Fast & Fabulous: 3 Easy & Simple DIY Derby Party Decorations

The Kentucky Derby is the perfect excuse to throw a fun and stylish party, but who says decorations need to be complicated (or expensive)? With a little creativity, a few left-over supplies, and a trip to Dollar Tree, you can make these 3 easy DIY Kentucky Derby Decorations in no time. So, grab your derby craft supplies, saddle up, and let’s get ready to impress your guests with some fast and fabulous Derby Day decorations.

These three craft projects are so easy that anyone can make them. With just a few inexpensive supplies, you will be ready to decorate with style and wow your guests.

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DIY Dollar Tree Hats For Derby Day Decorations

No Kentucky Derby Party would be complete without festive hats. However, you can spend a fortune on these Derby Day Decorations. That’s why my first stop was Dollar Tree. I found large and small hats, along with plenty of faux flowers and ribbon to decorate them.

This is such a simple and obviously brilliant Kentucky Derby Craft idea. All you need is some wire snips, a hot glue gun, and finger protection.

First, use the wire snips to cut the stem from each of the artificial flowers. Then, use the hot glue gun to attach the flowers to the hat. I recommend using finger protectors to avoid damaged fingers.

You can be as creative as you desire when attaching the flowers. For the smaller hats, I circled the entire rim with alternating flowers. For the larger hat, I replaced the original black ribbon and added just a few flowers at the bow.

Can you guess how I plan to use these Dollar Tree creations? Stay turned!

DIY Kentucky Derby Decorations For The Table

After hats, what’s the next thing you think about for DIY Kentucky Derby Decorations? Well, a horse, of course. LOL

I had a few mini-plastic horses left over from the DIY Horse Race Game that I previously shared. Since I’m a waste-nothing kind of girl, I began looking for ways to use them.

DIY Horse Napkin Rings

Don’t you think little horse napkin rings would be just the cutest tableware accessory? But first, what could I use to attach the horses to? Then I remembered some wooden thrift store napkin rings that I hadn’t used. All that I’d need would be some E6000 glue and white spray paint.

Y’all know that I had to spruce them up a little, so here’s how to do it.

Begin by spray painting the napkin rings. Place them on a stick and roll the stick until all sides are covered. Then, allow them to dry before removing them.

Next, lay the horses on a piece of cardboard and spray until you have good coverage. After they are dry, turn them over and paint the backside.

When the spray paint is dry, you are ready to assemble the napkin rings. But wait! I wasn’t exactly thrilled with the white-on-white napkin rings, so I decided to add a little Rub N Buff in gold leaf.

You don’t need to cover the pieces completely if you want some of the white to show through. To highlight the areas you desire, add a small amount to a paper towel and rub away any excess.

Finally, add a small amount of the E6000 glue to the backside of the horses and press it to the napkin ring. Hold in place for a few minutes to ensure a good attachment.

Next, place the napkin ring in a glass or candlestick that will allow it to remain upright until the glue dries. Place the horse napkin rings in a safe place and check often to be sure the horse is in the correct position. The glue should be set within 30 minutes, and you can leave them to cure.

Once the glue has cured, you are ready to add your napkins. Aren’t these cute napkin rings the perfect DIY Kentucky Derby Decorations Idea? The gold leaf adds an expensive, stylish touch to the inexpensive craft.

Kentucky Derby Craft Centerpiece Idea

I still had a few horses left over, so I decided that a Kentucky Derby Craft Horse Pick would be cute to add to the table centerpiece. So, I grabbed some bamboo skewers at Dollar Tree and pulled out the E6000 glue again.

If you want, you can add some rub-n-buff gold leaf to the skewers so that they blend with the horse’s golden style. Position the skewer on the backside of the horse and prop the other end on something to make it level with the horse. Add a drop of E6000 glue and attach the tip of the skewer to the side of the horse.

I recommend placing the horses on wax paper in case the glue drips. Also, create an area for the glue to dry without interruption. Be sure to check that the skewers are attached straight down the side of each horse. Here, I used some of the other horses to balance the skewers.

Once the glue is dry, you can add the horse picks to your centerpiece arrangement. Run the skewer in and amongst the flowers, positioning as many horse picks as you desire. The horses add the perfect DIY Kentucky Derby Decorations for a fun table centerpiece.

Here are the 5 Amazing Kentucky Derby Tablescape Ideas and recipes to help you complete your party planning. I’d love to know if you make any of these fun DIY Kentucky Derby Decorations for your party. If you have different creative ideas, please share them with me. I’d love to share your creations on my Sunday, Dirt Road Adventures.

Resources

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