Wearable Easter Bonnet Craft

{Mia models the Easter bonnet I made.}

Some of my previous ideas for wearable crafts have been tricky to keep on the wearer's head, but I think I have this problem solved now. The ribbons on this Easter bonnet craft that I came up with are both pretty and functional. I am happy with how it turned out.

 

Materials:

{Easter Bonnet by Mia, Age 4}

• paper plate
• scissors
• crayons or markers
• construction paper
• tape
• paper trimmer (optional)
• hole punch
• ribbon, yarn, or curling ribbon
• decorations: silk flowers, craft foam, felt, lace, feathers, buttons, beads, pom poms, etc.

Directions:

1. Color the outer ring of the back (non-eating) side of a paper plate.
2. Use scissors to cut out the inside circle. Discard or save for another project.
3. Cut construction paper into strips. For my bonnet I used 10 strips that were 1" x 9". For Mia's we used 4 strips that were 2" x 11". I think the larger size worked better.
4. Tape one end of a paper strip to the underside (non-colored part) of the plate, hold the strip across the paper plate ring, and tape the other end of the strip to the opposite side. Place a second strip perpendicular to the first and tape either end of it. Repeat with additional strips, crossing them over each other until the top of the bonnet is formed. Gently push the strips of paper through the ring so that they are arched.
5. Decorate your bonnet with whatever materials you like. We used ribbon, craft foam, and silk flowers attached with brads.
6. Looking at the front of the bonnet, punch two holes, one on each side of the wearer's head.
7. Thread ribbon, yarn, or curling ribbon through holes and secure by knotting (or with tape if needed).
8. Wear your Easter bonnet, using the ribbon or yarn ties to help it stay on your head.

Murphy's Law of Motherhood: A Top 10 List

Murphy's Law: Whatever can go wrong, will... especially when you're a mom! I call it "Murphy's Law of Motherhood." I'm sure that this list could go on indefinitely, but here are the top 10 episodes that keep replaying themselves at my house.

10) This isn't really a terrible thing, but at some point or another, you will lick your thumb and clean your child's face. "Mom Spit" is a very conveniently available cleaning solution, and it gets the job done when you don't have a wipe, towel, or washcloth handy. Your child, however, will hate it, and you will think, "Gross! I'm that mom!" while you give your kid a spit bath. And then you will do it again whenever necessary, thinking all the while, "Gross! I'm that mom!" The good news is that kids eventually learn to clean their own faces to avoid another application of "Mom Spit."

9) Before I had kids, I would often pick the shopping cart with the "bum" wheel. This rarely happens now but I am amazed at how frequently the first (and sometimes second and even third) cart I choose has a busted seat belt. Now, this may have always been the case, and I never noticed because it was irrelevant in my b.c. (before children) era life.

8) Babies and toddlers have really hard heads. God, in His infinite wisdom, designed them this way, presumably so that they will survive all of the potentially suicidal things that they will attempt during the toddler phase. They will somehow bash their heads into yours (probably on more than one occasion). The funny thing is that they will be fine and you will really be hurting.

7) I forget to eat sometimes...This is largely due to the two little people who are constantly eating food from my plate. And it doesn't matter if I take food directly from my plate and put it onto theirs; they will still steal my food. I guess it just tastes better when it comes from Mommy's plate.

6) "How did this get here?" The combination of kids' not-so-great organization skills and your own "mommy moments" brought on by lack of sleep and stress from various "Murphy's Law of Motherhood" events results in finding interesting things in very odd places. Sometimes it's my own doing. For instance, I have a tendency to use the laundry room as a collection center for toys that the kids have temporarily "lost" and then I forget about them, too. Then there are all the times I've nearly killed myself slipping on a toy car, particularly when they end up on the kitchen floor while I'm trying to cook. I once found some Pillsbury refrigerated biscuits in the pantry, and on more than one occasion, I've snapped back to reality only to realize that I was in the process of putting the milk in there, too. Tons of small objects have been dropped down the air vents over the past 4 years at our house. I'm constantly finding odd little things in the pockets of my jeans or coat: a paper clip/coin/small toy (or anything else deemed "choking hazard"), an alphabet magnet, tissues with other people's snot on them (these also turn up frequently in the dryer since I forget to remove them from my pants pockets), Goldfish crackers, and so on--always stuff that screams "I'm someone's mom!" And don't get me started on the van! Goldfish crackers are just the tip of the iceberg...

