{create} tissue snowflake tutorial

Thank you all so much for taking the time to comment on and share our red, white & silver christmas dessert table!! 

Here is the tutorial I promised for creating tissue snowflakes!

I hope I have described everything clearly enough for you!! Might be a good idea to look through all the instructions before you start! Any problems please let me know!! x

These instructions are for creating a small tissue snowflake, finished size approx 24cm.  You can create 4 of these small snowflakes from just one sheet of tissue!!

1. Take a single sheet of tissue paper

2. Cut into quarters (set three pieces aside, you just need one piece to create your snowflake) 

3 & 4. Working with the tissue paper in a portrait orientation, create an acordian fold approx 2cm thick. 

5. Collapse folds

6. Take one end and fold in half (width-wise), ready for cutting.  (You will be cutting both ends with an identical pattern, so keep the cuts for the first end in top half of length.)

7. Start with a rounded cut on the folded edge, then snip out a 'v'

8. Cut a long curved shape from the open edge.

 9. Now cut a longer curved shape from the folded edge
10. And finally a small curved shape from the open egde
11. Repeat these cuts at the other end (to make them the same at both ends, fold in half and trace your cuts from the first end)
12. Open flat, so that you can see the pattern you have created

13. Fold and create a crease in the centre
14. Open flat, and place a staple across the centre
15. Take a single layer from each half, and meet them up
16. Staple together at top and closer to the centre, then repeat for other side, so that you have a round fan shape.

Hang with transparent line.

Try changing the pattern to create different designs!  The one above has a simple rounded end, with just two curved shapes trimmed from each side.

Have fun...and as always we would love to see your creations!!

Tanya x

{real parties} christmas dessert table

One of my best friends, Heidi, recently asked me to help out with a dessert table for a Christmas quiz night she was planning for the local junior tee-ball club...how could I resist??

Working with a very limited budget (& timeframe), we created this gorgeous red, white and silver dessert table!!  

Guests enjoyed a delicious chocolate fountain with marshmallow snowmen, wafer sticks and strawberries...plus sweet treats; jaffas, cool mints, chocolate santas and sour straps!! ...You will notice the chocolate fountain missing from the images...unfortunately I only had a few moments to snap a couple of shots after it had been added and they are all a little blurry...needless to say, it was delicious!!

I hope you enjoy taking a look and maybe even get some ideas for a christmas function you have coming up!!

I love the simplicity of the red, white and silver...the twinkle of the glass and baubles, the shimmer of the silver and the texture of the tissue snowflakes...

Heidi set the guests tables with a white tablecloth, silver wire tinsel running down the length, a tinsel christmas tree for the centrepiece, and place settings of glittered bonbons & santa chocolates... clean, simple & stylish!

JOY ...I think this beautiful little three letter word sums up the festive season perfectly...full of lovely, joyful moments spent with family and friends!

Baubles and glass add a gorgeous Christmassy sparkle!!

The sweet tissue snowflakes & daisies in the background were inspired by a gorgeous dessert table by The Party Dress, (spotted over at Mon Tresor) ...when I saw them I thought they would be perfect over the silver backdrop ... so naturally (with very little time to spare) I thought "oooh I can make those"...hmmm not quite so easy!! The smaller ones turned out the best, and I think if created with a double layer of tissue the large ones would work much better!!

Would anyone like a tutorial on these??
(UPDATE: snowflake tutorial now posted!)

Tanya x

{free printables} colour-in christmas collection

Part three of our thank you gift to you!

Colour-in collection
Our colour-in collection is great fun for the kids!  Simply print, colour and create!!

Includes christmas decor, paper chain, christmas dots, thank you note, gift tags & placecards!

click here to download the Christmas Colour-in Collection

Tanya & Aimee x

{free printables} vintage christmas collection

Part two of our christmas gift for you!!

Vintage Collection

Our vintage collection features a pastel blue and green colour palette...soft and stylish, perfect for a grown up tablescape!

create napkin bands using a paper chain strip and a christmas dot

sweet little favor boxes, no glue or tape required!

(inspired by favor boxes found here on wedlog)

co-ordinating hanging decorations...ideal for the christmas tree!

paper chain...just lovely in these soft colours

gift tags, tied with twine adds to the vintage feel!

click here to download the Christmas Vintage Collection

We'd love to see your creations...please email them or add them to our facebook page!

Tanya & Aimee x

{free printables} a christmas gift for you!

To thank each and every one of you for your fabulous support and encouragement of The Candy Tree, we wanted to give you a gift!! And what better excuse than Christmas!

