Beautiful Butterfly Hair Clip Accessories

I have had a great time finding easy ways to make unique hair accessories. I not only found the crochet flowers, I also found these butterfly appliques. I am loving eBay for super easy ways to create beautiful and adorable hair clips. You can find these great appliques to use by looking on eBay for sewing craft items. The particular store I have ordered the crochet flowers and now these butterflys, carries tons of cute appliques. There are ladybugs, flowers, crowns, hearts, dogs, teddy bears, and many more. I could have spent a fortune.   I got 50 padded sparkling 2 layer butterfly appliques. It cost me about 16 cents per butterfly including the cost of shipping.

 

 

Supplies:

Hair clip of choice covered with grosgrain ribbon of choice

Butterfly appliques

Glue

 

 

Start with the foundation of a nice color coordinating covered hair clip.



Bag of 2 layer sparkling butterfly applique to attach to hair clip.

Padded 2 layer sparkling butterfly applique to attach to hair clip.

Place some glue on the back of the butterfly, the felt side, and press it onto a hair clip. Voila, an adorable butterfly hair clip. The one tip I will offer is that on the alligator style clips that I use you have to think about placement. If you want a set or pair to be used together, say on pig tails, you want one to face one way and the other in a different direction. Otherwise you end up with one upside down butterfly when you place it in the hair. Does that make sense?

I make them so that when I slide them into each side of the hair, the butterfly is right side up. Most of my hair clips don't have a right side. They are usually able to be used either way. Be sure to test it and see which side up you want it.

These provide some more great choices to coordinate with a little girls wardrobe. With the volume of clips my girls now have, I am going to look at some different display and storage options.
    I am linking up to these craft parties!

Crochet Flower Hair Clip Bows

It isn't easy being original when creating hair accessories. I was proud of my Gardenia and Luau Flower Bows, but it seemed the end of my originality. I wanted more beauties, but not have to spend to much money or drive myself crazy trying to be original. After a good tip from a friend, I have discovered you can buy almost anything you want on eBay. I found what I needed to feed my desire for my beautiful hair accessories.

Under sewing crafts on eBay I found a nice source for my hair accessories. I ordered some items and didn't wait long. They arrived quickly. Let the fun begin. I started with the Handmade Crochet Flower Appliques. I had gotten two different kinds. The solid 2 layer crochet flower appliques that are approximately 1 1/4 inch in size (costs 18 cents each) and the two tone that are about 1 1/2 inch large (38 cents each). The costs included what I spent for shipping. Shop around, you may find a better deal, especially if you are willing to wait longer for shipping.

Embellished 2 Layer Crochet Flower Hair Clips

Materials:
Handmade Crochet Flower Appliques
Hair Clip lined with some 3/8 inch grosgrain ribbon
Hot Glue
Embellishment of choice

Crochet appliques to apply to lined clips

Attach a crochet flower applique to a complementary covered and lined hair clip. I used hot glue. I use lots of hot glue. I end up cleaning up strings and clumps for days and again when I go to place it in my daughters hair. I have never had one fall apart from a lack of glue! You can leave it plain or attach your favorite embellishment to the center.

2 layer crochet attached to lined hair clips with embellishment of my choice

Completed project. Embellished crochet flower hair bows.

Voila! You now have your own creation.

2 tone 2 layer crochet applique. Left the purple ones plain.

I am quite pleased with myself. I was able to make some really cute colorful hair accessories for less than I would pay if I bought the completed clips on Etsy or eBay.

Two tone, two layer crochet flower with my added bling.

You can make these to coordinate with any wardrobe. It is so great to have so many choices for hair accessories. I don't think there is an outfit that doesn't match at least one of the bows I have made! For the price of what one set of hair bows would normally cost me, my daughters have 5-10 to choose instead. Wait until you see what else I found and made!

I am linking up to these craft parties!

Dollar Store Craft - Luau Flower Hair Bow

A dollar store can be a great place to get inspiration and find supplies. My girls always notice when the Luau party items are in season. They are not allowed to wear jewelry at school so I think they want fancy hair accessories instead.  Myrrh has been requesting more flowers. I picked up some luau flower necklaces at the dollar store and created some great hair bows. What I like about them is that not only are they inexpensive, but an easy craft too. When looking at the finished product, I feel it was rewarding to make them. It is a fashion that will get you noticed.

Handmade Luau Flower Bow

Supplies:

Luau/Lei of flowers                                  $ 1.00
Foam or felt circle for back piece           < $  .25
Hair clip of choice                                  < $   .40
Embellishment of choice for the center  < $1.00
Scissors
Glue (hot glue gun)

Luau Flowers from Dollar Tree.

Step 1. Cut the string of the Lei necklace. Take the flower petals off the string.

Lei cut apart and flower petals separated.

