Decor | Diva Entertains Blog

Bridal Shower Games

March 28, 2012 1 Comment

We talked about Bridal Shower Tea Parties yesterday… and I thought it would be fun to share links to a few Bridal Shower games. I don’t know about you, but I’ve had times when I squirmed and groaned during “party games”, but if they are done well, these can actually be an enjoyable part of any shower. And of course they can also be used for Bachelorette parties!

At Project Wedding, I found a great list of “How Well Do You Know the Bride” questions. You can copy and paste these to a Word doc, and print on pretty paper, and you have an instant game! To make your task even more simple, I created two free bridal shower game printables for you to use. These are designed so you can print two sheets per 8.5×11 size paper. Just add your questions to the Word doc, print, and you are ready to go!

Click HERE for the floral paper. Click HERE for the hearts paper.

Martha Stewart has 14 unique ideas for bridal shower games. Check out this simple guessing game, using photos of the bride. But make sure you scroll through the 14 ideas she shares – were sure you’ll find several great bridal shower game ideas that are perfect for your shower!

And a cute “icebreaker” type game is “Who Am I”? Again, from Martha Stewart.com, a simple game that helps guests get to know one another.

And finally, how about a BINGO game? Check out the simple instructions here for bridal shower bingo!:

Filed Under: Decor, DIY Diva, Events, Free Printables Tagged With: bridal shower games, bridal shower games and activities, bridal shower printables, free bridal shower games

More National Craft Month – Shabby Chic Diva DIY

March 20, 2012 Leave a Comment

I am excited to announce that we have begun expanding the Diva Entertains shop to include SHABBY CHIC party and wedding favors! And because it’s still National Craft Month, and I was looking for fun DIY Diva projects… I decided to see what I could find the in the SHABBY CHIC DIY DIVA category. I found just a few things (and then some!)

Check out this fun DIY post from the Wedding Chicks, with instructions on making the fun Shabby Chic Place Cards… with thread spools, paper, and lollipop sticks. Such a simple design! Perfect for an afternoon tea or shabby chic baby shower.

A huge wedding trend is anything “chalkboard”. Signs, place cards, wine charms and more! From the b*spoke blog, and crafty girl, comes a quick and easy DIY tutorial on how to make a chalkboard frame. These would be great for welcoming guests to a party, OR writing a bridal shower menu for all to see, and then handing off the frame/chalkboard as a gift to the bride. I personally didn’t realize there was a such thing as chalkboard paint but as this tutorial shows – there sure is!

And I found a fabulous tutorial for turning candlesticks into picture frames. Brittany of the 3 B’s uses her frames for decor for her home, but these could also be used as decorations for a reception or a wedding shower.

Are you into the “shabby chic” look? Let us know if you have favorite tutorials or ideas we can share!

Filed Under: Decor, Shabby Chic Tagged With: candlestick crafts, candlestick picture frames, chalkboard paint, chic, craft, craft picture frames, month, national, sewing birthday party, shabbey chic place cards, shabby

How To Make Crepe Paper Flowers

March 14, 2012 Leave a Comment

Quick post today, but FULL of potential for you!

MarthaStewart.com has a series of posts and tutorials for DIY paper flowers that is a must-see.

CLICK HERE to see the slideshow and links to how-tos.

Daisies, Carnations, Dahlias, Mums… and MORE! Click HERE to get started…

Filed Under: Decor, Decorations, DIY Diva Tagged With: DIY, diy diva, diy paper flowers, flowers, how to make tissue paper flowers, paper

Fab Friday FREE Birthday Tag Printables

February 24, 2012 Leave a Comment

We are going to be starting a new feature here on the Diva Entertains blog… and we are calling it Fab Friday FREE Printables! Every week we’ll bring you a new printable for your party and entertaining needs… and we’ll try to show you how to use them too!

Today’s free printable is a fun Birthday Balloons round tag.

These designs are 2 inches around, and come 20 to a sheet in PDF format. You can print the sheet on cardstock and use a circle punch (like THIS ONE) to cut them out. OR you can print on label paper, and do the same thing. Then simply attach to your party or favor bag, and you are good to go!

