We are also answering a listener’s question about being self-conscious about your home.

You can find the podcast posts archive here.

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Show Notes:

Here is a picture of Emma’s ghost wallpaper.

Thoughts on Birthdays:

Emma – Not so much about the day, but just getting to celebrate in general.

Elsie – Aging is a gift—make every year a mid-life crisis.

Traditions for Your Birthday (Either Now or When You Were Younger):

Emma – Make a list of goals and create a dessert recipe for the blog.

Elsie – Buy herself a gift and have a special dinner.

Here’s Emma’s favorite homemade brownie recipe.

Traditions for Your Kid’s Birthday:

Emma – Make a special cake (here’s what Emma made this year).

Elsie – They get three options: a trip, a big gift, or a big party.

Traditions You Would Like to Do When Your Kids Are Older:

Emma – Time capsule

Elsie – When your kid turns 10, let them pick a trip anywhere in the world.

Thoughts on Party Decorations:

Emma – Loves balloons

Elsie – Reuse decorations each year

Learn how to make a balloon arch

Listener question from Abi Forslin: – “Do you have any experience with or advice about feeling self-conscious about your home?”

• Never apologize for your home.
• People probably don’t notice the things you don’t like.
• People understand it takes time to renovate.
• It’s very vulnerable to invite people over to your house so everyone feels self-conscious about something.

Miss an Episode? Get Caught Up!

• Episode #191: Amazing Home Decor Items Under $50
• Episode #190: The Parent Trap – Comfort Rewatch
• Episode #189: Favorite Summer Things (Deep Dive)

Episode 192 Transcript:

Elsie: You’re listening to A Beautiful Mess podcast, your cozy comfort listen. This week we’re talking about birthday traditions. You know, we love holidays, but what about birthdays? Plus we’re answering a listener’s question about being self-conscious about your home. So this is my first time recording in Missouri. We’re recording right now in Emma’s office, and I’m looking at her brand new ghost wallpaper I just want her to tell us a little before we jump in a little bit about the ghost wallpaper and we can link it in the show notes cuz it’s really cute, it’s kind of like a subtle pattern. 

Emma: Well yeah, I mean as far as the ghost goes.

Elsie: I don’t think you look at it and think ghost. It’s not your first thought. You just think wallpaper. It looks like a nice pattern. 

Emma: Yeah, and honestly, our house doesn’t have very much wallpaper. We only have two spaces in the whole house that have wallpaper.

One is this half bath, that’s on our main level, and it has this like marly wallpaper. And then in my office, I decided to put wallpaper. My office is one of the bedrooms in our home, it’s just, it’s just a bedroom that I use as an office, but three of the walls, I have wallpaper, and then the wall that’s right in front of my desk, I decided to do a solid color that matches the wallpaper, just so it would be a little bit less busy. And I also knew I was gonna hang up my bulletin board with like all my to-do lists, and I just felt like if I put that on the wallpaper, it was too busy. So I ended up doing an accent wall, which was really fun. But yes, this wallpaper, literally how I found it was I got on Spoonflower, which is where I like to buy wallpaper.

Elsie: Spoonflower has great wallpaper. 

Emma: They really do. It’s huge, and it’s all like an independent artist. So you’re supporting an artist as you’re choosing their designs. So I just love it. I think it’s a great marketplace. Anyway. I just got on Spoonflower and I literally typed in spooky and just searched the wallpapers, and then I typed in like ghosts and I searched their wallpapers. I typed in, I think skeleton and I searched the wallpapers and I picked out like five that I was into, and I ordered samples, and then I hung them up on the wall and thought about it for like a month. And I ended up landing on this one, which wasn’t the one I thought I was gonna go with but once I saw it in the room and just like had them sitting near me for a little while, it just felt like the right one.

Elsie: I think you definitely picked the perfect one. It looks amazing in here. 

Emma: I love it, and they just look like little kind of cartoony ghosties, like they have little faces on them. 

Elsie: I would say it looks abstract, like an abstract pattern, kind of like squiggle lines. Do you think we could put a picture in the show notes to show?

Emma: Yeah, definitely. I actually am doing a ten thing Sunday. By the time people listen to this it’ll be a few weeks ago, but where they can see it, but I’ll put it in this show notes too. But yeah, it’s like a ghosty. It’s perfect pink, kind of a pinky terracotta color on cream. But yeah, it’s pretty busy. And the rest of our house is very minimal and chill, and there’s really not even that much art on the walls. But my office is kind of the wildest space now with this wallpaper, it’s fun. 

Elsie: Well, I love it. We were having a serious conversation yesterday on FaceTime, and I was noticing her wallpaper and I became very, very distracted. So, yeah. It’s great. 

Emma: Thank you. 

Elsie: Yay. Okay, so this week’s episode is about birthday traditions. So we’re just gonna talk about birthdays. We’re just gonna chit-chat. I think this is a great subject. I love it. So, the first question is, what are your general thoughts on birthdays?

Emma: Yes. So my birthday is in January. It’s January 21st and Elsie’s is in November, and I feel like when you live in a part of the country that has four seasons knowing when somebody’s birthday is can make a big difference cause summer birthdays growing up I was so jealous of the kids who had summer birthdays. It felt bad that they didn’t have school cuz we would always have cupcakes at school for our birthday. But my birthdays growing up, it was like 50/50 if they would get canceled cuz of snow. So I just got into this mode and I’m still this way where I don’t really plan too much for my birthday cuz there might be bad weather, it might be icy and you just can’t end up going out or whatever. So to me, a birthday kind of doesn’t matter as much about the day, it’s more about whenever you get to celebrate that month or the next month or whatever, because it might get snowy. 

Elsie: Our youngest daughter has a birthday at almost the same time as Emma’s. Mm-hmm. And this past year we went on a Disney World trip for it, and I think that it is a good time to like to go somewhere sunnier. So maybe that’s it definitely an idea. 

Emma: Yeah, January around here is not my favorite time of year. But it’s my birthday. 

Elsie: Okay. So my general thoughts on birthdays are, first of all, the more the merrier. I think my thoughts on aging are like this, I wrote my whole life is a midlife crisis and so be it. People are like, would you have a midlife crisis? And I’m like, I really feel like I’ve always been having what people would consider like crazy, doing something crazy. You would hope that you would do that lots of times throughout your life. Yeah. Not just one time in your forties. So I think that aging is a gift for sure. And yeah, it sucks in some ways. And there’s nothing wrong with that either, it is what it is. I feel pretty determined to make the most of every single season, like our grandma told us, she’s 89 now, so next year she’s gonna be 90. And I was like, just like imagining how that would be and how that would feel and yeah, I think being scared of birthdays and sad about them is kind of sad, especially if you start in your thirties and I was like, what do you have to look forward to?

Emma: Yeah, you’re gonna have a lot of years of sadness because you got a lot of birthdays ahead of you potentially, hopefully.

Elsie: So yeah just make every year a midlife crisis. That’s what I think. 

Emma: Yeah. I think too, like hype up your birthday as much as you want or do something by yourself if that’s what you want. I think that the most important part is just to make it your thing because if you just don’t like your birthday, then don’t think about it too much. And just like blow the day off and be lazy and go watch a movie or in the middle of the day, or whatever you wanna do, just chill out. Or if you’re like, I wanna have a huge party and I wanna wear a crazy dress, then do that, that’s great, you should do that. It doesn’t really matter. And if anyone is making you feel like you have to do your birthday a certain way, you don’t, you really don’t. You should just do whatever you want. 

Elsie: For sure. So traditions for your birthday? Mine are so silly, but I do have some. Mine is mainly just like buying myself gifts, which is what I do all year round. But I would say it’s a lot more during my birthday which is right before Christmas shopping and Christmas, and like that time of year. But yeah, I love to buy myself gifts and my husband sometimes gets me gifts, but I think I’ve said before on the podcast that like I buy all my own gifts and people send me questions about that. Here’s the thing, if he buys me a gift, I love it, but I’m gonna buy myself something just in case. If it’s like clothing or shoes or a bag, I’m gonna definitely buy that myself. And if he gets me something, it will be like a sentimental thing. Something that’s meaningful and that’s different, you know? 

Emma: Yeah, I think it’s okay to ask for the thing you want or like even buy it yourself and be like, You got me this? I think that’s fine. 

Elsie: It doesn’t even matter. Actually, on Christmas when I open all of my gifts, I totally pretend like he wrapped them and everything and he’s seeing them for the first time. He has no idea what they are, but it’s like, who cares? Right. 

Emma: Yeah. Sounds nice in a way. He doesn’t have to worry about it. 

Elsie: Yeah, It’s fun. It works for us. So my other thing is having dinner somewhere super special. So in Nashville, I always went to Sperry’s and they have a banana foster they make by our table and it has flames and my kids love it. And I love the old man steakhouse that is my number one type of restaurant. But yeah, so I don’t know what my place is gonna be now in our hometown, I haven’t made that choice yet.

Emma: I love Gerardie’s. 

Elsie: Gerardie’s very cool. It’s sort of like my spot, a historic home, a big night, kind of looks like a little haunted historic home with a big garden in the front yard. And then the back of it has this, it kind of appears like a little barn and that’s where the restaurant is. And it’s a very, very small, tiny little, Italian restaurant and it’s definitely one of my top.

Emma: It’s very cozy. It’s kind of like a maroon color, I guess. And yeah, it feels like a fancy grandma spot to me, which is perfect. And yeah, it’s a lot of pasta, and I love good fresh pasta. 

Elsie: I had the most garlicky caesar salad of my life there. 

Emma: That sounds good. I had a really good gimlet there one time too. So I just feel like it’s a great spot. 

