{Contributor Post} Party Pants

Hi everyone! I’m Jess, the owner and creative director of Party Pants, LLC and I specialize in children’s theme parties and baby showers. When I’m not creating handmade party details for my own blog, I’ll be working on blog posts once a month for the Flaired Affairs blog!

I’m super excited to be a guest contributor for Christie because she was a mentor to me when I started my business. I was a lost newbie (still am) and she answered all of my ridiculous and lengthy questions without batting an eye. I owe her big time so I was delighted to offer up monthly party pretties to this fabulous blog. So, lets get started on our journey! First up on the agenda: a simple yet cheery DIY using upcycled party leftovers.

I don’t know about you, but I am a pack rat when it comes to party supplies. I keep every last scrap of ribbon, craft paper, packaging supplies, gift wrap, etc. You name it and I’ve swiped it off the party floor. Okay, I’m not exactly dumpster diving for tissue paper but I’ve been known to grab a cute gift bag before it hits the garbage can. I’m actually the absolute opposite when it comes to my house, but my craft closet is chock full of what most people would consider trash.

The reason for this insane addiction is because I hate being in a crafting craze and thinking “I could really use that scrap of ribbon right now”. But it may have gotten a little out of control. Just a bit. So I’ve been thinking of putting these great scraps to use and putting them aside for party crunch time (you know, when your looking at your labor of love and wishing you had spent a little more time on those sweet details). Well, I’ve got the perfect solution! I’m here to show you how I’ve upcycled these scraps into charming little party hats and confetti bags to save for the next bash.

Here are the supplies you will need for the hats. Although hot glue can be difficult to use on projects that require both hands, I prefer it while making the hats because it holds up best on the craft paper. I used regular craft paper and stored the finished hats carefully, but a sturdier card stock will certainly last a little longer. You will only need the ruler if you are making your own template, otherwise you can print out either template from the links below.

First, I started with this mess of craft paper (this isn’t even the tip of the iceberg but I had to start somewhere). I used the larger pieces to make child size party hats and the smaller scraps for the hat details. Even a half piece of scrap paper should be enough to make one hat, so just grab whatever you have on hand. I mixed and matched my prints. I happen to like the mod-podge look so I wasn’t afraid of mismatched colors.

I used this template from Project Nursery for a party hat that will fit most kids, but you could also use this template from Oh Happy Day that is a little smaller. For larger templates that you can DIY, simply measure about 9″ on each side of the paper and connect it with a curved edge.

Cut along the lines of the template, apply a thin strip of glue to one edge, then connect both ends to create a cone. I suggest practicing that last part a couple times before applying the glue just to get the hang of forming the hat shape.

In addition to my scrap obsession, I also have an equally troubling obsession with pinwheels (as seen in this pinwheel backdrop I created for the Sprinkled With Love Baby Shower). I will add them wherever and whenever I can, so this little project was no exception. Pinwheels are super easy and fun. Take a square paper and cut a slit from each corner to the middle, still leaving a small patch in the center for glue. Apply a dab of glue on that center patch and fold every other point until it meets the glue.

I embellished some pinwheels with leftover buttons and paper scraps, and I used some of the longer pieces of ribbon as a tie for the party hats. C-U-T-E!

Here is my daughter acting like a little ham in her newly made party hat (made for the cost of peanuts, might I add)!

For the confetti bags, I simply cut leftover tissue paper into strips (wrinkled tissue paper works fine), then chopped those strips into squares and rectangles. Glassine bags may be all the rage, but I had a strict rule about not purchasing any new materials for this DIY project. So, I used clear gift bags I’ve had FOREVER and they looked just as adorable. In fact, I think they showed off the pastel colored confetti even better. Heather from Chickabug made these adorable Sweetheart Stickers for my Valentine’s Day Party and I’ve been dying for another excuse to use them! I also used these customized name tags from Baby Smiles Boutique to seal the remainder of the confetti bags.

Voila! Party prettiness!

I hope this has served as inspiration to find some new in the old. I love the idea of creating new and improved party pretties out of old party scraps. This was a fun and inexpensive way for me to enhance my handmade party supplies and I look forward to the next project with you on Flaired Affairs!