Originally Published: December 2019 | Updated: November 22

How To Make Vintage Gumdrop Trees

The History of The Gum Drop

Gumdrops first appeared in the 19th century as early as 1801 and referred to as small sweets. In 1859 the name gumdrop was put into print in an advertisement in the Illinois State Chronicles for a candy shop owned by George Julier. They have stood the test of time and are still today a popular treat during the holidays on gingerbread houses.

How Do Gumdrops Taste?

Each gumdrop color has a different flavor and sometimes two. Purple gumdrops are usually grape or peppermint, while white could be licorice or clove. Black are always licorice and orange is sometimes anise or orange. Yellow is lemon or allspice and green is mint or apple.

What are Gumdrops Made of?

Gumdrops are brightly colored gummy candy made from gelatin or pectin and dusted with a light coating of sugar.

How To Decorate with Gumdrop Trees

Gumdrop trees add charm to your holiday decor. Below are five places to use them in your home.

1. Fireplace Hearth
2. Buffet
3. Centerpiece
4. Window Seal
5. Bedroom Dresser

Vintage Gumdrop Tree

Supplies

• gum drops
• styrofoam tree forms: 12 X 4
• toothpicks
• glue gun
• glue sticks
• ribbon

Instructions

Break toothpicks into halves.

Starting at the point of the styrofoam tree working around the tree, insert a toothpick, add a drop of hot glue at the base of the toothpick, slide on a gumdrop gently pressing into the glue.

Repeat working to the bottom of the tree.

Have Fun!

How Do You Store Vintage Gumdrop Trees For Next year?

I have great news! You can keep gumdrop trees for at least 12 years. I am on twelve and counting. Let me add that we have had 12 military moves and they have been moved six times now and endured different temperatures crossing the country.

1. Wrap the trees in three layers of acid free white tissue paper.
2. Wrap them in a double layer of bubble wrap and secure with a piece of masking tape.
3. Store them in a plastic container with an airtight lid.

Holiday Favs

See All >

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How To Make Glitter Glam Bats

Adding a touch of glam to your Fall and Halloween decor is always a charming touch!
These Sparkling Charm Glitter Bats are fun to let fly all over your house. They are a great addition to this Transitional Garland DIY: Fancy Fall to Halloween Glam. 
Grab a pair of scissors and lets get Bat Crazy making paper bats!

How To Make Glitter Glam Bats

Supplies

• Glitter Glam Bat Printable Template
• white card stock
• black glitter paper
• command strip refills tape This tape works great. It won’t remove/damage paint and the little pull strip is perfect for easy removal. 
• scissors
• pencil or pen

Instructions

Print the Sparkling Charm Glitter Glam Bat template. Cut out the size/s of your choice. Place a bat template cut out on the back of the black glitter cardstock and trace the bat. Cut the Glitter Glam Bat out. Repeat steps one through three. Place a single command tape on the back of the Sparkling Charm Glitter Glam Bat/s and firmly press each to the surface of your choice.

Be sure to check out this fun way to use your Glitter Glam Bats…

How To Make A Transitional Garland: Fancy Fall to Halloween Glam

PS Truman had a little fun making Glitter Bats too. He prefers his in two pieces. I will for sure display his contribution.

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Originally Published: September 23, 2020 | Updated: October 4, 2022

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Have you ever enjoyed tea in a tearoom? Besides wearing a pretty dress and sometimes a hat and gloves, my favorite part is the tower of tasty sandwiches, mini cakes, and cookies.

These stacked trays of savory and sweet things inspired this fun towering hamburger and sides post. Scroll on down the details plus a few bonus cookout tips.

A Charming Way To Serve Hamburgers & Sides

SUPPLIES

1. GALVANIZED 3 TIER TRAYS/TOWERS

Let’s start with the galvanized 3 -Tier tower. These are great no matter what they are made of! I have kept one on my coffee cart for the past couple of years. My friend Kimberlee shared this idea with me on a thrift shopping trip in Sumner, Washington. I remember her wire 3 -tier tower filled with snacks for her darling twin boys. I keep mine filled seasonally with all sorts of fun themed things.

SHOP THIS POST

A Few Ways to Use a 3 Tier Galvanized Tray Seasonally

SPRING

Ice Coffee Packets | Vanilla Powder | Sugar Cubes | Straws | Pink Gingham Ribbon

SUMMER

Fruit Teas | Old Fashioned Lemon Sticks | Summer Mugs | Shortbread | Cookies | Local Honey | Mint Striped Straws | Ribbon

WINTER

Hot Cocoa Sticks | Peppermint Sticks | Red Straws | Hot Cocoa Powder | Marshmallows Red Candy Striped Ribbon

FALL

Espresso Powder | Cinnamon | Vanilla Powder | Fox Mugs | Chocolate Covered Coffee Beans| Orange Ribbon | Orange Straws

Of course you can go crazy with this like I do and hit every holiday. I would love to see your ideas. Tag me on Instagram @_SparklingCharm and use #SparkleandCharm

2. HAMBURGER WRAPPERS

Use a sharpie to label or personalize the wrappers with a name. These retro wrappers are cute too.

