Party Favor Ideas - DIYInspired.com
13th Mar2013

Lego Birthday Party

by Dinah Wulf

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I have another fabulous theme party to share with you by one of my best friends, Maily Cano.  You may have seen here Hello Kitty Party, her Purple and Pink Masquerade Party, or her Red and Black Anniversary Party on DIY Inspired before.  This time she converted her office into a colorful Lego Birthday Party wonderland for her nephew.  She always pays great attention to detail, transforming the party space completely.  Thanks AGAIN, Maily for sharing this! <3

Written By Maily Cano

I hosted a Lego themed birthday party for my nephew at my business. I bought plastic table covers from the $0.99 store and stapled them onto the walls, using a different color for each wall. I then printed the Lego logos on colored construction paper that matched the walls.

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Using a circle cutter, which you can get at any crafts store, I cut the logos into circles. Trust me, the circle cutter will be an invaluable investment for this project.

lego-birthday-party-ideas

 

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I also created take away gift bags and affixed the same Lego logos to the front, making them look like Lego pieces. And since this was party was hosted at my office, I had office supplies (fax machines, files, cabinets) that didn’t go with the theme. To remedy that, I boxed up all of the items and wrapped them in various colors, again attaching Lego logos to also turn them into Lego pieces.

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The final result was a fantastic and colorful Lego themed party that any kid, young or old, would love.

All Lego Party photos were taken by Brendan Cao Photography.

For more Lego party inspiration, check out how to make Lego marshmallow pops, DIY Ninjago invitations,  and some other Lego party ideas.

 

 

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Category : DIY Budget Party
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2 Comm
27th Feb2013

Conan O’Brien Glasses

by Dinah Wulf

I often take for granted the many fun activities there are to do here in sunny California.  I am always reminded when I have friends from my hometown come to visit.  Last week, my friends and I attended a taping of Conan O’Brien (it was the one with Snooki and Jwoww).  Of course, we HAD to set ourselves apart from the rest of the audience. So we decided to make Conan O’Brien Glasses.

My friend purchased orange sunglasses (Conan’s signature color) from a discount department store for $2.00 apiece.  What a steal!

Conan Obrien Glasses (1)

Her husband and my long-time friend is the owner of Custom Concepts, a signage and graphics business.  He designed and printed Conan’s hair, eyes, and nickname, Coco onto an adhesive vinyl.  The eyes and nickname had tiny holes in it so that you could cover the lenses and still see through them.

Conan Obrien Glasses (2)

Each of us attending the taping had a craft day and made our own glasses.  We even made a “blinged” out rhinestone pair for Conan himself.  For the hair, we stuck the sticker onto cardboard and cut them out.

Conan Obrien Glasses (3)

The material made it easy to smooth out.

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For the eyes and the nickname, we stuck them directly on the lenses and used a craft knife to trim the edges.

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Here are all five pairs of glasses we made.

Conan-Obrien-glasses

These are us being complete dorks and messing around and “modeling” in them!

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We had a fantastic time making them and attending the taping.  We had an audience page give the rhinestone pair to Conan.  They were a hit with the staff and fellow audience members.  A few couldn’t believe that we made them!

This is a great activity to do with kids (or adults!).  Consider making fun glasses like these for a birthday party activity or kid’s craft!

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Category : Crafts, Kids Craft Ideas
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1 Comm
07th Feb2013

12 DIY Theme Party Ideas

by Dinah Wulf

Looking back at my past 22 months of blogging, I noticed that my party theme ideas get a lot of love in the social media world.  I decided to put together this round-up of 12 DIY Theme Party Ideas.  These parties have been liked, shared, and pinned often and I also get several emails about them too.  Each link has the full details for each party and some parties have more than one post.

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Animal Print Tween Party

This is a collection of easy decorating ideas including food labels, paper medallions, and glittered wild animals perfect for the favorite tween in your life.

Butterfly Garden Party

A whimsical outdoor butterfly inspired party complete with DIY decorating tutorials, hot dog bar and recipes, and cupcake decorating station ideas.

