When you’re hosting a gathering, even something small like a book club, birthday celebration, or tea party, the details on your table make a big difference. Coordinated decorations instantly make a party feel intentional and welcoming, but that doesn’t mean you need to spend a lot of money or time decorating.
One of my favorite ways to decorate for a party is by using scrapbook paper and my Cricut machine to create simple paper decorations like candy bar wrappers, cupcake toppers, and straw flags. These pieces are fast to cut, inexpensive to make, and easy to customize for almost any theme. I’m excited to show you how I do this for almost all of my parties, so let’s get started!
Affiliate Disclosure – This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products and tools that I personally use in my craft studio and for my own party setups.
How to Create Coordinated Party Decor with Scrapbook Paper and a Cricut
If you’ve seen my Tea Party on a Budget setup here on the blog, you already know how much of an impact simple paper decorations can make. In that party setup, I used affordable supplies and creative styling to create a beautiful table without spending a fortune. This project builds on that same idea by showing how scrapbook paper and a Cricut can quickly create coordinated decorations for both casual and decorative gatherings.
For this tutorial, I created two different party styles using the same Cricut project:
• A lace-inspired tea party style with decorative edges and embellishments
• A classic book club style using simple shapes and patterned paper
Both styles use the same basic pieces and can easily be adapted for birthdays, showers, holidays, or casual get-togethers.
Supplies for Scrapbook Paper Party Decor
You only need a few simple supplies to create these decorations.
Any Cricut machine
Cricut supplies
Craft materials
- 12x 12 Scrapbook paper
- Foil sheets
- Foam adhesive tape
- Craft glue
- Hot glue gun
Party supplies
Optional embellishments
- Paper flowers
- Paper doilies
- Ribbon
- Decorative stickers
Most of these supplies are inexpensive and many are items you may already have in your craft room.
Why Scrapbook Paper Works So Well for Party Decor
Scrapbook paper is one of the easiest materials to use for themed party decorations. It comes in endless colors, patterns, and seasonal designs, making it simple to coordinate decorations with your party theme.
Scrapbook paper also cuts beautifully with Cricut machines and holds its shape well for layered designs like cupcake toppers.
Another advantage is that scrapbook paper is very affordable. A single pack of patterned paper can be used to create dozens of decorations including cupcake toppers, candy wrappers, straw flags, and table accents. Even small scraps can be used to decorate glasses, jars, or other party elements. I personally like to get the scrapbook paper pads from Michaels. They always have fun themes and often at a good price.
Cutting the Party Decor with Your Cricut
Open the project in Cricut Design Space and load your scrapbook paper onto a light grip mat.
Use the brayer to smooth the paper onto the mat so it stays flat during cutting.
Cut the shapes for:
- Candy bar wrappers
- Cupcake topper circles
- Straw flags
These shapes are simple and cut quickly, which makes it easy to create multiple decorations for larger parties. You can make as many as you need just by duplicating each shape. You can make a full sheet of one shape by hiding the other elements in Cricut Design Space and increasing your quantity once you are ready to cut. I use the medium cardstock setting for most of my scrapbook paper. For thicker, glitter or embossed paper, I use the heavy cardstock setting.
Once the pieces are cut, you can assemble and decorate them using the steps below. I’ll also be sharing a video tutorial soon showing how I created these decorations.
Get the Cricut Project File
If you’d like to recreate these decorations, I’ve made the Cricut project file available to my Studio Letter subscribers. The file includes the shapes for the candy bar wrappers, cupcake toppers, and straw flags so you can quickly cut them using scrapbook paper and customize them for your own party theme. I share project files like this, new tutorials, and creative ideas in my weekly Studio Letter. Sign up below to get access to the template and future projects.
How to Make Candy Bar Wrappers
Candy bar wrappers are an easy way to turn simple chocolate bars into coordinated party favors.
Step 1: Wrap the Candy Bar in Foil
- Start with a standard size Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar.
- Leave the original wrapper on the candy bar.
- Cut a foil sheet large enough to wrap around the bar. Place the candy bar in the center of the foil and fold the foil around it so the front looks smooth and neat. Fold the excess foil on the back side.
- Wrapping the candy bar in foil creates a polished look and gives the decorative wrapper a smooth surface.
Step 2: Cut the Scrapbook Paper Wrapper
- Using your Cricut project, cut the candy bar wrapper pieces from scrapbook paper that matches your party theme.
