DIY Party Hat Template

My daughter, Molly, and I worked on a few crafts for our Valentine's Day Party last week.  We created some super cute, DIY party hats! Really, this is an easy project if you have the right tools and the creative possibilities are endless.  If you want to make festive party hats, you need:

• Hot glue gun, heavy duty tape, stapler 
• 1.75" and 2.25" round / or scalloped punches
• Card stock in colors and patterns 
• PSA Essentials stamp body loaded with the stamp of your choice and ink of your choice (for these I used a combo of Mr. & Mrs, Bouquet Toss, Smile, and Love Birds Peel & Stick packs.) 
• Hole punch 
• Pom-poms or ribbon embellishments to decorate. 
• Twine from The Twinery 

Here's a quick tutorial! 

Step 1:  Download and and print the below template on 8.5 x 11" paper. Use it to guide you through getting your card stock cut out. 

Step 2:  Stamp onto solid card stock using your PSA Essentials stamper, loaded with the ink of your choice and Peel & Stick stamp of your choice. 

Fold the card stock into a cone shape. You can either cut an insert (from the template) and fit inside, or you can staple or tape. For me, it's always easier to use heavy tape and a stapler, though it's probably more polished to cut and insert (more work...) 

Stamp onto card stock, punch out and adhere to scalloped punched card stock. Like shown below. Organize into stacks the glue on to the party hat.  Use your glue gun to glue on pom-poms to the top. 

Use a hole punch for the "straps" of the hat. Insert twine from The Twinery. Make sure it's long enough for people to wear and tie onto their heads. 

For more on these party hats and other decorations we made, visit the Valentine's Day Party post. 

DIY Party Hats

My cousin Reed, turned 18 years old Saturday and my parents threw him a little family celebration at their home on Hilton Head. We had a cookout, swam in the pool, enjoyed each other's company and celebrated with cake from Ronnie's Bakery. I spent some time Friday afternoon making my own birthday hats. I had attempted this several times before, but I think these ones were my best yet!  Here's a detailed look at how to create your own party hats from scratch (as well as some cute party pictures!)

You will need:

• 12 x 12 scrapbook paper 
• Scissors
• Scalloped hole punch 
• Circle hole punch 
• PSA Essentials stamper 
• Just a Note Peel & Stick stamps by PSA Essentials
• Glue gun 
• Painters tape 
• Small hole punch 
• Twine from The Twinery or Ribbon 
• Pom poms

Quickly and easily sketch out the cone shape on paper. It doesn't have to be perfect.  If you want it to be perfect, use this party hat template that I've used before from Oh Happy Day. Find it here. Also, these cones on 12 x 12 yield rather large party hats.  Smaller hats, you can make on 8.5 x 11 paper.

Roll the paper into a cone shape once you've cut out.

You will want to use painters tape or Scotch tape to temporarily secure the cone.  Then heat up your hot glue gun and secure permanently with glue.

To make them uniform, cut out using your first shape.

Load your PSA Stamper with "Happy Birthday" from PSA Just A Note Peel & Stick pack. Stamp onto white paper. Then punch out using your circle punch.

Using coordinating cardstock, punch out scallops on colorful paper.

Now prepare to glue by heating up your hot glue gun (best invention EVER.)  Glue the cones together. Glue the round stamped sentiments onto the scalloped ones. Then glue that to the cones. Use pom poms and ribbon to decorate the hats!

Your last step is to hole punch the sides and tie in ribbon. This is so the hats can sit securely on your guests heads!

I used a combination of ribbon from Paper Source, twine from The Twinery and white tulle.

They turned out really great, I was happy with how colorful they were and also how sturdy they were (that glue gun!)  Here's my daughter, Molly, modeling the "princess" style. This is the only one I used with tulle. I prefer how the twine looked. 

Here are some party pics! Here's Reed holding Molly in the pool! 

My mom had a cute idea to print out pictures of Reed and display them all over the house. 

My cousins Reed and Ben are the sweetest, nicest boys around. Since I am an only child, my cousins are like brothers to me. This summer, Reed has been my manny (male nanny!) The kids love spending time with him and we've been having fun together too. Happy 18th birthday Reed! 

Let me know what you think of the party hats! 

Cupcake Topper Tutorial

Someone's wife at PSA Essentials is having a baby, and seeing that we haven't gotten together as a company in awhile, I thought it would be fun to surprise him with some cupcakes and also to celebrate his baby girl due next week. I used the opportunity for an afternoon activity with my kids, Molly and Connor, and we crafted some cute and easy cupcake toppers using my PSA Essentials Carriage Peel & Stick stamp set.  Here's a quick tutorial on how to make these fun and easy toppers for your next party!

You'll need the following supplies for your cupcake toppers:

• PSA Essentials Carriage Peel & Stick stamps 
• PSA Standard Stamper loaded with pink ink or or acrylic block and ink pad 
• Cardstock 
• Toothpicks
• Hot glue gun or heavy duty adhesive 
• EK Success Scalloped Edge Punch (2.5") 

Start by stamping on cardstock. Use your helpers! Molly and Connor love stamping projects. 

When you have finished stamping, take your EK Success Scalloped Edge Punch and punch out. 

Use your hot glue gun or heavy duty adhesive to adhere the toothpicks to the paper. 

I got the cupcakes from our favorite bakery, Ronnie's Bakery in Bluffton. 

There were a few cupcakes left over which I was happy to bring home to the kiddos who REALLY enjoyed a mid-week treat out of nowhere! 

Congrats to the family expecting a baby girl! Be sure to share your cupcake toppers on our Facebook page or let us know any questions you might have here on our blog.