Candy Land Party

A fun candy filled board game inspired party with life sized game board, peppermint, gumdrop, chocolate, and lollipop woods.

Carnival or Circus Theme Party

A true birthday carnival complete with DIY game ideas including ring toss, balloon darts, baseball toss, costume photo station and popcorn centerpieces.

Cherry Themed Party

A baby shower perfect for a mommy expecting twins.  This posts shows giant cherries, adorable party favors, and decorating ideas.

Colorful First Birthday

With Elmo as the special guests, this first birthday party has colorful inspirations to fit and type of party.

Golf Themed Party

This party was for a co-ed baby boy shower; however these navy and green party ideas are great for father’s day or for any golf lover.

Hello Kitty Party

One of the most shared theme parties in the social media world, this Hello Kitty party is all pink with ideas for games, dancing, dress up, and more for both boys and girls.

Mickey Mouse Party

Inspired by red, black, yellow, and polka dots, this party has ideas for Mickey Mouse sweet treats and food serving ideas.

Owl Themed Party

This cute owl themed party has tutorials on how to make your own owl invitations, party banner, and centerpieces.

Poker Party or Casino Night

This budget friendly party shows you how to use a regular pack of playing cards in your party décor with tutorials on how to make playing card drink umbrellas and personalized poker chip party favors.

Wine Tasting Party

Probably the most popular theme party on DIY Inspired, this party has tutorials for DIY wine charms, invitations, wine tasting rules, and bridal shower games.

I hope you enjoyed my 12 DIY Theme Party Ideas round-up!  Which one is your favorite???

 

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Category : DIY Budget Party
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1 Comm
06th Feb2013

Recycled Pringles Can Gift Kits

by Dinah Wulf

I have seen a few Pringles can cookie tins on Pinterest.  They are cleverly wrapped and hold the perfect sized cookie.  I’ve seen them wrapped with Christmas paper complete with a bow and I’ve seen them wrapped like a Mummy for Halloween.   These lovely ideas inspired me to create these Recycled Pringles Can Gift Kits with a “pull me” tag and ribbon.  The long vertical shape is perfect for this.

Pringles Can Gift Kits

Here are the cans I used.

Pringles Can Pull Me Gift Kits (1)

I made these nail kits for a teenage girl is four easy steps.

STEP 1: Choose your gift.

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STEP 2: Make a “pull me” tag.

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STEP 3: Tie all your gifts together with ribbon.

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STEP 4: Insert them into your decorated Pringles can.

Pringles Can Pull Me Gift Kits (6)

Other Gift Kit Ideas:

  • Sushi Theme- chopsticks, sushi mat, soy sauce dish, packet of soy sauce, instructions on how to make sushi
  • Movie Theme- different types of candy and movie tickets
  • Spa Time Theme – loafa, travel sized soaps, bubble bath, bath wash, foot scrub, sponge
  • Tool Kit – screw drivers, nails, other tools
  • Sewing Kit – needles, thread, scissors, buttons
  • Makeup Kit – brushes and makeup
  • Creative Kit for Kids – crayons, markers, paints, brushes, stickers
  • Travel Theme – travel sized toiletries, tooth brushes
  • Puzzles – puzzle pieces and a photo of the completed puzzle
  • Bachelorette/Bachelor Party Kit- small liquor bottles, shot glass, cards, vail, sash, temporary tattoos, fun straws, games, etc.
  • Fourth of July- fill it with sparklers, snaps, matches
  • General- fill it with holiday themed candy and decorate accordingly

Here are some more fun trash to treasure ideas and tutorials!

What else can you do with a Pringles Can???

 

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Category : DIY Budget Party, Holidays
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8 Comm
28th Jan2013

DIY Candy Valentines with a Free Printable

by Dinah Wulf

Valentine Candy Free Printable (1)

Even though my daughter is not yet old enough to be in school, I thought it would still be fun to come up with some DIY Candy Valentines with a Free Printable for my DIY Inspired readers.  I figured my daughter and I could pass the ones I made for this post out to friends and loved ones.  I have done a candy sayings post in the past to help cheer up my husband when he hurt his foot last year, so if you need more inspiration or want to use different candies check out that post.  If you like these, please help yourself to this free printable!

