birthday crafts- pennant banner, cake stand, homemade trophies.

Birthday Pennant Banner-
mine took 10 minutes.
i just used one black poster board.
cut it into 5 inch wide strips, piled 3 together and eyeballed cutting out triangles.
they don't have to be perfect, you can't even tell...
i had some bulletin board letters from a teacher's store that i stapled on.
glue is too messy and staples are easy to remove.
i folded my ribbon in half and counted out the middle of my sign.
happy (space) birthday! is 15... so letter 8 is the middle "i"
i started with the middle letter "i" and worked out- STAPLING each banner to the ribbon.
on one banner i stapled the ribbon on the back and the other i stapled it on front- just see what you like.
i hung them on my mantle/wall with thumbtacks or picture hanging nails.
easy. cute. simple.

Re-Usable Cake Stands-
i wanted different levels on the table.
sometimes is stick bowls or pots under the table cloth or table runner.
but, this time i just took a wide vase and a mug and placed plates on top of them.
it was an easy way to make things look a little fancy.

Homemade Trophies-
i've done this a few times for youth events.
i just find old McDonald's toys and hot glue them to a can of beans or baby food jars.
spray paint everything silver (or gold)
and TAH DAH!!  (you could print out a sign to glue or tape to the front of the can, if you want.)
easy, kinda cute, and the kids love them.
i do tell the kids not to keep them forever because there is still black beans inside.

once again, i feel silly sharing these ideas with you because they are so simple.
i don't have a lot of time or money to spend on decorations... so i am really fast and really cheap.
i also bought a bag of balloons that i just had my kids blow up and throw all over the basement.
the kids played with them all night long.
i don't think birthday parties need to be super fancy.
but, i might feel differently if i didn't have seven children.
have a great day!!