How to Rock Your DIY Party Projects

You know how it goes. You're planning a party and have spent hours scouring the internet for the best ideas. You've got a whole list of projects and you're determined to throw the very best party anyone has ever seen. Ever! But, by the time party day comes around, you are scrambling. What happened between that day you were planning and had "so much time!" and today? Probably all the DIY projects you didn't leave yourself enough time for! Although these DIY projects may seem easy, they can be very time consuming, especially when you're doing several of them. Here are some tips to ensure you have the DIY party of your dreams!

Divide them up.

Pick 1-2 must-do projects, 2-3 like-to-do projects and 1-2 if-I-have-time projects. This way, you can do as many projects as you have time for without sacrificing the projects you want to do most. 

Have a crafting party.

If you want to make a lot of projects and have crafty friends, invite them over! Be sure you have all the supplies on hand, then get some snacks, a bottle of wine, and start crafting. You can make more projects in a fraction of the time. Plus, it's a fun bonding experience! 

Learn to delegate.

Ok, maybe you're not the best cake decorator. Instead of trying to do it yourself (and possibly failing), how about having a friend assist? Ask around and see if anyone can come take on some tasks. They'll probably enjoy it! Just be sure to give them a deadline and follow up to make sure it gets done. The last thing you need is to be left scrambling on party day!

Don't leave it until the last minute.

The best thing you can have when it comes to DIY projects is time. Leave a few weeks to work on your projects to ensure they come out nicely and get done in time. Believe me when I tell you that things can take longer than you think!

Maximize your time.

To get the most out of your time spent crafting, try to make as many of each project as you can per session. This way you won't end up taking supplies in and out or wasting paint, etc. You'll also get into the rhythm of it, and be able to make them much faster than if you start and stop, making 2 projects at a time.

Slow and steady wins the race.

On that same note, don't wait until you have a large block of time to start on projects. If all you have are short periods of downtime, use them! It's better to work on 1-2 items per day than trying to rush everything into one day, right? I always love to pop on my favorite movie or TV show, grab a TV table, and whip up some crafts projects while I watch TV.

Create an assembly line.

Sometimes it's easier to batch your projects- aka doing "like" projects at the same time. What does this mean? Painting all your beads at once, cutting out all your shapes in one sitting, or gluing everything together. This will help you to find the most efficient way to do each step through repetition. 

Don't be a perfectionist.

Yes, you want this project to come out perfectly. But does it have to? If you spend too much time perfecting each project, you'll be missing out on valuable time you could be spending on other projects! This is especially important when you have others helping. Allow yourself to delegate and don't spend time micromanaging everyone. It's supposed to be fun! 

Reduce shopping time.

Create a shopping checklist so that you can avoid multiple trips to the store. A quick way to derail your productivity is to stop midway because you forgot something you needed. Been there... done that!

Have you ever attempted a DIY party project at the last minute, and then realized you were in WAY over your head? Let me know in the comments below!

DIY Zebra Party Tray

Did you know that in high school, there was a period of time that I wanted to be an interior decorator? I imagined myself creating gorgeous, perfectly curated homes filled with amazing goodies. I was eventually talked out of it, but I still have a desire to create a unique and beautiful home for my fiancé and myself. Although it's been a learning curve, I'm starting to figure out my style and realizing what works and what doesn't. I love to fill my home with one-of-a-kind, whimsical purchases. The kind of stuff that makes people want to look around and wonder where the heck I found this amazing item. But, my absolute, very FAVORITE thing to put inside my home is anything I made myself. I love telling people I made things. There's no better feeling in the world.

The reason I love this zebra tray is because there really isn't anything else like it out there! I think it adds such a fun feel to any room. You can use it on your desk to hold your paperwork, on your coffee table to hold magazines, or in your kitchen to hold flowers and a notepad. It's also a great party tray for holding cocktails! The best part of all is that it's super easy (and cheap!) to make.

*This post contains affiliate links.

You will need:

Aluminum baking tray (mine was from the dollar store, similar here)
Spraypaint (similar here)
Primer & gloss top coat (similar here and here)
Zebra figurines (here) 
E6000 glue (here)

How To:

1. Purchase a tray. You'll want to look for something with a wide handle on either side, so that you can adhere your plastic animal. Also, be sure to avoid any trays with holes for hanging or too much branding. If you want to save a step, purchase a tray that you don't need to spray paint. For me, purchasing a baking tray ended up being the cheapest route.

2. Spraypaint your tray using the color of your choice. I chose a glossy medium pink, but I think this tray would look AH-MAZING in yellow. I just didn't have any yellow spray paint on hand, and it was one of those rare 60 degree days in February, so I had to work with what I had. Be sure to prime it first and use a topcoat. If not, it'll be easy to scratch, and the paint won't adhere as well. Trust me... I speak from experience!

3. Using E6000 glue, put a drop of glue on each hoof/foot, and wait for it to cure for 2 mins. Then place it down on the widest part of your handle. Let dry 24-48 hours before handling.