DIY Candy Valentines with a Free Printable

Here are the sayings that I used this time.  I tried to be creative and funny.  Let me know what you think!  If you have other ideas, I’d love to see your sayings in the comments below.

  • Fruit Snacks – “Orange you berry happy I’m your Valentine?”
  • Blow Pop- “Life without you would blow.”
  • Almond Joy- “You bring me so much joy it’s nuts!”
  • Chiclets- “You’re a sweet chick.  Will you be my Valentine?”
  • Pop Rocks- “You Rock, Valentine!”
  • Whoppers- “You’re a Whopper of a Valentine.”

I used favor bags, scrapbook paper, and ribbon to embellish them.  Double sided tape makes it easy to assemble.  Here are a couple more photos.  I had a lot of fun making them.

Valentine Candy Free Printable (3)

 

Valentine Candy Free Printable (2)

I hope you print them out! Enjoy and don’t forget to leave your candy sayings!

***Bonus alert! I am so excited to share two more bonus Valentine’s Day crafts from my friends, Loren from Pandora’s Craft Box and Barbara from Chase the Star!***

Here is Barbara’s adorable Valentine’s Day Banner!

Vday Banner Cover

And here is Loren’s cute Cupid Felt Valentine’s Snow Globe!

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Happy Crafting!

 

 

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Category : Crafts, Holidays, Kid Stuff, Kids Craft Ideas
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4 Comm
21st Nov2012

Lego Theme Party Ideas

by Dinah Wulf

My brother purchased the Lego Haunted House this year for Halloween and I got inspired to write this pot.  Even though most the Lego theme parties I see are for boys, I LOVE Legos and I’m hoping Mia, my daughter will one day love Legos too!  If that day comes and she wants to have a Lego theme party, I’ve put together some fabulous ideas I’ve found on Pinterest and out there in the blogosphere. Here are some fun DIY Lego theme party ideas that I hope you enjoy!  The links I provided are full details of each amazing party.

Decorations:

What I love about Legos is that they are so bright and colorful.  When decorating for a party, just think of bold primary colors, black, and white.  Check out this amazing Lego Dessert Table Display, complete with free printables, this elaborate display was made with gift wrapped juice drink boxes.

I love this Lego Wall Art made from colorful scrapbook paper.  It’s such a creative yet inexpensive idea that makes a big impact.

Who says you have to buy all your party decorations.  This Lego utensil holder is made of… you guessed it…Legos!  What else can you make?

I love this soap dispenser for the bathroom!  What a great idea!

Goodies:

There are so many great Lego food and goodie ideas.   I have actually done a tutorial for easy Lego marshmallow pops in the past.  Here are some tasty looking Lego cookies.

More Lego cookies!

How fun is this Lego Jello?

Favors:

Check out these cute Lego gift bags.  You can purchase regular gift bags and add circles with scrapbook paper.

These adorable Lego Jars and made out of recycled baby food jars. Fill them with Legos or candy and you have the perfect party favor.

Check out this dessert display with colorful gumballs and clear square boxes.  Add a themed label and they are perfect to take home.

 

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Category : DIY Budget Party, Kid Stuff
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4 Comm
18th Oct2012

Holiday Treat Gift Ideas

by Dinah Wulf

My initial inspiration for this post was poop.  Yes you read that correctly.  Poop.  I kept seeing Pumpkin Poop and Reindeer poop ideas on Pinterest that I decided to write a post on it!  These holiday treat gift ideas are all great ideas, I must say.  They are affordable DIY gifts for a classroom, holiday party favors, or even gifts for a group of friends or family members. Let’s start with the poop, shall we?

This first one is Pumpkin Poop complete with a poem!

I started to carve my Pumpkin, with my carving knife and scoop,

But my pumpkin got so scared that he took a little poop!

