October 26, 2017 by Ashley Leave a Comment

halloween: make a spooky halloween treat with this free spiderweb cake topper template!

Get this printable Halloween cake topper template and make your own spooky treat!

Halloween is around the corner, and that means many of you will be hosting parties this weekend! While I have a well known soft spot for Halloween (remember that time we created TWO Halloween Party Boxes?) this year has been so crazy I’m taking a bit of a breather while working on other projects. While that means I’ll be spending my Halloween party night catching up on some exciting new things it also means I get to live vicariously through you – by making sure you have the best party props possible.

Today’s DIY project is a SUPER easy last minute cake topper to take a regular treat to a spook-tacular dessert!

Now normally I am anti-spider, but I made an exception because it’s the perfect design to add that creepy-level to your party table. Plus, it’s so easy! All you need to make this spider web cake topper is this free printable template, an Xacto knife, and some construction paper. That’s seriously it! I used my Cricut machine to cut the design for me, but you could easily replicate the template with a knife and some patience.

I like to use thick cardstock from Michaels for my cake toppers because they can support their own weight. If you’re using regular construction paper, I’d suggest sizing the template down a bit (mine was about 6″ x 6″) so that there’s less surface to “fold” over on itself. I also used a long skewer to support the more fragile areas, and double as the base for the topper.

What do you think of this year’s cake topper template? Isn’t it super cute! What are you up to this Halloween? I want to hear all about it, so leave me a comment!

October 5, 2017 by Ashley Leave a Comment

wedding trends: catch the top three trends of 2017!

Check out my top three favourite wedding trends of 2017!

Are you looking for some wedding trends to make your wedding planning a bit smoother? You’re in luck because today I’m sharing some of my favourite wedding trends from this year! AND I’m so so excited, because as an added bonus it is ALMOST time to share the project I’ve been dying to tell you all about, so make sure you’re following me on social media @bythepartygirl because I promise you don’t want to miss this!

I’ve spent some time thinking about planning my dream wedding using some inspiration picked from the top wedding trends of this year – and pairing it with pieces from The Black Tux’s amazing collection! As many of you know weddings are a bit of an obsession of mine, and I’ve always felt the groom doesn’t get quite enough love! Today I’m breaking down three of the top colour trends of the year to help get you inspired, and, with the help of The Black Tux, giving you a leg up on the “what to wear” for the love of your life featuring my faves from their suit and tux collection!

Trend #1: Greenery

Since wedding trends often follow design and fashion patterns, it’s no surprise that the first wedding trend we’re sharing today features greenery! Even though it looks clean and eco-chic, this colour palette is anything but simple. While pops of greenery add a natural element that sets a romantic and soft tone, offsetting with touches of blush and cream make for the perfect complement.

What To Wear:

Keep your colour palette light and airy and go a little outside the box with this gorgeous tan suit!

Trend #2: Metallics

Your wedding day is all about you, so why not take advantage of the spotlight and go a little glam? It’s your day after all. Metallic accents are the perfect way to add some glitz and glamour to your celebration. Like I like to say – go big or go home! There’s no such thing as too much shine on your big day, so add those pops of gold wherever you want. Gold sequin bridesmaid dresses are such a huge trend this year, and for good reason – what an eye catcher!

What To Wear:

Your groom needs to look the part, so why not try this classic black tuxedo for the perfect pairing!

Trend #3: Navy & Blush

Full disclosure, I’m a little partial to this palette because (spoiler alert!) it’s the one that Fernanda is using for her wedding next year! I may be a little biased but my bestie has great taste, so it’s no surprise to see this pair making into the top three! The contrast of the deep navy with a sweet blush is the perfect mix of fun and fancy, and it looks great with some pops of gold and a little whimsy!

What To Wear:

Channel the fun in your man’s wardrobe with this bold coloured suit that will stand out in a crowd – but also match your wedding colours!

So what do you think? Do you have a favourite colour palette from the ones I’ve chosen above? Or better yet – what trends are you loving these days? Let me know in the comments below!

September 19, 2017 by Ashley Leave a Comment

make this bridesmaid proposal & flower girl printable freebie and diy!

