WANT!

I want to make one of these. I already have most of the buckets, I think.

Target Dollar Spot, I love you!

Simple Crafts: Make a Balloon Barrette

I'm turning into a real artsy-fartsy, homemaker kind of gal lately. I've got a bread machine, I made homemade chicken stock, I'm cooking up a storm, and now, I've started to make clips for Little Girl's hair.

I can't take credit for the idea. It came from an old book on how to braid hair in different styles and how to make simple hair accessories (from scrunchies to bows).

This morning, while I drank my coffee let me coffee go stone cold, I made a balloon barrette for Little Girl (who, aside from me, is the only one with enough hair to wear it). I got the clip part from Wal Mart and the balloons from Dollar Tree. I figure the clip cost me about $1.50 to make, since the clip came in a four-pack and I didn't use all of the balloons from the package.

First, I decided on a pattern. I wanted to go with a rainbow effect. Roy G. Biv! Oh, no purple. And I have pink. So ... W. Proy G. B.! Hooray!

Then, I simply opened up the clip and started tying balloons on. I alternated which direction the opening was on so it was a little more balanced.

I also had to be careful to stretch the balloons so they'd be big enough to tie.

I decided that one W. Proy G. B. was not going to cut it, especially with that white piece. I cut the white balloon off, slid everything down a bit, and went with a PROY G. B. G. YORP pattern instead. (Say THAT five times fast!)

Little Girl helped me out with holding down the clip (alas, our hands were all busy at the time, so no pictures, but I'm sure you can imagine), and then we sat her down to pull her hair back in her new, colorful, goes-with-everything hair barrette!

Advent Coming

In preparation for Advent, we will be setting up our Christmas tree and using it as our Jesse Tree.  Since the ornaments will stay on the tree, we made new ones using bakeable dough.  The girls formed them with surprisingly little help from me, then painted them by themselves with absolutely no supervision.  I only made a single suggestion - that Little Girl possibly add some yellow and orange to the sun, which was bright red.  Little Girl liked the idea and added swirls of sparkly yellow paint and swirls of matte orange paint to her sun.  

Oh, and the reason it's surprising how little help they had from me while molding the ornaments is because I am a total control freak when we do art.  So I had my guardian angel help me stand back and watch.  I really gave little assistance, and only after asking first.

The ornaments are beautiful, and the only thing left to do is to tie ribbons on each one.  I've even written the Scripture verses on the back of each one.  (Um...I just realized I left on numbers.  So I don't know the order.  I guess I have two things left to do, eh?)

Every night from December 1 through Christmas Eve after "Midnight" Mass, we'll read a verse from Scripture that teaches us about the coming of the Savior, then place the ornament on our tree.  We won't decorate the tree with anything else until Gaudette Sunday, when we'll go crazy decorating that weekend.  

I've got pictures of the painted ornaments, and I'll post them throughout Advent.  I'll try (really, really try) to do daily Advent posts, but it really depends on if I have time to set them up, you know?  I'm working retail, kiddies, and starting Friday - Black Friday - my Advent style will be a bit cramped.  If I can set it up in late-night hours, you'll be in luck.  I'd love to do the readings with the pictures of each ornament, but please don't be too sad if I can't set it up this year.  (I might beg Travel Man to help me with it.  I'll cry, maybe.)  If you want the readings I used last year, you can see my "Advent" category (click below or on my sidebar at the blog).

[image source]

Holy Name of Jesus

Well, step one has been completed: we made the dough (Big Girl did most of it, though I had to add the second cup of flour because she mis-read the ingredients), shaped the symbols and words, and baked the dough.

Who will help me eat the bread?

Oh, sorry! Got a bit carried away there!

We'll let things cool overnight (though it's probably not necessary) and paint and decorate tomorrow. In the meantime, here are our creations.

Big Girl works on her dough (above) and creates the following:

Below, you see Little Girl starting on her creations, then you'll see pictures of what she made.

Naturally, I can't help but participate in the fun! Two of my better creations are below:

I am actually kind of happy about those. Might save them and make them into Christmas ornaments or something. :)

When we get them finished, I'll put up more pictures.

Feast Day Arts and Crafts

Today is the feast day for the Holy Name of Jesus. (There is great power in that name, you know.)

In honor of that, the girls and I will be making salt dough and then baking the Holy Name of Jesus. When it's dry and cool, we'll decorate His Holy Name! I'm thinking paint, jewels, sparkles, and anything else we can find to make it pretty.

Stay tuned for pictures!

And, for updates on how we are doing with our year-long unit on presidential elections, check over at the Soccer Mom site.