Today’s project is one of those delightful, smile-inducing creations that reminds me why I love paper crafting so much. I made the sweetest little top hat treat holder, built almost entirely from Smoky Slate cardstock, and it turned out even cuter than I imagined. It’s sturdy, it holds a surprising amount of chocolate, and it’s absolutely perfect for gifting, place settings, or seasonal décor.
I began with a strip of Smoky Slate. After scoring and folding along one long edge, I snipped along the fold line to create a row of “alligator teeth.” These little tabs allow the strip to curve beautifully into a cylinder later on. For the hat’s brim and top, I die cut one large circle using the biggest Spotlight on Nature die, then two circles with the Stylish Shapes die. Pro tip: if you line them up just right, you can cut all those pieces in one pass. I saved myself a little time by cutting the pair of smaller circles together.
To add a pop of color, I reached for the Petals of Beauty stamp set and dies. The smaller flower outline was stamped on Poppy Parade cardstock with coordinating ink, and the center was stamped on Daffodil Delight in its matching ink. After die cutting both pieces, I cut a second flower outline from unstamped Poppy Parade and after cutting the petals of the flowers, layered the two flowers together for extra fullness. A mini dimensional behind the flower center brought everything to life and gave it the prettiest little lift.
Every good top hat needs a band, and for mine, I embossed a strip of Basic Black using the Damask Designs Embossing Folder. It doesn’t all fit at once, but that’s no problem at all. I embossed one end, flipped it, embossed the other, and it blended seamlessly—truly a forgiving folder and a forgiving project. After adhering the embossed band along the scored edge of the Smoky Slate strip, I added Tear & Tape to one short end. To help it curve gracefully, I wrapped the cardstock around a bottle of Extra Strength Pain Reliever sitting on my desk. Sometimes the best crafty tools aren’t crafty tools at all.
Once the strip was softened and pliable, I added plenty of Seal+ to one of the smaller die-cut circles and wrapped the Smoky Slate strip around it, forming the stovepipe portion of the hat. The “alligator teeth” folded perfectly along the edge to create a strong base. I reinforced the bottom with the second Stylish Shapes circle so the “teeth” are secured strongly between the layers. With a little gentle pressure—thank you again, pain reliever bottle—I made sure everything was securely adhered.
To finish the hat, I added adhesive to the bottom of the cylinder and carefully placed it onto the larger die-cut circle. I set it down gently so I could adjust the placement if necessary, but it landed perfectly centered on the first try. That always feels like a lucky crafting moment! The stamped and layered flower was added to the hat band with a dimensional, and just like that, the whole piece came to life.
The best part? This charming little top hat holds at least six Lindt Lindor chocolates. I filled mine immediately and could hardly wait to share it. I can already imagine these in fall tones, winter blues, elegant blacks and silvers, soft pastels, and even bold holiday patterns. You could decorate the band with a snowflake, a feather, a sprig of greenery—whatever suits your theme. These would be adorable for place settings, party favors, stocking stuffers, secret Santa surprises, or little treats for friends and coworkers. The possibilities are endless, and the joy factor is high.
Here’s the video that shows step-by-step how to put the hat together:
Of course, I wanted to be sure sure you can create your own – so here’s the FREE downloadable PDF tutorial for you:
I hope this project inspires you to create a few magical little top hats of your own. If you make one, please tag me—I’d love to see what you come up with.
Supplies used (also listed on the tutorial):