Step 2. Use your center piece of material to attach the flower petals to. I use foamies I got on clearance. I have found them very useful.

Foam center used to attach flower petals.

Step 3. Attach (I use a hot glue gun) one petal at a time layering them one on top of the other. When you layer them try to keep them centered, but alternate the petals for a fuller look. Be careful if you are using a hot glue gun. The flower material is incredibly flimsy and porous. The glue goes through easily. I used the end of a wooden dowel to press the petal down on top of the center while the glue was hot.

Layers of luau flower petals with glue in the center.

Bottom view of luau flower petals attached to center piece.

Step 4.  Once you have done enough layers to achieve the look you want, attach your choice of embellishment to the center.

Butterfly embellishment in the center of luau flowers.

Different ideas for center embellishments.

Step 5. Attach your choice of hair clip to the back of the center piece.

Luau flower attached to hair clip for a beautiful bow.

These are so easy to make that I can do several at one session of sitting doing crafts. I can make 6 of these in the same time it takes me to make one Gardenia Flower Hair Bow.

Shades of pink flower center in luau flower petal hair bow.

Purple butterfly luau flower hair bow

I let the girls pick out the center embellishments they want. These bows will be a great addition to their collection of hair accessories. Their wardrobes have plentiful supplies of purple and pink outfits. 

Pink cake luau flower hair bow

I made these all in one craft session.

Handmade beautiful luau flower petal hair bows.

These look fabulous in the hair. I think the next time I am in the dollar store I will pick up some different colors of the luau flower necklaces.

I have posted in these crafty parties and Making the World Cuter.

Gardenia Flower Hair Bow Craft

While the girls are sleeping, I wanted to get this post out.
I had a few requests for a tutorial on this style of bow. Since I can't do korker bows right now I have found a new hair bow that I am enjoying. I call it my Gardenia bows. To me it looks like some Gardenia flowers I have seen. What is ironic is that I am allergic to Gardenias. I can still appreciate their beauty.

Favorite Gardenia Flower Bow, so far.

1st Attempt of a Gardenia flower hairbow.

The first one I made I gave as a gift attached to the bow holder I made as a birthday present. It was the favorite of several of the birthday guests as well as others who saw my post.  Now each time I make it I learn something new.

Materials:

• Ribbon (You can use almost any size)
• For the 2 outer bottom layers I used 5/8" ribbon.
• For the 2 top inner layers I used 3/8" ribbon.
• Circle for the center anchor piece (felt, foam, use your imagination)
• A peace symbol foamie from a bag I got on clearance at Michaels.
• Scissors
• Flame/Heat source to seal the end of the ribbons you cut (I use a lighter.)
• Glue (Using a hot glue gun works best for me.)
• Embelishment of choice for the center (A crystal like gem looks nice.)
• Preferred type of hair accessory to attach the bow. (I use a ribbon covered single prong metal hair clip.)

Step 1. Cut 8 ribbons for each layer. Start with the largest ribbon for the outer layer. I chose to start with 4 inches.

Cutting 4 inch length of 5/8" ribbon

Step 2. Heat seal the ribbon on the ends to keep them from fraying.

Step 3. Take your first 4 inch ribbon, put a dab of glue on the top bottom piece of the ribbon, create a loop and glue just the bottom ends together. The loop is like those remembrance ribbons, just don't leave any tail. Maybe if I say it is half of an infinity symbol? Not quite sure how to explain it. I hope the pictures help.

The loop to glue. Looks like a cone with shorter ribbon.

Step 4. Attach each loop at the end onto the top of the circle. Placing each loop across from the other making a cross pattern. Each set of 4 loops makes a square or cross. The first layer is 8 loops.

1st cross pattern of 1st layer of ribbons.

Finish 1st bottom layer of bow filling in the gaps.

If you turn your creation upside down it looks like a flower too.

Upside down, bottom view of the bow with loops attached to foam circle.

Step 5. After your first set of 8 ribbon loops creating the bottom layer, repeat each layer using smaller ribbon loops. My 1st attempt, picture above, I only did 1 complete layer of 8 ribbons and only 4 ribbons on the top/last layer.

You can experiment with lengths and widths of the ribbon. With this purple/yellow Gardenia flower bow below, both layers are the same size length, 4". The purple ribbon is 7/8" ribbon.

7/8" purple ribbon 4" long, 5/8" yellow ribbon 4" long.

Step 6. I suggest your last layer be with 3/8" ribbon, it really looks good like the bow below.

Purple Gardenia Flower Hair Bow.

If you stay with the 5/8" size you may not want to do as many layers. I wasn't thrilled with the outcome of the pink ribbon flower below. It is one I would like to change. I don't like the last layer of the 5/8" ribbon. The pink one was the 2nd one I had ever made, so I learned to use the 3/8" ribbon for the last layer like in the blue and purple ones above.

