Branding Logo
Menu
Cancer Antibodies Inc. Non-Profit
We are a proud supporter of the remarkable cancer research being done by Cancer Antibodies Inc. 501(c)(3) non-profit Cancer Antibodies

You've Been Framed (How to use Frames for a Cupcake Stand)

Categories: Party DIYs

Hey there party people! 🙂 Can I just gush to you, for one second…maybe two, depending on how fast you read? You are the bomb. Thank you for stopping by this little blog of mine & commenting…or sending me a message on facebook (www.facebook.com/heidirew) or an email. In the words of my friend Kauri Renee Tallant…you crank my tractor…or you put the cling in my clang (ya know…the cling clang of coins/pennies to be exact)…you put the candy in my pinata…you are the confetti to my party table…okay…I’ll stop. 
 
Seriously, though…just want to let you know that I’m grateful for you! 🙂 
This post is another way you can make your parties look professional without a Kardashian salary. (side note: I love that Kourtney is couponing but yet spends more on a scarf than I spend on our 6 months grocery bill ;p) 
 
For your next party, make a picture frame cupcake stand. All you need is – 
 
Some simple frames. I got these from Michaels & they were $9.99 for a 2 pack but I had a 40% off coupon so they were $6. Then I picked up some cool Fish paper from Paper Source (LOVE that store) for about $1. 
 
I took out the frame backing & traced it onto the Fish paper. Then I cut it out & put it in the frame. It took about 5 minutes. Bam. 🙂 
 
Aren’t those little goldfish adorable?? Love them. 
 
So, you’re probably wondering…but Heidi…that looks more like a tray than a cupcake stand. And right you are. Enter a vase & a box of goldfish crackers. Here’s my cupcake stand. 
The cupcakes are just wrapped in scrapbook paper. I used one of my frilly scissors to make the edges look like waves but you can’t really tell in these pictures. I had picked up that orange ribbon from the clearance bin at Michaels months ago. I have a ribbon problem. But it benefits me with this blog! :p
 
Here’s just a different angle. You may be a cupcake expert. I know several that blow my cupcakes out of the water…so please excuse my attempt, Wendy & Meg. Wanna know something else even more embarrassing? The cupcakes are straight from the Duncan Hines box. Now…the icing is homemade but it’s also cheaper to do it homemade & it really doesn’t take too much time. I made the icing from the recipe on the powdered sugar. And to top it all off…if Wendy & Meg aren’t hanging their heads in shame by this point…I iced the cupcakes with a plastic sandwich bag. 
 
If you are a professional cupcake baker or if your name is Meg or Wendy…you should be writing this next part. I may have it totally wrong but this is what worked for me for the cupcakes above…
 
All I did was I snipped a good size hole at the end of the sandwich bag then I tried to knead it to make sure there weren’t any air bubbles. I squeezed a good portion onto the middle section of the cupcake. This helped me get some height in the middle. 
Then I started going around the edge of the cupcake. I swirled it around until it came to a point at the top.
 
Some of them are a little topsy turvey but just do what I do when I do my own nails…hold them far away & squint…they look AWESOME! 🙂 
 
Regarding the icing…I know that you use 4 cups of powdered sugar, a stick of butter softened, I thnk 1/4  cup of milk & a tsp or two of vanilla. For my icing, I ended up adding about 1/8 tsp of almond extract too. I heart almond flavoring. 🙂 
 
 
Have you ever iced cupcakes with sandwich bags? Any great cupcake shortcuts you know? 
 
Thanks again for visiting! Big changes for Parties for Pennies in 2012! 🙂 Can’t wait to share. 


Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. Vicky says

    Wow, that is such a good idea! From the frames with the paper to the cupcake decorating – how many great tips can you fit in a post. I am pinning this. I am a new follower visiting from Whipperberry. Vicky from Mess For Less

  4. Vicky says

    Wow, that is such a good idea! From the frames with the paper to the cupcake decorating – how many great tips can you fit in a post. I am pinning this. I am a new follower visiting from Whipperberry. Vicky from Mess For Less

  5. Heidi Rew says

    Thank you both so much! Really appreciate it, Vicky! Thanks for stopping by! Can't wait to check out Mess for Less!

  6. Heidi Rew says

    Thank you both so much! Really appreciate it, Vicky! Thanks for stopping by! Can't wait to check out Mess for Less!

  7. Amanda @ Serenity Now says

    What an awesome idea!! Love the cute goldfish paper. 🙂 Thanks for the visit to my blog!

  8. Amanda @ Serenity Now says

    What an awesome idea!! Love the cute goldfish paper. 🙂 Thanks for the visit to my blog!