3. ICE

4. CONDIMENTS + TOPPINGS + DRINKS

On this Hamburger Tower I chose to go All American using, catsup. mustard, mayo, pickles, onions, lettuce, and tomatoes with ruffled chips, coke in the bottle, and Black Peach Tea.

The Best & Top Ranked Condiment and Toppings For Hamburgers

Top Ranked Toppings & Condiments for Hot Dogs

The Best Sides For A Hamburger & Hot Dog Cookout

The best Desserts for A Cookout

HOW TO PUT IT ALL TOGETHER

Line the top and the bottom tiers of the tower with plastic wrap to keep ice from dripping.

Arrange the vegetable, chips, and pickles in small glass cups and bowls. Bag the hamburgers.

Top Tier

Fill with ice and tuck the vegetable bowls down in the ice.

Middle Tier

Arrange the chips and hamburgers.

Bottom Tier

Fill the bottom tier with ice. Vary the drinks and condiments in the ice.

EASY PEASY! Please don’t forget to tag me in your photos @_SparklingCharm.

Why Not Accessorize with Hot Dogs And Hamburgers!

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Fun To Look At!

I ran across these while looking for fun cookout accessories.

? Sequin Burger Purse ($1,785) | ? Crystal Burger Clutch ($5695)

SHOP SERIOUS BURGER PURSES

LOVE HAMBURGERS? Check out this Mini Burger Bloody Mary HERE!

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Oh So Pretty! Oh So lovely! Oh So Easy!

Add a touch of charm to your dinner table with this quick origami napkin folding video tutorial.

A charming idea for A Mother’s Day Brunch, Wedding Showers, Valentine’s Day, Galentine’s Day, Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, A Kentucky Derby Party, A Garden Party, Breakfast in Bed, A Romantic Proposal, or to add a special touch to your dinner table any night of the week.

Grab a dinner napkin and let’s get busy getting fancy.

How To Fold A Dinner Napkin Into a Rose (Video)

Supplies

• 18″ X 18″ or larger cloth dinner napkins. I used these.

How To Video

1. Press the square cloth napkin to remove all creases.
2. Lay the square in front of you.
3. Fold the cloth napkin diagonally. The result is a triangle.
4. Roll the napkin from the crease towards the points. Stop leaving a 5 inch point.
5. Flip the napkin over.
6. Roll the folded end from left to right. Stop the roll leaving 4 inches.
7. Tuck the 4″ tail into the crease of the roll. Using a knife helps a tight tuck.
8. Pull the pointed tips apart carefully and flip the rose over.

How lovely! I would love to see how you use your Dinner Napkin Rose. Leave me a comment below and tag me on instagram @_sparklingcharm and #sparklingcharmeverything

Here is a fun way to use these Dinner Napkin Roses for a Kentucky Derby Party.

More Kentucky Derby Inspiration…

How To Style a Derby Bar Cart

Georgia Sweet Tea Bourbon Slush

Derby Horse Cocktail Swizzle Sticks

A Classic Mint Julep with Southern Belle Secrets

Vanilla Derby Layer Cake with Rose Water Butter Cream

Chocolate Chip Derby Pie

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Let’s free few of the many photos we take every single day from our PDA’s and turn them into something special.

This is sure to add a little charm to your table.

A set of these would make a fabulous Birthday, Valentine’s Day, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day,  or a little happy something gift for someone special.

More Homemade Happiness Gifts

Wool Pom Pom Coasters

Personalized Party Ornaments

DIY Photo Napkins

Supplies

photos
iron on decal paper
scissors
white dinner napkins
iron

Create

1. Size your favorite photo’s so that subject is 3 to 4 inches in height and no more than 3 inches wide.

2. Print the photo’s using  transfer paper according to the package directions.

Note: Be sure to reverse the photo before printing. 

3. Cut around the subject/s in the photo.

4. Lay the transfer photo onto the dinner napkin and iron on according to transfer paper package directions.

All Done! How about making a set for a personalized gift?

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Copyrights & Credits//Author, Stylist, Photographer, Creator: Gwyn @SparklingCharm.com
This post may contain affiliate links.

