DIY Candy / Willy Wonka Bouquet

Hello! Today I am sharing a tutorial for a Willy Wonka/Candy bouquet. I made this for my brother last year when he played Charlie in a Willy Wonka play. This was a quick, very last-minute gift (otherwise I'd have never gotten him junk food with dyes). Please keep in mind that any of these treats could be substituted. For example, nut packages and a large bar of Lillie's chocolate or something could be used instead. 

To make this, you will need:

-Small packages of candy/treats

-A large, pretty treat such as a candy bar, homemade lollipop, homemade bread. a large cookie, etc.

-A small balloon

-Dowel rods or an alternative

-Hot glue and a hot glue gun

-Tulle

Step 1. 

Hot glue the candy/treat packaging to the wooden/plastic sticks/rods.

Step 2. 

Tie tulle around them all in a bundle and glue where/if necessary. Add in the balloon.

You're done! It's a super easy gift, and perfect for boys in theater who may not want flowers or traditional after-performance-type gifts. Plus, like I said before, this could be changed into a healthier version. I gave my other brother who played Mr. Bucket photos and a balloon in place of candy due to his dietary restrictions. There are lots of substitutes to a bouquet that are easy and quick. You could even do a non-candy bouquet.

I hope this comes in handy and you enjoyed! I look foward to sharing more activities and events with you soon!

-Lauryn

Easy, Last-Minute Get-Well-Soon Gift

Hey, guys! Here is an easy, last-minute DIY gift that you can make if someone needs a special something to cheer them up or there is an emergency. I filled my gift basket with practical, yet (hopefully) pretty and fun gifts that can be useful and enjoyed. Here is a list of supplies you'll need to replicate it:

-A candle

-Pens

-A Coloring Book (and if it's for an adult, you could go with Zentangle or calligraphy)

-A Scrumptious Snack

-A Cute Mug

-Something Extra (such as body care products or flowers)

Also, you may want tissue paper or shredded paper, a card, and of course you'll need a basket! Just arrange everything inside, with the largest items in the back so that everything is visible, and easy as that, you're done! I hope this is a helpful gift idea to make for the sick or injured loved ones you know. 

I look forward to your next visit!

-Lauryn

DIY Veruca Salt Costume Idea

Here is the other Roald Dahl Costume I promised: Veruca Salt! This costume is easy to make, and you may even have the materials on hand. The book is my favorite, but I had a red skirt and I really enjoyed the old movie although it is inaccurate, so that's what this costume is from.

You will need:

-A red dress or a red shirt and red skirt (a long-sleeved shirt is best, but I had a short-sleeved shirt, so that's what I used)

-A big, black belt/ribbon/fabric

-A white, button-down, long-sleeved shirt with a collar

-White tights or 'stockings' (I just wore white socks; close enough, right?)

-Black flat or Mary Jane shoes

Just pair everything together, and you have a great book/movie character costume! if you don't have the supplies, it doesn't seem to hard to make. I would cut out a circle skirt, hem or glue the edges, and add the shirts.

Pretty simple, right? I hope you enjoyed!

-Lauryn

Easy Matilda Costume Idea

Here is a super easy tutorial for a Matilda costume from Roald Dahl's book. You probably have the materials on hand already, but if not they are easy to find, and this costume takes only a few minutes to throw together. All that you need is a blue dress, preferably with half-sleeves or long-sleeves. I had mine from a thrift store sale. I suggest you carry a book or two, or a some other element from the story so that people know what character you are. This costume is very quick, and Matilda is a great literary character from an enjoyable classic. This costume is especially good for those who are looking for a costume at the last minute. Not to mention that it isn't too over-the-top, so you could even wear it to work or school.

Here is an illustration by Quentin Blake from quentinblake.com:

I hope you enjoyed! I have more costumes to share, including another Roald Dahl costume, so I'll post again soon!

-Lauryn

Easy DIY Charity Costume (The Greatest Showman)

Hey, everyone! Here is a super easy tutorial for a Charity costume from "The Greatest Showman." 

You only need three items:

-A white, button-down, long-sleeve shirt with a collar (thrift stores always have them. Mine was $1)

-A dark (more or less) blue circle-type of skirt  (I'm very particular about skirts being 'puffy'. Mine was made from a dress that was $1 or so)

-A black vest (mine was made from a $0.50-$1 shirt from a thrift store)

Put them all together with the vest on top, and you have a simple, inexpensive, elegant Charity costume!

