Make This Tassel Balloon for Your Wedding in 5 Minutes

Irene Fucci
Apr 05, 2015

Every couple looks for the perfect, unique touch for their special day, and there’s nothing more personal than a DIYed wedding. Moreover, sometimes you just need simple inexpensive materials to make astonishing accessories. So brides- and grooms-to-be, keep your eyes open: This tutorial is for you. Today we’re showing you how to make a colorful tassel balloon. It’s perfect for both reception decor or a photograph prop.

Materials:

— pink and peach sheets of tissue paper

— sheets of gold mylar

— 16-inch balloon — going bigger is recommended, but 16 is as small as you should go

Tools:

— scissors

Instructions:

1. Start with a sheet of tissue paper that is 10 inches wide and 15 inches tall. Fold it in half.

2. Use your scissors to cut fringes as shown below. Be sure to leave more or less 1 inch of uncut paper along the fold line.

3. Unfold your tissue paper, and roll it.

4. Fold and twist the tassel around the string that you plan on attaching to the balloon. This will hold the tassel in place. Repeat steps 1-4 to make your string as full as you’d like. We went with 10 tassels.

5. Secure your tasseled string to the balloon, and you’re done!

Take a single sheet of tissue paper and fold the long side into half. Then cut fringes alongside the long length, leaving at least 1 inch at the top, so that the whole piece stays attached. Now roll the entire paper and twist it as shown in the picture above to secure it in place and then make a loop. Repeat with as many tassels you want.

Once you have all the tassels, attach them to a twine and then secure it to a balloon. Blammo. You now have a super cute giant tassel wedding balloon.

As we said before, this is a versatile accessory that will perfectly complement any whimsical wedding but also every kind of party — from birthdays to a bachelorettes. So have fun and happy making.

Are you getting married this spring/summer? Chat with us about ideas for your big day in the comments below.

Fans Notice “Clever” Meaning Behind Brittany and Patrick Mahomes’ Three Kids’ Names

Brittany and Patrick Mahomes are an NFL "It" couple we can't get enough of, from their enviable friendship with Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce to their ever-so adorable kids. And when it comes to their kids? Brittany and Patrick don't play around. They've been overjoyed to be parents since day one, and continue to approach their kids with such care and intentionality — including with their incredibly unique names! So, here's everything you should know about this sweet family of five!

Learn more about Patrick & Brittany Mahomes' adorable kids — and their very clever names!

How many kids do Patrick & Brittany Mahomes have?

Instagram/brittanylynne

Patrick and Brittany Mahomes have three kids — Sterling Skye Mahomes, Patrick 'Bronze' Lavon Mahomes III, and Golden Raye Mahomes.

How old are Brittany and Patrick Mahomes' kids?

Instagram/brittanylynne

Sterling is 3, Bronze is 2, and Golden was born yesterday!

How did Brittany and Patrick Mahomes choose their kids names?

Instagram/brittanylynne

Since the arrival of Patrick and Brittany Mahomes' new bundle of joy, fans started to notice something interesting about their kids. Aside from being cute as a button, each of them have very unique baby names. Instead of taking the conventional route, the darling couple decided to pick a theme that feels on par with Patrick's NFL winning streak.

According to E! News, Brittany talked about the theme for her kids names in 2023. While talking about her dogs, she mentioned their names. "I got steel in college and named him after that." Then she admitted she thought about naming their second dog "sterling cause it went with steel perfect."

However, thinking about her future children made her change her mind. "...one day I want that to be daughters name so then we came up with Silver to go with steel."

Once Patrick and Brittany named their first daughter Sterling, the dots connected once they had their son. "...having a boy and him being Patrick Mahomes III, Bronze was just meant to be and went perfect," said Brittany.

We can't wait to learn about the inspiration for baby Golden Raye's name although we have an inkling it still follows the theme of her siblings' names.

What did they almost name 'Bronze?'

