Happy Birthday Baby! {and how to make a paint chip flag garland cake topper}

One week ago (on the first day of our family reunion) our baby Van turned one! 

 He's a bright eyed, inquisitive little guy who loves to make things go 

and fit things together and he's ready to dance to any tune available.

He loved the chocolate birthday cake--but I think he loved spending a week 

with his cousins (and Mimi and Topper and aunts and uncles) even more.

I fancied things up for the occasion with a fabric flag garland 

and a little cake topper garland made from paint chips and wooden skewers.

Did you know that the big home improvement stores are happy 

to let you take many many paint chips from their stash?  

I have quite a collection that comes in handy for random crafty projects.

For the cake topper I selected shades of green and ivory 

and cut enough flag triangles for two lengths of garland.

Through the magical powers of hot glue I attached them to two short strings 

and secured each end to a wooden skewer.

Then, layering more of the same paint chip colors, 

I made a number one sign and glued it to two toothpicks.

It's nothing too fancy, but it communicated the essential information.

Happy Birthday Van!