Don’t you love making a cute project that brightens up your home? These DIY Dixie Cup String Party Lights are so bright and happy! Make some to liven up a Spring party, use on your mantel this Summer, lighten up your porch or use in a kids room. There are so many possibilities!

Free Printable Scallop String Light Template

If you don’t have a craft cutting machine, don’t despair! I have created a free template! Just download this file and then print it out. Cut it out on card stock paper and trace the template onto scrapbook paper. I covered a new set of string lights with my NEW paper line – Groovy Darlin’ which is available at JoAnn Stores right now!!

My friend Brenda at Pebbles in My Pocket created lights like these for our Pebbles booth in January and as soon as I saw them I was in love! I love the little scallops at the bottom. I used my new Patio Party line of papers – which are FULL of bright happy colors and pretty patterns. I think they are the perfect papers to use with this project! You can buy them through Brenda’s Pebbles in My Pocket store online. And they are on sale right now.

Here’s how to make DIY Dixie Cup String Party Lights:

Supplies DIY Dixie Cup String Party Lights:

Coordinating scrapbook paper (I used my new Pebbles Patio Party line)

Scallop Cover Cut File

(just download this file to your computer and use it with your craft cutting machine)

Adhesive or a glue gun

Dixie Cups

String Lights (I used these battery-operated ones)

xacto knife

Craft Cutting Machine (optional. If you want to make the scallop ones I used they are a shape through the Cricut online store. But if you don’t have a craft cutting machine, you can trace your cups onto the back of your scrapbook paper with a pencil and roll the dixie cup as you trace until you have a shape that will cover the cup. Then just cut it out!)

Scissors

Directions DIY Dixie Cup String Party Lights:

Cut out the scallop cupcake liners on your craft cutting machine. Here is the link to the Scallop Cut File.

If you don’t have a craft cutting machine, you can trace your cups onto the back of your scrapbook paper with a pencil and roll the dixie cup as you trace until you have a shape that will cover the cup. Then just cut it out!

Cut an X into the bottom of each cup.

Turn each dixie cup over and cut a small X into the center of each cut cup with an xacto knife.

Cover the dixie cups with paper covers.

Put a dab of glue on the edge of the bottom of a cup, line up the edge of the paper cover and wrap it around the edge of the bottom of the cup until the back edge overlaps the front edge. Put a line of glue along the back edge of the wrapper and hold down until dry.

String the dixie cups onto the string lights.

If your cups fall off the string, just put a dap of glue or hot glue at the edge of the X and the lights to keep them attached.

Enjoy your new DIY Dixie Cup Party String Lights!

And I have the PERFECT thing that will look SO cute with your new dixie cup string lights, this spiffed up lightbox with paper flowers and a spray painted stand!

Seriously though, how CUTE are these together?? I want to throw a party JUST to show off these colorful projects I made!! You can get the paper for both of these projects here. 

What projects are YOU working on for Spring? 

Share them with ME in the comments!!!! 

Have a beautiful day! 

xoxo

I am a designer with Pebbles Inc. and American Crafts. I love working with them and it’s a dream come true!! 

The post DIY Dixie Cup String Party Lights – with cut file! appeared first on Tatertots and Jello.

Happy Holidays everyone!!

I love changing up my Holiday mantel each year – but it can be expensive. I would love to share with you an inexpensive way to brighten up your mantel. And if you don’t have a mantel, you can use this idea on a shelf or even use it for a dessert table for a party!!

Holiday Party Mantel

The main part of this project are paper tissue fans — you can get them at your local party store for about $2 each!

Here’s what I did to make my Holiday Party Mantel:

• I assembled my Tissue Paper Fans. I bought 2 different colors.And I also bought some smaller snowflake fans.

• Then I found two different, coordinating scrapbook papers.

• And I used a big punch to cut out some background paper.

• Then I used a smaller punch to cut out white cardstock.

• I cut out some vinyl on my Silhouette machine. But you could use some sticky scrapbook letters.I spelled out “MERRY” but you can spell out anything you want. If you were hosting a birthday party you could spell out the birthday person’s name, or for New Years — “2012”.

• I used some Bakers Twine from Twisted Sugar Twine and attached them to the top of the fans and hung them on the mantel.

• Another inexpensive idea is that I wrapped the candles on my mantel with wrapping paper. This is also a super easy and inexpensive idea to bring your holiday colors into your home decor.

• I also framed a free printable {from Today’s Creative Blog} and the printable was a little small for my frame so I put some polka-dotted wrapping paper behind the printable for a little holiday color!!

• Add a little greenery and some colorful picks and you have a fun, festive Holiday Mantel!!

 For more holiday ideas and inspirations — check out these other #HolidayHQ posts today for festive ideas!!  And  come join us on Twitter Thursday, December 8th  at 8pm EST for the super fun #HolidayHQ tweet chat for even more holiday ideas – come share YOUR ideas!!

Be sure to check out these fun (these ladies are so talented)#HolidayHQ ideas:

xoxo

PS — I’m linking this up to 30 Day’s Pity Party and Home Stories A2Z Mantel Party — be sure to check it out for AMAZING Mantel ideas!!

The post Easy and Inexpensive Holiday Party Mantel Decor!! appeared first on Tatertots and Jello.