Bridesmaid Proposals made easy with this FREE printable and easy, affordable DIY option!

In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve been giving slipping a few hints about some pretty big announcements I have coming up in the next few months. I’m beyond excited to share all the things I’m working on! However, in the meantime, I’ve definitely been around here a little less than usual. I promise that it will totally be worth it, but in an effort to make it up to you I thought I’d give you guys a special printable freebie and DIY project today that should come in handy as we roll into engagement season.

If you or someone you know is getting married and you haven’t heard of bridesmaid proposals, I’m going to stop you right there. Not only are they super trendy and all over Instagram, they’re also adorable and such a sweet way to celebrate your engagement with your besties. AND it’s a great excuse to give your girlfriends something special they can wear on your big day in a fun and unique way they’ll be dying to share all over Insta.

Today’s post is all about an easy DIY Bridesmaid Proposal gift that looks high end but comes in totally under budget! Jewelry is one of my all-time favourite things to gift. You can make even inexpensive (but super cute!) pieces look fantastic and perfectly wedding-appropriate. I thought a good freebie for you guys would be an easy flower girl ask card that works great with inexpensive jewelry for the special little girl in your life!

How To:

All you need is this floral Will You Be My Flower Girl printable, a small box, and some cute earrings. I found these flower earrings at Claire’s for less than $5! Use dull scissors or a scoring blade to gently score along the lines. Poke small holes into the front of the printable for the earrings and attach. Using double sided tape, adhere the printable to either side of the box. That’s it! How easy is that? For under $10 you have a gorgeous ask that looks anything but cheap!

August 29, 2017 by Ashley Leave a Comment

fairy tale party: get the details from this easy diy tenth birthday party for a little princess!

This fairy tale birthday party is full of easy, affordable details you can try at home!

Fairy tales rank pretty high on my list of priorities, especially when it means creating them for my younger sisters. After a summer obsessed with Beauty and the Beast and the new Disney Descendents movie, my sister Jordan, who turned ten this summer, requested a fairy tale theme for her birthday this year. The result was a pretty garden party fairy tale fit for any little princess, and a big hit for little girls with fairy wands and a lot of imagination.

Since I’ve been traveling a lot this summer this party had to be put together a bit last minute, and on a pretty tight budget. With the cost of summer camps these days I’m sure a lot of summer-baby parents can relate. This party was remarkably inexpensive and turned out perfectly for a group of ten-year-old girls. Read on below for some of my favourite details from the party!

The Details

Originally inspired by the castle grounds of the Beauty and the Beast remake – who wouldn’t be? – we knew from the start we wanted something that involved flowers. I used a faux-turf piece for the perfect “natural” table base. You can find them easily at your local Canadian Tire for about $5/foot.

The floral garlands are from Michaels; they were on clearance for about $1 each! Originally the vision was to put together a floral wall but since we were putting this together the night before we made some sacrifices. I think the simpler look actually worked in our favour.

I made these little pink favour boxes with glitter paper and pink candies from Bulk Barn. They looked super sweet and cost me pretty much nothing. Since the party was in the dead of summer and we tend to have a lot of kids running around, hydration is a big priority. I made these pretty floral water bottle wrappers to add a pretty detail to a practical party staple. Water bottle labels are always a great trick because they’re very low cost but make a big impact!

I used the rose cupcake wrappers from my Etsy shop and some crown toppers to make easy cupcakes, and cut out a simple paper crown for an easy, affordable cake topper. If you’re a Party Girl subscriber you probably read all about our last summer party, Lo’s emoji party, where the icing on our baked goods melted and ruined all my pictures. Jordan’s cake held up slightly better, but still had a pretty hilarious tilt. We ended up having to leave it on the cardboard base (it was not handling transferring very well) but the tilt gave it a whimsical look that looked almost purposeful. Gotta love when that happens!

The total cost of this party was about $20, including the ingredients for the cupcakes and cake! Isn’t that crazy? It also was easily put together in only a couple hours – which is the perfect kind of party for a busy mom on the go!

What do you think, will you borrow any of these ideas for your own fairy tale?