5) Traveling with children is a major event. The younger they are, the more gear they seem to require. Even a simple trip to the store requires me to pack a bag with snacks, sippy cups, extra diapers... (My rule of thumb is to always pack one more diaper than I think I will need for any particular outing~ this has saved me one several occasions!) Something inevitably is forgotten while packing and something always gets left behind. It might not be anything that's of utmost importance, but it will happen, you can count on that.

4) "I'm hungry" and "I have to go to the bathroom!" You hear these words a lot when you have small children. And it's usually just after they have eaten or used the bathroom, or in more frustrating instances, it's right after you have gotten them strapped into their car seats or bundled into their snowsuits.

3) "I just cleaned that!" is a common phrase I hear myself uttering. It's a never-ending cycle of laundry, dishes, picking up toys, bathing children, scrubbing down various surfaces... As Phyllis Diller said, "Cleaning your house while the your kids are still growing up is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing." The good news is that nearly everything in your home is washable (children included)! Some of my favorite words that I can find when shopping are "machine washable" or "dishwasher safe." 

2) If someone is going to get sick enough to require medical treatment it will almost always happen late at night, and if you're really lucky, it will be a holiday weekend, too. Off the top of my head, I can recall trips to Urgent Care on Mother's Day and the E.R. in the middle of the night over Memorial Day weekend.

1) I wait as long as I can before getting ready to go out sans children, but no matter how hard I try, the kids will somehow mess up my efforts. It might just be that they will pull off my necklace or muss my hair. However, I will usually end up with something yucky on my clothes. It's always something that would not have ended up there in the "b.c. (before children) era": snot, drool, spit-up (although I don't really have to deal with this anymore, thankfully), urine, blood, partially chewed Goldfish crackers, peanut butter, jelly, apple juice, ... you get the idea. And yes, I've even discovered poop on my jeans while out without kids!

Coffee Filter Carnations

This craft was inspired by a coffee filter flower that Mia made in preschool. Hers was painted with watercolor paints, which you could also do, but I thought this was a quick and simple alternative. Another option is to color the coffee filters with washable markers and then spray them with water. If you didn't want to mess around with coloring or painting, you could also just cut out circles of colored tissue paper to make these flowers. Thanks to Sue for adding that this is a great way to use up your extra dye after coloring Easter eggs!

Materials:

• glass of water
• food coloring
• coffee filters
• green pipe cleaners
• newspaper (optional)

Directions:

1. Add a few drops of food coloring of your choice to a glass of water.
2. Fold a coffee filter into quarters and dip the pointed end into the glass of water. Allow the color to seep all the way up, unfold the coffee filter, and then set it aside to dry. (I sometimes do this on newspaper, but I've also found that a wire baking rack works nicely because the coffee filter won't stick to it.)
3. Take the dry coffee filter, pinch it in the center, and twist it tightly so that the twisted portion is about 1/2 to 1 inch long.
4. While holding the twisted part of the coffee filter in one hand, wrap the end of a green pipe cleaner around it until it is covered (about 4-6 times.) Kids may need help with this part.
5.  Make several flowers and display them in a vase or give them away as Easter or Mother's Day gifts.

Easy Easter Egg Craft

Materials:

{Easter Egg by Logan, Age 19 Months}

• construction paper
• pencil
• scissors
• Bingo markers
• newspaper (to protect work surface)

Directions:

1. Fold a piece of construction paper in half like a hot dog.
2. Use a pencil to draw 1/2 of an egg shape (basically an oval that is narrower on one end).
3. Cut out the egg shape and unfold it.
4. Decorate your Easter egg by dotting it with Bingo markers.
5. Allow the egg to dry and then display your craft.