Elsie: Tell me your traditions. 

Emma: I feel like the only one that’s very consistent is, I always do some version of a list of goals. I’ll kind of think about what I was happy about the previous year. Sometimes I’ll look back at my list if I’ve actually kept it, which I have a lot, but not every year, and I’ll kind of give myself like, you did it, you did all these things. And even though there are things I didn’t finish, it’s like, well, you tried, what are you gonna do? So, I like doing a list of goals I used to do. Like 23 things to do before I turned 24. But now that I’m 37, it’s a little too many things. So I stopped doing that around 30 cause I was like, this is overwhelming and I’m getting tired. So now I just do like generally goals like mine are hung up over here right now. My kind of goals, I have like five. But yeah, they’re always a mix of career things and things about my home. Sometimes places I wanna travel to now I have goals around my son, like having a magical childhood with him, things like that. So yeah, I feel like that’s the thing I do for my birthday. A lot of times people do this for New Year’s and that’s a good time too. And I’m kind of always checking in on goals and adjusting things, cause we kinda do the 12-week year and all that. But I do feel like a birthday is a nice time to mark the passing of time in a positive way, cuz I think the thing that gets people down is it makes you think about how you’re aging or it can make you think about death, which can be scary, but I think you could also choose to have it as an opportunity to think about everything you’ve done and everything that’s ahead of you that you’re excited about. How many more bowls of pasta do you get to eat in your life, probably a lot so get excited about it. So that’s always like a part of my birthday and then on the blog, I always do some kind of dessert, usually a cake, but I do some kind of recipe that kind of marks my birthday. It’s just my way of celebrating myself on my blog, which is probably silly. But this year I did my favorite brownie recipe, so it wasn’t even a cake. I just was really in the mood for brownies this winter, and so I love that. I did my all-time favorite brownie recipe, which I can link in the show notes, but I like to do some kind of dessert recipe that isn’t on our site yet. And I really do make it for myself and eat it usually over the course of a week because it’s a whole batch of something or a whole cake, and it’s fun. 

Elsie: I’m jealous. Your traditions are very good. 

Emma: Pretty high low. Make some goals, and eat some pastries. 

Elsie: Okay. The next one is traditions for Kids’ birthdays. So for our kids, we go-between, the three options are a trip. Obviously, we don’t take a trip every time, but I think if you are taking a trip for a birthday, it’s good to remove the pressure of a party. You know what I mean? I think it’s an either-or, and then the other thing it could be is also a big gift. So this year our daughter got a puppy. It’s a big gift. So we didn’t have a party or a trip, but we did have her grandma, and great-grandma came over in the middle of the day and had cake and ice cream with us on her birthday, which was sweet. And it was still like, you know, we were still celebrating. But I didn’t have to, you know, the Pinterest mom parties are more work and more money and more everything than you think. 

Emma: It’s not really my thing. You think it would be, you think we would be like Pinterest party moms, but we’re kind of not, which is funny. 

Elsie: I like throwing a big party. But it is, it’s a ton of work, and I’m kind of all or nothing with it too. It’s either like, let’s order pizza and get a cake from the grocery store. Or I’ll plan the whole thing and make everything, 

Emma: Oh, I’m definitely a half-asset person where I do some, but not a whole lot. I’m definitely in that boat. I do like, I don’t know if you consider this a tradition, but I feel like every year you text me a picture of what cake they picked out. So if you do a grocery store cake, like I’ll see, cuz you’ll have candles lit or whatever. And it’s kind of fun to see what they end up picking. The sheer Nova did like a hamburger cake, a decorated hamburger. 

Elsie: It looks like a giant hamburger, and it was the best cake. I think that she made a good choice. It was a solid choice. 

Emma: Oh she did, solid choice. Sometimes they pick flavors I wouldn’t have guessed, and they may not even know they’re just picking what looks good to them as a kid, like picking from the case, which I also feel like getting to pick out a cake when you’re looking at a bunch of options in a case it’s pretty epic. 

Elsie: I always try to convince them to get the cake that I want, which is the Dairy Queen ice cream cake, and they never pick it. They always wanna get the bakery case cakes.

Emma: Those jerks. Just kidding. So I don’t totally have traditions yet cuz my sons only had two birthdays. 

Elsie: What are your dream traditions? 

Emma: Okay, so I have an aspiration and then I have like a, what we’re doing, so lemme tell you what we’re doing. It’s not as good as the aspiration. So far I feel like I make it where his cake does say something about his birthday. So like his first birthday, I did that thing where I took a photo of him every month while he was a baby, like one month old, two months old. And I put him next to a box of donuts. So every month it was like, there was one donut when he was one month old and two donuts. And so then when he turned one, there were a dozen donuts. Right, 12 months. And now I have like all those pictures put together in a frame in our hallway. And so I just love it as a little keepsake. But then for his first birthday, we did a brunch with family and we made him a little donut cake. He really only got to eat one donut not even the whole thing, but you know, he was one. So it was cute. So it was like kind of spoke to that year where we had done all these donut photos together, and it was cute. And then this year he had a car’s birthday cake. 

Elsie: Describe the cake in detail though because I thought it was exceptional like it’s the whole thing where you like to get a grocery store cake and then hack it. So it was kinda like an easy way to make a cake, but it was really good. Okay. Explain it.

Emma: Yes so I should say. Trey and I, our anniversary is like really close to Oscar’s birthday. His birthday’s on the second, our anniversary’s on the eighth, so we had been outta town. It was our 10-year anniversary this year. So we both went out of town. We went out of the country. First time I’d been outta the country since Oscar’s born. So we were out of town until the day before his birthday party. When we planned the trip, I was a little anxious about that cause I was like, I wanna make sure his birthday’s great. But we were also very like, hey, this is our 10-year anniversary and we should take the time to do something special, like more than we would normally do for an anniversary. So anyway, since we were gonna be out of town until the day before, I was feeling a little anxious about having time to like to bake the cake and let it cool and get the frosting and make sure the frosting’s the right consistency. And anyone who bakes, I’m not even the most talented baker at all so it’s a bit of a process and you need to have time to do it because there’s a lot that has to do with temperatures and you can’t necessarily just hack it together. So what I did instead was order a cake from Walmart that was plain like the color that I needed, and then I just decorated it. And I used these two tutorial that our friend Rin did on Childhood Magic, and it’s for a dirt cake. And if you’ve ever seen cars three, there’s a part where Lightning McQueen is training for his big race, and he goes to a dirt track called Thunder Hollow. And it’s actually not a race, they call it a crazy eight, where it’s like a demolition-type derby thing, and it’s a really fun scene. And my son loves that scene. There’s like a school bus that’s like chasing ’em, it’s really fun. So I made a dirt track cake and like the number two was the track and it looks like a dirt track, and it has the car’s figures on it, and I kind of figured he probably wouldn’t even care that much about the cake, and surprise he didn’t. But he loved the cars and he still loves the cars. He sometimes goes to sleep with those cars in his hands. He’s crazy about these car figures. But yeah, I got like little chocolate donuts and made those like tire wheels. So they’re like piled up and his actual candles for his birthday cake were caution cones that looked like birthday candles. So the cake was kind of the thing, and other than that, all we did for the party was blow up balloons that were like cars, balloons, and that was it. 

Elsie: It was great. I thought it was a magical party. 

Emma: Yeah, it was good. No, he loved it. He was obsessed. 

Elsie: Yes. So cute. Okay. Do you have any traditions that you would like to do as Oscar gets older?

Emma: Yes. So I have this aspiration. I don’t know if we’re gonna do it cuz I feel like you have to like to wait and see what your kid’s into. Cause you don’t wanna force ’em into something they’re not into. But as a kid, I always loved, I feel like we did this in elementary school. I love it when they did like time capsules. Do they ever do that at your school growing up, where it’s like the whole class would put stuff into something, and then you would literally bury it in the ground and it was like some kind of box that could be buried and then you would get to dig it up like a year later or two years later. Anyway, I thought it would be fun to do some kind of birthday time capsule where maybe like every year, and I don’t know if we’ll actually bury it in the yard. I was kind of thinking we would just put it up in the closet. But something where it’s like a time capsule where every year we can add things to it. That’s like something about his year or something he’s proud of or just whatever he wants really. And then I think when he is older like I would love to have that from my childhood, like when he is way older, not 18. Maybe in his twenties or thirties or something. And just seeing all these little things that were important to you when you were a kid, and as he gets old enough where he can talk more, we could write little notes and then he could write them eventually once he can write. I don’t know. I don’t want it to be crazy elaborate. I just thought it could be fun to just have a little birthday thing like we always add to the time capsule. What note are we gonna add to the time capsule this year? What thing are you proud of? Write that down. 

Elsie: I love that. That’s so sweet. 

Emma: Thanks. Yeah, I think it would be really fun, but I don’t know. It also sounds like a little bit of a chore where I’m like, do I really wanna do this? But I’m like, yeah, I think it could be fine. But we haven’t started it yet, so I was like, maybe we’ll start it when he’s like three or four or five something where he can be a little more vocal. So maybe next year. I don’t know. Do you have any things you’re planning for the future generally? 

Elsie: I do have one. So one of my friends told me she was gonna do this with all her kids, and I always remembered it. And it’s that when your child turns 10 years old, you let them pick a trip anywhere in the world. Like, you let them pick a trip. I thought that was really sweet. So, I don’t know, I think I kind of wanna do it maybe a couple of times, I love the idea of letting a kid pick a trip and then supporting that, I just think it’s very magical. I think it would spark a lot of imagination for them if they can absorb what kind of opportunity that is. Put a little bit of research and curiosity into it. I think it’s pretty interesting. 

