DIY Candy Bow Cupcake Toppers

Hello there, bowtiful!  If you are like me, and haven't mastered the art of piping bows on a cake with frosting,  and are always hoping to make a big impact in a short amount of time, then you'll love these easy candy bows that will transform your cake or treats in a jiff!  They are so much more forgiving, since you can move them around before applying them to the frosting.  I used them on my store-bought Valentine's Day cake, and I just wanted to share the tutorial.  They can be used for many different occasions and themes, so you know what they say -- when in doubt, put a bow on it!

WHAT YOU NEED:

• Tootsie Fruit Chews in Assorted Reds (2 per bow)

• Microwave (not pictured)

• Wax Paper

• Kitchen Scissors

HOW TO:

Step 1

Wash your hands!  Unwrap two fruit chews, and place them on a small piece of wax paper in the microwave.  Heat in five-second increments until the chews are warm enough to mold with your hands.  (I heated mine for about 7-10 seconds.)

Step 2

If both chews are the same color, roll them together into one ball, and if you are using two different colors, roll them into two separate balls.  (NOTE:  If you want the bow to have a yarn-like appearance, you will want to roll the chews into two separate balls no matter what colors you have chosen.)  Rub them between your hands to form a "snake" out of each ball.

Step 3

If you are going for the yarn-ish look, twist your two strands of candy together.

Step 4

Create a loop on one side of the "rope", with a tail hanging below.

Step 5

Create a second loop on the other side of the rope, and place the tail over the center of the first loop and tail.  Squeeze together in the middle a bit to keep the bow in place.  

Step 6

Use kitchen scissors to snip the end of each tail at an angle.

Voila!  You have an adorable candy bow!  You can place it on a cupcake, the top and/or sides of a cake, or just put it on a little plate for a cute after-school treat.  TIP: Store in a cool place so the bows keep their shape.  Also, wait until the day you plan to serve the cake to place bows on the side.  They may begin to slide down if left overnight, depending on the type of frosting.  I would love to know what you do with your bows, so please do share!  ...or tag me on Instagram.  Thanks!

Fête Gazette and Central Kentucky Home & Garden Show

Hello friends!  I honestly have no idea if people read blogs these days, but I like to pop in once in a while to update my portfolio, and to say hi!  So, if you happen to read this, I hope you're doing well and I would love to hear from you!  For an update on my end, I met Amy at the fall market held at Manchester Music Hall here in Lexington.  We immediately bonded over our love of fun party decor, quirky items, and 80s childhood memorabilia, and I took her business card with plans to reach out.  We met for coffee, (it was my first time at Brevede, and I highly recommend the place), and Amy sold a few of my handmade items at some of her Christmas markets and events.  We had snowball piñatas, beautiful bells, and some sweet treats.  

I have currently been working on some springtime goodies for the Central Kentucky Home & Garden Show where Amy will be selling this weekend.  If you are in Lexington, buy your tickets now, and be sure to check out the PK's Gift Closet booth for some really unique gifts and products including some of my handmade party supplies.  We are also working on a really fun backdrop, so be sure to stop by and take some pics!  

So, these are Easter Egg piñatas filled with fun treats.  You can stick them in a basket, or send the kiddos on a hunt.  Either way, this could be a really unique addition to your Easter gifting.  

If you plan to host any parties this Spring, you'll definitely want to pick up some cotton candy cupcake toppers!  They come in a set of three - pink, light blue, and peach.  I designed them for county fair, carnival, circus or candy themes, and I am sure there are a lot of other ideas for cotton candy!  How do you envision using them?

    

I thought some wooden pill gift tags would be adorable on any "get well soon" present, and I believe these will be attached to the cutest gift baskets that Amy is pulling together.

These handmade sushi roll gift boxes will be sold in sets of three, and they're really cute in real life!  

In the first photo, I shared the mushroom and carrot piñatas I designed.  Unfortunately, the mushroom was especially time-consuming, so it will not be available for sale.  Neither will the carrot, but I wanted to share anyway because I love how they turned out!  I wish they were easier to whip up, because I would love to see them used for a party.  I'm afraid I will not be offering shipping at the moment, so I really hope to see you at the show!  Happy Spring!!  

No-Bake Stocking Cookies

These no-bake stocking cookies are a fun little Christmas treat to add to your cookie making this year!  You can find the full tutorial at Handmade Charlotte.  Merry baking!  (...or no-baking!)