It looked so cute and funny, just like a candy treat,

So I’m sharing it with you now, because you are so sweet!

This Pumpkin Poop was listed on Etsy but no longer available.  The beauty of it is you can make it yourself!

Here is another one with a poem.  This time this poem is about Reindeer Poop!

Santa looked at his list.  He even checked it twice.

And he found out you haven’t been very nice.

Since coal is so expensive, here’s the inside scoop.

Santa is filling your stocking with lots of Reindeer Poop!

Don’t like poop?  Try reindeer noses with eight chocolate malted balls and one red gumball for Rudolph’s nose.

OK, last poop one with a poem!  This time snowman poop!

Heard you’ve been naughty so here’s the scoop.

All you get for Christmas is Snowman poop!

This is a simple hot chocolate pack with mini marshmallows.  I’d add in a mini candy cane too!

This is a cute treat to leave out for Santa.  Chocolate donuts, jelly bean red noses, and pretzel antlers.

Another donut idea, these snowmen on a stick are adorable and easy to eat!

This would be perfect for a hot chocolate bar at a holiday party.  Or consider wrapping these marshmallow pops up individually with a hot cocoa packet!

Here’s another fun marshmallow pop idea.

A perfect thank you with a message, “Thank you for giving a hoot!”

The best for last… These chocolate bag of skeletons may possibly be my favorite!

 

 

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Category : Holidays
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4 Comm
27th Aug2012

Junk Drawer Crafts

by Dinah Wulf

I made these simple junk drawer crafts for a fundraiser coming up.  I call them “junk drawer crafts” because they are recycled crafts literally made out of items I found in my horrendous kitchen and completely unorganized kitchen drawer (I was totally inspired to do this because I’m watching Craft Wars…awesome show!).

I decided to make kitchen magnets out of these items I found:

  • Scrabble tiles
  • Used gift cards, flyers, and business cards
  • Paint color swatches
  • Bottle caps

Here is a quick two and a half minute YouTube video I did for these if you prefer not to read! LOL By the way, I apologize for saying “um” so much…

The Scrabble tile magnets are self-explanatory.  I actually had these left over from two crafts I had done last year, Scrabble tile art and Scrabble tile Christmas ornaments.  You simply make words, cut your gift card to size (they are the most sturdy), hot glue the tiles onto the card, and glue a magnet onto the back using a strong bonding agent like E6000.

The bottle cap magnets are essentially the same idea.  I had made these before with Mod Podge and recycled Christmas card photos.  This time however, since they were for a fundraiser and not me I used Easy Cast which is a Craft Casting Epoxy.

Materials:

First cut out the circles using your craft punch out of the color paint swatches.  You can get these in a variety of colors at any hardware or paint store. Place the desired sticker on top.  Consider using holiday, sports themed, school themed, or letters.  Next place it into the bottle cap.

Follow the instructions for your casting agent or resin.  For Easy Cast, you mix equal parts resin and hardening agent in a plastic cup.  Stir it for two minutes.  Transfer the mixture into a second cup.  With a new stick, stir for another minute.  Carefully pour the solution on top of the magnet.  Bubbles will appear, however they will go away as the solution hardens.  Allow it to dry.  I let mine dry overnight.  Attach your magnet to the back using a strong bonding agent like E6000 Multi-Purpose Adhesive.

Since these were for a fundraiser I made small packages using treat bags, scrapbook paper, and printed address labels.  Consider making these for stocking stuffers, party favors, or teacher gifts too!

 

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Category : Crafts, Holidays, Kid Stuff, Kids Craft Ideas, Trash To Treasure
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10 Comm
23rd Aug2012

Circus Theme Party Ideas

by Dinah Wulf

One of my most popular posts is the carnival circus theme party my best friend Jenny did.  I get emails all the time about how she made the centerpieces, games, and decorations.  With so much imagination and creativeness out there, I thought I’d share some more circus theme party ideas I have come across.  These are such great and simple decorating, favor, and entertainment party ideas that anyone can do for little cost.  Here we go!

