Create whimsical and imaginative decorations for your Candy Themed Birthday Party with a DIY Giant Candy Backdrop. Follow the steps below to make enormous strips of candy buttons, large wrapped candies and giant candy sticks. The size and scale of these candies will instantly transform your party space and create a fun and playful environment for the birthday boy or girl.
Let's start by making the large candy buttons! To do this, we'll paint DIY Large Clear Christmas Ornament halves. To create 2 strips of candy buttons you'll need 27 ornaments or 54 total halves. Start by painting 9 halves with Pink Acrylic Paint. I used the shade Candy Pinkmixed with White. Allow the paint to dry completely. Next, paint 9 ornament halves in Yellow Acrylic Paint. I used the shade Bright Yellow. Allow the paint to dry.
You will need to paint twice as many teal candy and red candy buttons since they will also appear on your second board. Paint 18 ornament halves in Teal Acrylic Paint. I used the shade Key West. Paint the other 18 total ornament halves in Red Acrylic Paint. I used the shade Red Apple. Allow paint to dry.
As the paint on all of the ornament halves is drying, begin assembling the flat boards for the candy buttons. Start by taping two 20x30 Flipside White Foam Boards together with Duct Tape. To do this, arrange the boards vertically and apply a small piece of tape on the far left and right sides of the boards at the seam where they meet. Then, for added reinforcement, apply hot glue liberally over the entire seam. Repeat this step with the second set of two boards.
After the hot glue has dried, apply a large piece of Duct Tape over the entire seam. This will make the connection where the boards come together even more sturdy. Repeat this step with the second set of two boards.
Flip the boards over and arrange this 60 inch vertical piece on a hard, flat surface. Using a ruler, measure 4 inches down from the top and mark with a pencil. Then measure 2 inches in on the far left and right sides. Mark with a pencil. Place your first candy button 4 inches from the top and 2 inches from the left side of the board.
You will want your first row of candy buttons 4 inches from the top with a space of 2 inches in between each. Now, measure 2 inches from the right edge of the first candy button that you just placed and place the second candy button. Repeat this step, measuring another 2 inches in between your second and third candy button, and place the third candy button.
Continue placing all of the candy buttons. Each vertical column should have 2 inches of space in between the candy buttons and each horizontal row should have 2 inches of space in between. Create 3 rows of each color, totaling 9 ornament halves. Hot glue all of the ornament halves in place on the board. Continue with these same measurements on the second set of boards. Now your large candy buttons are done!
Now it's time to make the 3-pack wrapped candies. Start by assembling Mini Red Hanging Paper Lanterns and Mini Light Pink Hanging Paper Lanterns with the provided metal frame. Then, using clear fishing line, tie the metal frames of the mini lanterns together. Repeat until you have 3 lanterns tied together, alternating the pink and red colors.
Next, wrap the row of 3 lanterns in clear cellophane and twist the edges.
Using red Cotton Rickrack Trim, tie both of the twisted edges so they stay closed. Your wrapped candy is now done!
In a similar style to the 3-pack wrapped candy that we just made, we'll make a large peppermint wrapped candy. Begin by assembling the Peppermint Candy Balloon Hanging Paper Lantern with the provided metal frame.
Wrap the lantern in clear cellophane and tape it closed. If your roll of cellophane is too narrow, you might need to tape two pieces together. Twist both sides of cellophane like a wrapped candy.
Using red Cotton Rickrack Trim, tie both of the twisted edges so they stay closed. Your large peppermint wrapped candy is now done!
Now let's make large candy sticks out of Pool Noodles. If you'd like your candy sticks to be very long, you can keep them the full length of the pool noodle. If not, simply cut the noodle in half with scissors or a craft knife.
Twist white Mavalus® Multi-Purpose Adhesive Tape around the noodle at an angle. This will create the look of a candy stick.
Your DIY giant candy backdrop is now complete! Display all of the candies in and around your Candy Themed Birthday Party by hanging them with clear fishing line and leaning the strips of candy buttons against the wall.
Looking for even more sweet party ideas and inspiration? Be sure to check out our Candy Charcuterie Board. You also won't want to miss our free Candy Themed Birthday Party Printable Pack.