parties + party ideas

Punched Tissue Paper Fans DIY

by Chiara Alberetti Milott

I’ve seen a lot of really beautiful paper fans used as party decoration and photo backdrops. So, I wanted to try and make a hole-punched version which really lets the light through and looks so festive and pretty. I used good quality tissue paper, and had fun trying a variety of different patterns with my hole punches. I love how the final pattern looks a little like eyelet!

Click through for instructions…

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Floral Happy Birthday Headbands DIY

Happy May Day! These fun headbands are the perfect accessory for a spring birthday party. With just a little wire and some mini silk flowers, you can spell out an unexpected birthday message for the guest of honor.

Materials: Wire, Glue Gun, Small Flowers, Headband

Step 1: Bend the wire into the shape of the words. We found that leaving space between the letters helps to distinguish them. Be sure to leave a length of wire before the first letter and after last letter for attaching it to the headband.
Step 2: Using a hot glue gun attach the flowers to the wire letters. Make sure to keep the flowers neat by keeping them from filling the centers of letters like ‘p’, ‘d’, and ‘a’.
Step 3: Once the letters are covered, bend to match the curve of the headband.
Step 4: Attach the word to the headband by wrapping the extra lengths of the first and last letters around the headband.

Photography by  Heather Zweig for Oh Happy Day
Art Direction by Jordan Ferney
Produced by Stacy Wichelhaus
Crafting and styling by Caitlin Barker
Assisted by Harper Casimiro

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Calligraphy Candle Place Cards

I’ve always loved the tall and skinny prayer candles found at the Dollar Store. Although inexpensive, they can be decorated to look quite elegant. I love the idea of using these for an evening event (like a wedding!) Light them right before dinner so they glow as each guest carries them to find their table. (Or, try these with votives inside.)

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Paper Fan Garland DIY

I’ve always purchased Paper Fan Garlands from the party store (in fact, I always keep a few stored in my party closet!) But, sometimes it’s hard to find these pretty decorations in the specific colors of a party I’m throwing. So, I’ve found that it’s handy to know how to make my own in a pinch. These garlands are simple to create, although the folding can take a little time. Luckily, it’s an easy project for a movie night and a bowl of popcorn.

Click through for instructions.

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Favorite Party Ideas This Week

1. You Are My Fave throws the cutest 1st birthday party.
2. Take an online floral arranging class with Chelsea from Frolic!
3. Love this Paper Source kit with all these little sailboats.
4. Angela Hardison‘s cutout birthday sign is so cute.
5. How amazing is this seating chart?! (via 100 Layer Cake)

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