Emma: I wish there was like, I’m sure there is something, but I’m like, oh, it’s almost like you need to let them watch some kind of little series that’s like all these different places. So you can get a sense of the options that are available, you know? Because I feel like when you’re a kid, you don’t totally know everything. I mean, I don’t even know right now everything that’s available, you know? But yeah. I love that. That sounds amazing.

Elsie: The main thing I’m excited about as my kids get older is traveling with them because as little people we’ve definitely traveled, but we haven’t done anything that I would consider epic yet. You know, it’s mo like a lot of Disney trips and trips to visit family and stuff mostly. I am excited to take them overseas and things like that as they get older. 

Emma: Yep. I love that. Well, we’ve kind of mentioned that we’re not Pinterest party moms as much as you think, but do you have any further thoughts on party decorations or party aesthetics, activities so on and so forth.? 

Elsie: Yeah, no, I have very strong feelings about this. I think that you can consider birthday decorations almost the same as Christmas, or Halloween, you can make a box for it and reuse it like crazy. I think it’s kind of silly to make every birthday its own theme.

Emma: So you think Oscar just has to have cars, birthdays now forever? I’m just kidding. 

Elsie: No, no, no. Okay, let me say the point. If you’re throwing a themed party, great. Especially if that’s like one of your gifts to your child and it’s like magical in there, you know. I love themed parties, nothing wrong with that. No shade at all. But I think that like through the years, you are bound to have lots of times when you are having a birthday. I’m thinking like, even like my husband’s birthday, it’s the day that comes and you wanna make it special but you’re also not really planning ahead. You’re not necessarily gonna buy him theme decorations from Amazon or anything. So I think just having like one little storage container the same way you have holiday decorations that have like a cute little bunting or leftover candles or just all your birthday stuff, you know, and just keep it in there, keep it together, use it next year. Cuz you kind of just don’t need a lot of it. And why not use it over and over, you know what I mean? It’s still special. And I think as kids get older, I could see their birthdays being different where it’s like, maybe it’s more making them a big breakfast or making that something special that it’s maybe not always a party with a little kid’s cake. You know what I mean? So, I don’t know, that’s my idea is like, I think I wanna make a little collection and reuse it and kind of like the same as New Year’s Eve. It’s like when it is New Year’s Eve, you’re like, this is important and I wanna make it cool. But I like never plan ahead and I never buy stuff just for that. I kind of need to, it’s half Christmas decorations cause that just happened. I kind of need to keep the old stuff. So the only thing I don’t keep is the little crowns that stay the year, but everything else just keeps it for next year. Why not? 

Emma: Yeah. And as I mentioned, I’m a big balloon person just because I feel like you can blow them up and they just really change your space. We even did this for New Year’s, we had all these like disco balls and balloons and then I feel like it just stays for weeks and weeks. Obviously, you can take them down and pop them, but I like just to leave them up so then it feels kind of festive for a while. And for Oscar’s recent birthday, there were all these car balloons, and we’ve been playing with those for like three weeks now after his birthday, so it’s great. Okay, the only other thing I was gonna add is a little tip for anyone who is doing some kind of theme party or whatever, tell everyone who’s coming to please dress in certain colors because it just makes it where it’s not, you know, if someone doesn’t or they forget or they don’t have the colors, that’s fine. It doesn’t really matter, but it just adds to the atmosphere. 

Elsie: I love that when people do it for like weddings and their pictures look so cool. 

Emma: It just makes the space feel more decorated, and you didn’t actually do anything. For a Cars party, I would be like, everybody wears red or black, you know? So then it’s like everybody looks like Lightning McQueen, but I didn’t even do anything extra. It’s just, you know, just having people wear certain colors. So, random tip. 

Elsie: I love it. Yeah, I think that birthdays for sure definitely should be special. But also no guilt, no shame in having a chill one. You know what I mean?

Emma: Do whatever makes you feel celebrated. 

Elsie: Yeah, totally. For my 40th birthday, we had recently gone to Cleo’s 40th birthday party, which was an event. It was the best birthday party I’ve ever been to in my life. 

Emma: It was like a wedding. It was so cool and fun. 

Elsie: It was better than a wedding. So when my birthday came around, I think I felt a little bit like, should I have like planned something? Should I have booked a trip, I really didn’t want to, my birthday also is like the week before Thanksgiving, and Jeremy’s is the week of Halloween it’s a little bit full-crunched in there. So, yeah, I think just like letting it be the best it can be, but it’s kind of just a day too. It’s cool. 

Emma: Yeah, I think if you want it to be more than just a day, go for it. And if you want it to just be a day cuz you get anxious or you’re just tired cuz it’s like the day after Christmas or whatever, do that. That’s fine. It doesn’t matter, it’s your birthday. Okay. Well, should we do the listener question? 

Elsie: Let’s do it. 

Emma: Okay. This is from listener Abby Forceland, she says, I was wondering if you’ve had any experience with or advice about feeling self-conscious about your home. I think this could cover a lot of situations such as being self-conscious about the size of your home, whether it’s big or small, how clean it is, if parts of it are visibly or in disrepair, how tidy it is or not tidy it is, and what the landscaping’s like. I know this is more of an issue with my own perception and caring too much about what others think, but I thought it could maybe make for an interesting discussion. 

Elsie: I think this is a really, really good, really interesting discussion. Yeah. I have a couple of things, so maybe we can do it back and forth. I have three things.

Emma: Yeah, let’s do it back and forth. 

Elsie: So my first one is I heard someone say once when I was probably really young in one of my first homes. Never apologize for your home. When people come into your home, never apologize for how it looks. And that’s something that I’ve always remembered and tried to do. And it’s really hard not to. I think that we’re very programmed to point out every little thing that either it’s messy or for me, a lot of times it’s like what I’m going to do with renovating, but I haven’t done yet. Like, oh, I’m not gonna keep that. Oh, I’m gonna change that. Oh, that’s like that but it’s gonna be like this. And I think that it is kind of like a non-starter in a conversation to be like putting down your own home. And it’s like there really is no purpose to it and usually when people come into a new space, they notice the cool things about it anyway. I know I always do when I go into someone’s home, I noticed the unique things and the things that are different from my home and the things I never thought of before. And I kind of don’t really care if they have clutter or if they have a project that’s halfway done, it’s like, that’s obvious, but it doesn’t really matter.

Emma: Same. I also feel like, what is someone supposed to say? When you’re like, oh, I’m sorry about this, it’s terrible. Like, are they supposed to agree with you? It’s just not a good conversation. It’s not general, and it’s not gonna make either party feel good. So it’s like, yeah, just skip it. No need to apologize for your home. Yeah. I also think it’s interesting to think about, one of the things I wrote down as I was reading Abby’s question is like, I feel like a lot of it stems from feeling scared about being judged. We are not landscape people, we pay someone to mow our yard. And thank God we do because no one would ever mow it otherwise. And we are just not like, you know, like right now where my little fairy garden is in the front, it has all these weeds and I’m like, oh, I need to do something about that. But the truth is I don’t know when I will or if I will, cuz I am terrible about yard work and neither of us is really into it. So I always am a little worried people are gonna judge me when they see my yard, cuz it’s not as nice as some of my neighbors. As I said, we do pay someone to mow, but no one even notices. Well, I think it’s just me feeling like, am I a lazy person because I don’t landscape and I’m like, I don’t think I am a lazy person I think it’s just not my thing. And I mostly like taking care of my son on the weekends when I’m not working. And it would be hard at his age to do a lot of yard work with him. Maybe someone could do it, but I feel like he’ll just eat dirt behind my back the whole time. So I don’t know. I think it’s just your own thing, which Abby kind of talks about in her question, but feeling like other people are gonna notice these things about you and judge you for being too rich, being poor, being lazy, being, you know, cause if your house is too big or too small or do whatever, you know, then you’re like, is it too outdated? Am I not cool? Do I not have good taste? And people will judge me for that. And a lot of it is just stuff that we think about ourselves, maybe a little bit. And it’s not even what other people would think. Or if they did, if they’re a good friend, they would never voice it because why would you say that to someone? Can you imagine going over to someone’s house and being like, your house is a little too small? Can you imagine? It’s like, wow who would say that? Only the internet. 

Elsie: A five-year-old probably an internet commenter. Yeah. 

Emma: Yeah. Only the internet cuz no one in real life. 

Elsie: Yep. Okay, so my next one actually, I really only have one more. I think this nice thing that Julia from Crystal, Julia always says is, don’t wait. She has like little like merch that says it and everything, and I really like it because I think that especially for people who, you buy a fixer-upper, your house is going to be one-eighth renovated and then one-fourth, you know, and one-half. It’s not going to be fully renovated. Oftentimes ever, and you know, realistically, probably for years, for most people. And then there are the things that you wanna buy or you wanna update or you wanna do. And it’s like most people don’t have the budget or the time. Even rich people don’t have the ability to make a house perfect overnight. It just takes time. And so I think accepting your home and loving it, you know, considering it like a finished home. I guess treating it like a finished home when it’s not is such a good practice to adopt, and I’m trying to do that now where like you invite people over, don’t apologize for all the extension cords and things like that. You know what I mean? It’s fine. Everyone understands why it’s like that, and that it’s going to be like that for a while. And no one cares really. Honestly, there are way less than you do, I promise. I think just making those memories is the important thing. The saddest thing that you can possibly do is to not use your home and not invite people over because it’s not perfect, and then freaking move. When you haven’t been living your life. That’s so sad. 