This is so cute! There are so many ideas in this site but this one caught my eye.  I believe it is marshmallows to look like popcorn!

What a spread on this vintage inspired circus party! It’s fabulous!

These goldfish favors are a very cute, simple, and inexpensive favor idea by Thoughtfully Simple.

Other ideas from Thoughtfully Simple are these cute hot dog stand with easy to grab chips and a photo booth… just like the real circus!

This is also a great colorful and tasty circus party favor idea.  I’ve seen these plastic popcorn buckets in the $1 bins and several retail stores.

You can’t have a circus themed party if you don’t have red clown noses!  This is a clever and fun idea.

If you’re stuck indoors, this is a smart solution for a big top feel.  Use plastic party table cloths or streamers to get the full effect.

I hope you try these out!  I’d love it if you came back to share it if you do!

 

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Category : DIY Budget Party
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1 Comm
09th Aug2012

Back to School Time

by Dinah Wulf

I have seen so many status updates on Facebook lately about how much back to school items cost.  One of my friends said that she paid $125 for supplies and hasn’t even bought a backpack yet!  That is a lot of money for most of us.  I’m a huge believer in searching for Back to School coupons online, saving as much as possible, and avoiding the department store crowds.  And of course there is also the back to school clothes shopping.  We like to shop for our favorite brand names, so we are left to scrabbling and searching for the best online deals at stores like Crazy 8, The Children’s Place, and DisneyStore Coupons.

I have also noticed that in the social media world there is an abundance of Back to School teacher gift ideas.  Pintrest is littered with some great and inspiring ideas.  I love these because they show creativity and you don’t have to spend too much.  I recently posted a tutorial for a clever Back to School highlighter gift set.  This vibrant piece was fun to make with my daughter.

Here is another cute inexpensive Back to School teacher gift idea I saw on Pintrest (sorry I couldn’t find the source!).  It reminds me of the Sweet Gift Idea post I wrote not long ago.  This gift is great because with the help of your craft closet, you spend a few cents for a unique and personalized gift.

Here are some candy sayings well-suited for a teacher:

  • Snickers – Teacher, we love how you make us laugh and “SNICKER”!
  • Junior Mints – Teacher, you are worth a “MINT”!
  • Peanut M&M’s – Our class is “NUTS” about you as our teacher this year!
  • Rice Krispies Treat – I think it’s a “TREAT” that you’re my teacher!
  • Peanut Butter M&M’s – Teacher, our class thinks you’re Magnificent and Marvelous!
  • Milky Way – Teacher, our class thinks you are out of this world!
  • Zero Bar – You’re not a “ZERO”. You’re our hero!!
  • Heath – Sugar and Spice you’re everything nice!
  • Twix – Just be “TWIX” you and me, we love you as our teacher!
  • Rolos – Teacher, you’re my “ROLO” model!

Back to School season is an exciting time of year; however with smart shopping habits and a little creativity, it doesn’t have to break the bank!

 

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Category : Kid Stuff, Sweets and Treats
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3 Comm
02nd Aug2012

Summer Birthday Party Decorations

by Dinah Wulf

OK, so I decided that since I feel like I have so much to share about this party, I needed to break up my posts.  Yesterday, I did a post on a Summer Birthday Party Sneak Peek; today I want to share Summer Birthday Party Decorations including favors and games.  Next week, I’ll share Summer Birthday Party Food and Drink.

Flowers

First, the flowers!!  My amazing friend Maily (who loves this stuff as much as I do… maybe more), brought over some fresh cut flowers from her Mother’s and Sister’s gardens the day before the party.  Between the two of us, we gathered several glass jars, vases, and even old pickle, jelly, and sauce jars to arrange the flowers in.  We kept the flowers inside in the cool over night to keep them as fresh as possible.  We scattered the arrangements on the guest and food tables.

Decorations

I made Burlap Butterfly Wall Art and a Repurposed Plant Hanger Chandelier for the party.  I also hung several butterflies, garden umbrellas, and lanterns on fishing line.  I designed a party banner online and I also made framed signs like, “decorate your own cupcake” and “happy birthday Mia” for the tables.

