I like to personalize my gifts and give them my own unique touch. When making someone special a gift I like to stay within a budget. Trust me it can add up!! I'm hoping that what I'm about to share with will make your gift giving a bit easier. Especially if you are like me and want give something that's unique and personal. This gift can be given to your BFF, coworker, boyfriend, husband, kid well I can name countless people, but you get the point.
This bouquet was fun and easy to make on a budget. Most of the items you see I bought at the Dollar Tree! YEEEESSSSS!! You read correctly the Dollar Tree. The cost of this bouquet was less than $12.00 total!! The best part was that I still had items left over to make a small version of this same bouquet.
If you have ever been to your local grocery store you probably have already seen that they retail anywhere from $40.00 - $60.00 per bouquets. Why go retail when you can Do It Yourself!!! It only took me 30 minutes to put this together and it was a HIT!
1. Find a container for your base that will be stable enough for all the candy you will add.
( the container you see her is from the Dollar Tree the cost was $1.00) it's a sturdy card board material so it made for a perfect platform.
2. Insert a Styrofoam block inside the box, measure it with your container the Styrofoam block should fit snug in your container of choice. (I also was able to find one that fit this actual box perfectly fine) my Styrofoam was squared shape and if you notice by the picture the container is round. It was nice and snug, don't be afraid to place it in firmly.
3. Once you've decided on your candy choice, decorations (ex. Candles, ribbon, plastic figures I.e., happy birthday words) you can take wooden dowels or wooden skewers to hold your items upright. The way you attach them is simple, use clear preferably mailing tape (I also found the role of tape at the dollar tree for $1.00) It tends to hold better then your typical office tape. Make sure it's clear or you'll be able to see the tape wrapped around the sides of the candy (depending on the size of candy bar you decide to use only cut about a inch wide piece of tape). The candy should be placed at the top part of the wooden dowel/ skewer. If using a skewer make sure the pointy side is facing down so that you can push that side into the Styrofoam block easier. You can add anywhere from 20-30 pieces of candy if you are using the fun size bars. The regular size bars you would want to have a few amount maybe 6.
4. Once you have all your decorative pieces placed on the dowel/skewer then it's time to place them to your liking on the Styrofoam block that you already have inside your container. To make them appear in different height levels like you see on my picture all you have to do is cut the bottom of the wooden dowel/skewer (by using a small garden clipper/cutter). You can find them in the garden center of any department or craft store.
5. Now that you have all your candy, candles & decorative pieces (candy can also be bought at the dollar tree, they have a huge selection on name brand chocolates, I bought most of mine at Walmart same price) arranged on your Styrofoam block to your liking, you can add ribbon to some of the dowels/skewer underneath the candy or candles. I used the curly ribbon from the dollar tree gift package section, I pulled them apart and tied them individually underneath the candy and on the candles. CLEVER HUH?! (Cost of ribbon $1.00 for a set of two)
6. As you come to the end of your bouquet you'll notice the bottom of your arrangement looks bare, I bought some gift packing material - you know that crinkly stuff that looks fun and festive in your gift bags and baskets!) I stuffed it to cover the Styrofoam and the bottom of the wooden sticks from appearing so bare. (I also found these packages at the Dollar Tree for $1.00)
7. FINALLY! You can insert a balloon on a stick (optional) I did because it gave it a drastic birthday look and HECK it was $1.00 at the dollar tree!
THAT'S IT! There you have it in 7 easy steps...
Note: the tissue paper wasn't in the plan but I decided to add it because I didn't like the way the back of the bouquet looked and I wanted to cover the wooden sticks as much as possible. Again it's optional.
Materials Used:
- Box - $1.00
- Styrofoam Block - $1.00
- Candy Bars pack of 6 - $1.00 each (used 3 kinds)
- Skewers (already had these at home) Usually you can get a pack of 25 or more for a few dollars
- Candles - $1.00
- Ribbon - $1.00
- Balloon - $1.00
- Tissue Paper - $1.00
- Happy Birthday Candle words - $1.00
TOTAL $10.00 plus taxes ALL these items purchased at the dollar tree (except candy) You can't go wrong with this gift idea!
