Editorially, it's been a big Halloween season for me and I enjoyed the opportunity to creatively indulge both sides of my holiday decorating style. As much as I love the classic Halloween palette of black and orange, I'm also drawn to using black, white, and silver for a more elegant presentation, as I did for Better Homes and Gardens in the October issue. This feature was more personal for me as well, since it was shot in my home and my son made his editorial debut in the magazine. I'm biased, but I think he made an adorable addition to the story.
One of the projects I made was this paper cake topper. It was one of those last-minute, spontaneous creations. It also ended up being one of my favorites. It's not particularly difficult to make, though it is easier and faster to make if you use a scoring board. You can also save and reuse your topper from year to year. Just place a round of wax paper under the rosette to protect it from frosting. Any frosting that might get onto the tips of the crepe paper can be removed with a damp paper towel.
To make your own topper, follow the directions below:
Materials:
Moon and Star templates (found here)
White cardstock
Silver crepe paper
Black construction paper
Book pages
Ruler
Pencil
Scissors
Pinking Shears
Quick setting gel glue (such as Beacon 3-in-1 Advanced Craft Glue)
Scoring board and bone folder
2 toothpicks
Hot glue gun (optional)
1. Download the cake topper templates onto heavy cardstock and cut out.
2. Using the templates as a guide, cut out two moon shapes from silver crepe paper and two star shapes from black paper.
3. Cover the cardstock cutouts on one side, gluing crepe paper to the moon and black paper to the star.
4. Cover the other side of the star cutout as well, then glue the star onto the crescent moon.
5. Glue a toothpick to the back side (the uncovered side) of the crescent moon, then cover with the second crepe paper cutout, gluing it to secure.
To make the rosette:
1. Cut a strip of silver crepe paper that measures 2½ x 18-inches and trim one long edge with pinking shears.
2. Cut a strip of black construction paper that measures 2 x 18-inches (attach strips of paper together with thin double-sided tape if your paper is small) and trim one edge with pinking shears.
3. Cut a strip of book text that measures 2 x 18-inches (again, attaching paper together with thin double-sided tape if necessary) and trim with pinking shears.
4. Glue the straight, long edge of the construction paper strip to the top of the silver crepe paper strip.
5. Accordion pleat the crepe paper/construction paper strip at 3/8-inch intervals.
6. Accordion pleat the book page strip at 3/8-inch intervals.
7. Glue the ends together to form a circle and add glue to the inner edges as well (you can do this with quick-setting gel glue, but a hot glue gun set on low is faster).
8. Glue the book paper rosette on top of the larger rosette. Stick the crescent moon cutout through the hole in the middle of the rosette and add a dot of glue to secure. Stick the second toothpick underneath the rosette and secure with more glue (this goes into the cake).
Tip: If you like, you can use a skewer instead of a toothpick. This will allow you to poke the skewer all the way through the rosette with a few inches below to stick into the cake (with a little glue in the middle of the rosette to secure). However, I like the less visible silhouette of the toothpick, so I don't mind the extra step.
Resources:
Silver Crepe Paper from Castle in the Air
12x18-inch black construction paper from Dick Blick
Scoring board kit from Martha Stewart Crafts
Title photo by Monica Buck
**To see more of this feature, visit BHG's website at www.bhg.com/moonlight and pick up a copy of the issue at your newsstand. Tomorrow I'll post the recipe for the cake that this topper accompanied, my Black Velvet Cake that I make for Halloween every year.
I love this...and might even give it a try. It seems like every time I open a magazine, there you are. It must be so much fun!
Posted by: Shannon @ A Mom's Year | 26 September 2011 at 07:07 PM