If you have been following me for a while, you know I am all about them fancy IG backdrops. Ever since I moved to London, I have been gleefully hunting down all the cool cafes and floral archways to snap aesthetic shots for my blog. Last winter, I had a grand time pulling together a magical feed as London erupted with Christmas cheer. Almost every mall, restaurant and café boasted their own special festive instalment.
I wanted to build a similar mood for Ramadan but a) I was totally confined at home and b) I am no DIY whiz kid. But I still went out on a limb and decorated little corners around my flat to create a happy, festive mood. As it was my first time doing Ramadan decorations, I ended up buying a few items which I consider as long-term investment.
- I bought these uber cool stars and moon string lights from Amazon which turned out to be even prettier up front! I got so many DMs when I posted these on Instagram.
- I updated my seasonal window display. I ordered the Ramadan Mubarak window decal and golden lamp from Amazon. The plant was my birthday gift from The Millennial Baba. Everything else is prewoned. This corner is right next to our kitchen table/work from home desk and is a source of great joy. At night, I light up the candles and watch the soft glow of light shimmering on the Thames river behind.
- I collaborated with some fellow bloggers to create DIY Ramadan Décor. I came up with this wreath made out of toy train tracks (sorry Ary, I will release them soon, promise!), which I wrapped with branches from our fake Christmas tree and boishakh garlands I got from Dhaka earlier this year. The decal and bunting are from Amazon.
- I did a little balloon backdrop, inspired by a bunch of Ramadan Mubarak balloons that I chanced upon at Morrisons. This post is largely about how I managed that!
DIY Balloon Wall
Many of us are celebrating key milestones as we remain socially confined. Kid’s first birthday, anniversaries, Eids, what have you. We are not as photo savvy as we used to be in pre Covid era, as we languish in our PJs and sport overly aggressive hair growth. With Ary’s birthday round the corner, and my experiments with fun backdrops growing into a hobby, I ended up pottering around with some DIY myself. It was good fun and the photos came out pretty great. So, if you are a noobie like me, and would like to try some party décor at home, here’s how you can do it!
You will need:
- Balloons.
My main inspiration came from these really bright golden 12″ Ramadan special balloons. With my minimal, predominantly white feed in mind, I went for a golden-off-white-orange theme. I bought a pack of different sized balloons that had the right colours. - Sturdy Tape. I bought these heavy duty Gorilla Tape from Amazon but it did cost me bits and bobs of me wall paint. I would suggest testing a corner of your wall first if you aren’t sure. Or getting something a little less sticky.
- Foam Board. This will form the base for your backdrop.
- Hand Pump (optional). I ended up blowing most of the balloons manually.
- Low Temp Glue Gun. I got the wrong gun so make sure you get the right one if you feel the need for it. I ended up using normal tape to stick the balloons.
And that’s it!
How to create your DIY Balloon Wall:
- Blow up your balloons. Best to do them in advance Vs along the way as it gives you more flexibility to get the theme right.
- Stick your foam boards to the wall with strong tape. I wanted a solid wall hence laid out the outline accordingly. You can create fun symbols, numbers, letters – get creative!
- Have a little think about how you want the balloons to look. Start with the big balloons first, then add the smaller ones as you go. Don’t get too hung up on coordinating the colours, it will look great once its all done. Keep adding until the foam board is almost invisible. I stuck some balloons directly onto other balloons to close the gap. Sadly, I lost almost all but one of my Ramadan Balloons for various reasons.
- Add any extra décor you might have e.g tassels, ribbons etc. I started adding them, then gave up. Doing this project with a toddler requires commitment so I was mighty pleased without the extra touches, hehe.
And that’s it! Prop a table in front, and a cake, and you have a nice little party backdrop!
Here’s my IGTV video for some BTS action.
Hope this quick, easy DIY idea was useful for you. If you try it out, let me know! Would love to see your creations.
Lastly, please shop online at your own discretion. This is by no means posed to encourage you to shop any of the above items. This blog post is for guidance and inspo only, should you wish to try something similar.
Eid Mubarak!
Love,
TMM
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