- Once cut, gently fold the wrapper around the foil-covered candy bar to check the fit.
Step 3: Secure the Wrapper
Wrap the scrapbook paper around the candy bar and secure the seam on the back using a small dot of hot glue. Hot glue works well because it holds quickly and keeps the wrapper secure during the party.
Step 4: Add Decorative Elements
You can leave the wrappers simple or add embellishments such as:
- Paper flowers
- Ribbon bows
- Decorative stickers
- Small layered shapes
For the lace tea party version, I added decorative layers of doilies to the wrapper to give it a more elegant look. For the book club version, I cut pieces of coordinating paper to create a band around them.
How to Make Cupcake Toppers
Cupcake toppers are one of the easiest ways to decorate cupcakes and instantly make them feel party-ready.
Step 1: Cut the Circles
Cut one large circle and one smaller circle for each cupcake topper using your Cricut machine. The larger circle forms the base of the topper while the smaller circle will be layered on top.
Step 2: Prepare the Paper Straws
Cut paper straws in half using scissors. Each half straw will be used as the stick for a cupcake topper.
Step 3: Attach the Straw
Place a half straw on the back of the large circle and secure it using glue or hot glue. Make sure the straw extends below the circle so it can be inserted into the cupcake.
Step 4: Add the Front Layer
Glue the smaller circle to the front of the large circle, covering the straw attachment on the back. This creates a clean layered look.
Step 5: Add Embellishments
Decorate the topper using scrapbook paper pieces or embellishments like:
- Paper flowers
- Ribbon
- Decorative stickers
- Small paper shapes
Foam adhesive tape works great here if you want to add dimension between layers.
How to Add Straw Flags to Cupcake Toppers
Straw flags can add an extra decorative element to your cupcake toppers.
Step 1: Cut the Straw Flag
Cut the small banner-shaped flag from scrapbook paper using the Cricut project.
Step 2: Attach to the Straw
- Wrap the straw flag around the paper straw directly under the cupcake topper.
- Add a small amount of glue to hold the flag in place.
This small detail adds movement and color to the topper.
How to Make Straw Flags for Drinking Straws
You can also use the same straw flags to decorate drink straws.
Step 1: Cut the Flags
Cut the straw flag shapes from scrapbook paper with your Cricut.
Step 2: Wrap Around the Straw
- Place the straw in the center of the flag and fold the paper around it.
- Add a small dot of glue to secure the flag.
These flags add a fun decorative detail to drinks and help tie the drink station into the rest of your party decor.
Using Scrapbook Paper Scraps for Extra Decorations
One of the best parts of this project is that even the smallest scraps of scrapbook paper can be used.
Small pieces of paper can be used to:
- Wrap around glasses or mason jars
- Decorate candy wrappers
- Create layered topper elements
- Add decorative strips to straws
These little details help create a cohesive party table without needing additional supplies.
Elevating Your Decor with Store-Bought Embellishments
If you want to add even more texture and dimension to your decorations, consider adding simple embellishments such as:
- Paper flowers
- Paper doilies
- Ribbon bows
- Foam adhesive layers
Paper doilies work beautifully for tea party setups and can be layered behind cupcake toppers or used under dessert plates. Paper flowers add a soft decorative touch and work especially well for floral or garden party themes. I used a similar decorative style when creating my Tea Party on a Budget dessert table.
Decorating for Small or Large Parties
One of the best things about this Cricut project is how easily it scales. For a small gathering, you may only need a few cupcake toppers and candy wrappers. For larger parties, simply cut additional sheets of scrapbook paper and repeat the shapes. Because Cricut machines cut quickly, you can produce dozens of decorations in a short amount of time.
This makes scrapbook paper party decor perfect for events like:
- Book club gatherings
- Tea parties
- Birthday parties
- Bridal showers
- Baby showers
- Holiday celebrations
Simple Party Decor That Makes a Big Impact
Decorating for a party doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive. With scrapbook paper and a Cricut machine, you can quickly create coordinated decorations that make your party table feel thoughtful and festive.
Whether you prefer the decorative lace look inspired by my Tea Party on a Budget setup or the simple classic style used for the book club table, these paper decorations are easy to customize for any event.
By combining scrapbook paper, Cricut cuts, and a few embellishments, you can decorate a party table beautifully using supplies you may already have in your craft room.
Next time you are at the craft store, be sure to check out the scrapbook paper. You may be inspired to use it for your next party!
Happy Party Planning!
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