve about the groom?
  • What is the bride’s most favorite feature of the groom?
  • What is the bride’s favorite sports team?
  • How many countries has the bride visited?
  • What is the bride’s favorite food?
  • Where did the bride and groom meet?
  • Where is the bride and groom going on their honeymoon?
  • Who asked whom out first?
  • Where was their first date?

If you are throwing a wine tasting party only, and not a bridal shower, consider using wine trivia questions instead.

Recycled Wine Bottle Centerpieces

Wine bottles come in so many sizes and colors and are so beautiful when they are grouped together.  I asked my friends to save their wine bottles and collected them to use as party decorations.  Click here to find out more on how to make wine bottle frames.

Hanging Tissue Paper Flowers

I made hanging tissue paper flowers out of cocktail napkins instead of tissue paper.  I decided to do this because it was cheaper than tissue paper, and the color scheme of the napkins fit the décor.  Click here for a full tutorial on how to make tissue paper flowers out of cocktail napkins.

Decorate Your Own Wine Glass

This party game was a hit!  I had a wine glass decorating station.  At the guest’s leisure, they were able to sit down and anonymously get creative.  The bride chose the winning glass. At the decorating station I had craft markers in all colors especially made for glass, gems in all sizes, shapes and colors, googly eyes, ribbon, and other embellishments. The winner received a prize and each guest took their glass home to remember the occasion.

Other Simple DIY Decorating Ideas

I framed the letters of the bride’s new last name, “Mrs. Walker”.

I used recycled wine corks to labeled the food by cutting a flat side and a slit on top with a sharp knife.

I made easy DIY cupcake decorations with the couples monogram.

I placed framed pictures of the happy couple everywhere.

I picked up recycled wine crates from a wine specialty shop to use in the décor.  Check your local wine shop.  They sell them for about $5.00 a piece, or give them away for free!

I used scrapbook paper, ribbon, and twine to embellish recycled wine bottles.

P.S. Today is the bride to be’s birthday! Happy birthday, Sara! I love you!! Thanks for always being an inspiration in my life!

 

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22 Comm
29th Sep2011

Napkin Tissue Paper Flowers

by Dinah Wulf

For some reason, my post on how to make tissue paper flowers is my most popular post. To put that into perspective, that particular page on my blog has been viewed well over 3000 times in the last 60 days!

I am always looking for ways to save money, even if it is a few cents. I mean, cut me some slack, I like to help my friends and family with parties and decorations and when you have two or three parties a month, the cost adds up!

I decided to experiment with making tissue paper flowers since it is so popular. Man I am such a nerd, but here are my calculations.  A package of 100 sheets of tissue paper is about $10.00.  You need 12 sheets to make one flower, so the final cost of one flower is about $1.25.  If you buy cocktail party napkins instead, which run about $1.00 for 16 napkins (when you can find them on sale), the cost is only 50 cents per flower because it takes only 8 napkins to make one flower because they are thicker.  That’s a savings of 75 cents a flower! See? I told you I was a nerd… a cheap nerd at that! Also, napkins come in a greater variety of colors, themes, and patterns. Using orange and black is perfect for Halloween.

So, here is the tutorial on making COCKTAIL NAPKIN tissue paper flowers.

Step One:

Stack 8 cocktail napkins on top of one another.

Step Two:

Make an accordion fold, approximately one inch in width and tie the end of a ribbon or string.

Step Three:

Gently separate each layer one by one.  If you accidently rip the paper, clear tape can be hidden easily in the ruffles (I learned that the hard way).

Step Four:

Fluff the tissue paper flower to your desired shape.  If you are hanging them and one side of the napkin is white, make sure the printed side of the napkin hangs down. Cut the ribbon or string in to your desired length.

Here are some after pictures.

 

 

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4 Comm
05th Sep2011

Easy DIY Invitations

by Dinah Wulf

 Easy DIY Invitations

do it yourself DIY

I made these easy DIY invitations in a jiffy. If you are a fellow crafter, you probably already have these items in your craft closet.  These invitations are perfect for any party, and cost less than pre-packaged invites.

Do it yourself blog

Materials Needed:

  • Card stock and/or decorative scrapbook paper
  • Light weight Computer Paper
  • Hole punch
  • Ribbon
  • Double stick tape
  • Paper Cutter
  • Computer
  • Pre-packaged envelopes 4.75” X 6.5”

 

Step one:  Start by choosing the wording for your invites and type up the information in the desired font, style, and color on your computer.  Print on a lightweight paper and cut out.  The size of this information page should be 3.5” by 5.5”.  Another option is to use vellum paper.

