Transforming Dollar Store Party Hats {Tutorial}

I've been planning in party planning mode {for Ilah's 2nd birthday} for months - and I've been in party "making" mode this weekend. Today I'm giving you a sneak peak of one of the things that I made for Ilah's special day!

Last year I made Ilah's birthday party hats for her 1st birthday party {go here to see}. Well, I didn't so much make them from "scratch" per-say but rather, I "prettied them up" and added feathers to them to go with her "Our Tweetheart is Turning 1" bird-theme party.

This year I'm doing the same thing....covering up plain ol' party hats from the dollar store and transforming them into much prettier ones....and this time doing a tutorial showing you how to make them too! : )

My local dollar store always has party hats in stock - a pack of 8 hats for $1. Cheap. Cheap. Cheap. I took these....

And turned them into these....

Super easy to do.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THEM, HERE ARE THE STEPS:

Find and purchase some pretty scrapbook paper patterns. I purchased mine at Hobby Lobby....

...for $ .59 cents per sheet {for the large sheets}.

Take a part ONE of your party hats. Choose the paper that you'd like to cover up the hat with. Have a pair of scissors and a pen {or pencil} handy....

Turn your scrapbook paper over and lay your hat flat down on it....

Using your pen or pencil, trace the hat {I did not include the tab in my tracing}...

Cut out the outline and then you will have this....

I use this first cut out as my template and place three sheets of paper behind it at a time and cut out more "party hat coverings" until I have all that I need. I save this first cut out to cover up my last hat.

Roll the paper cut out around the hat to create its new pretty covering....

I use clear tape secure the pretty paper to the party hat {you can also use double sided tape or craft glue}....

Back of the hat

If you want to fancy up your party hats even more like I did, you can purchase a pack of pom-pom's. I got mine at Hobby Lobby {just $ .99 cents for a pack of 24 in pink, 1" - or a pack of 36, 3/4"}. I bought two different sizes because I didn't know which size would look best on the hats. I preferred the larger ones so I used pink and love how they turned out!

Using a hot glue gun, place a dot of hot glue in the middle of a pom-pom and use your fingers to hold it down on top of the hat for about 5-10 seconds.

A super simple project that took these Dollar Store Hats....

And turned them into pretty little pieces that will be adorned on pretty little heads!