So…

You can download the Fab Friday FREE “Birthday Balloons” printable HERE.

Happy Friday!!

Filed Under: Decor, DIY Diva, Fab Fun Friday, Favors Tagged With: birthday gift tags free, free, free printable birthday tags, printables

Mardi Gras / Fat Tuesday!

February 17, 2012 Leave a Comment

Fat Tuesday is almost upon us, and if you are looking for last minute decorations OR recipes, I’ve got a few for you!

First, a DIY post on making festive pinwheels, from Mardi Gras Outlet. You will find so many fun things at Mardi Gras Store. And for all of their Mardi Gras Craft Tutorials Click Here:

Adorable cupcake toppers (FREE PRINTABLES for Mardi Gras) from TomKat Studio:

This new post is for a more “kid-friendly” Mardi Gras mask, BUT you could easily use the Mardi Gras Mask tutorial from Twig and Toadstool, and create something elegant:

No Fat Tuesday party is complete without a King Cake Recipe. Check out this this from the Brown Eyed Baker:

You’ll definitely need something to DRINK while celebrating, so click over and check out the Mardi Gras Drink Recipes from Simply Stated:

And finally… two Mardi Gras Recipes! One is a healthy Jambalaya recipe from SheKnows.com . Also a crawfish fettuccine:

Happy Feasting!

Filed Under: Cakes, Decorations, Desserts, Entrees, Recipes Tagged With: easy crawfish fettuccine recipe, fat tuesday, healthy jambalaya recipe, king cake recipe, mardi gras, mardi gras crafts for kids, mardi gras cupcakes, mardi gras drink recipes, mardi gras recipes, mardi gras store, mardi grass mask tutorial, printable mardi grass

Kids Birthday Theme Party Favors and Treat Bags

February 16, 2012 Leave a Comment

Birthday season is fast approaching in our household. I have three parties to plan in just over six weeks. Two of them are two weeks apart. (Wait, where is my paper bag? Breath…breath…)

Besides deciding on a THEME for their party, the thing my kids like MOST is deciding what kind of favor to give, and WHAT to put it in. I have crafty, creative children, so we often make favor bags or treat bags… but we’ve occasionally splurged on “fancy” favors too. This post is all about a variety of options, in case YOU are looking for themes for kids parties!

As I mentioned, theme is key. Of course, sometimes the theme is the hardest part! My oldest son is all about Harry Potter, Star Wars, and Legos. Even though his party is first up, we are STILL working out the final theme. To help him decide, I rounded up a few favor ideas…

If he decides to go with a Harry Potter Birthday Party, I found a tutorial on how to make these super fun Harry Potter “Quidditch” treat bags at iVillage:

If he goes with a Star Ward birthday party, I found an adorable Father’s Day post with Star Wars treats, from Sandy Toes and Popsicles… some of the ideas would be perfect favors for a Star Wars birthday party. Check out THIS one… Hans Rolos: (and click on through for FREE printables for several others too!) Key to this post is the material list and FREE Starwars Printables.

For a fun and colorful read, full of LEGO birthday party ideas, check out Crunchy Catholic Momma’s blog post about her son’s lego party. GREAT ideas all around, including these super-easy Lego party bags, Lego party games and more!:

Now, my middle child (also a boy) has similar tastes to his big brother. Any of the ideas above would work well for him too. The only other ideas HE might have is for a Dinosaur Birthday Party.

Found these CUTE Dinosaur favor ideas, from the hostessblog. The toppers would be easy to make with cardstock and some clip-art. She even shares fun and easy Dinosaur party food.

When I did a search for “art party” favors, I found this wonderful post, from Under the Sycamore, about DIY notebooks and crayons. These items were actually made and sent to children in Haiti. You’ll have to click through and read all about it. I love the idea, for so many reasons, and would love to make some for party favors too!

And… last but not least… my little Princess Martha. She is turning FIVE this year, and already had a very specific party idea in mind when I asked her. No worrying about WHAT her theme was going to be… she knew immediately… Fairy Princess Ballerina Birthday Party! Nothing like combining everything you love into one theme, eh? Thankfully Fairy, and Princess, and Ballerina are easy themes to find and easy to work with. Because she was so decisive, I actually know exactly what we’re doing for HER party (her brothers better get busy with their deciding!)

