DIY: How to make a diaper cake tutorial

Been wanting to share this tutorial for the longest time. It was my bff's baby girl's full month, her being my bff, I wanted to give her something special but at the same time having sticky bean in the house also means I will not have the luxury of time for complex and time consuming items.
I always like the idea of DIY-ing things for someone special and my bff is someone who is really special to me. When I chanced across a diaper cake, I was thinking, that's it! A diaper cake it shall be!!!

Diaper cakes are available for purchase too but its ridiculously expensive, it's relatively simple to make and if you DIY a diaper cake, you can save upto 60% of the cost, depending on the diaper brands you chose.

For my very first DIY diaper cake, I use Merries in size S. We all know that babies grow really first and outgrow their diapers before we knew it. So forget about newborn sized diapers, go for sized S or size M.

Materials required:

1. Diapers of course. I used 1-1.5 packets of Merries Size S diapers
2. Pretty ribbons
3. cake base
4. glue
5. empty paper towel roll
6. elastic bands, plenty of them
7. pretty headbands for babies
8. A cute soft toy as cake topper
9. very much any other baby stuff you want to add

Let's begin!

 Roll up the diapers as depicted in the image above. For aesthetic purpose, I purchased the transparent rubber bangs used for hair instead of the usual red rubber bands that are common out there. 

This is the bag of transparent bands commonly found in the neighbourhood areas, even provision shops. Other hair accessories shops such as Aries, Chameleon etc probably carry similar products as well. I bought this at a mini-mart near my place for just $1. You'll need 2 packs of this.

Stick the paper towel roll onto the middle of the cake base

place 6 rolled-up diapers around it and secure with a rubber band. As this is the innermost layer, I used the ugly red rubber band since it won't be visible at all.

Do a 2nd round of rolled-up diaper, if you can find huge elastic bands to hold this layer, all the better. But I couldn't hence I used a ribbon to secure this layer.

Ideally if you managed to find a mega sized elastic band that can stretch really well and whole the outermost layer, that will be ideal and you won't have to do what I did. I bundled 2 rolled up diaper and secure it to 1 rolled up diaper from the middle layer. As this is the biggest piece of cake base I found, and it's obviously too small for my outermost layer, I need the outermost layer to be really really secured since not 100% of the outermost layer is sitting on the cake base.

Top view to give you a clearer picture.

Finally done with the 1st level

Because the diapers in the outermost layer are individually attached, you will want to use another ribbon to tie them all together.

Notice any difference in the paper towel roll? Ya after I was done with 1st level then I realised my paper towel roll was way too short. But no worries, just extend it with a toilet paper roll =p

and then do the same again for the 2nd level. this time round secure 5 pieces to the roll instead of 6.

The 2nd level will only contain 2 layers. It's getting easy isn't it? Secure the outermost layer with ribbon as well.

The top level is the easiest! Any red elastic band can be used to easily secure the 1 and only layer on top. 

When this is done, you can decorate and cover the first layer of ribbon with a nicer looking one. Get the thickest ribbons you can find! I secured it with staples.

I used a variety of designs for each level.

And then the cake topper which is the minnie mouse soft toy is added. I've also added a headband to the top layer. It makes a really pretty embellishment on its on.

Saw the lollipops? Yes those were wash cloth lollipops, super easy to make as well. I'll share that in a separate tutorial later on. So I made the wash cloth lollipops and stuck it on my DIY diaper cake as well.

I've also made use of the remaining ribbons and make it into a messy bow.

And then I realised that it's not secure to bring this out and hand it over at the party. There's definitely a need to wrap it up in clear plastic wrap. So we head downstairs to get the clear plastic wrappers. and yes you'll need rolls.

I've got my little helper who's having fun with the 2 rolls of plastic wraps

and some how she found her way to...............

the play ground!!! 

haha, finally back home after a reroute to the playground. Just put 1 layer of wrap at the bottom of the diaper cake and pull it upwards. I didn't really have a system for wrapping this, very much just anyhow and make do with what I have. If possible, try not to cover the cake topper if you're using a soft toy. At least I didn't cover mine and it turns out fabulous.

Tadah! My very first DIY Diaper Cake!