More Mommyisms

I've compiled another list of things I never thought I'd say, things that I seem to say ad nauseam now that I am a mom...And yes, most of these things are pointless to say; they just slip out of my mouth. I seem to say these thing more frequently as the kids get older, and unfortunately, most of them seem pretty negative. Apparently I have become a compilation of every mom I have ever known. It happens to the best of us, I guess.

1. "How did this get here?"
2. "Not in my house!"
3. "I just cleaned that!"
4. "What were you thinking?"
5. "What happened?"
6. "Don't put that in your mouth!"
7. "Sit down!"
8. "Drink your milk."
9. "That's what you're wearing?"
10. "Take your finger out of your nose."
11. "NO bouncing on the furniture!"
12. "Don't talk with your mouth full."
13. "Did you flush the toilet?"
14. "Did you wash your hands?"
15. "Don't stand on that!"
16. "Don't touch that!"
17. "Put that back where you found it."
18. "No throwing balls in the house!"
19. "You need to share."
20. "What did I just say?!"
21. "Keep your hands and feet to yourself."
22. "Next time, please ask first."
23. "Give that back to your brother/sister."
24. "Use your inside voice."
25. "Do I need to call your father?"
26. "Be careful!"
27. "NO running in the house!"
28. "Settle down."
29. "Not right now..."
30. "We'll see..."
31. "Pick up your __________ (fill in the blank)."
32. "Put your __________ (fill in the blank) away."
33. "Don't pull the dog's tail/ears/fur."
34. "Don't slam the door."
35. "How many times do I have to tell you not to  __________ (fill in the blank)?"
36. "NO biting/hitting/kicking! Biting/hitting/kicking hurts." 
37. "Go somewhere else and do that."
38. "Please be quiet." 
39. "I'm sorry."
40. "I love you." Fortunately, the last two mommyisms, along with a hug, can undo any potential damage from being grouchy and saying any of the above mommyisms. Kids are very forgiving.

Easter Sun Catchers

These are the sun catchers that we made for Easter. There are lots of fun shapes that you can make for Easter, both religious and secular, and some that are a combination of both. The Easter egg, for example, was originally a Pagan symbol of fertility and new life, but has since become incorporated as a symbol of the resurrection of Christ. The chick is another symbol of new life or re-birth. The life cycle of the butterfly is used to represent Jesus' life. The first stage, the caterpillar, symbolizes His life on Earth. The cocoon stage represents the crucifixion and burial, and the adult butterfly is used to symbolize the resurrection. The cross, of course, stands for the crucifixion but also for Christ's victory over death. The Easter bunny is one I'm not too sure about. I've read that its origins are somewhat like Santa Claus, but it is also a symbol of abundant life. In my opinion, the idea of a benevolent being who brings joy to children can't help but seem to fit into Christianity in some way, although I'll admit I'm stretching a bit here. Additional symbols that you could make sun catchers for include Easter baskets, flowers (particularly Lilies), hot cross buns, palm branches, Easter bonnets, candles, and lambs. You can make these sun catchers as simple or as complex as you like, and I have found that they can be done with toddlers on up with some parent prep. I think they are beautiful for spring, and they remind me a bit of stained glass windows, which is a lovely thought during the Lenten season. John 11:25-26
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. (NIV).

{Chick and Easter Egg Sun Catchers by Logan, 19 Months}

Materials:

• pencil 
• clear tape
• scissors
• clear contact paper
• colored paper
  
• tissue paper (any color)
  
• paper trimmer (optional)
• hole punch (optional)
• yarn, string, ribbon, etc. for hanging (optional)

Directions:

{Bunny by Mia, Age 4}

{Butterfly by Mia, Age 4}

1. Cut tissue paper into small squares. Older kids can do this themselves. We used approximately 1/2 inch squares, but you could make yours bigger. 
2. Fold a piece of construction paper in half like a hamburger (or use two pieces of construction paper if you would like to make a larger sun catcher).
3. Draw an Easter shape (or trace around a cookie cutter or a picture from the Internet) onto one half (or one piece) of the paper, and cut out the shape. Do not draw your design too close to the edges of the paper. Cut paper in half along the fold. You should now have two pieces of paper with identical cut-outs.  Tip: When making symmetrical shapes such as the butterfly, cross, or Easter egg, you can gently fold your paper in half like a hot dog before drawing and cutting out your shape. This makes it go a bit faster, and hopefully it creates less frustration, too.  Tip: If you are using two pieces of paper, you will need to make sure they stay together so that you get identical Easter shapes.
4. Cut two pieces of clear contact paper (I used both a paper trimmer and scissors for this.) so that they are 1/4 inch larger than the construction paper all the way around. Tip: Do not remove backing from contact paper until you are ready to use it.
5. Adhere one piece of paper to the clear contact paper so that there is a border of 1/4 inch all around the paper. Tip: Slowly peel the contact paper away from the backing as you smooth the construction paper down onto the contact paper. This way you don't end up with "bubbles."
6. Have your child stick tissue paper squares onto the contact paper Easter shape until it is filled. (Mia has created her own technique for filling in small spaces: crumpling up the tissue paper into balls. It makes the sun catcher a bit bulkier, but it does work, and I think it adds a bit of visual interest to the design.)
7. Layer the second piece of construction paper on top of the first, making sure that the Easter shapes line up.
8. Add the second piece of contact paper over the top, smoothing it down as you go. Trim away excess if desired, but don't trim too much or the sun catcher will not stay together. 
9. You can display your sun catcher in a window using clear tape. Another option is to use a hole punch to make two holes near the top, thread some ribbon or yarn through the holes, tie it off, and then hang your sun catcher.

April Showers Bring May Flowers Sun Catchers

I've been on a sun catcher kick lately so these umbrella and flower sun catchers were the perfect craft for this dreary day. Mia enjoyed them too, and she asked if we could make some more. Their bright colors look cheerful in the window even if there isn't any sun, so she may have the right idea! It seems like spring is never going to arrive...

{Sun Catchers by Mia, Age 4}

Materials:

• construction paper (any color)
• scissors
• clear contact paper
• tissue paper (any color)
• pencil 
• clear tape
• paper trimmer (optional)
• hole punch (optional)
• yarn, string, ribbon, etc. for hanging (optional)

Directions:

1. Cut tissue paper into small squares. Older kids can do this themselves. We used approximately 1/2 inch squares, but you could make yours bigger. 
2. Fold a piece of construction paper in half like a hamburger (or use two pieces of construction paper if you would like to make a larger sun catcher).
3. Draw a flower or umbrella shape (or trace around a cookie cutter or a picture from the Internet) onto one half (or one piece) of the paper, and cut out the flower or umbrella shape. Do not draw your design too close to the edges of the paper. Cut paper in half along the fold. You should now have two pieces of paper with identical fish cut-outs.  Tip: If you are using two pieces of paper, you will need to make sure they stay together so that you get identical flowers or umbrellas.
4. Cut two pieces of clear contact paper (I used both a paper trimmer and scissors for this.) so that they are 1/4 inch larger than the construction paper all the way around. Tip: Do not remove backing from contact paper until you are ready to use it.
5. Adhere one piece of paper to the clear contact paper so that there is a border of 1/4 inch all around the paper. Tip: Slowly peel the contact paper away from the backing as you smooth the construction paper down onto the contact paper. This way you don't end up with "bubbles."
6. Have your child stick tissue paper squares onto the contact paper flower or umbrella shape until it is filled. (Mia chose pink and purple for the flower petals and green for the leaves and stem, and she decided that the umbrella should have rainbow colors. She came up with her own technique for filling in smaller spaces like the umbrella handle: crumple the tissue paper into balls. This makes it a bit bulkier, but it still works, and it gives it some visual interest.)
7. Layer the second piece of construction paper on top of the first, making sure that the flower or umbrella shapes line up.
8. Add the second piece of contact paper over the top, smoothing it down as you go. Trim away excess if desired, but don't trim too much or the sun catcher will not stay together. 
9. You can display your sun catcher in a window using clear tape. Another option is to use a hole punch to make two holes near the top, thread some ribbon or yarn through the holes, tie it off, and then hang your sun catcher.