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EASY DIY! Personalized Photo Flower Vases

Occasions For Personalized Photo Flower Vases

Add a charming touch to a special occasion! Perhaps a Mother’s Day Bouquet, a shower for a new baby or bride, a birthday party, a girl’s night, or wedding reception tables? This fast and easy DIY will do the trick.

What you Will Love About Personalized Photo Flower Vases

Guess What! It will only take about 2 minutes once you have your supplies in hand.

Click here for another personalized paper craft.

EASY DIY! Personalized Photo Flower Vases

Supplies

• photo/s, printed with an inkjet or a laser printer and sized to fit vase of choice
• clear vase/s
• scissors
• clear contact paper
• flowers
• water

EASY DIY! Personalized Photo Flower Vases Instructions

Note: The photo inside the vase on Sparkling Charm was taken after 48 hours of being submerged. I wanted the peony’s to open for the photo. SMILE! The photo of my mother was printed with an inkjet printer at home. If your photo is printed professionally with a laser printer, you can skip the contact paper step below and stick it directly into the water. However, your photo will not last as long and begin to curl a bit after being submerged. 

1. Fill a vase with water and a bouquet of flowers.
2. Cover the photo with clear contact paper on both sides and trim.
3. Press out any air bubbles.
4. Slide the photo into the front of the vase.

THERE YOU HAVE IT! THIS IS A SURELY A SPECIAL WAY TO SHOWCASE SOMEONE YOU LOVE!

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Try this quick DIY to add a pop of color to your glassware! Perfect to mark glasses at a party!

DIY Pop of Color Party Glasses

Supplies

colorful balloons
scissors
glasses

Instructions

Make two cuts for the base color. (1) Cut off the skinny stem off a balloon. (2) Snip a tiny piece from the bottom of the balloon. Pull the balloon over the glass from the bottom.

For the stripes, cut balloons into strips and slide onto the glass from the top.

Share your photos at

Voila! A super fun glass!

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Copyrights & Credits//Author, Photographer, Creator: Gwyn @SparklingCharm.com

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Of course this bucket would make a great addition to any celebration. You could add most anything to the ice to match your theme. Fresh holly with red berries and pine for Christmas, or lemons, limes, and oranges for a garden party…ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES!

DIY Bubbly Ice Bucket

Materials

2 buckets, one smaller than the first. (I found mine at a dollar store.)
cup
water
sparkly embellishments (glitter, ornaments, tinsel, sequins, floral picks…)
hand weights

Directions

1. Fill the larger bucket with 2 inches of water and freeze solid. This will create your base.

2. Place the smaller bucket inside the center of the larger bucket placing the hand weights inside the smaller bucket. I recommend going heavier vs. lighter.

3. Carefully slide your sparkly embellishments into the space between the large and smaller buckets. Perfection is not necessary.

Note: If you are concerned with the placement of your embellishments, you may choose to add your items, cover with only a little water at a time and freeze in layers. Adding more embellishments and water until you reach the top of your buckets. I just go for it. …One and done!

“I personally love the beauty that can always be found in a sparkly mess.” -gwyn

5. Use the cup to fill the space between the larger and smaller buckets with water, being carful not to displace your sparkly embellishments.

6. To remove your DIY Bubbly Ice Bucket, simply run warm water into the inner bucket then gently twist the inner bucket sliding it out. Next, run warm water over the outside of the outer bucket. Then gently lift out your DIY Bubbly Ice Bucket.

This project makes me smile! I hope you will find the same joy in your creation.

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Copyrights & Credits//Author, Creator, and Photographer: Gwyn @SparklingCharm.com
This post may contain affiliate links.

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Sparkle Tip: Secure Taper Candles.

Simply add a bit of hot glue to the base of the taper just before placing it in the holder.

Sparkle! Sparkle! XX-gwyn

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SPARKLE CRUSH: HAND LETTERING!

Hello There! Let me introduce you to this awesome book. …Hand Lettering 101, An Introduction to the Art of Creative Lettering.

I love lettering and doodling! I find it therapeutic and fun. This book has helped me to add a little fancy to my game. The book is from the blog chalkfulloflove, a hand lettering goods shop. The pages are filled with practice sheets, tips, and a few fun projects. If you love hand lettering too or want to learn, this book is a must. You can get it here: Hand Lettering 101. Check it out!

Sparkle! Sparkle! XX-gwyn

CREDITS//AUTHOR, CREATOR, AND PHOTOGRAPHY: GWYN @SPARKLINGCHARM.COM.

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DIY Horse Stir Sticks

Hello Friends!

Bring on the beautiful racing horses, the bright colored attire and the fabulously embellished hats. The Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs is just a week away! YAY!

Today we are going to FANCY UP THE MINT JULEP. We are going to add a bit of Sparkling Charm Cocktail Couture to this traditional derby drink.