Instagram/brittanylynne

Funny enough, 'Bronze' almost had another name! Patrick told PEOPLE, "We were going with Trey at first because the third obviously and everything like that." He then shared his brother Jackson is the mastermind behind his son's name. "I started meeting more and more people with the nickname Trey, and Jackson came up to me and was like, 'What about Bronze?'"

He later said, "I haven't seen anybody else do that...I like it."

What have they said about being parents?

Instagram/brittanylynne

Brittany Mahomes is always shedding light on her role as a mom. Based on this Instagrampost, Brittany adores it. "Thanking the Lord everyday for making me a Mom. My most favorite role and biggest blessings."

Patrick Mahomes doesn't talk about fatherhood as often, but he's still a doting father. When celebrating his daughter's birthday, he wrote a sweet post on Instagram. "Happy 3rd birthday Sterling Skye! You are my 💙! Stop growing up so fast."

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DIY The Ultimate Holiday Party Photo Backdrop

Holiday party season is almost upon us, and we could not be more ready for it! Sparkly dresses, fancy work parties, time spent with family and friends celebrating the end of the year? Count us in. Topping the charts of our favorite things about holiday parties are the creative backdrops we’ve been seeing popping up in our social feeds. That’s why we’ve teamed up with NBC’s Making It, a new reality DIY competition series, to bring you a holiday party photo backdrop tutorial that is sure to make jaws drop. Get ready to learn how to hand knit a super fabulous and classy backdrop decked out with colorful pom-poms and tassels!

Let’s get crafty!

Materials and Tools:

  • yarn
  • pom-pom maker
  • roving
  • cable ties
  • large needle
  • scissors
  • retail grid (not pictured)
  • 2×1-foot wood board (not pictured)

Instructions:

  1. Hand knit roving.
  2. Make pom-poms and tassels.
  3. Create garlands.
  4. Add roving to grid.
  5. Add pom-poms and tassels.

For our backdrop, we used a 4×7-foot retail grid, which you can find at most office supply stores.

HAND KNIT ROVING

Begin by wrapping the tail of the roving over your right hand with the working yarn tucked underneath your hand, creating a loop.

Holding the tail in your left hand, pull the working yarn through the loop with your right hand, creating a simple slipknot.

This creates the base stitch of your woven braid that you will continue to pull the working yarn through to create the rest of your stitches. Thread the working yarn through your stitch just enough to create a new loop and pull it tight with the tail.

This may seem daunting at first, but once you get the hang of it, it’s actually super fun and a task that we all fight over at the office!

Keep feeding your working yarn through and creating new loops until you have enough to cover your grid. We kept the grid handy as we worked to see how much we needed to make. You got this!

When you’ve reached a good length, cut the working yarn.

Feed the now cut working yarn through your last loop and pull it tight, creating a secure knot. Ta-da! Now on to your next yarn creation.

POM-POMS

If you haven’t used a pom-pom maker before, oh buddy, you are in for a treat! They make making pom-poms SO easy. To begin, make sure that both pieces of the maker are together. Pull out a pair of the arms on one side and wrap yarn around both arms until you’ve filled in the half moon shape, like above. Once it’s filled, snip the yarn and close the arms.

Repeat on the other set of arms, trim the end of the yarn and close the arms of the maker.

With all the arms closed, cut down the center of each side of the arms of the maker. You’re almost done!

Cut a separate piece of yarn and make a tight double knot through the center of the maker.

To free your new fringy friend, pull open both pairs of the arms and pull apart each side of the maker. Give your pom a little haircut to turn him into the perfect fuzzball or leave him shaggy for some extra texture. After you make a few more poms, you’ll be ready to make a garland.

Using your large needle, thread a long piece of yarn through the center of the pom-pom.

Thread the needle through your other pom-poms. Make a fun assortment of garlands in varying colors and lengths for your backdrop. Next up on the yarn decor front, tassels!