Candy Calico Corn

Ahhh, can you believe this is Thanksgiving week?  If I’m honest, I started listening to Christmas music on November 1^st, but there is so much to be grateful for this year, and sometimes I forget to stop and reflect on all the good things.  I am beyond grateful for strong friendships.  At twenty-four years old, I remember worrying about choosing the right bridesmaids.  I wanted to pick friends who would still be in my life in twenty years, and I’m happy to say that the friends I chose are my closest friends to this day!  I talk to a couple of them almost daily, and treasure them even more today than I did 20+ years ago.  We have walked through many seasons of life together (good & bad), and it feels like I wouldn’t have survived some of them without these ladies by my side.  I didn’t mean for this post to turn into a tribute to girlfriends, but I’m just SO grateful for them, and I hope they know it!  I treasure the new friends I have made along the way as well.  What are you most grateful for this year?

I wanted to share this pastel calico corn I made using candy bracelets for a fun little Thanksgiving DIY for the kids.  They’re so easy to pull together once you have the supplies, that I made five of ‘em while watching a few episodes on Netflix!  I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and that you are able to take time to relax and reflect.  Here’s a little tutorial for the calico corn!

WHAT YOU NEED:

• Candy Necklaces

• 18 Gauge Wire

• Natural Raffia

• Natural Jute Twine

• Scissors

HOW TO:

Step 1

Cut the candy beads off the necklaces, and place in a bowl. 

Step 2

Cut about a 12 inch piece of wire, and bend in half.  String the candy beads onto the wire, leaving about 1 1/2 inches at the top on each side. 

Step 3

Carefully hold the wire together at the top to keep the beads in place, while wrapping a second wire around the center of the first.  Make the second wire slightly longer than 12 inches, since it will lose length when you wrap it around the first.  Add candy beads to the second wire leaving space at the top again.

Step 4

Repeat the steps with one more wire, until you have six pieces of wire sticking up.  Twist the 6 wire ends together at the top, and fold over to keep any loose ends from poking anyone. 

Step 5

Cut a small bundle of raffia to about 4 1/2 inches long, and use a short piece of hemp string to tie it around the wires at the top of the “corn”.  You may cut the string down if it hangs too much. 

TIP:  Be sure to help younger kids untwist the wires, and release the candy for them. 

Happy crafting and Happy Thanksgiving!

Crystal Ball Halloween Favors

Fill these crystal ball favors with Halloween candy, and share with friends, neighbors, or party guests.  Find the full tutorial at Handmade Charlotte.  

Confetti Club : Happy Mail

Hello confetti lovers!  If you're new to Confetti Club, be sure to check out the intro post here.  I just wanted to follow up with a tiny tip for mailing your contributions.  People love to get personal mail no matter what, but it's even MORE fun when the packaging is pretty, right?!  

When you divide your confetti for sending to club members, I recommend some clear cellophane bags that you can fold over a couple times at the top, or you could get the kind that zip.  Seal them with some fun Washi tape or stickers.  There are a bunch of fun options on Etsy!  

Lastly, if you have a label maker, you could personalize each bag with members' names.  I bought some pink tape on Amazon.  Obviously, embellishments are not necessary - just fun!

The best thing about Confetti Club is that you can just stick it in an envelope - no box or post office necessary!     

If you start your own Confetti Club, be sure to share pics of your mixes, and tag @fetegazette on Instagram or Facebook.  I would LOVE to see what you come up with and share inspiration.  Let's use #fgconfetticlub and spread the word!

Confetti Club : Intro & Inspo

Welcome to Confetti Club!  I don't know about you, but every time I receive a package in the mail, it really makes my day...especially when it's something I ordered from a party shop.  I literally feel like a kid on Christmas morning!  One of my favorite items to use for special occassions, parties, or photos is definitely CONFETTI.

Currently, my favorite tissue confetti has to be anything Studio Pep, and most of the online party shops carry a few mixes.  While I adore the confetti alone, I started adding a few pinches of extra confetti, glitter and mylar to personalize it for specific holidays or themes. 

I started thinking, "how fun would it be to get some friends in on collecting items for confetti mixes, and everybody gets to give and receive some HAPPY MAIL?!"  I mean, this could become a monthly thing...or quarterly??  You could just do it for all the major holidays, or include seasons, birthdays, and other relevant events.  Most of my mixes use about four different items, so invite three friends to join your club.

To get started...

1.  Decide how often your members will create mixes.  You may need a President to send reminders each month or quarter!

2.  Choose your first theme and/or color scheme, and assign confetti / glitter types, or you could take a chance and just see what each person contributes.  

NOTE:  I would recommend taking turns purchasing the different types of glitter and confetti, since the cost may vary.  Once you have a nice collection of mylar and stars, you can all just focus on theme-specific additions.  

3.  Decide on a date for each member to agree to have their contributions in the mail.  

4.  Each member will purchase an item for the mix, and divide it into four (or the number of club members).  Package each pile, and send it along to all members.  (More on this in the next post...)

5.  Wait to receive a variety of items from other members, and then combine for a fun confetti mix!

Another idea is to have each member get their own "starter kit", including gold, silver and iridescent mylar, as well as silver and gold star confetti.  Then, happy mail can just include tissue confetti, glitter, and other shapes depending on the holiday or season.       

