Last weekend, Justin’s mom hosted a really sweet baby shower for his little sister (hashtag I’m going to be an aunt!!) And though his mom handled every last detail like the rockstar she is, I wanted to contribute in a small way. Enter: the popcorn bar. Inexpensive (seriously, the whole thing maybe cost me $30 for 30 people, including the ingredients), terribly cute, and a massive crowd pleaser. Truly. I cannot tell you how big of a hit this was!
I’d be lying if I told you it was quick and easy (read: it was not). But I like to make my life difficult and decided to make all of the popcorn myself, on top of creating that fancy little do-dad of a popcorn bar sign. It wasn’t hard by any means, just time consuming. But I don’t mind, because although it took me like three hours to cut around all those curly edges, I know I’ll get good use out of it (read: popcorn bars at every event I host from here on out!)
And if you don’t want to torture yourself by making batch after batch of popcorn, may I suggest simply picking up a collection at the grocery store? Next time I would probably buy the salted butter, the kettle corn and perhaps a caramel corn pre-made, and then whip up two (in lieu of five) others.
A few tips, if you’re looking to create your own popcorn bar for your next party: head to your local party store or craft store and pick up a bunch of the striped popcorn boxes. They come in a million different colours, and cost no more than a dollar for 5. Oh, and most party stores sell mini plastic scoops for like 50 cents each! Grab a handful of those too and place them in each vessel.
Next, grab vessels, vases, punch bowls, and anything else you have on hand. Try to keep it all consistent (ie: all glass, all porcelaine etc…), and try to vary the shapes, sizes and heights. Grab some sticky labels, write each popcorn variety on each label in your prettiest penmanship, and stick em on!
And though this silly little sign took a lot of time and patience, it really was worth it as it totally took the whole shebang to the next level. The piece de resistance, if you will. Here’s how you do it….
A sharp exacto knife
Scissors
(2) wooden dowels (I picked mine up at Michael’s!)
(1) thin piece of wood (I picked mine up at Michael’s!)
Hot glue
The popcorn bar printable (download it here!)
Thick cardstock (100 lb.)
No. 1 – Print out the free popcorn bar printable on thick cardstock (you may need to adjust your printer’s settings so that you don’t get a paper jam).
No. 2 – Using your exacto knife and scissors, carefully cut around the outline. Be patient, and replace your exacto blades often so that you get a nice clean cut!
No. 3 – Using a hot glue gun, glue the dowels to your wooden base and let dry completely.
No. 4 – Hot glue the popcorn bar sign to the dowels and enjoy!
All images original to Lark & Linen
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