TASSELS

We are going to show you how to make three different types of tassels. The best thing about tassels is that once you have the basics, there are millions of ways you can jazz them up. Make ‘em chunky, make ‘em long, or make them teeny, tiny — they will all look cool in your backdrop.

First tassel, or you may call it a faux-tassel. Take an entire skein of yarn and wrap a separate piece of yarn tightly around it, about three inches from the top of the skein. Trim around the bottom of the tassel, creating a fringe-tastic look, while keeping the inside of the skein intact.

To make your next type of tassel, you’ll need to grab something flat, at least two feet long. You can really use anything — a plastic lid of a storage container, a wood block, or a piece of cardboard.

Pull the yarn off of the wood, keeping it in a large oval. Double knot a piece of yarn around the top of all the pieces of yarn. Pinch together the top of the yarn and wrap it with a separate piece to create the “neck” of the tassel. Trim the bottom and you are all set. You can make so many variations of this tassel, and that’s exactly what we did for our backdrop.

You can braid or twist the bottoms of the tassels. Try ‘em all out!

INSTALLATION

Start by weaving the knitted roving in and out of the grid. This does not need to be perfect by any means; just go with the flow!

We left some big loops and empty spaces to fill in in with roving that hasn’t been knit, pom-poms, and tassels.

To attach the tassels, thread the cable tie through the center of the top and secure it to the grid.

Look at the fun texture start to come together by weaving knit and un-knit roving through the grid.

Keep on adding pops of color until you cover your entire backdrop. Now you are all set to gear up for your party!

CHEERS to your super awesome new backdrop!

If you haven’t heard yet, make sure you stop by our annual Holiday House! While you’re there, head to Santa’s Workshop, sponsored by NBC’s Making It, where you can DIY and snap pics in front of this backdrop!

Show us your holiday party photo backdrops by tagging us on Instagram using the hashtag #iamcreative and #MakingIt.

This post was paid for by NBC.

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25 New Movies You Don't Want To Miss In 2025

2025 is full of new TV shows, new music, and brand new movies that are already iconic and memorable. From the return of engaging and interesting superhero movies to creative rom-coms and crazy action thrillers, these are the movies you won't want to miss this year. And the best part is that some of these January movies are already out!

Here are the 25 most-anticipated movies of 2025.

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl — On Netflix Now

Netflix

Wallace and Gromit are finally back! This new movie sees Wallace invent a "smart" gnome...and its slow takeover. When Gromit realizes the gnome is becoming too smart, he has to battle some seriously sinister forces to save the day.

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is on Netflix and stars Ben Whitehead, Peter Kay, Lauren Patel, Reece Shearsmith, Diane Morgan, Adjoa Andoh, Muzz Khan, and Lenny Henry.

Better Man — In Theaters Now

Paramount Pictures

This isn't your average biopic. The movie tells the story of British popstar Robbie Williams and the highs and lows of fame with his boyband Take That...presenting Robbie as a monkey.

Better Man is in theaters and stars Robbie Williams, Jonno Davies, Steve Pemberton, Damon Herriman, Raechelle Banno, Alison Steadman, Kate Mulvaney, Frazer Hadfield, Tom Budge, and Anthony Hayes.

The Last Showgirl — In Theaters Now

Roadside Attractions

When showgirl Shelly's show closes suddenly after 30 years, she has to figure out what her future — and her present — looks like. Not only does it feature an insanely talented cast, but it also has new music from Miley Cyrus!

The Last Showgirl is in theaters and stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Dave Bautista, Brenda Song, Kiernan Shipka, and Billie Lourd.

Wolf Man — In Theaters January 17, 2025

Nicola Dove/Universal Pictures

We might be getting closer to Valentine's Day, but it's always scary movie season. When a mysterious animal attacks Blake, Charlotte, and their daughter Ginger, they take refuge in a farmhouse. But the animal left its mark — and it doesn't take long for the family to realize they're in a whole new kind of danger.