Game

Because we had a bounce house, shaved ice station, and a cupcake decorating station, I decided to only do one game.  It was essentially hot potato played with a large gift.  I wrapped three prizes, the best prize in the smallest package, the 2nd place prize in the next package, and the third place prize in the largest package all inside one another.  For example, the third place winner got the smallest prize in the largest package.

Favors

Towards the end of spring, I started shopping for favors for this party because I knew all the spring items would be marked down drastically.  I was able to find these great $8 butterfly nets for $2!!  I made small packages with candy, and bugs for the boys and butterflies for the girls.

Come back next week to see Summer Birthday Party Food and Drink!

 

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10 Comm
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.

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
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
12th Mar2012

St. Patrick’s Day DIY Inspiration

by Dinah Wulf

My husband LOVES St. Patrick’s Day (even though he’s not Irish).  We thought we’d start an annual St. Patrick’s Day party at our house… starting NEXT year.  Since we just moved in, we thought it’d best to just start with getting some ideas first.

There were so many inspiring St. Patrick’s Day ideas that I decided to do a photo gallery.  It was impossible to narrow it down to a few pictures.  I explored my usual websites like BHG and Martha Stewart and also some of my favorite blogs as well as Pintrest.

So, at the end of this photo gallery is a list of links for the sources, some with tutorials, and some with free printables, to all this amazing St. Patrick’s Day DIY Inspiration.

St. Patrick’s Day Party Ideas:

St. Patrick’s Day Decorations & Crafts:

St. Patrick’s Day Sweet Treats:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shamrock Paper Centerpiece

 

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Category : Holidays
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5 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
23rd Feb2012

Kids Soap Making Projects: Soapsicles

by Dinah Wulf

By: Sandy Simmons of www.supersoapmakingsecrets.com

If you’ve been making soap for a while and you have children, it’s very likely that your kids will be interested in what you always do. While it is understandable that you would prefer your children not to make soap using the cold process or the hot process because of the involvement of lye, they can easily make soap using the melt and pour method. Children below the age of fifteen will probably need your help and supervision even if the melt and pour process is the process being used.

There are many kids soap making projects that you can do with your children and slowly get them into the craft of soap making. Most of the time, kids soap making projects involve lots of colors, interesting shapes, fun ideas, and soap carvings or embossed designs. Kids usually focus more on the aesthetic part of the process than on the process itself. This should help you stretch your creativity.

Some materials you can consider for a kids soap making project that you may not have considered before are play dough molds, sand castle molds, crayon molds, and any other child’s toy that can be used as a mold (make sure it’s heat resistant plastic). Also try out neon soap colors and/or multiply colors so that you can create color swirls or tie-dye soaps.

Here is a kids soap making project that you can use with old popsicle molds. These are usually made with heat resistant plastic because some popsicle recipes require the liquid to be hot when poured in. Remember to add the sticks so that you get the full effect!

Ingredients:

  • 1 bar clear glycerine soap
  • soap colorant of choice (try to go for a candy color so you get a good effect)

Procedure:

  1. Grate the bar of glycerine soap and place the grated soap in a soap pot or a microwaveable pyrex bowl.
  2. If on a pot, place it over the stove and melt the soap. If using a microwaveable pyrex bowl, place the glycerine in the microwave a few times in ten second bursts of heat till the glycerine is totally melted.
  3. Once your glycerine is melted, add the coloring and mix till the desired color is achieved.
  4. Allow it to cool a little then pour in into your popsicple molds.
  5. Find a way to keep the popsicle molds upright. Watch as the soap hardens. When its a little hard (you can see it solidifying) push in a popsicle stick.
  6. When your soap is completely hard, you can push it out of the molds and you will have soapsicles!

Your kids will surely get a kick out of taking a bath with popsicle sticks. You can also try making tie-dye soaps on rope with them! There are so many other kids soap making projects you can do. It’s a great way to get better at your craft and bond with your kids! So try one soon and have fun!