So we have created a printable christmas collection just for you!...

Available in two colour palettes (traditional and vintage) and a colour-in option, each pack includes favor boxes, paper chains, hanging decorations, placecards, gift tags, thank you notes, and christmas dots ...and there are so many gorgeous things you can create with them!

We'll create a new post for each pack...starting with the traditional!

Traditional Collection
Our tradional collection features a red and green colour palette, bright and fun...perfect for children's christmas parties!

create sweet cup bands using paper chain strips and a christmas dot!

adorable favor box with a christmas tree on top...no glue or tape required!! (inspired by favor boxes found on wedlog here)

hanging decorations...so easy!! simply cut out five shapes, fold them in half and glue together to create these gorgeous decorations!

paper chains...my personal favourite...bring back sweet memories of childhood!!

click here to download the Christmas Traditional Collection 

  

Please feel free to share with friends, family and school or playgroup!! (all we ask is that you keep our website intact)

We hope you love them as much as we do!!

Tanya & Aimee x

{now available} vintage circus party hire package

After the great response we had to our vintage circus baby shower earlier this year, we have been hard at work creating a party hire package in the vintage circus theme...and we are so excited to share with you the finished product!!

introduce the party with these sweet themed invitations

gorgeous bunting in red and blue to decorate the party room

 cute clown costumes for all the guests

 

we especially love the red and blue colour palette, and our handmade bigtop centrepiece!

and tin & wooden toys add to the vintage feel!

 Tanya & Aimee x

{free printable} pirate treasure map colouring page

Woohoo!! Our pirate party  package is now officially available for hire!! You can find all the details and more photos here. We'd love to hear what you think!!

And, too celebrate, we wanted to share our treasure map colouring page for your little pirates!!

click here to download

Aimee & Tanya x



{inspired by} halloween...already??

It is hard to believe that yet another month has flown by...and it's Halloween this weekend!

My children love dressing up, and have been to many Halloween parties over the years. But, although they have asked many times, I have to admit I have never been very comfortable with the idea of trick or treating....mostly because you just never know who's out there, but also because I don't want to upset anyone who is very against the idea of halloween. 

With my oldest turning 11 this year, he is very keen to go out trick or treating (mostly for the lollies!!) and so the nagging has stepped up a notch.  A dear friend of mine (also with a 10 year old) came up with a great idea...she has invited a group of families who all know each other and live locally to mark their homes to let the other families know the children are welcome to knock for trick or treat. We have about 10 in the group so far, so it should be a fun (worry-free) night!!

So now to think about costumes!! We spotted these sweet no-sew ones over at amazingmoms.com, and thought you might like them!

lady bug - find instructions here

jack-o-lantern pumpkin - find instructions here

We would love to hear how you celebrate halloween?  Are you having a party? Decorating the front garden? Keeping a stash of lollies by the door? or will you be trick or treating?

Happy Halloween!! x

{spotted on etsy} tea party goodie bags

We spotted these adorable little teapot boxes on etsy and couldn't resist sharing!! We think they would make perfect goodie bags for a tea party, don't you? I can imagine them all lined up on a dessert table...too cute!!

you can find them here on etsy along with lots of other goodies!!

{real parties} Mad Hatters Tea Party!

Indigo was invited to a Mad Hatter's Tea Party yesterday, to celebrate her little friend Machaela's 5th birthday ...so sweet!  Machaela's mum, Heidi, did an amazing job of handcrafting each element of this beautiful party, from handwritten invitations and handpainted signs and characters, through to the sweet little cupcakes and cookies...she is one very clever lady!

 A magical door led the children through to the party area ....and 'eat me' biscuits  were on offer for the curious!

the gorgeous birthday girl in a beautiful Alice costume

... and her brother as the Mad Hatter!

sweet little details like mismatched teacups and this clock decorated the party table...

drink me...

eat me... yum!

cute little marshmallow teacups

love this! Please note: eating these mushrooms may make you change size!! - one side will make you grow taller, and the other side will make you grow shorter!

Queen of Hearts, clock and eat me cookies...

Spotted throughout the party area were wonderland characters, including the Mad Hatter and the Cheshire Cat, all handpainted by Heidi! 

..and little lolly jars for each guest to take home!

Happy 5th Birthday Machaela!!

Thank you Heidi for letting us share Machaela's special day, Indigo had a fantastic time...and I think you have inspired a future party theme for The Candy Tree!! Tanya x