We are starting with these super fab ballerina treat bags from the Diva Entertains shop:

Martha wants each of her guests to receive wings… a wand… and a tutu. I told her that wings and a tutu won’t fit in the ballerina bags, but she wasn’t worried about that! So… I’ll be getting tutu and wand materials from Hobby Lobby to make THESE, from The Modest Homestead: (the wands will be made to fit the ballerina bags!)

We will be including candy bars wrapped with these Ballerina wrappers, with added customized text to include “Fairy” and “Princess”:

And Martha wants to add more items like plastic bracelets, nail polish, and a few other little goodies. The bags? I think they will be full.

Nothing but the best for my Princess… and her brothers!

Filed Under: DIY Diva, Events, Favors, Kids Birthdays Tagged With: ballerina birthday party ideas, ballet party favors, birthday, dinosaur birthday party theme, dinosaur party food, favors, harry potter birthday party ideas, kids birthday theme party, lego birthday party, lego party favors, party, star wars birthday party ideas, themes for kids parties

Decorating With Candles

February 15, 2012 Leave a Comment

I absolutely love and adore candles. Candles of all shapes and sizes. Candles of all colors and scents. I think decorating with candles just adds that “something special”, whether to a table-top, a centerpiece or anentire event!

In case you missed it, you can check out our recent DIY Candle post HERE.

First up, a quick and easy DIY post about embellishing candles with ribbons, pearl pins and more, from BHG. This has given me so many ideas on how to decorate pillar candles – now I just need to walk the aisles of my craft shop to see what to use!

A gorgeous COLORFUL candle idea, from Martha Stewart. Click HERE to read the easy DIY on making these. Garage and Estate sales are a *great* place to find inexpensive candle holders ripe for decorating!

It isn’t hard to create a rustic elegance, with floating candles in mason jars and raffia, as pictured in this post from Violet Hills Weddings. One could easily use satin ribbon, and even add little tags to personalize the jars. Rustic and elegant at the same time!

This isn’t a tutorial, but I just had to share because I thought it was stunning. From Coco+Kelley:

Filed Under: Decor, Decorations, DIY Diva, Table Setting Tagged With: candle decorating ideas, candle table decoration, candles, decorate with floating candles, decorating candle with ribbon, decorative pillar candles, how to decorate a candle, how to embellish cadles, how to make floating candles

Tiffany Inspired Party

February 10, 2012 Leave a Comment

The iconic blue box… the gorgeous white ribbon. It’s completely obvious why the “Tiffany” party theme is a favorite! If you are planning an elegant event… bridal shower, birthday party, a wedding… what about using Tiffany blue as your inspiration?

Gorgeous flower centerpieces, with a Tiffany blue surrounding…. visit the Hostess blog to see inspiration from this “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” Bridal shower. I love that she used inexpensive carnations and then dressed them up with pretty blue ribbons. Simple, elegant, nice!

Tiffany inspired cookies, from the Amy Atlas blog. To make similar cookies – you’ll need a “gift box cutter’. You can find the in the baking aisles of crafts stores such as Hobby Lobby or Click Here for an Online Source. You can simply use white icing for the ribbon or if you want to use fondant – that also can be purchased from craft stores and some bakeries. Or Click Here for an easy to make and work with, as well as delicious, Marshmallow Fondant Recipe.

Or how about putting a chocolate truffle or macaroon cookies in blue boxes as Eat, Drink, Pretty has done:

And what about cakes? Look at this fab Tiffany cake that features an”open box”, from Pink Cake Box. To find other fabulous Tiffany Cake Pictures go to Google.com/Images and type in “Tiffany Cake Pictures”. When you find one (or three!) that you must have, print out a picture and take to your bakery to replicate.

Or these simple, but elegant Tiffany cupcakes, from Grin and Bake it. (Be sure to click through to the post – there are three great frosting recipes included!) To find other fabulous Tiffany Cupcake Pictures go to Google.com/Images and type in “Tiffany Cupcake Pictures”.

