Fourth of July Mini Cupcake Sparkler Decorations

My family and I are having a get together on the Fourth of July. I wanted to bring something for dessert that would be fun and festive. I saw these patriotic mini cupcakes at the grocery store and could not resist! To make these even more celebratory, I created sparkler cupcake toppers with Real Red and Pacific Point cardstock and toothpicks to decorate each of the mini cupcakes.

Two types of mini cupcakes came in the package - chocolate cake with marshmellow icing and vanilla cake with blue tinted vanilla frosting. Both varieties are topped with red, white, and blue sprinkle stars. Could they not get cuter than that?

These sparklers came together quickly and easily. I made about twenty in less than 15 minutes, including preparation time. To make more use of my cardstock scraps, I used long strips of scraps. I cut them to a 1-1/4" width and followed the steps 1-6 below. Then I cut the strips into 2" long pieces.

To make the sparkler cupcake decorations:

1. First, gather your supplies and cut your cardstock.
2. Then with the 1-1/2" side parallel to the paper trimmer's bottom ruler, score the cardstock at 1/4".
3. Fold and burnish the score line. This score line is to help the sparkler ends to puff out into a ball shape and to also know where to stop cutting the sparkler ends.
4. Curl the cardstock with a bone folder. This will help you roll the sparkler more easily.
5. Cut fringe along the 2" side, stopping at the score line.
6. Place Tear and Tape Adhesive along the scored area on the back of the sparkler.
7. Remove the adhesive backing and add a line of liquid glue. This will help the wooden toothpick stick better and give you more maneuverability to roll up the cardstock.
8. Let the toothpick sit in the liquid glue for a few seconds. Then roll up the cardstock. Hold the end of the cardstock for a few seconds to help the cardstock adhere in place.
9. Shape the sparkler by bringing the fringed ends of the cardstock down and out in a semi-spherical shape.
10. Add the sparkler decoration to your mini cupcake.

Because I used mainly long scraps for these sparkler decorations, there would be some cardstock left over that was not quite 2" long. One strip of cardstock only had about 1-1/4" left. So, I thought why not try it and see how full and puffy a 1-1/4" strip of cardstock would be. You can see in the photo below that the 1-1/4" strip of cardstock is not as full or as puffy as the 2" strips of cardstock, but it still looks really cute!

It would be fun to experiment with different lengths of cardstock to see which length makes the sparkler size and shape that you like the best!

Below are the measurements and supply list to make these Fourth of July sparkler cupcake decorations.

Measurements

• Sparkler: 1-1/2" x 2"; scored at 1/4" (Real Red and Pacific Point Cardstock)

Supplies

#102482 Real Red Cardstock
#111350 Pacific Point Cardstock
#102300 Bone Folder
#103579 Paper Snips
#130148 Grid Paper
#152392 Paper Trimmer
#154031 Tear & Tape Adhesive
#110755 Multipurpose Liquid Glue
Toothpicks
Mini Cupcakes

I would love to hear about your Fourth of July celebrations! Leave a comment below telling me how you are celebrating the Fourth of July.

If you would like to recreate these treat holders and need some supplies, please, shop my online store HERE.

If you have any questions about today's project, please, don't hesitate to ask me. I am happy to help you with your stamping questions!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great day!
Beth