Party + Wedding Ideas

How to Make a Number Pinata

I’m starting a new series on Oh Happy Day on how to make different pinatas! Today’s pinata DIY is how to make a number pinata, though this could easily be a letter if you wanted to spell out a (short) message. This was a very fun project to do! Pinatas are so great and you really don’t have to wait for a party to make one. I love the idea of giving someone a pinata and filling it with their favorite things. But be careful, these pinatas are so pretty its tempting not to break them and just let them hang pretty in the corner. DIY instructions below.

Materials needed: Cardboard, Exacto, Pen, Ruler, Tape, Crepe Paper, Glue

1. Making the structure. Stack two pieces of cardboard together. Draw your number and then cut through the two layers of cardboard at the same time. (Be sure to put some layers below them so your floor doesn’t get cut too! Our pinatas were about 20″ tall.

2. Cut strips of cardboard for the edging. Our strips were about 4″ thick.

3. Taking the strips tape together the top and the bottom piece on the seam. Reinforce it on the top and also on the inside.

4. When you get to an edge just make a crease in the cardboard so it bends easily. Making the structures is really easy and took about 20 minutes. These held together well after getting beaten with a stick but if I was making this for adults I would reinforce it with another layer or two of paper and glue. (Just apply glue to strips of paper and wrap the structures to give it extra support.)

5. Decorating takes longer especially if you are doing a design. Take the crepe paper and make some fringey garland. (I explain in detail how to do that here.) First cut a strip of crepe paper about 3″ thick.

6. Cut each side of the strip into little pieces of fringe.

7. Unravel it and fold it in half so it is ready to glue.

8. I made a zigzag design and a scallop design for these two numbers. To maintain the design I drew lines on the number depending on how far apart I wanted the zigzags or scallops and then used that as a guide as I laid down the fringe.

9. Start at the bottom and draw the design in glue. Take the fringe and put down a layer.

10. Repeat adding glue and then another layer of fringe on top until your design is done. This part takes a while so best to put on some Friday Night Lights in the background since its a little mindless (and definitely goes quicker with a helper.) It’s nice because the fringe looks messy so it is really forgiving if you lay something down kind of crooked.

11. Cut a section at the top too add candy and then repair with paper, glue crepe paper. To hang cut two holes at the top and thread string through.

HAPPY PINATA-ING!

Modern Party Dishes

One of my favorite sources for entertaining dishes is CB2. I like them because they make dishes in really exaggerated shapes like tall and skinny or super short and wide. (You can see I used them here at my fondue party.) The shapes feel modern so you could serve soup in the little fat cups with tiny spoons or have the tall glasses lined up in a row with stripey straws. I also like them because they are pretty cheap. Everything shown here is around $3/piece so its not the end of the world if one breaks. I started small and added a few more pieces every time I had a party and it was really easy to grow a nice little collection of party dishes.

Appetizer plates/ Mini Bowl / Dana Cooler I also love their serving dishes like the Cuatro Platters and the Bento Platters.

Giant Polish Chandelier DIY

A month or two ago I made this giant Polish Chandelier (see all the pictures right here.) I meant to post it earlier so sorry to everyone who has been patiently waiting for the DIY post. This project isn’t fast but its made of cheap materials, so its perfect for someone who doesn’t have a lot of money to spend but has some time on their hands. My favorite thing about this is there is so much variation in the different pieces that I felt like I was doing so many types of crafting just for this one project. It was really fun and satisfying to make. I think these would be so cool at a wedding, it would be sweet to put one above each table. See all the instructions below!

Materials Needed: 36″ hoop (or we bought some thick wire and taped it together to create our own.), crepe paper folded sheets (not rolls) in the colors of your choice, tissue paper, thin cardstock, glue, string, a long needle, tape, scissors, fine gauge wire.

1. If you want to make your own hoop just measure out 36″ and wrap the wire around the circle several times until it feels sturdy then tape it together.

2. Wrap it in crepe paper to make it pretty.

The chandelier is broken down into three kinds of pieces: straws, stars, and flowers. Once you know how to make them you just configure them in different ways.

3. It is possible to buy real straw for this but I couldn’t find any so I made my own out of paper. To make the straws you’ll need some cardstock cut unto strips (about 4″ long) , a pencil, and glue.

4. Roll the cardstock around the pencil to shape it.

5. Then add glue and hold until it sticks. I made 130 of these for my chandelier.

6. Now for the stars. I made these stars out of tissue paper and then out of cardstock. Start with a square about 3″ wide and cut a circle out of it. I usually cut these in a stack to save time.

7. Then cut out little slivers to make the little petals.

8. When you are done with the cardstock make them out of tissue. I didn’t count how many I made of these but it was a lot. I made a hefty pile and then would make more when I ran out.

9. The flowers are fun to make. You need some crepe paper and wire for this.

10. Start with some strips of crepe paper and begin rolling. Focus on making one side tight and the other end a little looser.

11. Pinch the tight end. I keep the finished petals in one hand while I roll with my other.

12. When you have 10-12 petals wire them together  a few times around as tight as you can. Keep adding bunches and wiring it on until the flower gets big enough.

13. Secure the wire by twisting it but leave the tails of the wire  attached for when you are assembling it later. For mine I made 16 large flowers around the rim and 8 small flowers for the bottom.

14. To make the strands first thread a piece of straw.

15. Then add some tissue stars.

16. Crumple the tissue paper to give the stars body.

17. Then add a star made out of cardstock and sandwich it with some more tissue. Repeat.

18. There were a total of eight long strands (ten straw sections each) and eight short strands (which had six straw sections each.)

19. Attach all eight long strands evenly around the hoop and bring them all together at the top in a knot. Then hang the chandelier from a doorway while you finish the assembly.

20. Attach the eight short strands on the hoop between where the long strands are attached. They scallop around the bottom in a ‘U’ shape.

21. Finally attach the large flowers with wire everywhere a string attaches to the hoop. Top it off by adding a little flower to the bottom of each ‘U’ or short strand.

And voila’! You’re done. Of course play around with the colors and design of yours. Traditionally Polish Chandeliers have eight strings but other than that you can add flowers or change colors to your liking. Happy Crafting!

Thanks to Anne for being my model.

Favorite Party Ideas This Week

Here are my favorite party ideas from around the web this week.

Awesome Fringey Garlands from the Notwedding Event. (via Green Wedding Shoes via Ali’s pin.)

Make your own tie dye tissue paper for wrapping or party decor. (I love this!)

The prettiest dip dyed paper cups turn into beautiful vases on Design*Sponge.

Ice Cream Cart

It really is starting to feel like summer, not just spring and I love it. So I have a quirky quality (much to my husband’s dismay) where I want to buy large fun items just to have them. For example if I were in the US right now I’d be trying to figure out how to get this hand pushed ice cream cart with an adorable umbrella home to my house. “Why?” you ask? I’m not sure, but look how awesome it is! I actually think this would be so fun to have at a summer wedding. Or it would be cool if you had teenagers. Stock it with popsicles, send them to a high traffic area and its like an instant summer job. In the past I’ve also tried to buy (unsuccessfully) a vintage photobooth, a mini car, and a vespa with a sidecar.  Have you ever bought something silly and fun for no good reason?

ps: I hope someone in the Chicago area buys it. It’s adorable.