Crepe Paper Dessert Table

So what's a girl to do when she has a dessert table to design and needs a background that will make a statement but she set a limit of $100 for the party?!  Crepe paper of course!

 

Here's how easy it is.  You just need 2 pieces of trim (they'll even cut it for you at Home Depot if you wonder around looking especially desperate in the trim aisle).  I used a 4 ft table for the icecream sandwich bar, so I had them cut two pieces of trim - a 6 ft piece and a 4 ft piece.  Once you cram the pieces of trim into your husband's Sonata and make it home, you'll tape lengths of crepe paper side-by-side in an orderly fashion all along the trim.

 

If you're lucky enough to have a giant framed print hanging precisely where you want the crepe paper wall, you'll just use the hooks that you hung the print from to hold the pieces of trim.  If you're not quite so lucky, you'll need to use 3M tape to attach the trim to the wall.

 

Then it's just a matter of twist twist twist tape, the next piece just tape, then twist twist twist tape, just tape etc. on and on until you have this:

 

Next I covered the table with a plastic tablecloth and strung a piece of clear packing tape between the bottom of the front two table legs sticky side out.  Repeat the lengths of crepe paper taped side-by-side application on the 2nd piece of trim and attach it to the front of the table with 3M tape. Then twist twist stick to the packing tape, next piece just stick to the packing tape, twist twist stick, just stick etc. etc. etc.

 

What do you think?

Pool Party

Yes, I know the rest of the country has moved on to cool weather celebrations... hay rides, bobbing for apples, and pumpkin pickin' are on my mind too.  But, here in sunny Florida, early October is the time of year we finally, ever so cautiously, emerge from our air conditioned abodes.  The 80+ degree weather makes  it the perfect  time for a pool party!

I kicked Elle's 5th birthday off with beach ball invitations from Oriental Trading Co.  Party details are written on the ball itself, the deflated beach ball goes in a water proof canister, labeled, and mailed.

The guests were greated by a row of custom flip flop party favors (no more guessing allowed for the covered button giveaway).  I'll tell you how to make these easy and inexpensive favors in a coming post.

The highlight of the party was the snow cone machine!  I rented the machine from a local party rental shop. 

I made the syrups (more on that to come), and picked up the cones, straws with scoops on the end, snow cone stands, and straw dispenser on Amazon.

My Doug made this awesome snow cone sign by cutting a large piece of foam core (available in the framing department at Michael's) into the shape of a snow cone and spraying it with chalkboard spray paint.  The chalk markers make it even more fun!

The round cupcake picks, syrup labels, banner, "lanterns", & craft instructions are all goodies printed from the poolside collection by Paper and Cake All those fun details really pulled it all together!

I just can't get enough of the custom photo cupcake picks! I made a cute set of my Elle holding her breath while wearing her swimming goggles.

In addition to snow cones, pizza, and swimming, the kiddos entertained themselves with playing in the splash pool (I was surprised at how much fun even the kids who could swim in the big pool had just splashing around), diving and sliding on an inflatable slide I got from CSN Stores (review coming in a future post), and making a water yo-yo craft.

Okay, so if you don't live in a climate that is finally just now allowing you to brave the outdoors, you can consider this pool party your last hurrah before we dive into the Fall celebrations (pun intended)!