Emma: Yeah. I’ve also had friends ask before, and I feel like this was a listener question one time, but essentially they were like, is it too late for me to throw a housewarming because I’ve lived in my house like two years or more but I didn’t feel ready, but now I feel ready. But is it silly to have a housewarming now? And my answer is no. Why don’t you have a housewarming party every single year that you live in your house honestly, I would love to go over to any friend who’s like doing something in their home, even if they’re only repainting their bedroom or something. If you would like to invite me over so that I can see the new thing you did in your house, I would love to see it cuz I just think it’s fun. So like why not have as many housewarmings as you want, to be like, we just did our back porch, we didn’t have a porch before. We just did all the landscaping in the back and we’re excited so we’re throwing a party. It’s like, yeah, you should do that. I would love that. I would come to that party. I would be thrilled if people are celebrating their houses. And I would bring you potato salad, so just go ahead and invite me over.

Elsie: I agree. I love that. That’s wonderful. 

Emma: I think the only other thing I was thinking about when I was reading Abby’s question is people should keep in mind that inviting someone into your home and into your house is a very vulnerable thing. It’s very vulnerable to let someone come over. So it’s really normal to feel a little nervous or a little self-conscious. 

Elsie: A lot of people never do it, ever. 

Emma: Yeah, and if you’re like, oh, I shouldn’t have this feeling of self-consciousness like this is a bad feeling and I shouldn’t have it, it’s like, no, it’s actually a really normal, and you can take comfort in knowing that. I think everyone kind of feels that way cuz it’s a very vulnerable thing to do. And it’s extremely unlikely in my mind that you’re gonna invite someone over and they’re gonna be mean about your house. But if it does happen, just know that it is okay for you to express that someone hurts your feelings. I wouldn’t do it in front of a group, that tends to not go well. But If you had a friend who came over and they said something a little bit rude, that hurt your feelings, when you have a minute, it’s just the two of you. I think it’s okay to express. Hey, when you said this about my terrible landscaping, it really hurt my feelings. It made me feel X, Y, Z and you know, you don’t have to be accusatory about it. They might have not been thinking, I feel like most of the time I said something rude, it was cuz I was being thoughtless, I just wasn’t thinking. And so it’s actually really great if a friend tells me, Hey, that kind of hurt my feelings. It’s like, oh my gosh, now I get the chance to apologize. So just know that that is totally okay too, and normal. And it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t show people your house if you’re excited too. 

Elsie: Yeah, agree. I love it. I think that’s a great question. 

Emma: Yeah. So thank you, Abby. 

Elsie: Yes. All right.  This week we have a very special guest. This is Marigold Larson and she is here with a joke. 

Marigold: Knock, knock. 

Elsie: Who’s there? 

Marigold: Ghost. 

Elsie: Ghost who? 

Marigold: Ghost eating toast. 

Elsie: Ah, it’s my favorite joke.

Emma: Excellent. I love it. 

Elsie: Thank you so much for listening. If you have any questions or podcast ideas, please email them to us at any time. You can reach us at podcast@abeautifulmust.com or call our voicemail at (417) 893-0011. We’ll be back next week with a deep dive into the best advice we’ve ever received.

It looks super professional even if you’re just a beginner balloon garland maker!

I’ll show you how to make an easy balloon garland (or balloon arch!) for your next party—and believe me, your guests will be impressed!

Looking for more balloon posts? Check out:

• 5 Balloon DIYs for Your Next Party!
• How to Make a Fancy Balloon Arch
• Make a Balloon Garland for Your Front Door

What’s the difference between a balloon arch and a balloon garland?

It’s mostly just how you hang it, really! Generally speaking, a balloon arch goes in an upside down “U” shape above a table, doorway, or walking path while a garland is usually hung more in an asymmetrical shape like an upside down “J” over the same items.

A garland can also be strung or hung horizontally in a straight line like down a banister or laid down a table.

What size balloons do you need for a balloon garland?

You can technically make a garland with one standard size of balloon and just blow them up different amounts to have some small, medium, and full-size options. But we like to mix in some 5″ size balloons with standard 11″ or 12″ balloons.

You can also throw in a few extra large sizes with a 17″ or 24″ option for a dramatic size variation on a larger scale garland.

Do you need helium for a balloon garland?

You don’t need helium for a balloon garland that you are attaching to another structure like a doorway or wall.

If you are wanting to make a freestanding arch of balloons that are just connected at the ground level (like an arch you would walk under), you may want to consider helium for those balloons so it will float without having to be attached anywhere up high.

How long will a balloon garland last?

While it depends on the kind of balloons and the temperatures they are exposed to, a balloon garland or arch can actually last 1-2 weeks once the balloons are blown up with regular air (an electric balloon pump like this is a big time saver).

Balloon garlands that are displayed outside though will usually only last a day or so based on the temperature and outdoor heat.

Can you make a balloon garland ahead of time?

Yes! Since the garland can last a week or two indoors, you can make it a few days ahead of your party (or at least blow up the balloons, store them in large garbage bags, and then assemble on party day).

If you are having an outside party, store the garland inside and then hang it the day of the event.

Is it easier to use a balloon garland kit?

It can be! If you want to get most (or all) of the items, you need for your garland in one convenient bundle, buying a kit like this or this can save time and money. And they will provide the right amount of balloon sizes and colors to get the look shown in the photo.

You can even find kits that are specific to a theme like a rainbow balloon garland (here’s a more simple one), a space balloon garland, a Frozen balloon garland, or an under the sea theme for a kid’s party.

Check out Elsie’s Frozen-Themed Birthday Party here!

What do I need to make a balloon garland?

• Balloon Decorating Strip: This helpful strip has prepunched holes for you to slip the knots of your tied balloons into, making it easy to create a long base for a garland (and the holes make it easy to hang as well).
  
• 12″ latex and 5″ latex balloons in colors of your choice to match your party or color scheme (can add in other sizes if you like—17″ or over 20″ size balloons give a larger garland a more balanced look). The pink balloons in the all pink garland are the Cameo Pink option.
  
• Balloon tying tool (optional): This little device will help save your fingers if you are tying a ton of balloons for you party and you can use them over and over as needed.
  
• Glue Dots (or low-temp glue gun): While you can use a low-temp glue gun to attach your smaller filler balloons and fill holes in your garland (just be careful about touching the glue gun tip directly onto the balloon), adhesive glue dots are our favorite way to get the job done.
  
• Command hooks for hanging: Removable small hooks like these are perfect for hanging balloon garlands since they can be put up quickly and removed easily (and damage free) once the party is over.
  
• Electric balloon pump (optional but helpful!): Balloon pumps like this are relatively inexpensive and they will make the balloon blowing up process much faster.

How to Make an Easy Balloon Garland:

Step One: Blow up your balloons in your desired colors and sizes. If you are assembling the garland right, then you can kind of guess how many you need, and then blow up a few more if you want them in a certain size or color to fill it out to your liking.

How many balloons do you need for a balloon garland?

How many balloons you need will really depend on the length of your garland, the size of the balloons you have, and how thick you want the garland to look.

For some idea, the all-pink balloon garland is about 6′ long and has 10 small 5″ balloons, about 20 standard 12″ balloons and just a few 17″ larger balloons for accents.

Step Two: Measure out your garland strip to be the length of your desired garland and start to add your balloons. Add a few extra inches at the beginning and end so you have some length to attach to the wall or hanging surface.

Add in your larger balloons first by placing the balloon knot through the holes in the balloon strip, and space them out a few holes from each other so you have space to add other sizes (and it doesn’t become too stuffed with one size).

Step Three: Keep adding different sizes/colors of balloons until the garland strip looks nice and full where you want it. Some garlands are uniformly full the whole way through, and others have a fuller area in the middle or maybe 1/3 of the way through for a more dramatic thinning out at the ends on each side.

Totally a personal preference and may depend on how you were planning to hang it, so do whichever you like!

PRO TIP: You can alternate adding balloons through the front and the back of the balloon strip so it creates a more balanced 360° garland with balloons facing each way.

Step Four: Add small balloons attached with glue dots to fill in any gaps in your garland. You can do more of this once you hang your garland in the final step, but you should be able to see any spots that look a little gappy and fill those in with a smaller size balloon— or one that’s just not fully blown up.

You can also follow this garland making method if you like the look of clustering the small balloons together in a group before hanging, as it gives it a slightly different look.

Step Five: Hang your balloon garland. Generally, the easiest way to do this is using Command hooks and strips to stick up hooks on which you can hang the beginning and end of your garland.

You can also tie twine or fishing line through the holes in parts of your balloon strip to tie onto existing railings or nails to attach the garland.

Sometimes it’s helpful to have a Command hook for the ends (and then use string and a third hook) to hang the middle for some extra support if needed.

Don’t want to gather supplies for a DIY balloon garland? Check out these balloon garland kits to make it easier:

Pastel Rainbow Daisy Balloon Garland Kit

This kit comes with 159 pieces of multiple pastel colors and sizes along with a balloon strip and adorable daisy balloons to make any party or shower more fun.

Shades of Blue Garland Kit

This garland kit creates a beautiful blue ombre effect with several different length options, four colors, two sizes, glue dots, a balloon decorating strip and a balloon pump add-on option.

Champagne Balloon Celebration Garland Kit

This festive kit comes with five different metallic shades of balloons, a hand pump, balloon decorating strip, glue dots, wall hooks, and twine so you have everything you need to create the garland of your dreams!

Rainbow Clouds Balloon Garland

This garland is perfect to throw together for a kid’s birthday party (it also comes in a metallic gold color scheme version) and at only $32 it’s a deal to get such a sweet look.

Dusty Rose Pink Balloon Garland Kit

This kit comes with 158 pieces to create the ultimate balloon arch with four colors of balloons, glue dots, a hook, and a balloon strip all for only $22!

