Special celebrations call for special surprises. Sometimes, special celebrations call for personalisation of decorations to match the person, their interests or their celebration. At times, purchasing decorations and celebratory items can get costly.
If you are looking for a simple decoration to pop on top of cupcakes or sweets, that will reflect the event or the special person, and will cost next to nothing (besides a little of your time), then this tutorial could be for you!
Items that you will need:
- Water paints - borrow a water paint set from the children or add some water to acrylic paint to create your own water colour.
- paint brush or cotton bud
- scissors
- pencil
- permanent marker
- paper - I used an old book page, but anything that will allow water paint to be applied will suffice.
- a coin - the size of the finished item or a circle hole punch (I used a 20c coin)
- toothpicks or popsticks (if you want 12 cupcake toppers, you will need 12 toothpicks/popsticks
- glue/glue stick (non-toxic as it will be near your cupcakes!)
Trace around the coin with the pencil. Repeat until you have the required amount. Keep space between them (at least the same size as the circle). I have left the space to the left of the circle. Alternatively, punch out twice the amount of circles from the paper (ie. if you wish to have 12 cupcake toppers, punch out 24).
Cut between the circles to separate them. Fold the spare space underneath the circle.
Holding the folded paper together, cut around the circle, hence creating two circles at once.
There should now be two paper circles for each finished cupcake topper.
Flip over the circles to make sure that any pencil is not seen. Using the paint brush or cotton bud and the water colour paints, paint over each circle your chosen colour(s), keeping in mind that two circles will be required for each topper, hence if you wish to have a green background for a topper, paint two circles green. Allow to dry.
Next, draw a chosen design in the middle of each circle with the permanent marker (try out your design on scrap paper first to ensure that you are happy with the look). I chose a simple leafy plant motif to be displayed on my cake toppers, but you could choose anything! Some suggestions include: a love heart, a number (the age of the special person if it is a birthday celebration, eg. '40' for a 40th birthday), a letter (the initial of the special person), a star, a happy face, etc.
To create the same leafy plant motif, begin by drawing an ascending, wavy line.
Next, draw two little loops down the bottom of the wavy line. Draw each loop opposite each other, with the wavy line down the middle, separating them.
Keep drawing the pairs of little loops, ascending the wavy line...
... until there is no more wavy line and the top reached.
Now to assemble the toppers...
Carefully place glue on the back of two matching circles. Place the toothpick/pop stick in the middle of one of the gluey circles and place the other gluey circle on top, ensuring the motifs are facing up the right way.
With your finger, rub the edge of the toothpick, pushing the paper gently against the edge of the toothpick to ensure that it is firmly in place and not wobbly. Allow to dry.
NOTE: As the bottom part of the topper will be poked into the food, try to keep it clear of glue and gluey fingers.
Finished! Something fairly quick and easy to make to add a special, persoanl touch to party food (with the bonus of being inexpensive).
Have fun creating!
~ Jen.
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