  9. Christina says

    Love this! I'm always looking for cute (and inexpensive!!) ways to display cakes or cupcakes!

  10. Christina says

    Love this! I'm always looking for cute (and inexpensive!!) ways to display cakes or cupcakes!

  11. Beth @ Achoo You says

    So powdered sugar in Australia is Icing Sugar, so I went ahead and my wordy Missy they rocked my world. Fantastic as per usual !!!

  12. Beth @ Achoo You says

    So powdered sugar in Australia is Icing Sugar, so I went ahead and my wordy Missy they rocked my world. Fantastic as per usual !!!

  13. Jennifer Hutchinson says

    Heidi, I didnt notice the first time I looked that there is Goldfish in the center of the center piece- I love it! My 3-yr-old Elise LOVES orange and this would make an awesome 4th bday party centerpiece!
    P.S. Love you and Mike on The Fish- totally adorable the two of you!!
    ~Jen

  14. Jennifer Hutchinson says

    Heidi, I didnt notice the first time I looked that there is Goldfish in the center of the center piece- I love it! My 3-yr-old Elise LOVES orange and this would make an awesome 4th bday party centerpiece!
    P.S. Love you and Mike on The Fish- totally adorable the two of you!!
    ~Jen

  17. Heidi Rew says

    Jennifer…Thank you so much for your kind words! I love the name Elise too! Sorry my response is so delayed but thank you so much for visiting my blog!

  18. Heidi Rew says

    Jennifer…Thank you so much for your kind words! I love the name Elise too! Sorry my response is so delayed but thank you so much for visiting my blog!

  19. Aimee @ Just Kidding Around Atlanta says

    Adorable ~ Love that goldfish paper!! You are so creative – always fun to see what you have been making! I keep hoping to get up to Gainesville when you and your hubby do a remote at Carriage – that's pretty close to our part of town! : ) Have a great week!

  20. Aimee @ Just Kidding Around Atlanta says

    Adorable ~ Love that goldfish paper!! You are so creative – always fun to see what you have been making! I keep hoping to get up to Gainesville when you and your hubby do a remote at Carriage – that's pretty close to our part of town! : ) Have a great week!

  21. Laura says

    Hi! I just found your blog – it's so adorably cute and I am in awe of your craftiness! Questions on the goldfish cupcake tray – if you are clumsy (and have four year twins), is there a way to make it a bit more secure (but not permanently glued together? 🙂

  22. Laura says

    Hi! I just found your blog – it's so adorably cute and I am in awe of your craftiness! Questions on the goldfish cupcake tray – if you are clumsy (and have four year twins), is there a way to make it a bit more secure (but not permanently glued together? 🙂

  23. Heidi Rew says

    Hey Laura! Thank you so much for visiting! I really am so appreciative! Wow…4 year old twins. How awesome & tiring at the same time! :p That's a great question. I haven't had to think about little ones yet so I don't always think of things like that. Here's an idea that's super cheap – first of all use two vases under one frame to give it additional support, second…try playdough. This is just an idea that popped in my brain so I have "tested" it but I wonder if you take a couple quarter sized balls of playdough & place on the rim of the vase to give the frame back a little traction. Putty also may work a little better, if you have that. I may think some more on this to see if I can come up with anymore ideas for a non-permanent solution. Thanks again for commenting, bringing up a great question & stopping by! 🙂 <3 Heidi

  24. Heidi Rew says

    Hey Laura! Thank you so much for visiting! I really am so appreciative! Wow…4 year old twins. How awesome & tiring at the same time! :p That's a great question. I haven't had to think about little ones yet so I don't always think of things like that. Here's an idea that's super cheap – first of all use two vases under one frame to give it additional support, second…try playdough. This is just an idea that popped in my brain so I have "tested" it but I wonder if you take a couple quarter sized balls of playdough & place on the rim of the vase to give the frame back a little traction. Putty also may work a little better, if you have that. I may think some more on this to see if I can come up with anymore ideas for a non-permanent solution. Thanks again for commenting, bringing up a great question & stopping by! 🙂 <3 Heidi

  25. doreen says

    Only problem I have with parties for pennies way too many new things for me to try I’m never going to get any work done .lol love them all!!!

  26. Michele Renard says

    I stumbled upon this blog on Pinterest just by accident and am so glad I did! I love this cupcake stand idea.
    I have to say, my favorite part was ‘Hold them far away and squint’….. should be every DIY’ers mantra!!

    • Heidi Rew says

      lol! So true. Thanks Michele! So glad you stopped by! Hope you’re able to join the party on Facebook, twitter, & instagram! <3 Heidi

Copyright © 2023 · Parties for Pennies – A WebStuff Web Property