Big Sur Balloon Sage Garland Kit

This beautiful color scheme comes with four sizes of three colors of balloons, three different length options, glue dots, and a balloon pump ad-on option.

Having a party? Check out our DIY garland archives and our party tips for all types of parties!

Print

Easy Balloon Garland DIY (With Video!)

Create an easy balloon garland DIY for your next party!

Keyword balloon garland

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 2 hours hours

Servings 1 garland

Author Laura Gummerman

Cost $30

Equipment

• 1 electric balloon pump optional but helpful!
• 1 Balloon tying tool optional

Ingredients

• Balloon Decorating Strip
• 12″ latex and 5″ latex balloons in colors of your choice  you can add in other sizes if you like—17″ or over 20″ size balloons give a larger garland a more balanced look
• Glue Dots (or low-temp glue gun)
• Command hooks for hanging

Instructions

• Step One: Blow up your balloons in your desired colors and sizes. If you are assembling the garland right then you can kind of guess how many you need and then blow up a few more if you want more in a certain size or color to fill it out to your liking.
• Step Two: Measure out your garland strip to be the length of your desired garland and start to add your balloons (add a few extra inches at the beginning and end so you have some length to attach to the wall or hanging surface).

  Add in your larger balloons first by placing the balloon knot through the holes in the balloon strip and space them out a few holes from each other so you have space to add other sizes and it doesn’t become too stuffed with one size.
• Step Three: Keep adding different sizes/colors of balloons until the garland strip looks nice and full where you want it. 

  Some garlands are uniformly full the whole way through and others have a fuller area in the middle or maybe 1/3 of the way through for a more dramatic thinning out at the ends on each side—totally a personal preference and may depend on how you were planning to hang it, so do whichever you like!
• Step Four: Add small balloons attached with Glue Dots to fill in any gaps in your garland. You can do more of this once you hang your garland in the final step, but you should be able to see any spots that look a little gappy and fill those in with a smaller size balloon (or one that’s just not fully blown up).

  You can also follow this garland making method if you like the look of clustering the small balloons together in a group before hanging as it gives it a slightly different look.
• Step Five: Hang your balloon garland. Generally, the easiest way to do this is using Command hooks and strips to stick up hooks on which you can hang the beginning and end of your garland.

  You can also tie twine or fishing line through the holes in parts of your balloon strip to tie onto existing railings or nails to attach the garland, and sometimes it’s helpful to have a Command hook for the ends and then also use string and a third hook to hang the middle for some extra support if needed.

Notes

• The amount of balloons you need will really depend on the length of your garland, the size of the balloons you have, and how thick you want the garland to look.
• For some idea, the all pink balloon garland is about 6′ long and has 10 small 5″ balloons, about 20 standard 12″ balloons and just a few 17″ larger balloons for accents.
• PRO TIP: You can alternate adding balloons through the front and the back of the balloon strip so it creates a more balanced 360° garland with balloons facing each way.

Jello shots are easy to make, super customizable, and just plain fun! These Jello shot recipes are great for:

• Parties – birthdays, bachelorette or hen parties, and other special parties like a graduation.
• Holidays – They make a great icebreaker as a toast at the beginning of a meal, or a festive dessert “drink” for the end.
• Boat Trips or Camping – Where I live, float trips and boating are big. Jello shots can be a fun option for these types of get-togethers.

Related: Basic Jello Shots, 40 Fun Cocktails to Make at Home, Pudding Shots and 25+ Refreshing Spring Cocktails

Basic Jello Shot Recipe:

Jello Shots = Jello Mix or Unflavored Gelatin + Water or Juice + Spirits

Below, in the printable recipe card (at the end of this post) you will find the most basic Jello shot recipe. You can change the type of Jello mix you use as well as what spirits you add, which will ultimately alter the final flavor.

There are also a LOT of recipes linked throughout this post to other Jello shot recipes that may include unflavored gelatin, which allows for even more customization.

How to Make Vegan Jello Shots:

Gelatin (including most Jello mixes) are made from animal products. So, if you are looking to make vegan Jello shots or if you have a sensitivity to gelatin, then you can update almost any of these recipes using this method instead.

Vegan Jello Shot Recipe

Vodka Jello Shots:

Probably the spirit most often used in Jello shot recipes is vodka. The reason being vodka is a great flavor carrier, in that it doesn’t have much flavor on its own. Unless, of course, you use a flavored vodka. Here are some vodka Jello shot recipes we love:

• Moscow Mule Jello Shots
• Candy Corn Jello Shots
• Cranberry Jello Shots

Related: Jolly Rancher Vodka – How to Infuse Vodka

Check out this video and post for How to Make Vodka Jello Shots!

Rum Jello Shots:

Rum is also great option to add to Jello shots as it goes well with citrus and other flavors like mint. Here are some rum Jello shot recipes we love:

• Mojito Jello Shots
• Diamond Ring Jello Shots
• Eggnog Jello Shots

Related: Rum Soaked Gummy Bears

Other Spirits:

You truly can use any type of spirits in Jello shots, like vodka, rum, gin, tequila, and more. You can also use other alcoholic mixers or wine like rose.

• Strawberry Margarita Jello Shot
• Rose All Day Jello Shot
• Double Stuffed Oreo Jello Shots

How to Make Jello Shots in a Mold:

Using molds to make Jello shots is one of the easiest methods! This allows you to easily make each Jello shot the same quantity, and you can create fun shapes without much work.

Simply pour the Jello shot mixture into the molds and allow to fully set before serving. It’s best to pour from a glass measuring cup or other container with a spout so you can easily fill each mold cavity.

How to Make Jello Shots in Citrus Rind:

Creating Jello shots in a citrus rind, like these orange creamsicle Jello shots (in orange rinds) is a classy way to serve them. It also makes Jello shots super easy to consume, as you simply bite the Jello away from the rind. No slurping or plastic to dispose of after!

To make these, cut the citrus in half and juice it (so you can use the juice in the recipe). Then, scoop out the insides. This does take a little work, but the results are worth the effort.

Place the now-empty halves on a plate or cutting board covered with something to keep them upright (sugar, rice, etc.) and fill each rind. Once the Jello has fully set, you can slice these into smaller pieces.

Related: Watermelon Slice Jello Shots using a similar technique!

How to Make Layered Jello Shots:

While making layered Jello shots does take a little more time, they can be so cute and fun for a seasonal party—like bomb pops for the 4th of July or candy corn Jello shots for Halloween. The key to success is to let each layer fully set before adding the next.

Related: Bomb Pop Shots – learn to make layered cocktails

How to Make Shaped Jello Shots:

Another option is to use small cookie cutters or other small kitchen tools to create cut outs. For this method, you create a large slab of Jello shots in a pan (like brownie pan).

Then, use cookie cutters to create cutout shapes like gingerbread people Jello shots and double-stuffed Oreo Jello shots.

Bachelorette Party Jello Shots:

Before I got my married, my sister threw me a bachelorette party that included a number of bespoke cocktails and a very special Jello shot. These can be such a fun part of any bachelorette or hen party. Here are some of our favorites:

• Diamond Ring Jello Shots
• Chocolate Covered Strawberry Jello Shots – fun for a hotel party
• Key Lime Pie Jello Shots – could be fun for a boozy brunch

21st Birthday Jello Shots:

Here are some of our favorite Jello shot recipes when you are hosting or celebrating a 21st birthday!

• Birthday Cake Jello Shots
• Pink Lemonade Jello Shots
• Deviled Egg Jello Shots – a boozy surprise!

Related: Birthday Cake Martini – such a fun cocktail for any birthday celebration

Holiday Jello Shots:

Cheers the holiday season with any of these fun and festive Jello shot recipes:

• Peppermint Mocha Jello Shots – for Christmas or any winter holiday
• Eggnog Jello Shots – happy holidays!
• Spooky Eyeball Jello Shots – for Halloween
• Peeps Jello Shots – for Easter or any spring holiday
• Candy Corn Jello Shots – for Halloween
• Cranberry Jello Shots – for Thanksgiving
• Chocolate Covered Strawberry Jello Shots – for Valentine’s Day

Summer Jello Shots:

If you are looking for a Jello shot recipe that feels like summer celebrations, try these:

• Pineapple Upside Down Cake Jello Shots
• Watermelon Slice Jello Shots
• Mojito Jello Shots
• Lemon Drop Jello Shots

Print

Basic Jello Shots

a simple recipe to make basic flavored jello shots

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Keyword jello shots

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Set time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Calories 60kcal

Author Emma Chapman

Ingredients

• 3 ounces Jello mix flavored
• 1 ½ cups water or substitute all or some with juice
• ½ cup alcohol vodka or other

Instructions

• Pour the Jello mix into a medium mixing bowl or glass measuring cup. Something with a spout is best.
• Bring the water or water/juice mixture to a boil.
• Pour hot liquid in with the Jello mix, whisking to dissolve.
• Stir in the alcohol.
• Pour into molds or plastic containers and allow to fully set.
• Refrigerate and serve cold.

Notes

• You can use all water or a mixture of half water and half juice or even all juice depending on the flavor and sweetness level that you desire.

Nutrition

Calories: 60kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 1g | Sodium: 42mg | Potassium: 1mg | Sugar: 7g | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 0.01mg

There are several ways you can make this bottle cake topper. You can use all chocolate or all fondant, but I’ve found those methods can be too heavy.

Today, I’m going to show you how to make a cake topper with Rice Krispie treats and candy melts.

You’ll only need three ingredients to make this cake topper, and two of them will be for the modeling chocolate. Modeling chocolate is very pliable like fondant—it tastes loads better and easier to work with, I promise.