Least favorite Gardenia flower craft bow.

Step 7. Place chosen embelishment in center of flower. My daughters always pick the embellishments for the middles.

Almost looks like a crown for a princess!

Step 8. Attach Gardenia flower to the hair accessory of your choice. I attached it to a single prong metal hair clip.

Handcrafted Blue Gardenia Flower Hair Bow.

After wearing it a few times, it seems that others seem to think it looks like a crown on my daughters head. So maybe I should call it a Crown Flower Bow. What do you think I should call it?

I am linking up to these craft parties!

How NOT to make Korker Bows - Craft Fail

It is getting to be quite a sizzling summer. Yesterday was 105 degrees. Since NASA is still unemployed we have to try everyway we can to cut back. That means a much warmer house with less use of the A/C.  With a 2 story house on just 1 unit it is tough. It just means using the oven as little as possible to help keep the house cooler. Well, you have to use the oven to make good korker bows. So I was thinking.... think, think, think. Then, Pooh, I had an idea.


My favorite korker bow creations before summer hit.

It is hot here. To make korker bows you need heat. Normally I put the ribbons in the oven for 20 minutes at 275 degrees. It may not be necessary to keep the oven that hot for that long.  So I wondered if I took the ribbons out into the hot sun would that 'bake' them enough?

Out in the sun all day to make korker bows.

So I wrapped my ribbon around my favorite korker ribbon makers, BBQ skewers. Then what everyone else uses, 1/4" wooden dowels. Wet them thoroughly to set on my old cookie sheet outside. I placed them outside in the part of our yard that gets sun 16 hours of the day. I put them on a teak end table thinking heat rises up from the walkway. I let them 'cook' there all day.

After a day in the sun, they were super dry, but were they curly?

I brought them inside out of the desert heat and sun at 8 PM. I chose two specimens to test. I felt like a hairdresser checking to see if a perm is done. Anywho, the results were less than I wanted, but still made them curly. They just weren't curly enough for my korker bows. Bummer.

The results are a little to loose for me.

Huge craft fail. I guess I will stick with my other bow making until it is cool enough to turn the oven on or if I feel like staying up past 1 AM or get up before 5 AM. I don't see that happening anytime soon. I am not that dedicated or driven for korker bows.

Right now I am into what I call my Gardenia bows. Look for that post soon.

Veritable Boredom Solution Bug Craft

Last week Hey and Myrrh were going each morning to Vacation Bible School, also known as Veritable Boredom Solution. An awesome inexpensive way to occupy my children during the summer. This one is 8:30 AM to noon. Granted it isn't the whole day, but for $15 per child (includes a t-shirt and snack) I think it is a great price for a 1/2 day camp. The theme was BugZone: Transformed by Our Big God. My girls like bugs as long as they aren't loose in the house. Well, you can put it in a box or plastic cup, that's different. I say, "No bugs in the house unless they are dead!"

Myrrh's Bug Headband Craft

Anywho, it has been a very nice week for us at VBS. They have come home each day with a Bug Zone themed activity book. There are cute bug related jokes too that the girls love. What does a bumble bee say when it flies backwards? Zub Zub. Anywho, they were doing a performance on stage. They wanted to have antennae like many of the VBS team leaders and helpers have been wearing each day. An easy craft project is born. I didn't look it up or watch a video! Figured I could just do it on the fly.

Supplies Needed:

Pipe Cleaners
Firm U shaped Headband
Glue
Optional: Pom Poms. FYI: I don't know of any arthropods that have balls on the end of their antenna. The girls didn't care, they liked the way they look.

Note to self: If you have pipe cleaners, pom poms and a glue gun on hand, you might be a crafter, just sayin'.

Making Bug Antennae Headband Craft

Ideally you will want to let the kids pick the headband, pipe cleaners and pom poms they want. They are more likely to wear their own creation.

1. Take a pipe cleaner and wrap it tightly around the top of the headband.

Suggestion: Be sure to start wrapping with the end on the top of the headband. This helps keep the pointy end of a pipe cleaner from poking your child's head.

2. With the 2nd pipe cleaner repeat # 1.

Suggestion: Wrap it the same amount of times, trying to make sure that both are the same length.

3. Place a dab of glue on the top of the pipe cleaner, the one furthest from the headband.

Suggestion: The hot glue gun came in handy and was fast. I have tried letting the kids use regular school glue, tacky clue, etc... for pom poms and pipe cleaners. It doesn't work well and can take forever to stick.

4. Squeeze the pom pom onto the tip top of the pipe cleaner. Hold it a few seconds until it feels secure.

5. Let the child to shape (re-shape) their antennae once the glue is dry, they are now good to go.

Optional: One of the headbands was slippery plastic. I hot glued either end and in between the antennae on the headband to keep it from sliding.

