DIY cupcake toppers

Cupcake toppers seem to be the new trend for cupcakes these days.  I have seen some beautiful and very detailed ones for purchase on various sites.  The problem for me was that I couldn't justify spending so much on something that was going to get thrown away.  So, I decided to make my own.  I had placed an order for some scrumptious cupcakes from Bella & Ava for a small baby shower and thought this would be a perfect opportunity to try my hand at making them.  The shower was more of a luncheon welcoming the baby who had already been born and the cupcakes were to be the main focus.  I had Bella & Ava make red velvet and vanilla cupcakes with green, teal and blue frosting.  I also bought special cupcake wrappers at Micheal's to add a little flare.

Now it was time for the fun part!  I used two different sizes of craft hole punches and old scrapbook paper left over from a different project.  I punched out large circles from the pattern papers and small circles from the solid colored papers.  I glued the circles together and used a stamp of a little chick to complete them.  I glued the completed toppers on lollipop sticks using a hot glue gun and let them dry.

That's it, super easy!  The best part, you can use scraps you already have to create something unique.  I did have several different designs but this is the only one I managed to snag.  Everyone loved them so much they kept them and the cupcakes were gone in minutes!

All things girly!

When my friend found out she was having a girl we both couldn't wait to plan a girlie baby shower!  We both have boys so it was fun to go all out with the pink.  To give the party a modern feel we stuck with bright colors and fun patterns instead of the traditional pastels.  The shower was held in a recreational room so the decorations had to be easy to transport and put up right before the party.  We decided that the main focus would be the tables which had lime green tablecloths on them with these centerpieces.

We made the place mats using scrapbook paper and stickers.  We filled vases with decorative stones and added flare to them by gluing ribbon and decorative flowers on to them.  Because we needed several different centerpieces we used silk flowers to create our bouquets.

There were a few other key pieces of decor that we used to create a vibrant atmosphere.  I had a friend make this banner with the babies name on it to be displayed next to the gifts table.  She did an excellent job encompassing the modern style the mom-to-be was going for.  Everything was made with varying pieces of scrapbook paper and strung together using a thin twine rope.

Another decoration I made had dual purpose.  With the help of another close friend we made a diaper cake which we displayed on a table as guests entered.  I also bought pink flower frames in the Target dollar section and used them to put the ultrasound pictures of the baby on display.  As it turns out, diaper cakes are not hard to make, easy to customize and are great gifts!

We did simple finger foods since the guests were families with kids.  The best part of the food table though had to be the cupcakes!

Cecille from Bella & Ava makes the best cupcakes, hands down!  Seriously, once you taste one of these sweet treats you will never be able to eat a store bought cupcake again!  We had a few different flavors for guests to choose from as well as a small cake the parents to be got to take home.

All in all, the party was a success.  We set out to do something a little different from the typical baby shower and because we made most everything that kept the cost down.  It's funny, now that the baby is here, she has style and flare just like her party did!