Supplies You Will Need To Make Horse Cocktail Stirrers

• plastic miniature horses
• 9″ clear plastic drink stirrers
• drill (THIS IS A PINK ONE!!!!)
• #8 drill bit
• metallic gold spray paint
• E6000 glue

What You Will Love About These Cocktail Stir Sticks

1. A charming touch and conversation piece for a themed party.
2. Easy to make.
3. A set makes a great hostess gift.

Occasions for DIY Horse Cocktail Stir Sticks

• CAV Party
• Kentucky Derby Viewing Party
• Kentucky Oaks Viewing Party
• Derby Brunch
• Derby Potluck
• Western Birthday Celebration

Cocktail Ideas For Horse Horse Stir Sticks

• Mint Julep
• Bourbon Slush
• Old Fashioned
• Bloody Mary
• Moscow Mule
• Ranch Water

DIY HORSE COCKTAIL STIR STICKS

Supplies

• plastic miniature horses
• 9″ clear plastic drink stirrers
• drill (THIS IS A PINK ONE!!!!)
• #8 drill bit
• metallic gold spray paint
• E6000 glue

Instructions

Carefully drill a hole under the horse deep enough to secure the swivel stick. Coat the drilled horses evenly with gold spray paint. Let the paint dry completely. Put a tiny bit of glue on the tip of the swivel stick and firmly push it inside the drilled hole.  Let the glue dry completely.

Would you like to sip on the Sparkling Charm Mint Julep in the photos above? Click here.

More Ideas For A Kentucky Derby Party

• How To Style a Derby Bar Cart
• Georgia Sweet Tea Bourbon Slush
• Derby Horse Cocktail Swizzle Sticks
• A Classic Mint Julep with Southern Belle Secrets
• Chocolate Chip Derby Pie

Print

DIY Horse Cocktail Stir Sticks

A super easy and fun DIY to add charm to cocktails and drinks.

Author Gwyn

Equipment

• plastic miniature horses
• 9″ clear plastic drink stirrers
• drill (THIS IS A PINK ONE!!!!)
• #8 drill bit
• metallic gold spray paint
• E6000 glue

Instructions

• Carefully drill a hole under the horse deep enough to secure the swivel stick. Coat the drilled horses evenly with gold spray paint. Let the paint dry completely. Put a tiny bit of glue on the tip of the swivel stick and firmly push it inside the drilled hole.  Let the glue dry completely.
• Would you like to sip on the Sparkling Charm Mint Julep in the photos above? Click here.

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Breakfast or Brunch

See All >

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Sweet Glazed Fresh Strawberry Scones

How To Make New Orleans Cold Brew Coffee

Make Ahead Smoothie Cubes

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DIY Gold Foil Serviettes

In this season of Lent, I have been thinking about the folded cloth Jesus left in the empty tomb and the significance of why He did that. I would like to think that my need to be tidy and organized means I take after Jesus, but I have a feeling Him folding the linen cloth wasn’t a message to be tidy.

My dear mother shard a grand explanation with me I will never forget. She said, “Gwyn, Jesus folded the linen cloth He left in the tomb to signify that HE is coming back. So, let’s follow his lead. Anytime you have visited someone’s home for dinner and enjoyed the company and the meal, carefully fold your napkin and place it by your plate. Like Jesus, let this be a sign to the hostess that the company was dandy and the meal was delicious. YOU WILL BE BACK. ”

This cherished tradition I share with my mother has inspired me to add a touch of gold foil to a set of serviettes.

Sparkle! Sparkle! XX-gwyn

PS Serviette is a fancy word for napkin. It is fun to say. The link I have shared will give you the correct pronunciation.

DIY Gold Foil Serviettes

Supplies:
6 white linen hemstitched serviettes, pressed
*I pick these up regularly at our local TJ Max.  You can get twelve linen hemstitched serviettes at just $15.00. A great deal!
Gold Foil Sheets
Deco Foil Liquid Adhesive
paint brush

Directions:

1. In any design you choose, apply a thick coat of the liquid adhesive with a paint brush to a pressed serviette.
2. Allow the adhesive to dry for at least two hours. It is ready when the adhesive becomes tacky.
3. Place a gold foil transfer sheet on the glue placing the metallic side up.
4. Press the sheet against the adhesive using your hands.
5. Remove the sheets.
6. If any areas are still tacky after removing the sheets, just apply the sheets again and repeat the process until there are no tacky areas.

That is it! DIY GOLD FOIL SERVIETTES! Pretty on any table!

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Copyrights & Credits//Author, Photographer, Creator: Gwyn @SparklingCharm.com


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