Cute Alien UFO Party Platter (made with household items!)

Whether you’re planning an alien themed party for Halloween or a space party for your future astronaut, your celebration won’t be complete without a UFO party platter hanging around.

Today we’re sharing this simple printable craft that turns everyday household items into the cutest alien spaceship for your party. It’s easy and inexpensive, meaning you’ll be ready to party without breaking the bank.

What Makes This UFO Party Platter So Fun

• The printable spaceship window has the cutest aliens that are sure to make everyone smile.
• It uses affordable items that you can re-use over and over again.
• It works well for a variety of party themes: Space themed parties, Alien Themed Parties, X-Files Parties, and even Toy Story parties.
• It takes less than 15 minutes to cut out and assemble the entire tray – which leaves you more time to get other things done.

Step-by-Step Directions:

To make things easy for you, I’ve got a step-by-step tutorial with photos at the bottom of this post. Don’t forget to leave a rating and print out your copy of the instructions!

You can also watch the full video tutorial in the video player on this page, or over here on YouTube.

Essential Tips:

Don’t skip these tips – read them before starting to avoid any potential mistakes.

Place the alien window an inch or so from the lip of the bowl:

The curve of the bowl will cause the edges of the window to dip down. Placing the window slightly above the lip lets the curve happen naturally without making it look messy.

Placing the window higher on the bowl also means that it’s easier to see once you have food on your platter.

Don’t add tape to the top of the window cutout:

Because paper doesn’t lie flat on curved surfaces (like a bowl), Trying to tape down the top and bottom of the window will likely end up with a very crumbled looking UFO window.

That’s why I strongly recommend that you only attach the window to your bowl along the bottom edge of the printable. It will stil look adorable even with the paper sticking out on the top a little bit.

To make the antenna double sided:

While two antennae are provided for each window, you don’t have to make it double sided.

If you do choose to try a double sided antenna, the easist option is to use a cutting machine (like the Cricut) to cut everything out.

To make a double sided antenna by hand:

1. Trim the paper around each antenna to the edge of the design all around.
2. Use double sided tape or glue stick to hold your trimmed antenna together, with the blank side of the paper together.
3. After the antenna are taped together, cut along the outside edge of the antenna design so it is the same on both sides.

If your antenna won’t stay up:

You can cut a 2-inch section of a paper straw or toothpick and hot glue it to the back of the antenna to help it stand up straight.

FAQs:

Do I need to attach the bowl to the tray?

If you think the kids at your party won’t be throwing the bowl around the place, then you don’t need to glue the two together.

However, if you prefer to make sure that the bowl stays put, then you can use hot glue to attach the bowl to the tray. When the party is over, gently heat the hot glue with a hair dryer to loosen it up and separate the two pieces. Peel off the remaining glue and wash thoroughly before using again.

How big are the window and the antenna?

• The UFO window is 5.77 inches wide and 2.75 inches tall.
• The antenna is 0.75 inches at the widest point and 3 inches tall.

How can I resize the window?

The PDF file can be resized up to 121% its original size, which will print a window approximately 7 inches wide and 3.25 inches tall.

Detailed resizing instructions are included in the instructions file that comes with the design.

If you liked this party craft, you’ll also love these Alien marshmallow pops. They’re a fun make-ahead treat that is as cute to look at as it is fun to eat. Or you can check out all my Halloween party ideas right here.

Now It’s Your Turn

You’ll have the cutest space party in town with this DIY UFO party platter and flying saucer.

And as a special treat, newsletter subscribers can grab a copy of the Alien Flying Saucer printables free of charge. Simply add your name and email address to the form at the end of the post to have the printable sent straight to your inbox.

Don’t want to subscribe? You can also purchase the printable for a small price in my shop right here.

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This post was originally published on March 22, 2011 as part of this Toy Story Party. It has been updated with a new printable, a detailed tutorial, and new images.