DIY Great Gatsby Dessert Table Backdrop

If you’re planning on hosting a 1920s themed party, you’re going to need some epic party decor to go with it. And this Gatsby dessert table backdrop is a great place to start. Fortunately, it’s easy to create with just a few simple supplies that aren’t too expensive. Keep reading for the DIY tutorial.

At any social gathering, the food is always an important part of the show. Especially the desserts!

So when I was planning my Gatsby party, I was looking for a dessert table backdrop that rivaled the glitz and glamour of Gatsby himself.

But I didn’t want to spend a lot of time or a ton of money making it. (I love party decorations that have a big impact on the room without having a big impact on my wallet).

And this black and gold art deco inspired backdrop was just the thing.

It’s made from foam board and gold paint. It doesn’t get much easier than that!

Materials

• 36″ x 48″ tri-fold black foam board – if you can’t find black, you could use white and paint it black.
• gold sharpie marker
• gold paint
• gold glitter
• gold glitter cardstock or construction paper – this is for the letters. You could also use a gold sharpie to draw the letters on, if you prefer.
• glue stick

Tools

• long ruler – I used a 48″ one that worked well.
• pencil
• utility knife
• 2″ foam brush – the size doesn’t have to be exactly 2 inches. But you don’t want one that’s too wide or it can make painting within the lines harder. Also, you can use a regular brush if that’s all you have. But it’s harder to get the paint to go on with no brush marks.
• Cricut – (optional) this makes cutting the letters easier, but you can do it by hand with scissors or a utility knife.

Step 1 | Draw the vertical lines

The first thing we’ll do is draw the vertical lines for the sections.

Note: While they are vertical, these lines are at an angle, not straight up and down.

For the first lines:

• At the top, make a mark 3 inches in from the fold line.
• At the bottom, make a mark 6 inches in from the fold.
• Use a long ruler to draw a line from the 3″ mark at the top to the 6″ mark at the bottom.
• Repeat on the other side.

For the second lines:

• At the top, make a mark 6 inches in from the edge of the board.
• Use a long ruler to draw a line down to the fold line at the bottom.
• Repeat on the other side.

For the third lines:

• On the side of the board, make a mark 12 inches down from the top.
• On the bottom of the board, make a mark 6 inches in from the side.
• Use a long ruler to draw a line connecting the two marks together.
• Repeat on the other side.

Step 2 | Draw the horizontal lines

For the first lines:

• Following the inner most vertical line that you drew, measure down 4½ inches and make a mark.
• On the middle vertical line, measure down 6 inches and make a mark.
• Using a ruler, draw a line between the two marks.
• Repeat on the other side.

For the second horizontal lines:

• Following the middle vertical line, make a mark 10½ inches down from the top (or 4½ inches down from the horizontal line you just drew.
• Using a ruler, draw a line from this mark to the top of the outside vertical line.
• Repeat on the other side.

Step 3 | Draw the center lines

Next we will draw the section in the middle where the text will go.

To draw the center section:

• In the center panel, use a ruler to draw a horizontal line that is 3 inches down from the top edge, and starts and finishes 3 inches in from the first vertical lines.
• Then draw a horizontal line that is 6 inches up from the bottom edge, and stars and finishes 3 inches in from the first vertical lines.
• Draw a third line that connects the left edge of the top line with the left edge of the bottom line.
• Finally connect the right edges of the top and bottom lines with another straight line.

Step 4 | Cut out the shape

Now we’re ready to cut off the parts we don’t need so that we have an art deco shaped backdrop.

To make it easy to see the shape we’re going for, you may want to erase the middle vertical line above the horizontal line. It was there to get the measurements correct, but we won’t need it for anything else.

To make it easy to see the lines we need, I like to outline it with gold sharpie marker. Make sure to use a ruler so you get very straight lines.

It should end up looking something like this.

Now you want to cut along the outside lines to get right shape.

To make sure they are straight, place a straight edge (or your ruler) along the line and use a utility knife to cut through the poster board.

You may cut the surface underneath the board, so do it somewhere that you don’t mind getting damaged.

Here’s the final cut out.

Step 5 | Paint the gold sections

Now it’s time to add the gold.

Use a foam brush and some gold metallic paint to paint the area surrounding the middle section gold.

While the paint is still wet, sprinkle gold glitter over the top of it.

Then paint do the same to the two outer sections.

You should end up with alternating gold and black sections that look like this.

Brush off any glitter that ends up on the black part of the board.

Let the paint dry.

Step 6 | Cut out the text

The last step is to make the text that goes in the middle.

I did this using my Cricut, but you could also print out the letters onto gold cardstock and cut them out by hand.

The Cricut design pattern and printable are available in our subscriber-only resource library. If you’re not already a member, you can get free access by signing up for our email below.

To cut using the cricut

Download the file called “party without cake – for cricut”.

Open Cricut Design Space.

Select “New Project” in the upper right corner.

Click on the Upload option on the left side of the project window.

On the next page, select the Upload Image button.

Click the Browse button and select the file that you just download.

On the next screen, click the image for the file and select “Add to Canvas”. You should see the text appear in your project.

Then click the Make It button at the top right. You should see two pages appear on the left side of your screen.

Click the Continue button.

Load the first sheet of gold cardstock on a 12″ x 12″ mat.

Make sure that your Cricut is set to handle thick paper. And let it go.

When it’s done cutting the first page, remove it and add the second.

To cut by hand

To cut the text by hand, open the file called “party without cake – printable”.

You’ll see the text is backwards. Don’t worry, it’s supposed to be that way.

Load the gold paper into your printer.

Click the Print icon at the top right.

Select the More Settings link about half way down the page. Make sure that “Fit to Printable Area” is selected. This will make sure that the text won’t get cut off.

Then click Print.

Cut the letters out carefully with scissors or a utility knife. You can flip them over to see the text the correct way.

Step 7 | Glue on the text

The last step is to glue on the text.

Lay the text out on the front of the board so you get an idea of the spacing.

If you’re going to be putting a cake (or something else that’s tall) right in front of it, you may not want the letters to go all the way to the bottom.

When you’re happy with the way it looks, glue the letters on.

I used a glue stick because it doesn’t spill out over the edges. But regular glue will work if you’re careful.

Also, you may want to use a ruler to align the bottom of the letters on each row. That way you’re sure to get them on straight.

The finished backdrop

And that’s it!

Now you have your finished dessert table backdrop.

You can go simple with just a cake in front of it. (Which is what I did).

Or arrange a whole dessert table in front of it. Either way works.

Other Great Gatsby party ideas you might like

• DIY Gatsby centerpieces
• Gatsby feather vases
• How to host a glamorous Great Gatsby party
• DIY Gatsby invitations

Have comments or questions about our DIY Great Gatsby dessert table backdrop? Tell us in the section below.

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