And, of course, we have plenty of fun Tiffany favors at Diva Entertains.

Tiffany White Chocolate Dipped Oreos, Tiffany Cupcake Toppers

Tiffany Magnet Favors, Tiffany Candy Wrappers

Are you inspired? I am!

Filed Under: Decor, Decorations, Events, Favors, Weddings Tagged With: breakfast at tiffanys theme party, marshmallow fondant recipe, party, theme, Tiffany, tiffany box cookies, tiffany cake, tiffany cupcake pictures, tiffany cupcakes, tiffany theme party, tiffany wedding cake, tiffany wedding theme

Favors as Decorations!

February 8, 2012 Leave a Comment

I was trying to find ways to stretch a party budget recently, and began to look for favor ideas that doubled as decorations or table centerpieces. It seemed like a perfect way to save a little money, but still have a fabulous look for the party.

What about using orchids as centerpieces, but tagged with a “please take home” note? Photo below from MarthaStewartWeddings.com. Or individual bud vases as favors and your table decorations. You can purchase glass bud vases for less than $1 each (check craft stores, walmart, etc.) or small terra cotta pots (even less expensive) and put a single flower in each, set it at each guest’s table setting with a tag letting them know they should take it home. Herbs are perfect to put in the mini terra cotta pots. Gorgeous and very budget friendly! If you don’t want to make your own tags you can purchase customized tags for your plants HERE.

Look at these super cute matchbox favors that double as place cards, from MarthaStewartWeddings.com. You can also print a message on decorated paper (make a rectangular template) and simply cut them out and attach to the top and bottoms of matches with double-sided tape; easy!:

And one more from Martha Stewart… give your guests waterproof bags to take home the flowers from your centerpieces! I also love the idea of have large vases of long stem roses or other beautiful flowera and having guests take one and put the stem in these pretty bags as they leave. Instead of making a grand entrance they’ll be making a grand exit!

Planning a “southwest” theme party? Then check out these adorable little cactus favors/centerpieces:

And what about the ever popular “candy bar” idea? But… instead of setting up a separate place for the candy bar, why not use filled candy jars in the middle of your tables as your centerpiece, and include bags (and a scoop) for guests to scoop candy for taking home?

What other ways could you use favors as decorations? We’d love to hear YOUR ideas!

Filed Under: Decor, Decorations, Events, Favors Tagged With: bud vase centerpieces, bud vase favors, decorations, favor decorations, favors, flower favors, herb favors, party, party favors as decorations, wedding favors decorations

Tuesday Trends – Purse Parties

February 7, 2012 Leave a Comment

Last week, we talked a little bit about GLAM SHOES… so THIS week, it just seemed appropriate to continue the discussion, but this time with PURSES.

In case you hadn’t considered a purse theme party, I have some fab links for you to help get you started!

Check out this wonderful tutorial on how to make a purse cake, from CakeJournal.com. This is actually quite easy if you purchase fondant. It is sold in the baking aisle of large craft stores and bakeries often are willing to sell you fondant too. Also – marshmallow fondant is easy to make and easy to work with. And delicious!:

If cupcakes are more your style… look at these “fashionably chic” purse cupcakes! The “how-to” for these cupcakes can be found in the Cupcakes, Cookies and Pie, Oh, My book by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson.

Of course, if designing an entire purse cupcake might be too much, you can always make fondant purse cupcake toppers. The Wilton site shows a quick and easy way to make adorable fondant purses, which you can make in any color you desire!

Now, how about centerpieces? We have this lovely purse centerpiece in the Diva Entertains shop:

And check out this tutorial, from styrofoamcrafts.com… a pink posy purse centerpiece:

Finally, you can’t forget favors! We have an entire section devoted to purse party favors in the DE shop. Manicure sets, favor bags, and even Oreo cookies!

Corissa, Emily and Valerie sent in this picture from their purse party featuring our “Little Black Purse” manicure sets and gorgeous Big Buddah purses – thank you so much, Big Buddah, for generously providing them.