Stamped Envelope Liners

by Joke Vande Gaer

If you have ever lined 200 envelopes, you know it’s a tough and boring job. But, an envelope that looks pretty inside and outside makes everything more fun. Stamping the insides of your envelopes is super quick and you can make them all look a little different.

And, if you are not sending it through the mail, you should stamp up the outside too!

Materials needed: stamp pads, envelopes, tape and a stamp.

Step 1: tape off the area of the envelope you don’t want to stamp (leave the glue line stamp free)
Step 2: start stamping the first color – don’t think too much of where you place it, the more color you add, the more it will come together.
Step 3: add more and more color

If you happen to have a white stamp pad, I’m sure a black envelope with white dots will look stunning!

Stamped Party Cups

by Joke Vande Gaer

I hardly ever seem to find cute paper cups. Cute straws mostly save the day and are luckily available in lots of places. Stamping some plain white cups is my new favorite thing to do. Plus, a stamp makes it easy to make the whole party pretty with a certain theme: stamped invites, bunting, cake toppers…

Materials needed: plain paper cups, your choice of colored stamp pads and a simple stamp shape (you can even make your own with a potato stamp)

Step One: Test your stamp out on a piece of paper.
Step Two: Insert a cup into the cup you are stamping, this way you can put your hand inside the cup while stamping.
Step Three: Stamp away!

I’m loving the black and white for a grown up party! Vegetable stamps might be fun for kids to work with, no?

Stamped Party Favors DIY

by Joke Vande Gaer

My son Oliver turned 3 this year and I had no idea turning 3 is such a big thing for kids that age! He was telling every single person how he was going to be a big boy now. I just had to incorporate the number 3 on his birthday, so had a little stamp made for him. We used the stamp for his invitations, thank you cards, cake toppers and the party favors (which was my favorite project). I repackaged candy, stamped each one individually and made a goody box for every kid. Oliver loved his new age displayed everywhere.

Materials needed: tissue paper, candy, a stamp (you can find number stamps in most craft stores, you don’t need to have a custom one made), a stamp pad, boxes to fill with candy, some string and a little notecard.

Step One: Wrap your candy in tissue paper (2 sheets works best)
Step Two: Stamp each repackaged candy (test the stamp out a few times on some paper)
Step Three: Stuff some tissue paper on the bottom of your box

Step Four: Fill the boxes with candy
Step Five: Attach your note to a string and wrap it around the box

I picked stamping because I was convinced we could do his party projects together, but that didn’t really happen. He just wanted to play with the stamp in his notebook and wasn’t interested to help with the rest. Maybe he’s a little too young for it? Would your child like to help with this?

DIY Watercolored Confetti

by Joke Vande Gaer

When a friend of mine was planning a red themed birthday party for her little confetti loving 6 year old girl, I practically begged to help her. I was on a mission to find red paper confetti (without having to cut the confetti myself) and failed! Since all the stores I visited sold white paper confetti, I was going to try and dye the white confetti with watercolor paint. It turns out to be super easy and crazy cute! We filled jars with the confetti as party favors and the girls loved it!

Materials needed: an old jar for mixing, pretty jars for packaging the favors, white paper confetti, water and watercolor paint in a tube.

Step One: Squeeze out some paint into the jar.
Step Two: Add water and shake the mix until the paint is fully dissolved in the water.

Step Three: Add the confetti and shake again.
Step Four: Let the watercolor mixture do his job for a good 15 – 20 minutes. Shake the jar every 5 minutes to move the confetti around.
Step Five: Pour everything through a strainer and place the confetti on a piece of paper towel. Place a plastic bag under the paper towel to protect the surface you are working on, the confetti is still pretty wet.
Step Six: After 30 minutes, place the confetti on a new piece of paper towel (or an old rag) to let it dry overnight. Spread the confetti out so it dries faster.
Step Seven: Fill the jars with the confetti and use a piece of string to attach a little note to the jar.

When I realized how easy this was I couldn’t resist making more for myself in other colors. Aren’t the different color tones of the confetti pretty?

Repackaged Candy Favors

by Joke Vande Gaer

I’m not always the best planner when it comes to birthdays. Some birthdays come, I’ll have an idea in mind long beforehand and it all works out great. Other birthdays come and I’m scrambling for time to put something cute together the night before. These repackaged mentos favors were one of those late night ideas that turned out cute, are easy to make and need just a few materials!

Materials needed: tissue paper, bright colored markers, mentos (or any other candy you’d like to use)

Step 1: Cut your tissue paper to the right size of your chosen candy. Leave enough room on the sides to twist the ends.
Step 2: Carefully remove the outer layer wrapping of the mentos. This way the foil wrapper is still around and you don’t have to touch the candy.

Step 3: Draw quick lines diagonally on one sheet of tissue paper. Quick lines really turn out the cutest! No reason to measure, imperfections and a combination of thick and thin lines give the best result.

Step 4: Back your marked sheet of tissue paper with a clear sheet of tissue paper.
Step 5: Roll the mentos roll into the 2 sheets with the marked sheet on the outside.
Step 6: Twist the ends closed…that’s it!

These favors are perfect when you need to make big quantities, it’s so quick! And much more fun to give than a regular roll of mentos! Wouldn’t they be cute for a rainbow party in even more colors?