Wolf Man is in theaters and stars Christopher Abbott, Julia Garner and Sam Jaeger, Matilda Firth, Benedict Hardie, Ben Prendergast, Zac Chandler, Beatriz Romilly, and Milo Cawthorne.

One of Them Days — In Theaters January 24, 2025

Sony Pictures

This new 2025 movie is the BFF comedy you've been waiting for! Dreux and Alyssa learn Alyssa's BF has spent all their rent money and have to do everything they can to keep their landlord from evicting them. TLDR; I hope this BF becomes an ex by the end of the film.

One of Them Days premieres January 24 and stars Keke Palmer, SZA, Maude Apatow, and Janelle James.

Flight Risk — In Theaters January 24, 2025

Lionsgate

A U.S. Marshall has been tasked with bringing a witness to court, but their flight takes a turn for the dangerous when she realizes their pilot is a hitman with a single target: her charge. This is Michelle Dockery and Mark Wahlberg like you've never seen them.

Flight Risk premieres January 24 and stars Michelle Dockery, Mark Wahlberg, and Topher Grace.

Inheritance — In Theaters January 24, 2025

IFC Films

Maya finds herself in the middle of an international conspiracy after she learns her father used to be a spy. With danger at every time and enough questions to last her a lifetime, Maya sets out on a quest to find out the truth.

Inheritance premieres January 24 and stars Phoebe Dynevor and Rhys Ifans.

You're Cordially Invited — On Prime Video January 30, 2025

Prime Video

Despite planning the perfect destination wedding for her sister, one woman's plans are turned on their head when the venue double books them with a young woman's wedding. With a cast led by Reese Witherspoon and Will Ferrell, this is one new movie you will never forget!

You're Cordially Invited premieres January 30 and stars Will Ferrell, Reese Witherspoon, Geraldine Viswanathan, Meredith Hagner, Jimmy Tatro, Stony Blyden, Leanne Morgan, Rory Scovel, Keyla Monterroso Mejia, Ramona Young, Jack McBrayer, and Celia Weston.

Mickey 17 — In Theaters January 31, 2025

Warner Bros. Pictures

As an Expendable, Mickey Barnes goes on life-ending mission after mission thanks to his clones. Everything goes according to plan...until two Mickeys survive at the same time.

Mickey 17 premieres January 31 and stars Robert Pattinson, Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun, Toni Collette, and Mark Ruffalo.

Kinda Pregnant — On Netflix February 5, 2025

Scott Yamano/Netflix

When Lainy's best friend announces she's pregnant, Lainy announces hers too! It's perfect! Except for the fact that Lainy's lying to everyone in her life...including a very handsome stranger.

Kinda Pregnant premieres February 5 and stars Amy Schumer, Jillian Bell, Will Forte, Damon Wayans Jr., Brianne Howey, Alex Moffat, Joel David Moore, Lizze Broadway, Urzila Carlson, Francis Benhamou.

Love Hurts — In Theaters February 7, 2025

Allen Fraser/Universal Pictures

Ex-criminal Marvin Gable's new life as a Wisconsin realtor gets interrupted when his ex-partner Rose ropes him back into danger.

Love Hurts hits theaters February 7 and stars Ke Huy Quan, Ariana DeBose, Daniel Wu, Sean Astin, Mustafa Shakir, Lio Tipton, Rhys Darby, Marshawn Lynch, and André Eriksen.

Heart Eyes — In Theaters February 7, 2025

Spyglass/Sony Pictures Releasing

Ally and her date have to go on the run when a serial killer called Heart Eyes goes after them as his next victims. According to the synopsis, no couple is safe, so beware if you want to take your SO to the theater.

Heart Eyes premieres February 7 and stars Olivia Holt, Mason Gooding, Gigi Zumbado, Michaela Watkins, Devon Sawa, and Jordana Brewster.

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy — On Peacock February 13, 2025

Jay Maidment/Universal Pictures

Newly single Bridget is navigating love, life, and motherhood in the wake of Mark's death. And as she heals, she finds herself drawn to the young and handsome Roxster as she also keeps having awkward run-ins into Mr. Wallaker.