Ingredients:

• Candy melts
• Light corn syrup
• Rice Krispies

How to Make Modeling Chocolate:

To make modeling chocolate, you’ll need candy melts and light corn syrup. Make this a night before, as it takes a few hours to set.

Take a bag of candy melts (about 15 ounces) and melt it in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, and then check to see if it’s melted. Continue to microwave 10 seconds at a time until fully melted.

Next, if you’re using white candy melts, you can add food coloring to the corn syrup at this point and mix. Add the syrup with the melts and fold until mixture seizes. Do not overmix or the mixture will get oily.

Pour mixture onto plastic wrap and let it set until it is a bit firm. This usually takes a couple of hours. Once set, unwrap your chocolate and knead it until smooth. Smash any hard lumps with your finger, and wrap again until you’re ready to use it.

Modeling chocolate will usually be hard every time you go to use it. You can warm it up in the microwave for a few seconds to make pliable.

How to Make an Edible Bottle:

Use Rice Krispies to form the bottle shape. I used a round cookie cutter to cut the Rice Krispies.

Stack the Rice Krispies together and smoosh it so it bonds together. Then, shape the top of the bottle with your hands. You can also use a knife to carve the bottle shape.

Knead your modeling chocolate. Roll it out or place in pieces onto the bottle and smooth it out with your fingers. The warmth of your hands will help make it smooth.

Once shaped, you can add details with more modeling chocolate or paint on it with food coloring. You can also print a label and wrap it around the bottle.

I hope you try making this topper. All the steps are the same for making any type of shape you’d like! xo. Ren

You can see more of Ren’s posts here:

• Bridgerton-Inspired Royal Icing Cookies
• How to Make a Watercolor Cake
• How to Pipe Frosting Ruffles
• How to Make Cakesicles

Print

Edible Bottle Cake Topper – 21st Birthday Cake Idea

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword birthday cake, cake topper

Author Ren Padilla

Ingredients

• 15 ounces candy melts
• corn syrup light
• Rice Krispie treats

Instructions

• To make modeling chocolate, you’ll need candy melts and light corn syrup. Make this a night before, as it takes a few hours to set.
• Take a bag of candy melts (about 15 ounces) and melt it in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, and then check to see if it’s melted. Continue to microwave 10 seconds at a time until fully melted.
• Next, if you’re using white candy melts, you can add food coloring to the corn syrup at this point and mix. Add the syrup with the melts and fold until mixture seizes. Do not overmix or the mixture will get oily.
• Pour mixture onto plastic wrap and let it set until it is a bit firm. This usually takes a couple of hours.
• Once set, unwrap your chocolate and knead it until smooth. Smash any hard lumps with your fingers. 
• Wrap again until you’re ready to use it. Modeling chocolate will usually be hard every time you go to use it. You can warm it up in the microwave for a few seconds to make pliable.
• Use Rice Krispies to form the bottle shape. I used a round cookie cutter to cut the Rice Krispies.

  Stack the Rice Krispies together and smoosh it so it bonds together. Then, shape the top of the bottle with your hands. You can also use a knife to carve the bottle shape.
• Knead your modeling chocolate. Roll it out or place in pieces onto the bottle. Smooth it out with your fingers. 
• Once shaped, you can add details with more modeling chocolate or paint on it with food coloring. You can also print a label and wrap it around the bottle.

Since it’s my second time to pass though the Frozen phase, I am more aware how quickly these phases pass. I wanted to do something extra special this year and started putting together ideas for an elaborate Frozen-themed birthday party.

Starting with the base of snow (I left our snowflakes from Christmas up on our windows an extra month), snowmen and princesses, I knew it would be fun to build a themed party.

It’s a great bonus that many of these decorations can be reused in future Christmas decor.

Related: How to Make a Paper Snowflake – 10 Free Designs

Frozen Birthday Decorations

I decided to keep our decor minimal and lightly themed. I stayed away from large character cutouts and branded items, and instead focused on the themes of snow, the colors blue, white, and purple and a general ice princess theme.

For decor, I used a set of these paper snowflakes hung on a chandelier.

To create a candy centerpiece, I ordered light blue M&Ms, sour gummy rings, sour candy strips and blue and white rock candy sticks to resemble ice.

You can easily create a fun display of treats using just white and light blue candy. Other ideas that you can add are marshmallows, white chocolate covered pretzels, and white powdered sugar donuts.

Tips for picking Frozen birthday decorations

• Focus on your child’s favorite character. Let them wear a costume if they want to. Our daughter wears an Elsa dress nearly daily already, so we surprised her with a new one on her birthday.

• Color coordinate. Don’t worry about buying a bunch of branded items—just focus on the colors from the movie and you’ll create the same effect (or even prettier) with less branding.

• These snowflake banners are so cute!

Frozen Desserts and Cookies

I found these edible snowflake decorations and they are perfect for adding to cupcakes, ice cream, or truffles.

Here are some great cookie cutters you can use to create Frozen cookies: snowflake, Elsa’s crown and Olaf.

More Party Inspo

• If you want to add a few costumes to your party, I recommend Olaf, Elsa, and Anna. You can get adult versions as well (Emma and I went as Elsa and Anna).
  
• Balloon arches are easier to make than you think. All you need is a balloon kit and a pump. We’ve got full instructions for how to make a balloon arch here.

• Get a custom garland made from an Etsy seller.

• This Etsy seller makes candy party favors you can customize.

If you are having a Frozen-themed birthday in your future, we wish you a magical party! Remember, some people are worth melting for. xx- Elsie

Looking for more birthday party ideas?
–Nova’s Star-Themed Birthday Party
–Mermaid Birthday Party
–Puppy-Themed Birthday Party

Supplies:
-cloth favor bags (I used these 5″x7″ bags)
-Canon Light Fabric Iron-On Transfers Paper 
–Canon PIXMA TS9521C printer
-fabric scissors and iron
–favor bag printable (right click to download)

Download the favor bag printables and print them out onto iron-on transfer paper. The Canon PIXMA TS8521C is perfect for craft projects, and Canon just came out with their new new light fabric iron-on transfers paper that we’re loving! You can use it for lighter colored fabrics and the color quality really comes through! If you want to make these at home we have one design option with four of the same designs on one page for making lots of smaller bags like I did and then another option with just one design per page that you can scale up as needed for larger bags. The files are already mirrored for you so they will look right once you iron them on the bag.Cut out your designs with scissors to leave a 1/8″ border all the way around the design. Place the designs face down onto the center of your bag and iron your designs on per your iron-on sheet instructions (I pressed mine with a dry iron on the cotton setting for 60-90 seconds).
Once your designs have cooled, slowly peel off the backing and reveal your design!

How sweet are those?! We made a few different types of designs so there would be one that could work for birthdays, kid parties, baby showers, weddings … basically any party you want!

Depending on what your party is, you can fill your bags with whatever you like! Things like candy, little toys or stickers are great for kid’s parties and small beauty items and candles are fun for showers … the possibilities are endless! I like that these cloth bags can be reused as gift bags again by the guests or they can also store lots of things around the house (I save and use small cloth bags like these when I pack for trips—super helpful for organizing my daughter’s suitcase to hold socks or hair accessories, etc.). I feel like I always appreciate extra little touches like these at events and I love that you can easily batch make these at home with a printer and an iron. These cutie bags are a great end to a fantastic event and I hope that they make it onto your party list soon! xo. Laura

Credits // Author and Photography: Laura Gummerman. Photos edited with A Color Story Desktop. Graphic Design: Mara Dawn.

I wouldn’t recommend waiting until right before the party to decorate the cake, like I did, but I would definitely advise flexing your baking muscles and giving this sandcastle cake a try! It was truly a lot of fun to make.

Related: Ocean Cake, Dirt Cake, Rainbow Cake – 3 Ways, Unicorn Cake, and 15+ Best Cake Recipes.

If you plan to make a sandcastle cake like this one, I recommend planning for three days of cake making/decorating sessions. (Not three full days, silly! Just three sessions.)

One day to bake and crumb-coat the cake layers, one day to prep the fondant shapes and assemble the main pieces of the cake, then the day of the party to add cookie crumbs (the “sand”) and fondant decorations.

Read on to find out about how I made each element and assembled the cake!

Making the “Sand” for the Cake

The first step of making this cake is crushing a box of vanilla wafers to create the sand for the sand castle. Use a food processor or a rolling pin for this process. Set the cookie crumbs aside until ready to make your fondant.

How to Make Marshmallow Fondant

I had never considered making fondant before, because, frankly, I never really thought fondant tasted very good compared to buttercream.

But then I realized I could combine fondant elements with a buttercream cake and get the best of both worlds! The Great British Baking Show convinced me that making marshmallow fondant was fun and easy, so I decided to give it a try. Turns out they were right!

I made a batch of marshmallow fondant to make some of the decorative elements of my cake, such as the cones at the tops of the towers, the crenelations of the castle, the shell adornments, and the castle door.

You should make the fondant at least one day before making the fondant shapes and pieces, and I recommend making the shapes and pieces the day before decorating the cake. (It just makes decorating go a lot faster when you’re not fussing with fondant!)

Ingredients

• 16 ounces of marshmallows
• 4 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 pounds powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons (or more) of butter or shortening

Step One: Microwave marshmallows for 1 minute to begin melting them.

Step Two: Stir in the water and vanilla extract while marshmallows are hot.

Step Three: Transfer the hot mixture to a stand mixer and gradually mix in 2 pounds of powdered sugar. Save some of the sugar for kneading in the next step.

Step Four: Place sticky fondant “dough” onto a surface dusted with powdered sugar.

Step Five: Coat your hands with butter or shortening. This will keep your hands from sticking to the dough.

Step Six: Knead the fondant “dough” until it is barely sticky, adding powdered sugar as necessary.

