Napkin Rings for Any Party or Theme Easy Tutorial

For my 50s dinner party, I wanted to make napkin rings that would stand out and also serve as place setting cards for my table. 

But I am pretty frugal in that I don't want to spend money on something that I will only use once or twice.  So in thinking about my dilemma and walking around the craft store, I came upon a great idea.

I found these napkin rings at Hobby Lobby.  They come 8 in a package and are labeled "colonial style".  I really like this style because it works PERFECTLY for the napkin rings I plan to make.

I then spray painted mine black.  That's a pretty universal party accent color.

Although I do plan to make a white set too.

I then cut some patterned paper that matches my party theme into 3/4 inch by 5 3/4 inch paper strips.  (The pattern part only needs to be 5 1/2 inch, but you need a little to tuck under when securing your ring.)

You can use purchased pattern paper if you want.  I wanted to put Names on mine so I printed out paper and made the name 2 inches long so it showed on the front of the napkin ring.

Wrap your paper around the wooden ring.  It should just fit inside the notched area of the Colonial Style.

Put a little bit of glue on the underside and secure the paper ring together.

Now you have a set of interchangeable napkin rings that will fit any party theme or color scheme.

When you're ready to change, just remove the paper strip and use new paper!

CHEAP, CUTE, and EASY PEASY!

REMEMBER: Be sure to come and enter your favorite party post on our first ever Shindig Saturday Linky party! You'll be entered to win a fun personalized party favor from our Home Store.

Check out the Linky Parties we are linking up with HERE

Shout Out Sunday

Here's my favorite party projects from around the web this week.

Living Craftily Ever After made this Gumball Topiary for her daughter's birthday party.  I love the bright color!  You could make this in almost any color for any theme party and it would fit right in on your dessert table.  And you should see what she made with the leftover gumballs!  So cute!!

Inspired Honey Bee gave the directions on how to make Little Bunting Flags for your next party.  These are all the HIP Rage right now.  I'm not very good with fabric, so its a good thing this tutorial seems pretty easy...even to me.  I may even switch from my paper buntings.

Crafts By Mommy made these fun Cupcake Toppers for her Sister-in-Law's birthday party.  I just love how using pictues make the cupcakes so personal and fun.  Her Sister-in-Law looks like she would really enjoy these!

A Pretty Life in the Suburbs shared the tutorial on these Pretty Jars with Chalkboard writing.  I think these would be so cute filled with candy and a pretty fabric topper.  Wouldn't that make a great, cheap, and easy party favor?

Read It & Eat shared the directions on making this yummy Vanilla Popcorn.  I've heard that having a popcorn bar (much like a candy bar) is a growing trend in the party and wedding world.  Wouldn't this Vanilla popcorn go great with a table filled with other flavors?  YUM!

Snips and Snails shared 10 Tips and Tools for Frosting Cakes.  With the "need" for cakes and  or cupcakes at almost every party and the price of store bought cakes, I think it's great to know how to do this yourself.  I love how she does such a good job of explaining everything so personably!

REMEMBER: Be sure to come and enter your favorite party post on our first ever Shindig Saturday Linky party! You'll be entered to win a fun personalized party favor from our Home Store.

Feel free to grab a button

for your blog or website if you'd like!

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Shindig Saturday Party Blog Hop

It's confession time...I love to blog hop. 

It's become a huge obsession of mine.  I could happily spend every hour of every day looking at other peoples projects, lives, and parties.  Okay, so maybe not that much...but close.

I have recently discovered Blog link parties.

(Can I just say...GENIUS!)

I love to look at this great collection of ideas all in one place.  There are some truly amazing bloggers out there with some truly amazing talent.

I am now hoping to throw a new kind of party.  One that I've never tried before.

I want to have a blog link party.  Will you join me?

Will you share your party photos?  Your tablescapes?  Your desert bars? Your decorations? Your favors?  Your recipes?  Your invitations?  

Anything at all even remotely stretched to be enjoyed by a fun party enthusiast?  I'd love to see it ALL!

And you can't go to a party without leaving with a fun party favor...so I'm going to give away one personalized name plaque from my Home store next week!  Just add your link to enter!

(We'll use a random generator to pick the winner next Saturday morning.)

Linky Party Guidelines:

* Link up to your OWN project post, not just your blog, but your actual post. (We want to see it!)

*Grab a Shindig Saturday button for your post or blog page.  (Hey, it benefits us all!)

*Stay and enjoy the party by visiting and commenting on other's projects. (It's fun to mix and mingle!)

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Now Let's Party...

50s Sock Hop Diner Tablescape

Our Sock Hop party plans continue on.

Today, I'm showing you my Fifties Dinner Tablescape.

I kept my turquoise and hot pink color that's running through my Sock Hop party.

I couldn't find a cheap tablecloth in a matching color, so I hit the bed sheet section at Walmart.  They have colored sheets, and if you purchase the Twin size flat sheet, you can get a tablecloth for only $4.00.

I fell in love with the Black and White checkered flooring of the old diners, so I made a matching table runner to go down the center of my dinner table.

To make that, I simply cut 4 inch squares of black and white card stock and taped them together on the underside into a diagonal square pattern.  Turned out CUTE!

I used the Juke box candy bouquet that I made HERE as the centerpiece of my table.

I cut out music notes with my Craft Robo onto black card stock and hung them from the chandelier above my table.  It hangs right over the Jukebox so it kind of looks like you can actually see the music playing.