This tray is the perfect size for holding paperwork on your desk! I have a love/hate relationship with paper, so I love that this cute tray keeps everything organized while making me smile.

Psst- Interested in the printable above? Just fill out this form to get our FREE Anatomy of a Pinterest Party guide!

And, when it's time to party, you can kick those papers out and grab your drinking glasses! Let's take a moment to say RIP to the adorable pink ombre cup. My fiancé's brother accidentally broke one yesterday :(

The teal glasses are from Pioneer Woman and are awesome! The cotton candy garland, party hats, and animal drink stirrers are all projects from the blog.

So what do you think of this zebra tray? You can create it with any animal. I also bought some schnauzers, and can't waittt to make another tray with them! Do you have any DIY projects in your home decor? Let me know about them in the comments below!

DIY Wood Bead Tassel Necklace

Happy March! Wow, I can't believe it's nearly spring already and St. Patrick's day is next week! St. Patrick's Day was always one of my favorite holidays for some reason. I like almost all of them, but I think it's something about how everyone goes crazy and gets all dresses up that makes me like St. Patrick's Day a lot. Instead of doing a traditional St. Patrick's Day craft, I decided to switch it up a little with a pastel rainbow necklace. My fiancé is a quarter Irish, and he said St. Patrick's Day does not involve rainbows. However, there's no way to find a pot of gold without a rainbow. So, at least in the Hallmark version of the holiday, there's definitely rainbows! If you want to add a little bit of celebration to your St. Patrick's Day outfit this year without looking like you belong in a parade, try wearing this necklace! Honestly, it works well all year round and I think it's perfect for the spring!

You Will Need:

Embroidery floss (similar here)
Wood beads (similar here)
Nylon cord (here)
Jump rings & clasps (similar here)
Paint (similar here)
Paintbrush (mine are from Michael's, similar here)
Styrofoam (here)
Kebab sticks (here)
Washi tape (similar here)
Jewelry tools (here)
Scissors (here)

1. Take your skewer and wrap it in washi tape. You'll want enough so that the beads won't slide down as you're painting. Put your beads on and paint them. I used bright rainbow colors. Put your skewer into some styrofoam to dry. While you wait...

2. Cut a piece of cardboard that is the size you want your finished tassels to be. I wanted mine to be around the same size as my beads, so I used that as a template. Wrap the embroidery floss around the cardboard 25 times. You can do less or more, depending on how thick or thin you want your tassels to be. Cut a small piece of floss, thread it through the underside of the top, and tie a few tight knots.

3. Slide the floss off the cardboard and onto a pencil or stir stick. Take a piece of embroidery floss and wrap it around just below the stick. Tie several knots, then cut your embroidery floss. Then, take a jump ring and thread it through the top piece of embroidery floss. Comb your tassel to loosen the weave of the embroidery floss and create and fluffy tassel.

(Psst. if you want to save time and buy your tassels, check out this link).

5. Attach your clasp to one crimp, and your jump ring to another crimp, and attach them to your cord. I wanted my necklace to be long, but be warned- I made mine WAY too long. With the clasps on, it came down to about my belly button! Haha. So, I added a few clasps along the way so I could adjust the length if I wanted to.

6. Thread your beads and tassels. I decided to use a coordinating bead and tassel combo, but you can also mix it up.

7. Wear and enjoy! I've gotten so many compliments on this necklace the few times I've worn it so far. I truly love it! If you want to add a fun pop of color to your outfit, this necklace is essential.

Oh, did you know I have not one, but THREE cats? This is Roger and he's probably the friendliest cat on the planet. I found him in my backyard in Astoria and decided to keep him. He's the coolest, funniest dude.

I love love loveeeeee this necklace. The pastel rainbow colors are just magical! Would you wear a necklace like this? What do you think of it? Let me know in the comments below!

Lisa Frank Tie-Dye Waffle Sundae

Lisa Frank is making a comeback, and it's everything our cutesy technicolor dreams were made of. I can still remember being a kid/pre-teen and going to Eckerd (remember that store?!) and browsing their back to school section, hunting for the absolute perfect Lisa Frank school supplies.  Folder with two kissing fish? Check. Lisa Frank stickers to cover absolutely everything I own? For sure. Binder with cool teenage aliens? DUH. Lisa Frank was such an important part of my childhood. I loved the creativity and the color of her products. So, when it came time to collaborate with Holly from ClubCrafted on a 90's inspired ice cream post, I just had to do something Lisa Frank! It's got tie-dye, ice cream, sprinkles, unicorns and candy. What more could you ask for?!

You will need:

Waffle Maker (I have this one)
Neon food coloring (here)
4 spoons and bowls (here)
Waffle batter (I used the Classic Waffle Recipe on page 9)
Whisk and Spatula (similar here and here)
Ice cream (I used Friendly's black raspberry)
Fondant (I purchased Sweet Shop brand from Michael's)
Sprinkles and toppings

Directions:

How to make a tie-dye waffle:

1. Create your favorite waffle batter. Separate the waffle mix evenly into 4 bowls. Mix in your food coloring until it hits the right shade. I kept mine bright!

