DIY Snowcone Party Hats

I know what you're thinking- party hats are for little kid's parties! I have many memories of wearing hats with a lame design that matched all the plates and napkins. And they never looked good. However, this isn't a regular hat- it's a cool hat! You can create these in complimentary colors to tie into your theme without being matchy-matchy, preventing the super cheeseball effect. They're cheap and easy to make, and make really cute festive accessories. Plus, since you're adding the elastic yourself, you don't have to worry about it choking you and creating a double chin! Double win! Well, have I convinced ya? Check out the easy how-to below.

You will need:

Snow cone cups (I got mine from Michaels)
Pom poms
Glue gun
Elastic cord (optional)

For this project, all you need to do is glue the Pom Pom onto the snow cone. Easy peasy! If you're planning on wearing them, create a small hole on each side and pull a piece of elastic through an tie a knot.

These are so cheap and quick to make that you can easily create a set for a party. And the bonus? They're SUPER cute!

Try placing a hat on each place setting to dress up the dinner table, or scatter them around the room to ensure everyone sees them. Or, even better, welcome each guest into your party by letting them pick their favorite! How do you plan on using these party hats? Let me know in the comments below! 

Easy Pineapple Garland DIY

A few weeks ago, I did a Michael's party supplies haul and I picked up some awesome tropical party supplies! Did you see those decorative straw balls and wonder what they can be used for? Well, wonder no more! I've created a super cute and super easy tutorial for a pineapple garland made from those kooky straw balls you see everywhere. The best part? This is a super easy and super affordable project that anyone can do! 

*Contains affiliate links

 For this project, you will need:

Spray paint (here)
Green felt (here)
Faux Suede cord (here)
Straw balls (similar here)
Tweezers
Scissors (here)
Glue gun 

Step 1: Spray paint the balls yellow. You can also use paint but it's harder to get the inside of the balls

Step 2: Cut pineapple toppers out of the green felt. To do this, I cut a long rectangle out of the felt, then cut 2 triangles out the middle. Finally, I angled the sides so that it was long and narrow. This helps you have enough surface area to glue it down. 

Step 3: Find the front of the ball by picking the part that looks most oval. Be sure there is a good spot to glue the topper on. 

Step 4: Put a thin line of glue on the ball and place the topper on. Hold a few seconds until it dries. 

Step 5: Thread the faux suede through the ball in the area near the topper. Use tweezers to carefully pull the end through the holes. 

Step 6: Hang up and enjoy!

This is a super cute and easy DIY project that's perfect for summer. I think this project would also be adorable if you made the pineapples in all kinds of colors too! 

Dying to make more garlands? Check out my Pinterest board! 

Nautical Notecard Birthday Banner Tutorial

This weekend, I went into Michaels on a mission to find some cute party supplies and projects. When I saw these ADORABLE note cards in their dollar section, I couldn't resist getting them! They're part nautical, part 4th of July, and 100% perfect for summer. I made them into a birthday banner that can also double for Independence Day, and can be kept up all summer long. This is a quick and easy DIY you can make in just minutes, for only $6! Any note cards can be used for this tutorial, but I think you should run on over to Michael's and grab a set of these before they run out!

*Contains affiliate links

How cute are these cards on their own as well?! Each pack comes with 5 cards of the same design, so even after you've made your banner, you can send some fun notes to your friends or use them as invitations. And the best part? Each pack is only $1.50!

And now, onto the directions!

For this project, you'll need:
Notecards (similar here)
Paper Cutter (similar here)
Scissors (here)
Ribbon or Twine (here)
3-Hole Punch (here)
Shaped Paper Punches (similar here)
Tape

Step 1: Unfold your note card and cut off the back, making sure to cut before the fold to create a nice smooth surface. I prefer to use a paper cutter for this instead of scissors to ensure a straight line.

Step 2: Take the back of the card and cut off the excess paper around the drawing, making sure to leave enough of a border to create an even circle.

Step 3: Using your round paper punch, center the drawing and cut it out. I used a 2-inch circle punch for this.

Step 4: Using a handheld hole punch, make a small hole at the top of your circular drawings. If you don't have a handheld one, use your 3-hole punch. Just be sure to remove the hole "catcher" if yours has one so that you can flip it over to center the hole.

Step 5: Let's get back to the front of the card. Using your 3-hole punch, line up the card to make two even holes. Repeat for all the cards.

Step 6: Weave the notecards onto the ribbon, passing the string through the back to create a clean design in the front. Alternate between the circular drawings and the notecards in an appealing pattern.

BONUS: If you want to get even more fun out of your cards, punch some small circles and stars out of the back of the cards and tape them onto twine for a playful garland!

And that, mateys, is how you make an awesome nautical birthday banner for only $6!

Hung up on the need for more banner tutorials? Be sure to check out my Garlands and Banners board on Pinterest!

How do you plan to use your banner? Tag me in your Instagram photos!