I found these great ceramic Salt and Pepper shakers at Hallmark.  I just LOVE them!

They look like old fashioned Ketchup and Mustard containers so they fit perfectly with the 50s Diner Theme.

For the place settings, I bought some old Coca Cola mugs from Dollar Tree. (Gotta love that store for cheap party accessories!)

For each place setting, I used a large record I bought from my local Goodwill as a plate charger.

I found these Hot Pink plates at the party section of Walmart.  (Hobby Lobby has a set that I REALLY wanted, but at 4.00 each, I just couldn't justify it...especially since this wasn't a 40% off coupon week.)

I finished off my place setting with silverware and my napkins and napkin rings.

I REALLY love the way the whole thing worked out.

What do you think?

Using Records in your Sock Hop Party Decorating

Records were a BIG part of the 50s Sock Hop scene, so using them in your party plans and decorating scheme is a great and easy idea.

I wanted to show you some of my plans to incorporate records into my party decorations.

Use the records as plate chargers at the dinner table.

Use as a cupcake or treat stand.

Melt into a bowl for snacks at your dinner or dessert table.

Stack into a decorative serving tray.

(I don't have an actual picture yet, since I haven't gone and gotten the 45rpm records yet)

Use as a banner behind the dessert table or on the front entrance wall to your party.

Sock Hop Fifties Birthday Party

While searching the web for ideas, I've had a hard time finding some REAL parties with a Fifties Sock Hop theme.  I don't know if it's just not a popular theme or if people are so jealous with their ideas.

Finally after days of looking, I stumbled across Just A Frugal Mom blog.  Wow!

She threw her daughter an amazing Sock Hop party.

It started with this fun record invitation.  It's great how it is so easy and great looking with the record.  And the poem is a great, themed touch!

She made some great simple decorations to make the kitchen into a fun Soda Shop.  The black and white squares on the counter are just genius!  The banner is beautiful in the pink and turquoise shades.  Adds a sweet personalized touch.

Her garage decorations just blow me away!  The black and white sides are a great idea to hide the fact that you are in a garage and not a real dance hall.  My favorite is the black and white checkered dance floor though.  Isn't that awesome....and a very frugal way to add a real touch.  LOVE that!

This CD is a great party favor idea.  Isn't it clever how she made the CD look like a record? It's all in the details and Just A Frugal Mom has them all.  Check out her full post HERE for more great pictures!

Fabulous Fifties Party Guide

My father in law is getting old.  (Yea, you can tell him I said that.)  We have a fun, teasing relationship that started when I was 13.  So, I can tease him that he's getting old this year, VERY old.

So they are throwing him a suprise birthday party (Shhhhh....don't tell him that.  I'm pretty sure he doesn't read my blog, so I think we're okay.)  The theme of the party is the Fabulous Fifties with Sock Hops and Soda Fountains.  It's gonna be a Rockin' Party.

Since I've been asked to help out with some fun details of the party, I am going to share my preperations for our Blog party theme this next two weeks.  I hope that I can materialize half the great ideas that are in my head.  We'll have to see.

Usually today is my day to share a gift guide with other small business men and women on Etsy.  I'm not anti-Etsy, despite our little disagreement.  I actually went and tried to put together a gift guide.  There was a suprising lack of Fifties themed party items there.

So instead, I'm going to share a few items I found around the web this weekend while Blog surfing for ideas.

I just LOVE these Pink Paper Staws from HeyYoYo's Etsy shop.  I know these straws are very HOT at lots of parties this season.  I can't wait to add these to some Coke bottles or glasses for my dinner table.

I think this 50s Diner Soda Shop Fun Room is pretty cool from Shindigz.  While they aren't a small business really, I love that they are family owned and run.  This room would be great as a scene setter for behind our desert table or in our dinning room with the table.

I think this Fifties Car Prop from DND-shop's Ebay store would be awesome to have as a photo booth at the party. 

Shout Out Sunday

I did manage to find the time to do a little blog surfing this week as a way to find my "Me" time with all the craziness upon my return from my Texas trip.

Here's my favorite party and decorating ideas from around Blog land.

My Sweet Things made this Decorative Vase Wrap and shared the easy tutorial.  I Love how this makes a dramatic impact on your party table when you pair it with some pretty flowers and a clear vase.  It adds a touch of elegance that could go with any theme.

Funky Polka Dot Giraffe made this yummy Rainbow Jello treat.  I am a HUGE fan of Jello and think it makes a great dessert at any party.  You can cut it into almost any shape, make it in any color, and can make it so it can travel around with small hands.

Infarrantly Creative made these great iPhone Magnets as a fun gift.  If you aren't having a I-phone party (has anyone done this? Wow.  Wouldn't that be something) you can make this work with any party theme.  Just switch out the iPhone pics for pics from your theme.  This would make a GREAT, cheap, and easy party favor to send home with your guests.

From Glitter to Gumdrops made some uber-cute Milk & Cookies invites for a baby shower.  I love how she incorporated the milk carton look with Cookie Crips inside.  What a clever invitation.  She even shared a new (to me) and clever way to tie them up without having to tie a traditional not.  LOVE IT!

I'm Topsy Turvy shared these great Stamped Party Plates.  I love how clever and unique this idea is.  With a stack of white plates (I must have a TON in my home and party cupboards) you can personalize each party setting using one set of plates.  So great!