Carnation Cupcakes

I've been in "decluttering mode" lately and as I think about what to get any of my girlfriends for their birthdays, the last thing I want to surprise them with is another "thing" they feel they have to keep around.

My solution? Carnation Cupcakes. No baking required.

You can order one from 1-800-Flowers for $25 or make your own.

You'll need:

A silicone muffin cup.
(Jumbo size is best, although mine pictured is regular muffin cup size. You can search online to order: Casabella Jumbo Muffin Cups

Floral Foam.
(It's usually green and I've found it at any craft store or the dollar store. Use the height of the muffin cup (see below pic) to cut your foam to size. Then, shave down the sides at an angle with scissors until the foam fits snugly into the muffin cup.


A bundle of carnations.
(Cut them down to have just a small stem, depending on what size muffin cup you use. Insert the flower stems into the foam and arrange as desired.)

Mini banner flag attached to a toothpick.

(Cut two small slits parallel to one another on the left side of the flag. Insert toothpick or wooden skewer and push into foam between flower petals.)

One candle.
(I attached mine to a toothpick just to make it stand a little taller. Of course, the toothpick portion was hidden in the flowers.)

Ribbon.

(A strip long enough to make it around the edge where the muffin cup meets the floral foam. You kind of want that hidden as much as possible.)

These gotta be the prettiest and healthiest little cupcakes you'll ever make! Your friends will thank you for this sweet, homemade, no-calorie treat.... made just for them!

Plus, if watered regularly, these will keep at least a week or more, depending on the freshness of the flowers when given. Can't say that about any other kind of cupcake sitting in my house.

And, your prize for getting to the end of this post...

A colorful set of banner flags!

You can download HERE!