Easy DIY Dollar Store Candy Bar

Remember when you were a kid and you used to go in a candy store? The old-timey ones, with jars lined up along the walls of all different types of candies, sold by the pound. Your parents would hand you a bag and tell you "ok, get what you want. But not too much!" Or maybe your parents didn't trust you, so they'd ask you what you wanted and put tiny scoopfuls into the bag. Then for the next 10 hours, you were on a sugar high as you feasted on pretty much all the candy in one sitting. I loved this experience, so for my Sugar Sweet 27th birthday party, I had to have a candy bar! I wanted to do it on a budget so I could spend money elsewhere, especially since my party was all adults that don't have a big sweet tooth. I hit up my local dollar tree to find some supplies. P.S., there is some great glassware there for only a dollar!  Are you ready to make a candy bar for your next party?

*This post contains affiliate links.

You'll need:

Candy Jars with lids (similar)
Vases or Fishbowls (similar vase and fishbowl)
Candlesticks (similar)
E6000 Glue (here)
Timer/Clock
Candy (and lots of it!) (similar here and here)
*Note: I purchased all my glass items from the Dollar Tree for only $1, but the Amazon links are for similar items

How to:

1. First off, wash and thoroughly dry your supplies. I let mine dry overnight to be safe, but a good wipe and waiting a few minutes should work just as well.

2. Using the E6000 glue, rim the perimeter of the candlestick. E6000 tends to ooze (a lot) so stop squeezing near the end of your perimeter, and store it tip-up between uses.

3. Let the glue set for 2 minutes before attaching. This is so it gets tacky and sticks well.

4. Hover the candy bowl over the candlestick and try to find the center. Place the bowl down and hold it for a few seconds so it can adhere.

5. Wait 24-48 hours for the glue to fully cure. Then, pour in your candy and enjoy!

I found that the lids for the candy bowls fit well with the vase and fishbowls, even though they were not airtight. 

Candy Tips:

-If you can, use name brand candy or something you've tried before. You don't want to get bags and bags of something that ends up tasting terrible!

-Get a mix of smaller and larger candies to create a visually appealing display.

-Pick a color scheme and stick to it. If you want to get all types of candies, then "rainbow" can be your theme. Just try not to have one candy/color that sticks out like a sore thumb.

-You'll probably need a lot more candy than you think. For most of my candies I bought 3 bags/boxes and it only fully filled one container. This wasn't a big deal to me because I had adults and figured they wouldn't be eating much candy anyway.

-Dollar store bags may be smaller than the bags from other stores, so grab the circulars and see if the candy might be cheaper elsewhere. Sometimes holiday candies go on sale, which can be great for a holiday themed party!

Do you have any tips for a candy bar on a budget? What's your favorite type of candy to put in the jars? Which is the most bang for your buck? Let me know!

DIY Donut Party Platter with Sprinkles

Updated: December 22, 2018

I had no idea when I made this post (my second DIY blog post, ever!) that it would become as popular as it did. I’ve since updated some of the photos, and will soon be re-creating the DIY for you so that you can have much better images to work with! Thank you for loving the post so much. Please be sure to tag me when posting on social media, or adding your photo to the “tried it” section on Pinterest!

For my birthday, I had a Sugar Sweet birthday party. I had so much fun planning and setting up for this party. It had everything you need for a sugar coma, including cotton candy champagne and a DIY candy bar. To add to the ambiance, I decided to make a fun donut platter! The great news is that the platter is food safe and reusable. So what are you waiting for? Go grab your supplies and lets get started!

You'll need:
Clear Round Platter (I got mine from Party City, similar here)
Acrylic Paint (similar here)
Foam Brushes (here)
Paintbrushes (similar here)
Mod Podge (here)
Qtips for cleanup
 

1. Thoroughly wash and dry your platter.  We'll be painting the underside.  This is to make sure it's food safe!

2. Place the platter food-side down. Using the acrylic paint and a thin paintbrush, draw the sprinkles on first. I found that thicker, more opaque sprinkles showed better.  Turn the plate over and make sure you're happy with the placement and quantity.  Let dry according to directions.

Did you make a sprinkle that's too fat or in the wrong place? Just wipe it off with water!

Paint on those sprinkles!

Let dry according to directions. Then it's time for frosting!

3. If you're using a divided platter, fill in the gaps carefully first. You can be sloppy about it and wipe it off with a q-tip like I did, but that's much harder- learn from my mistake!

Messy messy middle!

Paint the frosting on in a zigzag shape. Let dry and add another coat to make sure it's thick. Be sure to turn it over and check for any gaps in the paint. Note: At this point, the paint is really delicate and scratches easily. Use caution when flipping it and maneuvering it.

4. Once your frosting is dry, paint the rim of the tray as your base donut color. If it's sheer, do another coat and let dry several hours or overnight if possible.

5. Put on a coat or two of mod podge.  This will seal the design and make it waterproof.  I did two coats, one going vertically and one going horizontally.

And that's all folks!  I think this would look adorable in a little girls' room holding their hair clips or for tea parties.  How do you plan to use your new platter?  Let me know in the comments below!