 

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Category : Crafts, Kid Stuff, Kids Craft Ideas
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3 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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Category : DIY Budget Party, Special Occasions
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22 Comm
19th Sep2011

Do It yourself Wine Charms

by Dinah Wulf

Did you know that September is California wine month? Me neither…

Since writing a DIY blog, I’m constantly looking for DIY projects both big and small.  One of my best friends is getting married and her family and I are hosting a wine tasting theme party for her for her bridal shower.  For the favors, I decided to give away the wine glass with a personalized wine charm with each guest’s initials.  Making custom-made do it yourself wine charms is an inexpensive way to personalize a wine tasting party.

These disposable do it yourself wine charms are very quick and easy to make. The materials needed are as follows:

  • Decorative paper and blank card stock
  • Craft punch in two sizes (I used a 1” diameter circle and a ½”
    diameter circle punch
  • Small hole punch
  • Decoupage medium
  • Paint brush
  • Wire earring hoops
  • Computer (optional)
  • Double sided tape (optional)

I have also made blank charms as well.  That way, your guests can write down or initial their own name.

Step One: Punch out desired amount of 1” circles.

Step Two: Punch out desired amount of ½” circles.  For this tutorial, I printed and punched guest initials for the front and a personalized message and date for the back.

Step Three: Use double sided tape or decoupage medium to adhere 1/2” Circles to 1” circles.  I find it easier and less messy to use double sided tape.

Step Four: Punch small hole in the top of each charm and fasten an earring hoop onto each charm.

Step Five: Use decoupage medium to seal each side.  Paint two coats on each side, allowing the glue to dry completely in between each coat (approximately 15 minutes).

Note: When applying the decoupage, the circle will curl, however after two coats are dried on both sides, the charm will flatten.

Tip: If you are making blank charms, skip step three. Then after you paint on your second coat, lay the ½” circle on top of the wet second coat and allow it to dry.

Click here to view the DIY tutorial for the matching invitations for this wine tasting party.

 

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7 Comm
15th Aug2011

Candy Dipped Fortune Cookies

by Dinah Wulf

I made these blue and green candy dipped fortune cookies for my cousin’s baby shower.  I had never done this before and found it quite easy. Here is what I did.

Materials Needed:

  • Candy Melts
  • Fortune Cookies
  • Spatula
  • Double broiler or Saucepan and glass bowl
  • Water
  • Vegetable Oil (optional)
  • Wax Paper or Parchment Paper
  • Baking Sheet

I didn’t have a double broiler so I used a small saucepan, glass bowl, and strainer.  Add enough water to simmer over medium heat, but make sure the water does not touch the glass bowl. Another option is to melt the candy in the microwave.  Heat and stir the candy at thirty second intervals at half the power.

When the water is simmering, add the candy melts.  Make sure the water does not boil. Gradually and gently stir with a rubber spatula as the candy melts. If desired, add vegetable oil a teaspoon at a time to achieve the desired consistency.  Adding vegetable oil will thin out the candy, make it easier to dip, and will not alter the taste. Another option is to use chocolate squares.

Dip each cookie one by one and gently rest them on a wax paper covered baking sheet.  Allow the candy to set by placing the baking sheets in the refrigerator.

After the candy hardens, place each cookie in a 4” by 8” treat bag and tie with a ribbon.  I added a personalized tag using colored card stock, my computer, and a heart shaped punch. These candy dipped fortune cookies made perfect favors for each guest to enjoy immediately or take home for later.

 

Check out these Sweet Treats, perfect for any party:

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Category : DIY Budget Party, Sweets and Treats
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15 Comm
11th May2011

Paper Flower Week: Paper Dahlia Favors

by Dinah Wulf

Have you OD’d on paper flowers yet?

Here are Paper Dahlia Favors from Martha Stewart Weddings. Group a few on your tablescape to create flower bouquets.

Read the How-To at Marthastewartweddings.com: Paper Dahlia How-To

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2 Comm
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