Have a nice day! I look forward to sharing more costume tutorials!
-Lauryn

DIY Dinosuar Play Doh Kit

Today I'd like to share an excellent gift idea for any dinosaur or play-doh-loving children you may know. This was not my own idea, but was inspired by an image I saw online. I didn't follow the tutorial, of course, so mine was made differently, but here is the link to the original DIY dinosaur Play-Doh kit: http://mamapapabubba.com/2015/10/15/dinosaur-play-dough-kit/.
Below is my version, which is only three simple steps:

You will need:

-Plastic Containers (Mine were a set of three from Dollar Tree)
-Play-Doh (My Play-Doh was from Walmart)
-Paper to create labels with for the tops of your containers
-Clay, preferrably Polymer (Mine was from a scrap bag that somebody gave me, and I painted it after it was cooked with acrylic paint and nail polish)
-Dinosaurs (Mine were from Dollar Tree)
-Pebbles or rocks (both Dollar Tree and Walmart carry them in various sizes and shades)

Step 1. 

First create your container's label. Cut a circle from the paper (card stock definitley works best), and handwrite "Mini Dinosaur Play-Doh Kit" with a list of what is included. You can add some doodles for good measure. If you prefer, you could use a computer program like 'Paint' or Microsoft Word to print the words instead.

Step 2.

Take your clay and mold some trees. They can be as simple as a cylinder with a cloud-like blob on top. Bake them at the specified temperature and let them cool for about half an hour, or at least fifteen minutes. You can skip steps two and three by buying trees, of course, but I wasn't able to find any and I was short on time.

Step 3. 

If you made your trees with the right clay colors, wonderful! If not, you'll need to paint them, so grab your acrylic paint or nail polish. Nail polish works way better, but it may have a bad smell. Acrylic paint will need a few coats.

Step 4. 

Now arrange your trees, Play-Doh (which you'll need to remove from the containers), pebbles, and dinosaurs in the container. Your kit is complete! Pretty simple, right?





I hope you enjoyed! I'll share another mini Play-Doh kit and other gift ideas in future posts, so if you liked this tutorial, be sure to visit soon!

-Lauryn

How to Throw a Last-Minute Party on a Budget (Six Steps)

Have you ever woken up the morning of a loved one's birthday with no gifts or decorations ready yet? Or found yourself scrambling for supplies an hour before a party? If so, I've been there. In fact, those of you who read my posts regularly know that that describes basically all of my parties. Which is why I put this guide together for those of you who end up in similar situations. I hope that this guide will come in handy for last-minute events. Without further ado, here are six steps to creating a stylish but cheap event at the last-minute:

1. Draw/Paint a Banner or Poster

Buy a piece of poster board at Dollar Tree or get it in bulk cheaper at Walmart. I always buy white, which is neutral and can be used for any party. You could draw calligraphy with a black marker, cut it out into a banner shape, paint a character onto the poster --be creative! 

2. Make a Banner

There are countless tutorials for banners. You could create a tassel banner with tissue paper or scrap fabric, a triangle banner with card stock, cut out a banner from folded streamers...the options are limitless!

3. Buy or Pick Flowers/Plants

Flowers or succulents make a great decor addition and centerpiece, so go outside and pick some flowers, use a plant you already have, or buy a plant/bouquet. 

4. Buy Balloons 

Balloons are an easy way to really enhance the decor and make it more fun. Buy a $1 bag of balloons and create a balloon arch by twisting them together, buy two helium-filled Dollar Tree balloons, or buy alphabet or number balloons from Amazon in bulk.

5. Cake Stand and Dishes

You definitely will want a cake stand to exhibit your party's primary desert if you offer food, and treats make a lovely centerpiece. If you don't have a cake stand, buy one at a thrift store or create one by hot-gluing a plate to a sturdy candlestick, vase, bowl, pot or whatever you have. Use neutral platters, plates, or create more cake stands in varied sizes, then arrange them until you are satisfied.

6. Make Favors 

There are countless tutorials for party favors. They could be as simple as confetti in little bags (which I've resorted to in a pinch). Fire-starters can be super easy to make, depending on the tutorial you use, plus they are really cheap. I made some with just wax and pinecones for a large event. If you are really pressed for time, though, you could also grab a bag of favors from Dollar Tree, put them in bags and add cute tags or ribbon.


These are the basic steps to creating a cheap, stylish party at the last minute. I hope my fellow procrastinators find this guide useful!

-Lauryn