Happy Birthday {Free} Printable

Hello Everyone!  I love seeing the amazing {free} printables that are out there.  I just came accross this Subway Art Happy Birthday Printable at A to Zebra Celebrations done by Kristy of The Diary of Daves Wife.  I love all the color options she offers as well!  Thank you!

Cake Decorating with Paper

Jessica Kirkland from Pen and Paper Flowers shared this incredibly creative tutorial on how to decorate a simple cake with paper.  This is a must read!  Jessica shows you a number of ways to decorate and the budget is close to nothing.  It is simply amazing what can be done with paper!  All you need to purchase is an $8.00 grocery store bakery cake and paper!  You will be "wowed" over the masterpiece you can create.

Check out the DIY Tutorial by Jessica Kirkland via HWTM

Party Hats DIY

What child doesn't love a festive party hat?  Here is an easy tutorial from Jones Design on how to create these fun accessories for any party.  Have fun!

Backdrop for Dessert Table or Photo Area

Many people have emailed and asked me about creating backdrops for parties, especially dessert tables.  I came across this tutorial on Celebrations at Home which outlines step by step a DIY pipe and drape system that is perfect for a wall behind a table or a photo area.  This tutorial is fabluous!

Valentine Heart Wreath

Are you throwing a Valentine's party and need some fabulous heart decor?  Look no further!  Yarah Designs came across this Heart Felt Wreath step by step DIY tutorial at The Idea Room.  Hang this felt heart anywhere or use it as a centerpiece on a dessert table.  It will add a bit of love to your party!

Sweet Cookie Necklaces

How adorable are these cookie necklaces?!  What a fun project to do with the kiddos.  These are sure to make the children in your life smile.  You can find a step by step tutorial on how to make these sweet necklaces on the Daily Mixer.  Enjoy!

Pinup Wreath

Anyone looking for a unique idea to display holiday cards?  Yarah Designs simply loves this pinup wreath from Martha Stewart. 

Decorate a wall or an interior door by hanging a holiday-card wreath. Using wood glue, affix miniature wooden clothespins to a large (about 14-inch-diameter) embroidery hoop. Alternate clothespins to point outward and inward, spaced 1 1/2 inches apart. Suspend from a ribbon, and clip your cards in place as you receive them.

Cupcake Liner Flower Tree

These cupcake liner trees would make wonderful accents for recption or buffet tables at any event and different colors and patters could be used to achieve different looks.   The key is to use mini cupcake liners and The Bakers Confections is the place to purchase them.

Yarah Designs found this amazing tutorial on Papercrave on how to make these beauties. 

Supplies needed:

• a styrofoam tree form (I used a 9” tall form)
• mini cupcake liners (1 1/4” to 1 3/8” size)
• straight pins, preferably with a ball head
• a hot glue gun and glue sticks
• accessories for decorating (ribbon, decorative picks, etc.)

 Directions

1. Separate cupcake liners into groups of five. Flatten the liners, and poke a straight pin through the center of each group.

2. Gently “scrunch” the top cupcake liner around the pin head, taking care not to rip the paper.

3. Repeat the scrunching action for the remaining liners. When you’re finished, you’ll have a flower.

4. Using your thumb and forefinger, grab the flower at the bottom and press the liners together and away from the length of the pin. Add a bit of hot glue to the pin, and immediately insert into the styrofoam tree form.

5. Fold two or three layers of the liners over the pin head, taking care not to burn yourself on any hot glue that may have found its way toward the pin head, and press the pin head in until it’s flush with the tree form. Hold in place for five to ten seconds, until the glue starts to cool and the pin is firmly attached. Fluff and adjust the flower “petals”, if needed. Continue adding cupcake liner flowers, starting at the bottom of the form and working your way around and up, until the entire form is covered.

6.  Add embellishments and decorations to the tree to coordinate with your occasion, if desired.

Cupcake Liner Pom Poms

These can be use for so many different events!  Yarah Designs simply loves these and the best part, they are so easy to make.  You can see the step by step tutorial by Heidi at How Does She.  These beauties can be made in under an hour and they are much sturdier than tissue paper pom-poms!

Keep Warm Blankets

Having an outdoor event this fall or winter?  Here is a great idea for guest favors without making much of a ding in the wallet.  You can purchaase blankets at IKEA for around $4.00 a piece and they can be adorned with cute tags and ribbon.  Instant adorableness!

Cake Stand Tutorial - Make it yourself!

Can you believe that these cake stands are DIY.  Yarah Designs found these featured on Eat Drink Pretty and just had to share this project.  Jennue of A Well Crafted Party put together this write up on how to create one of these colorful cake stands.  They are fabulous and can be done in a variety of colors!

Materials needed:

• 1 plate
• 1 candle stick or goblet
• Epoxy
• 1 heavy book
• 1 can of spray paint
• a sheet or paper to protect surfaces while painting

First, start of with a plate—any plate will work but recommended is using one that has the color or image you would like at the top of the stand as this will not be painted to keep the cake stand food friendly. Next, find a candle stick, goblet or really any sturdy object that is the height that you would like for your finished stand.

Then take epoxy (use according to directions) and glue your candlestick or goblet to the bottom of the plate. DO NOT MOVE THE STAND.















Place a heavy book on top of the stand and let the epoxy set according to directions. After the epoxy has set you should be able to pick up the stand with no movement from the candlestick or plate




















Make sure the plate is set firmly on a protected surface so that you can spray paint the outside of the cake stand. If there are edges of the paint off of the paper I would suggest covering the top of the plate with paper or painters tape















Spray the entire outer surface according to the directions on the spray paint can. Take your time on this step and stand back far enough to avoid drips. Also, this step make take a couple of layers of paint so plan to make the stands at least a day in advance of your party















After the stand has dried, wash the top of the plate with dish soap and water. The stand is not dishwasher safe but is food friendly as long as food is not touching the painted surfaces. If you are worried about this then just place a doily or wax paper on top of the stand before putting food on it.















Yarah Designs loves DIY projects.  If you have one you would like featured please send an email to info@yarahdesigns.com

Ribbon Wands

Here is a very simple DIY project.  How fabulous are these fun wands!  These wands can be used for a range of events.  How gorgeous would these be at a wedding while the newly married couple walks down the aisle together creating a gorgeous scene.  These wands can also be used at a fairy themed birthday party and given to the guests as favors - Children would go wild with these.  The more color and variation of ribbon, the more impact.

You will need:

• Dowels or log wooden skewers
• 3/4 yard of ribbon (in event colors)

Step #1:  Cut the ribbon to about 3/4 yard
Step #2:  Tie the stands on the dowel.  Use as many as you like.  The more ribbon the greater the impact.

Brilliant Bandannas

In minutes, turn these pretty paisley squares into vibrant and useful accents to your home. Specific ideas and how to do it yourself are on Country Living. Yarah Designs gets so much inspiration from this site. Here are some of Yarah Design favorites. Have fun turning your bandannas into something fabulous!

Lace Earing Frame

Yarah Designs came accross this fabulous and useful DIY project. Do you have just too many earings and you have no way of storing them? Well here is a way of displaying them so you can see them and it looks pretty. Check out this DIY project with step by step instructions from Tanya from the Trey & Lucy blog!

DIY Chiffon and Tulle Project

Anyone up for a DIY project?

These flowers are so beautiful and can be used as decor, accessories on clothing, headbands, bouquets - the possibilities are endless. Piece of advice - use sharp scissors. The pictures walk you step by step through the process. Happy crafting!