SPOOKY MIX

tissue paper confetti

silver mylar confetti

silver star confetti

bat glitter (similar item)

HAPPY MIX

tissue paper confetti

silver star confetti

iridescent confetti

smiley face glitter

DAYDREAM MIX

tissue paper confetti

gold mylar confetti

heart shaped confetti (similar item)

gold star confetti

UNICORN MIX

tissue paper confetti

iridescent confetti

unicorn glitter

rainbow & cloud confetti (similar item)

If you start your own Confetti Club, be sure to share pics of your mixes, and tag @fetegazette on Instagram or Facebook.  I would LOVE to see what you come up with and share inspiration.  Let's use #fgconfetticlub and spread the word!

Halloween Moon Pouch Favors

These moon pouches are a simple, paper plate DIY for a fun Halloween craft, class party, or cute favor, and you could even use these Oh Happy Day plates if you want to skip the painting!  Find the full tutorial here.  Happy Halloween!  

Shop Local - Asian Market

Have you found your local Asian market?  It is seriously the best place to find fun (and adorable) candy, drinks, paper goods, dishes, bento boxes, etc.  We are also a huge fan of bulgogi, kimchi, Thai tea, and wasabi peas.  Mmmm, my mouth is watering just thinking about it!  I would highly recommend Dong Yang Market if you're in the Lexington, Kentucky area, and if not, you should definitely find your local shop and check it out!  The candy would be perfect in favor bags, and there are several other items I would use for a party.     

You may be able to find similar products online, and some are very reasonably priced, but I have found that shopping in person is definitely easier on the budget!  I am linking a few items from the photos below so you can watch for them at your local store.  What is the best thing you have discovered at an Asian market?  

Chopsticks 

Sakuma Ichigo Milk Candy

Senjaku Ice Cream Candy

Chan Hard Candy

Bento Box Divider Cups

Fujiya Milky Candy

Sushi Seawood Punch

DIY Back-to-School Cupcake Toppers

Are your kiddos back in school?  It's never too late to celebrate with a few friends, cupcakes, and a quick DIY!  These pencils and apple cores are made from mini honeycomb balls found at Oh Happy Day, and they could also be fun for teacher appreciation or graduation.  Here's the link for my LTK shop, where you will find all the supplies you need to make these cuties.  Happy Back-to-School!  

Backpack Piñata for Back-to-School

Happy back-to-school, friends!  I just wanted to share this Kanken backpack piñata I made over the weekend.  I thought of these a while back, and wasn't sure I was going to be able to pull it off in time.  So glad I did, because it's so fun to gift some back-to-school supplies and treats on the first day of school.    

We go back Wednesday, and I have a Senior in High School, and a 6th grader.  Big year here!  I saw a girl graduate on tv yesterday, and it made me bawl my eyes out.  Any tips for surviving the last year, Moms?  What grades are your kiddos entering?  

Wishing everyone a great week, whether you're returning to school, or wrapping up summer break!

PS I couldn't decide between the mint green and white background, so I'm sharing both.  :) 

Maker Ribbons & TO MAKE by Danielle Davis

TO MAKE is my new favorite book, with beautiful words by Danielle Davis, and gorgeous pictures by Mags DeRoma.  Although it is technically a picture book for kids, I could relate so well to the process of making that Danielle describes in the book.  To make anything, you have to gather, make, then wait.  That is pretty much what we do each time we come up with an idea.  We run to the store (or craft stash) to gather supplies, make the project (sometimes more than once!), and then wait.  When I make piñatas, I have to wait a long time for the paper mache to dry before I can paint, or sometimes I am waiting for a project to be published on another site.          

It is so fun to think about what it is that you like to make, and realize that it likely follows the three steps above!  The illustrations are so beautiful, imaginative, and inspiring, and I found myself getting lost in daydreams about making.  I love when a book or movie takes my brain to a creative place, and I am inspired to think of new ideas. That is exactly what TO MAKE did for me, so I can only imagine how inspiring the book will be to the creative minds of children.  Sometimes creativity requires thinking like a child, and a good book like this can help the adult brain get to the right state of mind.

When Danielle reached out a few months ago about collaborating on a project to go along with this beautiful book, I was so honored, and knew immediately that I wanted to participate.  When I got a sneak peak of the book, I was even more excited to work with Danielle.  Also, she is so sweet, genuine, and in the words of Anne of Green Gables, felt like a kindred spirit!  

We came up with these maker ribbons for kids to wear, hang, or display, and each ribbon involves the making process from activities in the book.  Kids can get creative and come up with their own ribbons for whatever it is that they like to make.  We hope these will inspire their imagination and creative juices!  You can find the tutorial on Danielle's website, HERE.  You will definitely want to grab a copy of the book for your personal library, or as a gift for a friend.  Happy making!