A Cake Decorating Party: Piping Bag Invites...

My eldest daughter turns six next month.  This year I have managed to talk her into a small party with just five girls - a remarkable change from the large parties we've had for her up until now.

So we settled on a "cake and cupcake decorating party" as the theme.

I had a few ideas for invites (knitted/ felt cupcakes etc), but everything was too time-intensive and time is something I don't have a lot of with a baby in the house.  As I sat down to quietly feed Miss M, my mind began to wander - and then stopped when I happened upon this idea of putting the invites into a piping bag and making it look like icing!

There are six invites as Miss S and I have a tradition where I always make her an invite and "invite" her to her own party :).

So, here's a little bit on how I made them, for anyone who'd like to know.  In addition to a children's cake decorating party, I think these would make a lovely invitation to a bridal kitchen tea, or filled with sweets and small toys, a quirky party favour.

Please excuse my photography on this post - it was all done late at night in bad light!

I used the computer to make most of the elements.  Using pale pink cardboard (sturdy enough to hold the shape of the piping bag, but thin enough to go through the printer - 200gsm is perfect), I printed out the "icing" part and the tags (which I then cut using my scalloped oval craft punch). I also printed out the inside sheet with the party information on it on normal copy paper.

I made the actual invitation part the same width as the container of sprinkles, so it could be wrapped around it.  The picture on this is a painting by artist Wayne Thiebaud, of whose work I am a big fan.  

After rolling it around the sprinkles, I finished if off with a little bit of ribbon.  This container of sprinkles gives a little bit of weight to the invite, as well as a bit of extra fun for the recipient.

I cut the "icing" part out into the shape of a fan so it would make a neat cone shape.  I snipped the bottom off some disposable piping bags, inserted the tips (you could leave the tips out if you don't have any tips or don't want to use them).

I then placed the "icing" in the bag - securing it with a bit of sticky tape on the inside - then the sprinkles, and a small piece of tissue paper, seen above.  I closed it up with some ribbon and attached the tags.

I always love making party invites, and you can see some other examples from previous parties here and here.

I can't wait for the party, especially as my mum will be here to help this time!