Over the last several years, my daughter has come home from parties with gift bags filled with an assortment of party favors and sweets. Decorated gift bags certainly look nice but can be pretty costly. When my daughter celebrates her birthdays, we make our own party favor gift containers from items found around the house.
Make an ice cream cone from a Starbucks cup
One of the more popular gift containers we’ve made in the past was an ice cream cone crafted from a Starbuck’s cup. For supplies, we used a two piece domed cup, spray paint in pink and cream, and some tan Scribbles dimensional paint from a craft store.
To make the ice cone shown, spray the “ice cream” dome with the pink spray paint, using light, even strokes. For the base, apply a thin application of cream paint . Once the paint has dried to the touch, use Scribbles dimensional paint to create a grid on the base, just like a “real” ice cream cones. Since the dimensional paint takes a while to try, it’s best to make this container the day before the party.
Make a birthday cake from a deli container
Salads purchased from the deli case often come in 16 ounce clear plastic tubs with a snap on lid. These sturdy containers can also be turned into a “birthday cake” container to hold small party favors, beads, and small candies. To make a cake styled container, you will need an assortment of 16 ounce deli tubs and lids, white spray paint, and two or three containers of Scribbles dimensional paints.
Begin this project by gently spraying both the lid and the base of the deli container with the white paint, using gentle and even strokes. Let the paint dry overnight, then snap on the lid to begin decorating. I use the Scribbles paint as colored “sugar piping” around the base, the edges, and along the sides. To finish up the “cake,” write “Happy Birthday” on the lid.
Make a Frankenstein face gift container from a plastic mustard jar
Our family goes through one Kraft mustard jar a month which is quickly turned into a puppet or other silly craft. Once year, we turned an assortment of mustard containers into a terrific Halloween birthday party container for small trinkets, jewelry and candies. To make a Frankenstein gift container, you will need an assortment of squatty, wide mouth mustard or ketchup containers, aluminum foil, green tempera paint, paint pens in assorted colors, scissors and a black yard sack.
Wrap the container in aluminum foil, then paint using green tempera paint (or green spray paint). Let the paint dry before embellishing with spooky facial features and Hefty bag hair. After the container has thoroughly dried, fill the jar with party favors and seal shut with the original cap.
Not into Frankenstein? These goofy containers can also be decorated with crazy animal or people faces.
