The One In Which I Get My Craft On

I like crafts.

I just wouldn't call myself a super crafty person.  I can't sew.  I don't know how to refurbish old furniture or make a quilt.  I can't cross stitch, and paper mache freaks me out.  To emphasize my lack of craft prowess, I recount an incident I had with Lilly a couple of months ago:

It was a quiet, peaceful Sunday afternoon and I was feeling inspired.  I pulled out my craft bag and my glue gun and went to work on a summertime wreath for the front door.  Lilly wandered into the kitchen and saw me hunched over a large square of burlap.  "What are you doing, Mom?", she asked.

"I am making a craft," I replied.

She was silent for a moment, then said, "I will pray for you."

AAHH!!!  See?!  I am NOT Mama CraftHead--a fact that is not lost on my preschooler.  When working on a challenging project, I spend most of my time cussing!  (Sorry, Mom.)

But, I like crafts.  I DO enjoy making them, as long as they aren't too difficult.  That's the key.

Would you like for me to teach you a craft that isn't hard, that is right up Mama Leisha's alley?  (A little something my friend, Sunshine, taught me.)

First, you will need a messy kitchen to promptly neglect.  (Hey!  I may not be GOOD at crafting, but I know enough to choose "doing a craft" over "doing the dishes.")

Next, you will need a package of Oreo cookies to eat while making this craft.  (If you desire to obtain a level of "crafty greatness," you'll want to go with Double Stuf.  They have magical powers.)

Take any fabric of your choosing, and cut out six circles.  (My circles are 3 inches in diameter.)

Fold one of the circles in half.  (Do you like my sparkly, pink nail polish?  It's new.)

Fold it in half again, so it looks like a triangle.

Grab a needle and thread.  Stitch along the bottom of your triangle.  (Sorry about the picture.  Not sure why my fingers look...neon????)

The next step is fun!  Gently pull the thread to gather the fabric.

Pull it tight.  It will look like this:

 
You will do this to all of your fabric circles; folding them, then stitching and pulling them along the thread.  You'll want to pull them tight, but be careful not to break your thread.  When all six are done, bring them together to form a circle.  Stitch the two ends together.

Hooray!  I just made a flower!  Isn't it dreamy?

Use your creativity for the flower's center.  The sky's the limit!  An old brooch from Grandma's jewelry box.  A fabric yo-yo.  A big button.  It's fun to try out different looks.  For my flower I made a yo-yo out of cream fabric, then sewed on a white button.   I took my yo-yo/button combo and hot glued it onto the flower.

The last step is to glue this adorable flower to a headband.  (Or glue it to a pin to make a brooch.  Glue it to a hair clip, an oven mitt, a scarf, or a tote bag.  Whatever you'd like!)  I made this headband for Lilly to wear in her hair, on her first day of preschool.  Such a fun and easy project with a delightful end result.

(Oh!  And don't forget to clean the Oreos from your teeth when you're finished making flowers!)

HAPPY CRAFTING!!