Party Treats - DIYInspired.com
31st Aug2011

Carnival Theme or Circus Theme Party

by Dinah Wulf

Carnival Theme or Circus Theme Party

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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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Category : DIY Budget Party, Inspiring People, Kid Stuff, Sweets and Treats
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14 Comm
29th Aug2011

Baby Shower Dessert Table

by Dinah Wulf

Baby Shower Dessert Table

Dessert tables are becoming more common for baby showers, weddings, and birthday parties.  It’s a simple party idea that can spruce up your decorations and can also be affordable.  A set of various sized candy jars is a great investment for any Host or Hostess.  You can find inexpensive sets at discount stores, or buy unique pieces at thrift shops.  Hosting a party can be stressful and a dessert table adds triple duty as décor, food, and entertainment.

This particular dessert table is one I did for an Asian themed baby shower.  The guest of honor is having a baby boy, so I chose hues of blue and green.  To fit the party theme, I used an Asian style font for the labels, served almond cookies, wafers, and chocolate dipped fortune cookies. I also made blue and green Chinese take-out boxes stuffed with useful goodies for the baby and mommy to be.  Each box was embellished with ribbon, a charm, and wooden chopsticks. I printed a Chinese character on the front that stood for “family”, “baby boy”, “happiness”, etc.

To make the labels and “sweets” banner, I used coordinating scrapbook paper, cut slits on both sides, and inserted a matching ribbon. The candy I chose also coordinated with the theme and colors.  The candies included were chocolate, coconut, almond blue M&M’s, assorted blue and green lollipops, blue vanilla Tootsie Rolls, and blue cookies and cream Kisses.

To create height, I used boxes covered in wrapping paper and matted the top with black scrapbook paper cut to size. I used photo holders and frames for some of the labels and made sure to put out napkins, tongs and scoops for the guests to use.

 

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Category : DIY Budget Party, Sweets and Treats
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8 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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15 Comm
11th Jul2011

First Birthday Party DIY Decoration Ideas

by Dinah Wulf

First Birthday Party DIY Decoration Ideas

Friend and fellow Crafty Chick (and may I add GORGEOUS), Tara Woelfer, did a fabulous job for an Elmo themed first birthday party.  Here are some Birthday Party DIY Decoration Ideas. She used bold primary and secondary colors coordinated with polka dot and checkered patterns. She covered boxes with colorful gift wrap, which is a great way to add height and dimension to any table scape.

Tip: A good investment for any party host or hostess is glass candy jars and glass bowls in various sizes and heights.  Add a ribbon and label to fit any party theme.

The dessert table was adorned with a “sweets” banner a topped with creatively labeled yummy treats like marshmallows, chocolate covered strawberries with sprinkles, colorful candies, cupcakes, and savory cheese popcorn.  Tara also added a special touch by personalizing some of the treats with the birthday boy’s name and age.

The centerpieces were assembled with checkered pinwheels in plastic pales, and pictures of the little man of honor.  Do it yourself Pinwheels are a creative and simple way to add whimsy to any party centerpiece. Use decorative scrapbook paper in any color or pattern to fit any occasion. Also, consider using pages of old novels, children’s books, or magazines depending on the party theme.

Thanks for the inspiration, Tara!! You are amazing!

The fabulous photography is by Carrie Sparks.

Need More DIY Party Ideas? Try:

Check out these Sweet Treats, perfect for any party:

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5 Comm
14th Jun2011

Sweet Treats: Custom Cakery

by Dinah Wulf

Sweet Treats: Custom Cakery

A friend and former co-worker, Robert Hetrick, is the man behind Custom Cakery in Corona, California.  I had to blog about Robert and share some of his incredible edible designs.  He is so amazing and talented and these are some of his creations.

His repertoire consists of fabulous custom cakes for any occasion; graduation, birthdays, showers, weddings, and corporate events to name a few. Isn’t the iPhone cake brilliant?

The minute a perused Custom Cakery’s Facebook page, the first thing I thought of was… well…actually the first thing I thought of was, “I didn’t know Robert could bake?” Then the second thing I thought was that Robert should be on the show Ultimate Cake Off on TLC!

 

These are just some of my favorites.  It was tough to narrow it down, as there were so many to choose from! I may have to go with the Scrabble Cake as the favorite…

Check out more of Robert’s custom creations on his Facebook page.  I’m sure he’d be happy to give you a consultation.  Hey Robert, when are auditions??? Oh, and thanks for inspiring us!

Need more sweet treat ideas? You may also like:

 

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2 Comm
08th Jun2011

Carnival or Circus Themed Party

by Dinah Wulf

Carnival or Circus Themed Party

My family and I went to the Strawberry Festival this year over Memorial Day weekend and I took these pictures to inspire one of my best friends because I knew she was planning a carnival/circus theme for her daughter’s first birthday. I took pictures of anything that inspired me including the colorful lighted signs, the giant inflatable prizes, and the abundant walls of furry creatures.

After a little research, I found that one of my favorite blogs, Hostess With The Mostess, had highlighted several parties with a Circus or Carnival inspired theme.  Here are some of them (Jen, I hope this gets your already creative juices flowing). The common elements are bright colors, animals, stripes, and lots of sweet treats!

Macy’s Carnival Parade

Carnival Caper Birthday

Modern Circus Soiree

Cirque du Bebe Baby Shower

Need More DIY Party Ideas? Try:

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3 Comm
06th May2011

LA Laker Cupcake Decoration

by Dinah Wulf

So it happens to be NBA Playoff time, and my Los Angeles Lakers aren’t lookin’ too hot right now. I figured I’d better inspire myself and make a good luck cupcake decoration to bring to a Laker party tonight. This was quick and easy and I did it in less than a half an hour. Go Lakers!!!

Materials:

• Computer and printer
• Colored paper
• Circular punches (1” and 2”)
• Glue stick
• Hot glue gun
• Toothpicks

Step 1: Google Images is my best friend. Look up your team’s logo and copy and paste it (as many times as you have cupcakes) on a Word document at 1” in diameter and punch them out.

Step 2: Punch out your team’s contrasting color with a 2” punch.

Step 3: Glue the logo onto the 2” circle and hot glue a toothpick on the back.

Step 4: When the glue is dry, insert them into the center of your cupcake (mine are deliciously store bought) and enjoy!

Need More DIY Party Ideas? Try:

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6 Comm
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