Step Seven: Add food color and knead it into the dough to fully incorporate the coloring. I had to do a bit of experimenting to get the correct color of fondant that looked like sand. It’s helpful to keep a bag of the cookie crumb “sand” nearby to compare my color.

I combined brown, copper, yellow, and teal colors to create the sand color. The teal and yellow added a yellowish green hue which muddied and toned down the reddish hues in the brown and copper coloring.

Just add a little bit at a time to keep the color going in the right direction without making any irreversible mistakes.

Step Eight: Place your finished fondant in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for at least one day. Before rolling out the fondant to make your decorations, allow it to completely come to room temperature.

Making Fondant Shell Decorations

I used a silicone fondant mold to make fun shell shapes to decorate my cake. This is the mold set I bought. I think this fondant shell mold set looks even better, though!

Step One: Allow your one (or more) day old fondant to come to room temperature and press pieces of it into the crevices of the silicone mold.

Step Two: Use a sharp knife to cut away the excess fondant from the surface of the mold.

Step Three: After trimming away the excess, press the remaining fondant into the mold again. This is in case any of the fondant lifted out of the mold while trimming.

Step Four: Place the mold into the freezer for at least five minutes to set the shape. Then, pop the shaped fondant out of the molds and store between parchment paper in an airtight container until you’re ready to decorate the cake.

Prepping the Layer Cakes

Now, on to the cake! I made my cakes a week before the birthday party and popped them in the freezer until the day before the party. Gotta be honest—to save time, I opted to use a Pillsbury Funfetti Cake Mix.

I chuckled when everyone raved about how delicious the cake was, considering it was from a mix! I did swap melted butter for oil, so maybe that was the trick?

The entire sandcastle cake used three boxes of cake mix, each one giving me one 8″ round cake and one 6″ round cake. I used these cake pans which I greased and dusted with flour before filling with batter.

While the cakes were cooling, I made a double batch of buttercream frosting which I ended up coloring the same way I had colored the fondant. Then I cut off the rounded tops of the cakes and stacked them with buttercream between each layer.

After stacking, I covered the cakes in a thin layer of frosting to act as a crumb coat. Crumb coats are intended to seal in the crumbs so that they don’t ruin the look of the final coat of frosting, though honestly for this sandy cake, crumbs wouldn’t even matter.

I placed the cakes in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, then covered them with wrapping and foil, then placed them in the freezer until I was ready to decorate the cake the following week.

The cakes were removed from the freezer 24 hours before the decorating took place.

Buttercream Frosting Recipe

• 1 cup butter at room temperature
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons cream

Assembling the Sandcastle Cake

Step One: Cover the crumb-coated cakes with an even layer of sand-colored buttercream frosting. I made an effort to make my frosting nice and smooth, but it doesn’t need to be perfect. It will be covered with crumbs, after all!

Step Two: Use your hands to gently press the crumbs into the freshly frosted sides and tops of the cake. Try to get as many crumbs to stick as possible. They will become saturated with the butter of the frosting and darken the crumbs a bit, so keep this in mind!

Place the frosted and crumb-coated cakes in the refrigerator to stay cool and firm until you are ready to stack them.

The top layer of your cake should be placed on a 6″ round piece of cardboard to support the cake while stacking it in step four. Be sure to add the cardboard to the bottom of the cake before frosting it.

Step Three: Make four 8″ tall towers for each corner of the cake. You can use cardboard from paper towel rolls covered in fondant or even wrapped PVC pipes as I did!

I covered my pipes with buttercream and rolled them into crumbs to make non-edible castle towers. Originally, I had planned on making these entirely out of thickly rolled fondant, but decided it wasn’t worth the fondant as they would not be eaten anyway.

Step Four: Place four dowels into the 8″ layer cake as Emma demonstrates in her wedding cake tutorial. Use spatulas to carefully lift the cooled 6″ cake to rest on top of the dowels of the 8″ cake.

The cardboard at the bottom of the 6″ cake will protect it from being pierced by the dowels, whereas the dowels keep the 6″ cake from smashing the 8″ cake.

Adding Fondant Decorations

Now it’s time to add your fondant decorations! I recommend that you prepare all of your fondant decorations at least a day before you plan to decorate the cake, only because it goes much faster without worrying about creating the fondant elements.

But if you have plenty of time, you may opt to do it all in one day as I did. (For the record, I did not have plenty of time, but it all worked out in the end!)

Step One: Print two of these small cone templates and one of each half of this large cone template (half and half) onto card stock.

Roll out the fondant into 1/8″ thick sheets and cut out the five pieces for the cone shapes. Keep these stored in an airtight container until step three. Place parchment paper between the pieces so they don’t stick together.

Step Two: Roll out more fondant into 1/8″ thick strips and cut into 1″ strips using a fondant ribbon cutter or a clean ruler and a blade. I used a square-tip X-acto blade to hand cut crenelations into the strips.

You could use any clean, sharp blade for this step. Store these strips in an airtight container or tightly covered pan until you’re ready to add them to the cake.

Step Three: Tape together the card stock cone templates to act as a platform for the fondant cones. Use your fingers to blend the seams. The seams do not need to be perfect as they will be covered in crumbs, but you will be able to tell if the seams are very poorly blended.

Step Four: Brush all of your fondant elements with alcohol (such as vodka) to moisten it for crumb application. Alcohol evaporates much faster than water, preventing the fondant from getting too mushy.

If you don’t want to buy alcohol for this project, you could probably just use minimal water, though it would not be ideal. Or you can just buy a tiny bottle at any liquor store.

Step Five: Working with one moistened strip at a time, gently press cookie crumbs onto the surface of the fondant.

Step Six: Pipe leftover buttercream frosting onto the areas where you need to apply the fondant decorations.

Step Seven: Trim the crenelation strips to fit the areas where they will be applied and press them onto the buttercream. Be sure to use enough buttercream or the weight of the fondant will cause the pieces to fall off the cake.

Step Eight: Add the fondant shells and a front door to the castle for the final decorative touches.

I used a wood cheese board as a cake plate, because none of my cake plates were big enough! I have seen people use upside-down pans covered with cloth and even hat boxes used as cake stands.

The gaps at the sides of my wood platform bothered me (I’m such a diva sometimes), so we decided to add card stock waves to the edges to complete the whimsical look of the cake.

As you can tell in the image above, the vanilla wafer crumbs did absorb some of the moisture of the buttercream, but it didn’t get any worse than you can see in the above image.

We had the entire bottom half of the cake leftover from the birthday party and served it at a family event the next day.

I’m happy to report the crumbs held up nicely, didn’t absorb any additional moisture, and the cake still looked great without the towers and the fondant crenelations!

This sandcastle cake was such a fun project and really was the (buttercream) icing on top of my daughter’s mermaid birthday party! I’m so excited to try my hand at another showstopper cake sometime soon. – Mandi

Looking for more birthday party ideas? Check out …

• Our Frozen Birthday
• Nova’s Star-Themed Birthday Party
• Puppy-Themed Birthday Party

I think she was probably envisioning something fit for Ariel, while I was busy thinking of ways to do this theme without the red-headed Disney character plastered on each dinner plate and napkin. The party was a lovely event certainly fit for a mer-princess like Ariel, but still kind to the Earth, my wallet, and my eyes!

I wanted to share my table decorations and themed treat ideas so that you can also easily throw together a fanciful mermaid birthday party for the special mermaid or merman in your life!

Earth-Conscious Party Supplies

I know a lot of children’s party supplies are often made from plastic—like flatware, cups, and even plates. Not to mention party favors and cake decorations. While paper plates and cups are still coated with material designed to prolong their lifespan, they still eventually break down and are a much kinder choice compared to plastic alternatives.

I decided to combine paper party products with compostable items like plates made from pressed palm leaves and flatware made of birch. This is the perfect party theme for these types of product since they go with the earthy vibes associated with the beach.

My sequined tablecloth is something I decided to buy last year, knowing it would probably coordinate with most birthday party ideas my girls dream up. (They love sparkles, and the white color matches everything!)

So far we’ve used it for a My Little Pony party and this mermaid party. This time around, I covered the tablecloth with one of the two fishnets that came in this set. (The other fishnet is hanging on the wall behind the table.)

For party favors, we simply made starfish wands with ribbon streamers. I wasn’t sure what to do about the starfish, to be honest. I know that using real starfish seems like an eco-friendly choice, considering they’re natural byproducts of the ocean.

However, I also know that not all starfish you buy at stores are ethically sourced and may have been alive when caught. Even if they weren’t alive, I’m learning that taking shells from the beach does have an impact on other sea/beach creatures’ natural habitats. In the end, I decided to use these resin starfish I found on Etsy.

Mermaid Birthday Party Supplies

1. Clear Bubble Balloon Set
2. Lilac Paper Cups
3. Lilac Scalloped Napkins
4. Holographic Shell Paper Plates
5. Birch Flatware
6. Resin Starfish
7. Compostable Palm Leaf Plates
8. Natural Fish Net Decoration (set of two)
9. Drink Dispenser with Natural Base

The starfish “mermaid wands” were a cute addition to the table settings, and the kids absolutely loved playing with them through the entire party.

These were a breeze to make, and more fun and imaginative than a lot of the little trinkets often used as children’s party favors. Here’s how to make your own.

Starfish Wand Supplies:

• Starfish (I used these resin ones)
• Ribbons in colors to coordinate with your party (Mine are all from JOANN)
• 12″ wood dowels
• Hot glue gun

Step One: Cut the ribbons into 18-20″ lengths

Step Two: Knot one of each ribbon type around the top of each dowel. Stagger the lengths so that one side of the tied ribbon hangs lower than the other side.