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy drops on February 13 and stars Renée Zellweger, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Leo Woodall, Emma Thompson, Jim Broadbent, Isla Fisher, and Gemma Jones.

Captain America: Brave New World — In Theaters February 14, 2025

Eli Adé/Marvel Studios/Disney

Superhero fatiguebe gone! This new movie is totally taking us back to the Captain America: Winter Soldier vibes and I'm here for it. Sam Wilson is still getting used to being Captain America when a global incident threatens to turn into a global crisis.

Captain America: Brave New World premieres February 14 and stars Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Harrison Ford, and Liv Tyler.

Old Guy — In Theaters February 21, 2025

The Avenue

An older hitman is tasked with training a young recruit to take his place, but their tension becomes hesitant teamwork when they learn their employer set them up.

Old Guy premieres February 21 and stars Christoph Waltz, Cooper Hoffman, Lucy Liu, Ryan McParland, Ann Akinjirin, Jason Done, Tony Hirst, Kate Katzman, Conor Mullen, and Rory Mullen.

Disney's Live-Action Snow White — In Theaters March 21, 2025

Disney

Following The Little Mermaid(which I haven't been able to stop talking about), Rachel Zegler stars as the live-action Snow White, who's determined to bring justice for her kingdom when the Evil Queen takes over. I can't get enough of Rachel's new song, and the beautiful color palette. C'mon jewel tones!

Snow White hits theaters March 21 and stars Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot.

Thunderbolts* — In Theaters May 2, 2025

Marvel Studios

In Thunderbolts*, Yelena Belova and Bucky Barnes are just two anti-heroes who are brought together for a mission from Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. But when they realize they weren't supposed to make it out alive, they create a new group to bring her down.

Thunderbolts* hits theaters May 2 and stars Florence Pugh, Geraldine Viswanathan, Lewis Pullman, Hannah John-Kamen, Wyatt Russell, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Sebastian Stan, and David Harbour.

Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning — In Theaters May 23, 2025

Paramount Pictures

Tom Cruise is out for one last mission in this new movie, where his character Ethan has to find an AI program called The Entity before it falls into the wrong hands. And he's doing everything he can to keep his family safe in the process.

Mission: Impossible 8 hits theaters May 23 and stars Ving Rhames, Henry Czerny, Simon Pegg, Vanessa Kirby, Esai Morales, Hayley Atwell, Shea Whigham, Pom Klementieff, and Frederick Schmidt.

Jurassic World: Rebirth — In Theaters July 2, 2025

Jasin Boland/Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment

A new team is on a mission to get DNA from the three biggest creatures in the world: one from land, one from the air, and one from sea to save lives in a world that's inhospitable to dinosaurs. But everything changes when they find a shipwrecked family.

Jurassic World: Rebirth premieres July 2 and stars Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend, and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo.

Superman — In Theaters July 11, 2025

Warner Bros. Pictures

Comic book fans are going to love this brand new take on Superman (and Clark Kent, TBH, I've never seen someone transform like David does between Clark and Superman!). According to WB, the movie features "a singular blend of epic action, humor and heart, delivering a Superman who’s driven by compassion and an inherent belief in the goodness of humankind."

Superman hits theaters July 11 and stars David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Isabela Merced, Skyler Gisondo, Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan, Nathan Fillion, Sara Sampaio, Pruitt Taylor Vince, María Gabriela de Faría, Wendell Pierce, Alan Tudyk, and Neva Howell.

The Fantastic 4: First Steps — In Theaters July 25, 2025

Pedro Pascal/Instagram

The Fantastic Four are finally joining the MCU, but considering it looks like they're living in the 1960s (and in a different universe), this is a whole new take on the story we haven't seen yet. We also haven't gotten a trailer or teaser yet and I'm already obsessed with the way this cast loves each other.

The Fantastic 4: First Steps hits theaters July 25 and stars Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Vanessa Kirby.

