countdown to sparkle party

Now that I've got a (very) little bit of a break between big deadlines, I'm pretty much vibrating at high craft frequency at all times, always thinking two projects ahead (I know you know what I'm talking about).  My daughter's third birthday party is on Saturday, & she has once again proved the excellence of her tiny self by requesting a sparkle party.  (I know I've mentioned this before, but typing out the words just thrills me:  sparkle party!  I italicize it when I say it out loud, too.)  She came up with the idea by herself, I swear, although it's not like there isn't any inspiration around here that might nudge her in that direction.

Yesterday I went up to the party supply store for plates & etc, & while I was there I got some of their big cardboard letters (well, 4", my kid has a long name).  I'd been out shopping earlier & seen a name banner made out of letters covered in vintage wallpaper & then strung on a ribbon, & while I was sort of admiring it (I love the idea, but would rather spend the $90 it would cost to put her name together on, say, a piece of actual original art (or pots of glitter!  or groceries!), also, though I really do like it, sweet pink floral vintage wallpaper isn't exactly my gig), it hit me that I could get my own letters & cover them with, wait for it, glitter.

You know how sometimes you try out an idea & it turns out better than you expected, maybe makes you wiggle a little with glee?  Yeah.  I painted the letters in shades of pink first (all the same red, mixed with varying amounts of white), then covered them with different colors of translucent pink glitter.  They are super-fantastic.  Now I just have to figure out how I want to string them -- because of the smallish size & the font I picked, I don't think I can drill stringing holes in them without breaking some of the more delicate letters, so I will probably glue them onto the ribbon (which brings up its own set of fun choices:  thin or thick?  Single or double?)  This will be up on the dining room wall for the party, then I'll hang it up in her bedroom.

Lest you think I am a sparkle party genius, I also managed to come up with the flip side of the crafting experience, which is when you try out an idea & not only was your vision flawed in a practical sort of way, but once you get it up & running you're not sure if it was really worth your time.

Here's the start of a garland that was definitely better on paper, but it's starting to grow on me, & I think that when I finish it & loop it around our light fixture with lots of balloons, it will have at least a hint of the ribbony-dotty-sparkly excellence I was hoping for.

Now I just have to make the party shirts & find a good recipe for chocolate cupcakes with pink frosting.

And also stop fantasizing about the pincushion I want to make once all this is over. 

Comments

[Blair]

Those letters are really wonderful! I hardly know you, but you definitely don't "feel" like a vintage-wallpaper-covered-long-name-all-strung-up kind of gal. This is a brilliant idea, I love that you did them in shades of pink, rather than all the same. How fun. I noticed at Anthropolgie that they finally have some new versions of those chunky fabric covered letters they carry. Although I love them, you may have just convinced me to try covering some on my own. I'm sprucing up my son's room, could be a fun idea in some cute boyish fabric (plus his name only has 3 letters).

[Carrie]

I love those letters! And I think you underestimate the garland! I'd love to have that strung up somewhere.

And, if you get too stressed out, or in too much of a time crunch, consider ordering the cupcakes UNFROSTED from the bakery or market and frosting them yourself. That's what I did last week for my bash. Worked like a dream. Good luck - take pictures!

[Sara]

LOVE the sparkly letters! How fun is that? Sounds like it's going to be quite a party. As for chocolate cupcakes, my favorites are from cooks illustrated - here: (the directions say these don't double well and to make 2 batches if you think you'll need more)

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
(makes 12)
8 T unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 C Dutch-processed cocoa
3/4 C unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 t baking soda
3/4 t baking powder
2 large eggs
3/4 C sugar
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 t table salt
1/2 C sour cream

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with baking cup liners.

Combine first three ingredients in medium heatproof bowl. Melt ingredients using a double-boiler or a saucepan over simmering water. Whisk until smooth and combined. Set aside to cool, until just warm to the touch.

Whisk flour, baking soda and baking powder in small bowl to combine.

Whisk eggs in medium bowl to combine; add sugar, vanilla, and salt and wisk until fully incorporated. Add cooled chocolate mixture; whisk until fully combined. Alternate about 1/3 of flour mixture with the sour cream into chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. End with remaining flour mixture and whisk until batter is homogenous and thick.

Divide batter among muffin pan cups. Bake until toothpick comes out clean, 18-20 minutes.

Cool in pan on wire rack, about 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature before icing, about 30 minutes.

Easy Vanilla Bean Buttercream

10 T unsalted butter, softened
1/2 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
1 1/4 C confectioners' sugar
pinch table salt
1/2 t vanilla extract
1 T heavy cream

In standing mixer with whisk attachment, beat butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into butter and beat mixture at medium-high speed to combine, about 15 seconds. Add confectioners' sugar and salt; beat at medium-low until most of the sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds. Scrape down bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully combined, about 15 seconds. Scrape bowl, add vanilla extract and heavy cream. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Scrape down bowl occasionally. Note: If using a handheld mixer, increase mixing times by at least 50%.

[Lee]

Hi i was just wondering where you bought you letters from ?

[Ana]

Would love step by step instructions on the letters. They look perfect! I tried to make some, but the glitter didn't quite stick on evenly.

Thanks!

Ana