Hello all my artsy friends! I have a fun cupcake garden display idea to share with you today. I love the idea of cupcakes versus a traditional cake because they are the perfect portion size, easy to store and oh so cute! Cupcakes also make it so much easier to provide a variety of flavors and icing choices to make all your guests happy. :)
I recently made a garden cupcake sculpture for a birthday celebration – but this idea is generic enough to work for any type of celebration (anniversary, spring/summer parties, picnics, etc.). Here is a peek at the finished product:
I can’t take credit for the flower cupcakes because those were made and decorated by a local caterer – but you could just as easily use regular cupcakes made in your own kitchen. Aside from the beautiful and artsy display, I love this idea because it provides so many opportunities for memory-keeping projects. The display is also completely re-usable for general decorative purposes after the party is over.
Here is how I built the garden display (everything I used is from Michael’s Arts and Crafts, but these are supplies that can be purchased at any number of stores).
Supplies for the main display:
Galvanized Metal oval bucket
Floral foam blocks
Tall Candle Stick (my is made of Mercury Glass)
Charger plate
(You could also use a cake display plate in place of the candle stick and charger plate. The idea is to create a tiered flat surface for a layer of cupcakes.)
Assorted greenery vines and flowers
Round ivy mat (to place on the charger plate)
Other elements of your choosing (I added butterflies to my display)
Step 1. Build the Inner Structure
I used floral foam blocks to build a structure around the candlestick into which the greenery and flowers could be inserted. Make sure to build the foundation high enough so that it can act as a support for the cupcakes. I also covered the foam blocks with decorative moss to help camouflage them. If you want this to be a more permanent display, you can use adhesive to keep everything in place. I just packed the foam pieces in so that they were not easily movable.
Step 2. Add the Greenery Base
Once the foundation is built, start inserting the greenery into the foam. I used two hanging vine pieces in my display. Once the bottom layer was filled with greenery, I placed the charger plate on top of the candlestick and used a round ivy mat to add some greenery to the top of the display. To keep the place secure, you will probably want to hot glue or otherwise adhere the plate to the top of the candlestick. I used some removable adhesive so that I would be able to use the elements separately later.
Step 3. Determine Cupcake Placement
Use empty cupcake holders to determine where you want the cupcakes to sit in the display. I didn’t put the actual cupcakes in yet, because I knew I would be inserting flowers and other decorations around them and didn’t want to chance messing up the icing. You will probably want to wait to place the cupcakes until right before the festivities begin.
Step 4. Add Flowers and other Decorative Elements
With the cupcake holders in place, add flowers and other elements. I used some butterflies I found in the floral department (they have a wire attached to them that can either be inserted into floral foam or wound around an object to make them appear as if they are flying).
Step 5. Place the Cupcakes
Now you are ready to place the cupcakes in the display! I suggest waiting until right before the festivities begin to compete this step. I refrigerated my cupcakes before I put them in the display to firm up the icing and keep them from getting damaged as I placed them. If this is a birthday display, you can place candles in the cupcakes on the top layer. I don’t suggest using candles on the bottom layer as it is likely to create a fire hazard.
Here is another look at the finished Display:
Memory-keeping projects:
In addition to taking lots of photos and creating your own digital or traditional layouts with them, there are several other things you can do to give the guest of honor a small piece of the display to take home with them. Here are just a few ideas:
1. Have guests fill out smaller cards with birthday wishes, anniversary greetings, etc. and place them in the display for the guest of honor to find and keep.
2. Take some flowers from the display and put them in a small vase for the guest of honor to keep.
3. Use some of the flowers/greenery to create a 3D canvas that can be hung on a wall (more on this idea in a future post).
4. Include photos in the display that tie into the event. For a birthday, use photos of the person growing up through the years. For an anniversary, use photos of the couple through the years – from the wedding to present day. These photos can then be placed in a photo album for the guest(s) of honor to take home.
5. Use a smaller string of battery-operated lights in the display that can then be placed in a decorative jar along with some of the greenery and flowers for the guest of honor to take with them.
I hope you enjoyed this project – be sure to share your own cupcake display ideas with us in the comments!
Until next time ~
Judie (HeyJude)
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