Step Three: Apply a line of hot glue across the tied ribbon as shown above right.

Step Four: Press a starfish onto the hot glue and hold for a moment.

These starfish wands were a big hit, which got me wondering why didn’t we think about doing mermaid headbands as a party craft? Maybe we’ll do that for our next mermaid birthday party. (I’m already getting requests from sis for a similar party because—mermaid dresses!)

For a party backdrop, I kept it simple with a hanging the two fishnets that came in this set covered in various sizes of clear bubble balloons. I purchased this set of bubble balloons from Etsy and was pleased with the mix. They were really difficult to blow up by hand, so I’d recommend using a pump of some sort if you’re not using helium. I strung them up with monofilament and 3M hooks.

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have really questioned my sanity when you saw me spend the better part of a week practicing making macarons until I found the perfect method for making shell-shaped macarons. I’ve made macarons before, but had never really achieved perfection until my self-imposed macaron boot camp.

These little guys looked really special and were admired and enjoyed by each of our guests. (The chocolate pearls are sixlets I found at a party store.) I made them a few days before the party and kept them sealed up until the big day.

You may be wondering about this sandcastle cake, so don’t worry! I shared a tutorial around how to make it! It was sort of a grand experiment that I had planned for a while and ended up making the morning of the party. It went really well and ended up being a straightforward (though a bit time-intensive) project.

I really think this party wouldn’t have been the same without the sandcastle cake. I would certainly make it again if I were to go back in time! Plus, it was amazingly delicious and gave us good leftovers for a family gathering the next day.

We have ourselves one happy little mermaid! It was such a fun day. My heart is always filled with so much joy to see my kiddos truly enjoy the fruits (or cake) of my labor!

Party planning can be a lot of fun, but obviously can be a lot of work too, if you let it. Do the amount that you find fun and works with your schedule and family lifestyle. I’m just the crazy lady scrolling through Pinterest already planning the next big bash! – Mandi

Looking for more birthday party ideas?
–Frozen-Themed Birthday Party
–Nova’s Star-Themed Birthday Party
–Mermaid Birthday Party
–Puppy-Themed Birthday Party

Credits//Author and Photography: Mandi Johnson. Photos edited with A Color Story Desktop.

As a kid, probably my favorite thing about the cereal was not only the cereal itself (crunch, chocolatey goodness—yes! sign me up!), but how it turned your milk into chocolate milk by the time you were finished. Yum!

Related: Easy Popcorn Balls and 30+ Easy No-Bake Desserts

I always find myself making popcorn balls around this time of year, because again, it’s one of those nostalgic childhood treats that I just can’t get over.

Using just three ingredients, you can make the most delicious (and probably easiest) chocolate twist on classic popcorn balls. These are sure to be a hit with both adults or kiddos; I know I loved them.

But, of course, I’m a member of the lifetime chocolate lovers club, after all.

There are a couple keys to making popcorn balls of any variety. After you make the marshmallow batter, pour it over the cereal (or popcorn) and mix.

Allow it to cool some (just a couple minutes) before using well buttered hands to form the balls. And yes, I’m serious, buttering your hands will make a big difference! It feels weird if you’ve never done it before, but it totally works.

Of course, these Cocoa Puffs popcorn balls can be enjoyed all on their own, but you could also dress up a birthday cake with them if you’re celebrating. Thanks for letting me share some childhood nostalgia with you. xo. Emma

Print

Cocoa Puffs Popcorn Balls

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword popcorn balls

Ingredients

• ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon butter
• 10 ounces mini marshmallows one bag
• 1 boxx Cocoa Puffs cereal
• sprinkles optional

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• On a large baking sheet with a lip, spread the cereal in one layer. Also have a small bowl of sprinkles and counter space covered in wax paper prepped.
• In a medium sauce pan or pot, melt 1/4 cup butter over medium heat. Use a heatproof rubber spatula or wooden spoon to gently swirl the butter all along the bottom and up the sides of the pan as it melts. Then add the marshmallows. Stir so all the marshmallows get coated in the butter as they begin to melt. Continue to stir occasionally until they have melted completely.
• Pour over the cereal and gently toss so all the pieces get coated in the marshmallow mixture. Allow to cool for a minute or two.
• Butter your clean hands and then gently press the cereal into balls about the size of a fist or a little smaller. Coat in sprinkles if using. Place on wax paper and continue forming balls until you’ve used up all the cereal.

Last year, I selected a cake off the rack at a local grocery store, and I bought Juniper a balloon. That was about the extent of my party planning. We joked that her birthday party theme was “mom and dad just gutted a house.” So this year I wanted to put more effort into making her birthday party feel special. I spent a little time working on crafts or food each day during the week before her puppy party. With a little bit of effort and a small budget, her puppy party ended up being such a sweet affair!

This guy here is part of the reason we’re all a little dog obsessed, to the point of planning a puppy-themed birthday party! At the beginning of the year I said to my husband, “Can we please finally get a dog this year?” And he agreed!

So the girls and I spent months stalking PetFinder until we found a special pair of bonded dogs that we couldn’t leave at the pound. (Meet our dogs at this blog post!)

This is Theo, and his buddy Alfie was standing at my feet (like usual) as I was taking this photo. The girls wanted to make dog ear headbands for them, forgetting that, in fact, they already came equipped with dog ears!

After seeing the cute cookies Elsie made for Nova, I knew I wanted to try out some fancy cookies myself. This was the most time-intensive part of party prep, but I learned a lot in the process. Next time will be much easier—and yes, there will be a next time! Ha!

First, I spent some time on Pinterest deciding what kind of cookies I wanted to make, then I bought this dog cookie cutter set. I used this butter cookie recipe to make and freeze the cookies a couple of weeks in advance. Then I used this royal icing recipe to decorate the cookies two days before the party.

I purchased a pink plaid table runner for the dining table and the food table, which brought a nice pop of color to the party decorations. Everything else I kept pretty simple so that the dog ears and novelty food could really stand out.

I couldn’t find any cups or plates that I loved with a puppy theme, so I decided to make my own cup decorations and then buy some plain biodegradable party plates.

How to Make Dog Bone Party Cups

Materials:
–plain white paper cups
-kraft card stock
–dog bone template*
–glue dots or double sided tape
-scissors
-printer

Load your printer with the card stock and print out one sheet of this dog bone template. Cut out each dog bone by hand with scissors. Use glue dots or double-sided tape to affix each dog bone to paper party cups. The dog bones are a cute decorative detail, but they also provide a nice spot for people to write their names on their cups!

*Full disclosure: I made the dog bone template out of this clip art that someone else designed.

How to Make Dog Ear Headbands

Instead of party hats, we like to make special headbands that go with our birthday party theme. (We still have a few bumblebee headbands from Lucy’s third birthday party.) Of course, it was a no-brainer to make dog ears for a puppy party! The girls were obsessed with them.

We even got face paint to give the kids dog faces that matched their headbands. The kids ended up getting sidetracked at the party and we didn’t do face paint then, but we did do it the next day!

The dog ear headbands were pretty easy to make, and the supplies were inexpensive. Check out how I made them below!

Materials:
-2 pieces of crafting felt for each headband (or just one for smaller ears)
-plastic headbands (I bought a set of plastic headbands to save money for this and future headband projects.)
-fabric scissors
-hot glue gun with glue

Step One: Cut out two ear shapes and at least two 1″ strips of felt for wrapping the plastic headband. I found that I could get by with only two strips of felt for wrapping the headband in step two, but it took a bit of stretching.

I didn’t use any templates for the ear shapes, but you can see below what the shapes looked like that I ended up freehand cutting out of my felt pieces.

Step Two: Wrap the plastic headband with your felt strips. I used hot glue to affix the end of the strip where I began. After I wrapped the entire headband, I glued the very end, and trimmed the felt with fabric scissors.

Step Three: Glue the dog ears onto the headband. You may want to pin them in place first and put on the headband to see if you like the placement. Then you can commit to gluing them into place.

I made two headbands of each dog ear style. One I got going, it went pretty quickly! It took me the length of a one-hour podcast to make 10 headbands.

The girls requested I try to make dog ears like our dogs, so I added some white fringe to the bottom of some black floppy ears to look like our Theo, and I did try to make Alfie cookies, but really they ended up looking more like Lassie. Oh well, they tasted great and the girls didn’t seem to notice the discrepancies the way that I did.

Puppy Cupcakes

I think it’s important to know your limits when planning a party, and for me, that limit was at cupcakes. I figured I could either make dog cupcakes or dog cookies, but I didn’t want to put myself through having to do both of them.

So I ordered these puppy cupcakes (or pupcakes, if you will!) from my friend Shawna, who owns a shop called A Cupcake A Day in Medina, Ohio. They were delicious and I was so pleased with how cute they turned out!

Puppy Print Decals

The last puppy party detail I added was little paw prints across the walls in our kitchen and dining room. I found a template I liked using Google Images, printed out three per sheet of card stock, and hand cut them. They were stuck to the wall with glue dots, and they came off easily during party cleanup.

I really enjoy planning cute birthday parties for my kids, and it’s not a burden to me—as long as I don’t try to do too much myself. (I always ask for help when it comes to putting together party food!) Usually I get a lot of ideas spinning around in my head when planning a party, so I do have to choose where to hit the brakes before I enter crazy town.

This puppy party had the perfect amount of fun details without being too much work for me. And when Juniper saw the party decorations and pointed out each detail with delight, it made it all feel even more worth it! – Mandi

Looking for more birthday party ideas?
–Frozen-Themed Birthday Party
–Nova’s Star-Themed Birthday Party
–Mermaid Birthday Party
–Puppy-Themed Birthday Party