With the kids on Easter vacation, as a mum, I'm always planning activities to do with my daughter.
Does anyone feel the same as I do?
Everything is overwhelmingly expensive during the holidays. Holidays abroad are skyrocketing and costly.
Staycation too is expensive, even trips to the cinema are costly.
Don't even get me started because I'll become a nagging designer mum.
As a single parent, I have to keep an eye on the budget and make sure everyone is happy within the budget.
So if you're a mum or carer like me looking for cheap and cheerful, fun, money-saving creative ideas to do with your kids, I've got you covered.
This project doesn't require much; I'm sure you have most of the materials at home.
Instead of buying a new hair band, I'm sure your daughter(s) have a few of these in their special box. It doesn't matter if it's metal or plastic; we can create magic with them.
For the buttons, I've been collecting vintage buttons for years. I promise you I'm not a hoarder, lol.
I like to preserve things and give them a new lease on life. If you say so, Anita!
So, for the buttons, you can recycle old buttons from those beautiful outfits your children and yourself have outgrown.
Instead of throwing them away, carefully unpick the buttons, this is a fun activity you can do with your children while singing along to their favourite pop tunes. Please if you are using sharp objects be careful of their tender little hands.
Once you've gathered the buttons, please save these garments, I will be showing DIY projects you can do with those garments in the future.
Remember we are not wasting, its all about saving money.
Knitting yarn, I'm sure you have a nan that loves to knit pretty jumpers, hats, gloves for you. It's time to visit them.
Take some flowers, to trade with their colourful yarns. I'm sure your nan or mum wouldn't mind you raiding their colourful stash of yarns while telling you exciting stories about each thread, so get your ears peeled, because it's history time, lol.
And you were supposed to be on holidays.
Okay, we have the three must-have materials covered. Let's start. Before I forget you need some colourful glass seed beads and needle which you can buy very cheap from a crafts store or your local market. Or even if your daughter(s) have those DIY jewellery making boxes, they usually come with beads so they can use that.
You need a lighter and superglue; please, please be safe, do this part for them.
Okay enough with my nitty gritty chit chat, let's get creative.
Materials and Tools:
Plastic/Metal headband
Buttons
Embroidery thread/Knitting Yarn
Glass Seed Beads
Needle
Super Glue
Lighter
Scissors
Time:
1 Hour
Affix and secure one end of the yarn inside of headband with a dab of super glue, let it dry and wrap tightly around the entire headband beginning from one end to the opposite end. Making sure you push each strand closely together, so the whole headband is neatly covered. