DIY Baby Tutu-torial: How to Make a Tutu for a 1st Birthday Party or Just for Fun!

My niece recently turned one and the day before her party, we were faced with the adorable challenge of making her a tutu to wear for the celebration! Here's how it turned out...

Here's What We Used: 

Celebrate It Occasions Tulle Fabric at Michaels ($2.99 per roll x 4- we used 1 roll of each of 4 colors)

Celebrate It Head to Toe Headbands at Michaels ($2.49 for a set of 2)

Celebrate It 360 Satin Pink polka dot ribbon at Michaels ($4.99 for a 1.5"x4 yd spool)

Scissors

Hot Glue Gun, Hot Glue (We had this)

Some time & lots of love <3

Total Cost: $19.50  (a little less with coupons)

Note: This tulle wasn't the best, but it was the best that we had available at the time. It turned out really cute, but maybe there's a better option out there that would hold its shape a little better during the event (this one sort of crumpled up a little as she wore it). 

Here's What We Did: 

1. We placed the headband (which became a stretchy waistband) around something so we could work with it and turn it easily. We used the top of this chair so it didn't stretch out too much. 

2. We cut the tulle into pieces that were about 18" long. (Well, we cut them about 26" long and they were too long, so in the end they were about 18). If you wanted a longer skirt, 26" would go to most babies' ankles or so. This ended up going about to her knees.  

3. We folded each piece of tulle in half and threaded it through a hole in the bottom row of headband spaces, pulling it back through itself to make a little knot and hold it in place.

4. We alternated colors- skipping a hole each time- all the way around the bottom row before moving to the next row up. We found that this spacing worked well for us. We continued this for 3 or 4 rows until we completed the top of the headband (skirt). 

5. We tried it on the little horse stuffed animal, since the baby wasn't around at the time. The stretchy headband gave us confidence that it would be perfect!

6. I looped a piece of the pink polka dot ribbon around what would be the back of the skirt (I covered the part of the headband that was seamed together so it wouldn't show). Then I tied a sweet bow and glued it in place with the hot glue gun. 

Doesn't it look great with the onesie my sister ordered online?! (Link to seller coming soon)

7. Since the headband pack had another headband, I glued another little bow with the pink ribbon and attached it to the 2nd headband for Alexis to wear on her head!

Everything turned out great for the party, and she looked absolutely precious in her outfit with white tights and cute white shoes. Happy birthday, Alexis!

Have you made or bought a tutu? What tips do you have?  
We noticed that Target has quite a few tutus for sale for little girls, but not in the same color scheme. I think it would actually be fun to make more of these, so if anybody is looking for one, let me know!

By the Way...
Wondering how to make those adorable pom pom decorations? Check out Brianna's guest post here!

Want to make a big splash at a Summer party? How about this Fun in the Sun cupcakes?!

Are you ready for Memorial Day, the 4th of July, and other celebrations of 'Merica? You are now!

Want to celebrate Taco Tuesday, your Mexican heritage or just rock out with some delicious food? How about a fiesta? 

Attending a wedding this Summer and not sure what to wear? Check out this post for help!

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Something Scary is Right Around the Corner...

Wedding season is in full swing, and we're in the midst of 3 wedding weekends in a row that we have the pleasure of attending as guests! It's been a blast attending my Mom's wedding 2 weeks ago, then our college friend Chai's wedding last weekend, and looking forward to our golf/Florida friend Ryan's wedding this weekend! More on those soon, but right now, I'm feeling excited about Halloween! It's now officially October, which means we're getting close. Last year, I wrote A Halloween Post Just for Boo, sharing some of the ideas we'd seen and used in previous years. This year, I'm sharing a few favorites from last year, as well as some Pinterest favorites I've seen!

To Do:

Fall is here and it's so beautiful outside. Visit a Pumpkin Patch or an Apple Orchard!

To Make for a Party- or Just for Fun:

Blood Shots (red jello shots) and Urine Samples (yellow jello shots)

Party Punch- Sherbet and Ginger Ale (we used pink sherbet for its color)

Creepy Ice Hands- Freeze water in a latex glove, then peel the glove away. Place in punch or cool drink bowl for a scary touch. 

Zombie Eyeballs- These were SO delicious! Our friend Jenn made them with- if I'm remembering correctly- ketchup and jelly- on meatballs, skewered with an olive. 

Miscellaneous dippers and dips- Ginger Snaps, mini Graham Crackers and pretzels in peanut butter icing or pumpkin dip. 

Apple-tizers! Apples (from the orchard) with caramel, peanut butter and raisins. 

To Decorate:

Decorate a box for fun straws and fill with plastic spiders! Place near drinks. 

Put a fake skull in the microwave. Add mini strobe light. Be amazed. 

We put a little magnetic board up with word magnets in the hallway outside our bathroom. That way, if there was a wait, at least there was something to do. We got a flickering bulb from Party City and dressed the area up a bit. 

Mini cauldron filled with candy= a must. 

The entrance to our place. 

'Blood' clings on the window, jars of unknown stuff on the windowsill. I made these with water, food coloring, and whatever I could find. I think the left one had raisins, the middle one had lumps of butter, and the right one had a plastic spider. They were a cool touch, and we used them as decorations for the whole month. 

TV on static= yes. 

White board marker transforming this sweet, homey decoration= eek. 

Happy Halloween sign, streamers, toilet cling, little coffin with reese's pieces, lamp covered in green paper to darken an area. Fun touches :) 

To Dress Up:

Our friend Kevin dressed up as one of the guys from CaddyShack. You can see some more decorations in the background. We found a screensaver with that flickering pumpkin and pulled it up on the computer. 

We went as a Social Media Couple- a Hashtag (friends wrote on his # throughout the night) 

and a 'Pin-up' Girl! 

David & Brianna were Flynn Rider and Rapunzel from Tangled. They made her wig- it was amazing- and wrote a guest post to share the DIY project that won her the Best Costume award of 2013! 

Check it out here!

and find these two on Twitter

@DaveLevenson and @BriannaAdam1

Just For Fun:

Our local Giant and Coca Cola (grocery store) make a fun, festive soda display for many of the holidays and celebrations throughout the year. This was last year's. They're pretty awesome. 

Some of My Favorite Halloween Pins: 

It's easy to find Halloween sweets and treats, but make sure to put out some healthier options at your spooktacular celebration! Banana ghosts, clementine/orange pumpkins, 'pumpkin' devilled eggs, a pumpkin veggie tray, a pumpkin guacamole puke display (gross but great!) and cheese pretzel brooms, just to name a few! 

Some fun decorations! Love the starched cheesecloth ghost in the middle, and the Dead & Breakfast sign on the right!

...and for some slightly less healthy options, Graveyard Pudding Cups (so easy!), a Halloween candy table, and a Pick Your Poison candy jar! Find more ideas and get Pinspired here. 

It's time to start getting ready for Halloween 2014. Do you have any fun, easy, festive ideas to share? Are you dressing up? Decorating? Having or attending a party? Leave a comment below and inspire us!

By the way...

Do you love themed parties? The Roaring 20's Are Making a Comeback!

Are you or a friend planning an Engagement Photo Shoot? Click here for the popular 5 W's post and LOTS of great ideas! 

Want to amaze your dinner guests this holiday season? Check out this post about napkins, and learn some cool folds while you're at it!

Do you know a Proud Nittany Lion? Share this post  about throwing a great Penn State bash and bringing little pieces of Happy Valley into the happiest day of your life!

Want to check out some great wedding tunes? Check out this post, which is updated often!

Putting together bathroom baskets for a wedding or celebration? Click here for great tips and inspiration! 

Are you in a wedding party and not quite sure what to do next? Check out this post to get prepped and rock it! 

Changing your name post-wedding? Click here for the long and short of it. 

Check out the most popular posts along the sidebar (scroll up!), including Weddings Across the Board- a series devoted to the cultural & traditional awesomeness that goes into wedding celebrations around the world- with coordinating Pinterest boards, of course!

Don't forget to check out, follow & share the Wediquette Pinterest page!  

Do you have a request for a wedding, holiday or party-related post? Leave a comment anytime! 

A Halloween Post Just For BOO!

Since we love Halloween- the chance to dress up ourselves and our apartment- and creativity, we often host a Halloween party. We ask guests to come dressed up (if they are so inclined), we decorate our place so it's a little (okay, maybe a lot) creepier than usual, we prepare some fun food and drinks, and we request that guests bring along an appetizer or a dessert to share that has a Halloween twist.  Here are a few of the ideas that we've seen or that we're planning for this year's Monster Bash! Enjoy...

Deviled Eyeballs

Dirt Dessert Graveyard with Milano headstones and marshmallow ghosts

Mummy Dogs! 

Our insurance-inspired costumes a few years back

The dining area

The bar (and black light)

The sitting area 

/living room

The creepy hallway!

A spider we made with a styrofoam ball, pipe cleaners, spiderwebs (to make it glow in the blacklight), a marker, and hanging with fishing line and a thumbtack. 

The key hook and sign 

A picture covered in webs (see the spider?!)

You could see the skeleton's silhouette from outside!

Candy and a way to bring in a little nature

Another year, we got this tablecloth (Paint the Town DEAD) and matching cups

Zombie wall from Shindigz

Just got these this year at Joann Fabric! Martha Stewart cling faces. Great for party glasses! 

A bag of faces that says 'Pick a Face & Stick it On A Glass!' 

Just made these cool candles. I had the vases, printed silhouette pics on the computer, taped the paper around the vases and then taped a 2nd piece of white paper over that. Add a candle inside and voila! The bats were a little tougher, since I couldn't find a printable sheet of multiple bats. I printed 2- in different sizes- and cut out a few in each size on black construction paper. Taped them onto the glass, covered in paper, and here it is! Safety note: DO NOT tape anything inside the vase :P

NOTE: If you'd like to make a good party punch, mix Ginger Ale (or Cherry Ginger Ale) and Sherbet. Pick a color/flavor and go with it. If you mix it shortly before your party, you'll have a nice foam on the top. Yum!

Hope these ideas were helpful. We're excited about Halloween and hope it TREATS (or at least tricks) you well this year!! 

Max's Sesame Street 1st Birthday Party

This cutie turned one in May and his mommy went all out to create a really special Sesame Street birthday party for him! Check out the pics below for the fun games, delicious food, adorable cupcakes, and even sweeter one year old Max! Catch a glimpse of his doggy, Piper, and some of the colorful decor. Thanks for sharing such a special celebration, Kimber!