Faux Candy Button Invitations | Handmade Charlotte

Decorating gingerbread houses is the best, but inviting a group of friends over to decorate them together is even better! I was trying to think of a fun way to present the details to friends, and I thought some faux candy button invitations would be perfect! The invitation would look adorable on the fridge, but could also double as an ornament after the party. Just punch a hole in the top, add some baker’s twine, and you have a vintage candy ornament! My tree is full of faux sweets, so this would be the perfect addition. You could also use these for a Candy Land party, or anything sweets-themed, really.

My husband and Dad both asked why I couldn’t just use REAL candy buttons for the invitations. I’ll tell you why, gentlemen! First of all, that’s just not as fun! Seriously, this was one of my favorite things to make. Secondly, I made them on poster board, which is much sturdier than the flimsy paper that holds the actual candy. Third, you wouldn’t want marker or glue to seep through the paper and taint the candy! Lastly, the faux candy should last longer, and work as an ornament as well.

If you’re looking for some more fun DIY invitation ideas, check out these Easter Baking Party Invitations that could easily be used for a Christmas Cookie Exchange. You could also make these toadstool invitations – and all red would be very Christmas-y! Mini letter board invites can be used any time of the year.

Now let’s make some faux candy – shall we? Just make sure your friends know that these are not edible!

what you need:

Poster board (2” x 8”)
Ruler
Pencil
Scissors
Baker’s twine
Small hole punch
Glue
Box cutter
Sponge brush
Acrylic paint (pink, blue, yellow)
“Snowlike Pebbles” (mini Styrofoam balls)

how-to:

Step 1
Use your box cutter to cut your tiny Styrofoam balls in half.

Step 2
Paint 9 of the Styrofoam ball halves in pink, 9 in blue, and 9 in yellow. Paint 3 ball halves with some yellow and pink paint mixed together, and 3 ball halves in blue and yellow mixed together.

Step 3
Glue the painted balls in rows of 3 on your poster board strips. Start with three rows of pink, one row of pink and yellow mixed, three rows of yellow, one row of yellow and blue mixed, and then three rows of blue. You may want to lay out your pattern before you begin to glue them down. Space the balls and rows as evenly apart as possible.

Step 4
Write or print out party details on a 2” x 8” piece of paper, and glue it to the back of your faux candy buttons.

Step 5 (Optional)
If you wish to use your faux candy as an ornament, use a small hole punch to place a hole at the top of your candy button sheet, and tie a piece of Baker’s twine through the hole.

Merry gingerbread decorating, and happy crafting! …and have a very Merry Christmas!