Optional Suggestion: You could use color coordinated rubber/hair bands on either end of the wrapped pipe cleaner for similar results, depends on how picky your child is about how it looks.

The girls were thrilled with their creation. It was a fun quick craft that they felt successful about and wore with pride.

Wearing their bug craft creations while enjoying VBS workbook.

Birthday Bow Holder Present

Continuing on my adventure into the DIY crafting world, I decided to make a bow holder. I have been busy making bows for my daughters and even created some as an inexpensive and unique birthday present for my daughter’s classmate. My newfound tolerance of crafting has turned into a new hobby and my very own blog about my adventures in the craft world. I got the idea to make bows, hairclips and a bow holder from a friend, Leah Mims, in Tucson, who has turned her hobby into a little business. She gave my daughters each a bow holder and bows at their Adoption Day party in April 2009. She has talent I can only aspire to.

My 1st crafts, A.D. (after dependents), were hair clips. I started by just covering hair clips with ribbon, getting used to using a hot glue gun, and attaching all the ribbon and non-slip grips. Another one of my friends, Amanda, is the one who told me about using the shelf liner as non-slip grips for hair clip. I use some purple shelf liner I found on clearance.

Still learning not 2 use so much glue.

Anywho, I thought I'd make the birthday girl a bow holder for all the hair clips I made for her. When I called to RSVP for the party, I found out from the birthday girl's Mom that her favorite color is purple. I chose a butterfly theme since most little girls like butterflies. Hence, why my current craft table cover has butterflies.

Supplies Needed:

• wood plaque
• wooden ‘smile’ - these would be fun as personalized name holders too!
• large butterfly for the corner and/or other embellishments of choice
• butterfly ribbon or ribbon complementary to your theme
• acrylic paint
• glitter paint - I found the purple one in the clearance section at Wal-Mart!
• Optional: staple gun
• Optional: I bought a purple brush and comb with holes on the end to hang from nails on the holder.

Did I mention that Michael’s has become my new favorite store?! I purchased most of the above supplies from there. It has become habit to always check the clearance aisle at Michael’s for frugal & fun finds. The dew drop stickers I used for the end of the nails were found there. They were marked 49 cents, but they rang up as 1 cent- Woo Hoo, gotta love a bargain!

How to make this Bow Holder:

1. Paint the whole wood base the color of your choice as well as on the edges. Ours is a lilac color. Let that dry thoroughly.
2. Paint the top with the purple glitter paint or another color of choice.
3. Repeat with as many coats of the glitter paint needed in order to get an even color.
4. Nail or hot glue the word on. We chose 'smile.' I did both because I wasn't sure how secure it would be with just glue.
5. Glued 2 pieces of 10 inches of the butterfly ribbon together, back to back, so that the pattern was on both sides.
6. With the ribbon, created a loop, like those 'awareness' ribbons and glued it to the back of the plaque.
7. Cut three more pieces of ribbon to hang from the back of the plaque, approx. 2 ft. in length. Glued them to the back of the board with the pattern facing out.
8. Optional: Once the glue for the ribbons on the back were dry, stapled the ribbons on the plaque. I wasn't going to let dried out glue ruin the holder months or years from now. 
9. Optional: Printed out a 2 X 4 label that said, "Handmade for you from Hey May 2012" with my daughter's picture. I adhered it to the back.
10. Optional: Measured equal distance from the ends and hammered two nails on the front of the plaque. Took dew drop stickers and adhered them to the nail heads.
11. Adhere any embellishments you would like to decorate the plaque with.
12. At the bottom of the 3 hanging ribbons I used the butterfly embellishments to weigh down the ends. 

There certainly should be plenty of room for bows! 

Additional Notes:

• The one thing I would have changed was how I nailed the ‘smile’ to the plaque. I wanted it secure, but should have used finishing nails. I also should have placed the nails where they wouldn’t be so obvious. Each time I make one of these I am sure I will get better at it.
• When I make hangers for bow holders in the future, I plan to use either a regular picture holder, two-sided ribbon, or solid colored ribbon; the ribbon I used only had print on one side. I ended up gluing two pieces together so the pattern would be on both sides. Since this wood was larger and heavier, I should have used a regular picture hanger. Next time around I will be better prepared!
• I don’t think I would use such a large heavy piece of wood for the base next time unless I was prepared to do wooden dowels for hooks and use a picture hanger. I wanted to put a wooden butterfly on the base, but due to the size and shape couldn’t find a reasonable priced base for it. I didn’t want to spend a fortune. I have some ideas for my next bow holder that I think I will like better.

It was quite the adventure and learning experience. I learned there is a Hobby Lobby store opening in our town soon and am so excited to see what journey that store may bring!