How to make Paper Dress Cupcake Toppers

It's the moment you've all been waiting for! what?!? you didn't know you were waiting for it? oh I'm so sorry, you've missed out on the anticipation and excitement of the whole waiting period.

OK, well even if you weren't waiting for it, i have had several requests for the original Ballerina Cupcake toppers from my daughter's 5th birthday party. but to get to the original idea you have to rewind to the invitations.

i knew i wanted to make my own party invitations and i wanted something "ballerina". After a little brainstorming and trial and error, i came up with a little card stock and tissue paper tutu outfit. then in a last minute effort i roped my mom into helping me make more for the cupcakes {she loved every minute of it too}! these little toppers are my most popular upload on cakecentral {a wonderful "all things cake" website}.

i then had the thought sometime later that they would also make absolutely adorable wedding dresses, like for a bridal shower!! lucky me, there was a shower on today and so i jumped at the chance to make some and now you will be able to too!

What you'll need: [makes 1 dozen toppers and takes me about 1.5 hours total]

• 1 sheet of 8.5"x11" card stock
• 3 sheets of matching 20"x20" tissue paper
• 3 ft of 1/4" ribbon
• 12 toothpicks
• Double stick tape
• Cuticle cutters (you know the little 2-prong fork thingy that comes in manicure sets)
• self-adhesive Pearls (optional)
• and this bodice template or this tank top template

STEP A. print template and trace onto card stock. make sure to use pencil so you can erase any visible marks left after cutting.

STEP B. Fold the tissue paper in half, then in half again. Using those lines as a guide cut into four strips (should measure 20 x 5 inches). cut each strip in half so that the final piece measures 10x5 inches.

Here are two nice little videos i did to show you how to actually put them together. i think it's easier to see it put together on video, but for those who prefer pictures and written instructions keep scrolling down, i promise they're there for ya!

This first video just shows how i cut and put the self-adhesive pearls onto the bodice piece, you can skip it if you're not using them.

This video shows how to put on the skirt front and back, the ribbon waist, and the toothpick for using as a cupcake topper.

and here are the photos with written instructions...
{These photos are taken straight from the video}


1. grab 4-6 sheets of your cut tissue paper and all together pre-crinkle them up down the center.


2. seperate one piece and gather it down the center. you'll want it to be as wide as the waistline of the bodice piece


3. using a 2inch piece of double stick tape, hold gathering in place. the top long edge of the tape should be at the midpoint of the tissue paper lengthwise.


4. place this on top of the front of the bodice. the top of the tape should be even with the waistline


5. wrap the excess tape around to the back of the bodice to hold tissue and cardstock together


6. fan out the tissue paper (VERY important)


7. Fold down the fanned tissue and lightly press (this will be held down by the double stick tape)


8. now you have the front of the bodice and skirt all done!

9. to dress it up a bit, cut small length of ribbon long enough to go around the waitline and meet ends.



10. wrap around to the back and press against the double stick tape already there.



11. repeat steps 2 & 3

12. this time, do not wrap around the cardstock, instead wrap the excess tape around the gathered tissue only.

13. now place the second skirt on the back of the bodice, making the top of the tape even with the back waistline, slightly covering the ends of the ribbon.

14. again, fan out the top tissue, fold down, and lightly press. now you have the back of the skirt done!

15. trim off any uneven ruffles if needed.

16. place a small piece of tape onto a toothpick

17. place toothpick onto cardstock and press tape down to hold in place.

18. then press the closest layer of tissue paper onto the tape.

that's it... ALL DONE!!

don't get discouraged if the first ones don't come out great, it still takes me a couple to get into the groove of gathering the tissue paper just right, etc...

to make the invitations, do not add the back skirt, simply tape the bodice and front skirt to a piece of cardstock and embellish to your hearts content!

the possibilities for these are endless!!!!! use different colors and patterns for little Easter dresses, little tea party dresses, whatever your imagination can come up with!! you could leave the toothpick off and use the dress as name plate for seating at a table... whatever you do, please, please, PLEASE, send me an email or leave a comment with a link to pictures of ones you've made!!!! I'm excited to see what's in all your brains

if you feel like i left out something or didn't explain something well enough, please let me know!

Hope you like them! :)

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Now see what others have done with them too!

1. Ballerina Cupcake Toppers
2. Bridal shower invite