Tip: There are several websites online with wording samples for any occasion if you get stuck!

Step two:  Prepare the rest of the paper by cutting out 4” X 6” base card stock for the bottom piece and 4” X 1” strips for the top strip.

Note: Three sheets of scrapbook paper will be needed for the bottom layer in order to make 24 invitations.  Less than one sheet of scrapbook paper will be needed for the top strip.

Step three: For 24 invites, cut 24 pieces of ribbon at 12” in length.

Tip: To save time, wrap your ribbon around a twelve inch ruler and snip each end.

Step four: Create an assembly line. Layer the 4X6 card, then 3.5X5.5 info sheet, then 4X1 strip in the desired position and adhere with double sided tape, on the top of the invite only.

Step five: Using a small hole punch, punch two holes approximately one inch apart in the top center of the invitation, thread a ribbon through the holes, and tie a bow.

 

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8 Comm
31st Aug2011

Carnival Theme or Circus Theme Party

by Dinah Wulf

Carnival Theme or Circus Theme Party

One of my best friends, Jennifer Hostetler, ALWAYS comes up with amazing ideas for a theme party.  This year, for her daughter’s first birthday, she decided to do a Circus theme.  With a little do it yourself creativity and a lot of imagination, Jennifer hosted a fabulous party on a budget.  Carnival theme or circus theme parties are great party theme ideas.

DIY Centerpieces

If you read this blog, you KNOW what a HUGE fan I am of dollar bin decorating, especially for a kid’s theme party.  Jennifer found these great circus themed pieces for the centerpieces. She took it one step further and glued popcorn and peanuts to give them a more realistic look. I love the way she made them all different.

Plastic Popcorn Tubs for Movie Night! – 1 Jumbo Tub and 4 Individual Tubs

Carnival Giant Decorating Kit
Carnival Game Ideas

Jennifer came up with these easy and inexpensive party game ideas to fit the carnival theme.  To keep the little guests busy, some of her party games included, a ring toss, baseball toss, and balloon dart throw.  For the ring toss she secured each empty beer bottle with glue onto a square wooden board.  I give it two thumbs up just for the beer bottle recycle factor!  Jennifer also recycled baby snack containers for the baseball toss by removing the label, painting the can, and weighing them down with pebbles.  She simply stacked three cans on a bar stool.

Candy Dessert Table

Big Top Carnival Treat Boxes – 12 per unit
I’ve posted before that a candy dessert table has a trifecta factor.  It is beautiful to look at, gives the guests something to do, and is tasty to eat.  Check out Jennifer’s gorgeous and colorful candy dessert table. She used a round table, which looked beautiful and yummy from all sides.  She created height with wrapped boxes and color and pattern with ribbon.

Do It Yourself Decorating

One thing about Jennifer is her attention to detail.  Check out these other great do it yourself decorating ideas for a circus theme party.

Jennifer is definitely someone who inspires me.  I didn’t even post half of the amazing details of this party.  Look out for her upcoming budget party blog to see the rest!!! I’ll be the first to let you know when it launches!  Thank you Jen for the inspiration! Love you!

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14 Comm
22nd Aug2011

Accordion Flowers How To

by Dinah Wulf

Accordion Flowers How To

Accordion flowers are a very inexpensive do it yourself party decoration that adds a little whimsy to your theme and decor.  Perfect for a spring, summer, or garden tea party, these accordion flowers are very simple to make. They would also look great mixed with paper pinwheels.

This particular tutorial is for an accordion flower about ten inches in diameter, however play with different sizes to achieve the desired look.

Materials Needed:

  • Paper (desired size)
  • Wooden Dowels or BBQ Skewers
  • Double Sided Tape
  • Scissors
  • Glue

Step one: Fold two pieces of paper like an accordion (approximately a one inch in width) and fold in half. If you are making a smaller sized accordion flower, then shorten the width size.

Step two: Use scissors to cut a scalloped edge, or use craft scissors.

Step three: Adhere both pieces together with double stick tape.

Step four: Glue to a wooden dowel and add a center embellishment if desired. I found that a glue gun works well for this size and the wooden dowel and glue remains hidden. Consider using a craft punch and decorative paper or a button for your center embellishment for both the front and back. Another option is to use string or ribbon to hang each accordion flower.

Tip: To make smaller ornament sized flowers, cut one inch strips of paper, fold like an accordion, adhere the end, lay flat and fasten the center with an embellishment. Hang each paper flower by a string on branches to create a cute centerpiece perfect for a wedding or bridal shower or baby shower.  Make several color variations and sizes to complete your party look.

You may also like these other Paper Flowers:

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8 Comm
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