2. Once your waffle iron has heated up, drop small globs of batter onto your waffle iron. Mix up the order of colors, but work quickly so that you don't burn half the waffle while the other half is raw.

Just look at those colors! Seriously gorgeous.

Making the fondant unicorn

1. Take a small scoop of your fondant in a ball and knead it with your fingers.

They look like tasty little Marino's ices, don't they?!

2. Pinch off a small piece of fondant. Roll your fondant in a ball, then into a cylinder shape. It helps if the cylinder is tapered, so that one side is slightly thinner. Twist the 2 cylinders together, then flatten the bottom slightly to create your horn.

3. For the ears, take your ball of fondant and split it in half. Make it into a triangle shape. Repeat for the other color, creating a sightly smaller triangle. Then, press them together in the center of the larger triangle. Do this carefully, otherwise it totally warps the shape into a circle. They don't need to match perfectly, either!

Assembling your sundae:

1. Once your waffles have cooled, add a scoop of ice cream on top. (Similar shell bowls here and here)

2. Carefully place in your unicorn horn, then the ears.

3. Add your choice of sprinkles and candy to the top. I used regular rainbow sprinkles, nerds, and small dot sprinkles. To make the plate more festive, I poured on the sprinkles. I can never get enough!

YUM. Sprinkles and candy makes everything better. The fondant is actually really easy to use. Kinda like sweet and edible play-doh. Plus, I love that the round sprinkles landed perfectly to make a face on this little guy.

Now you can get your Lisa Frank fix and help that sugar craving all in one shot. I loved the Lisa Frank stickers, and still have them. I've hoarded them for like 20 years now! Jeez, that makes me feel OLD. What was your favorite Lisa Frank thing you ever owned? Let me know in the comments!

Kate Spade Inspired Balloon Bracelet

Fun fact about me: I have a tendency to start random hobbies. For example: one time, I decided I wanted to learn how to make balloon animals. I bought a beginner's kit that came with balloons, a pump, and a book on how to make animals. I practiced making a dog, along with a few other animals. I sat there for hours trying to perfect them. Was I training to become some sort of clown on the weekends?! Who knows... Anyway, I was never too good at making balloon animals despite my best efforts. After a few days of trying, the novelty wore off and the kit got pushed into a drawer with all my other forgotten hobbies. Balloon animals were apparently something I was meant to admire, but not create. So, when I saw Kate Spade's new Whimsies collection, I was hooked! They're an absolutely perfect way to display your secret love of balloons, unicorns, and dinosaurs. I think my favorites are the ring, brooch, and bangle. If you can afford to purchase something from the new Kate Spade collection, DO. IT. For the rest of us, here is my humble attempt at the phrase "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery".

You will need:

Metallic/Pearl paint
3/4 in Wooden Letters (here)
16 gauge aluminum wire (mine is from Michael's)
Jewelry pliers and tools (here)
E6000 glue (here)
Paintbrushes
Scissors (here)
String or ribbon

1. Paint your letters with the metallic paint. I lined up my colors and found the best pattern before painting. I didn't want too many similar colors next to each other. Be sure to paint the front and all the sides.

2. Cut a piece of wire for the bracelet. There are 2 methods for figuring how long to cut your wire. 
Method 1: Using your string, measure loosely around your wrist, adding a few extra cm's to roll your wire.

Method 2: Grab a bracelet that fits well and measure that against your string for a similar fit.

3. Once you've cut your string, line it up against your wire and cut at the mark using your wire cutters. Make the cut as straight as possible.

4. Using the narrow tip of your rounded pliers, roll over the cut ends of your wire so that you don't have any sharp edges.

5. To create a bracelet shape, use something cylindrical to gently wrap the wire around. I used a party cup, since it's tapered and allows you to adjust the width of your bracelet easily.

6. Once I had a round shape, I made it slightly oval so that it would slip on and off my wrist more easily. My wire was very malleable, so I didn't want it losing its shape too much!

7. Using your E6000, glue the letters onto the bracelet. I started near the center with the letter R, then added the others closely so they would fit together well. (I used a glue gun at first, but all the letters fell off! I don't recommend the glue gun method).

Woop! There it is. Now you have your own KS Whimsies collection lookalike bracelet. This one is definitely more fragile, so wear with care. But, as a plus, you can write whatever you want on the bracelet- your name, an inspiring word, a reminder to party more, etc. My suggestions: CAKE, because yum, LOVE, because the world needs more of it, and GLITTER, because sparkles make everything better!

PS- If you love balloon animals, you gotta check out this post!

These would be so fun to make all your friends to give out as friendship bracelets, or as part of a bachelorette party gift! What are you planning to put on your bracelet? Let me know in the comments!