Avatar: Fire And Ash — In Theaters December 19, 2025

Disney

After two movies highlighting earth and water, we're getting a fiery third installment. Avatar 3 will show off "a lot more Pandora that you never saw before,” director James Cameron told D23 in Anaheim, California (via Variety). “It’s an insane adventure and a feast for the eyes, but it’s also got very high emotional stakes, more than ever before.”

Avatar: Fire And Ash premieres December 19 and stars Zoe Saldaña and Sam Worthington.

A Simple Favor 2 — Coming In 2025

Lionsgate

Don't worry A Simple Favor fans! Director Paul Feig just confirmed the new movie isn't delayed. This sequel will see Emily getting married in a crazy destination wedding, with plenty of twists and turns along the way.

A Simple Favor 2 is coming in 2025 and stars Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick.

Materialists — Coming in 2025

Frazer Harrison/Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

When an NYC matchmaker falls for a wealthy man, she realizes she can't shake her attachment to a certain actor-waiter from her past. Oh, I am so there!

Materialists is coming in 2025 and stars Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal, and Chris Evans.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery — On Netflix In 2025

Netflix

This new movie involves a graveyard, a new cast of characters, and Benoit Blanc's "most dangerous case yet."

Knives Out 3 is coming in 2025 and stars Daniel Craig, Josh O’Connor, Cailee Spaeny, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Daryl McCormack, and Thomas Haden Church.

See the latest new movie updates on Brit + Co's Movie page. Don't forget to check out which February movies are coming soon!

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Trader Joe’s New $4 Dessert Is Here To Replace Your Costly Starbucks Habit

Starbucks fans, rejoice!Trader Joe’s just dropped an earth-shattering dessert that mimics the coffee chain’s most popular grab-and-go dessert. You’re gonna want to run to TJ’s as soon as possible to see if it’s in stock, because not only is it tasty, it’s also a total steal compared to what you’d typically spend for a sweet treat at Starbucks.

Scroll on to discover the brand-new Trader Joe’s dessert that’s definitely making me rethink my drive-thru habit!

Trader Joe’s

Introducing Trader Joe’s Sprinkle Cake Bites: bite-sized cake balls baked with a “rich and moist” batter, coated in a white confectionary coating, and tossed in adorable little multicolored sprinkles to maximize snacking joy. Yeah, I’m already obsessed.

Ksenia Chernaya / PEXELS

Trader Joe’s crafted their new Sprinkle Cake Bites out of the belief that cake is just too good a dessert to wait for birthdays and anniversaries to eat it – and I wholeheartedly agree. Their small size makes everyday indulgence a possibility, though knowing myself, I could easily eat the entire box!

Starbucks

Now, I’m clearly not one to deny myself something sweet, and my sugar cravings get especially enticed when I roll up to the Starbucks drive-thru for a caffeinated pick-me-up. More often than not, I’ll leave the establishment with not only my typical iced latte, but also a cake pop in-hand. All their cake pops are so delicious, but I also know they’re not necessarily great for my health (or my wallet).

Ivan Samkov / PEXELS

Great news, though: while a singleStarbucks cake popcosts $3.25, this 6-pack (yes, 6!) of Trader Joe’s Sprinkle Cake Bites is just $3.99. Plus, on average, Starbucks’ cake pops (varying flavors) also contain 160 calories and 16 grams of sugar, while one of the Trader Joe’s Sprinkle Cake Bites has 120 calories and 13 grams of sugar. The only thing that’s missing from TJ’s iteration is the stick.

Alexander Wark Feeney / PEXELS

The Trader Joe’s Sprinkle Cake Bites will definitely be on regular rotation in my kitchen, starting now. In addition to mid-workday snacking, I’ll also be snagging some boxes for friends’ birthdays and to share at this year’s Galentine’s Day party!

Subscribe to our newsletter to discover more amazing grocery finds from Trader Joe's, Costco, Target, and more!

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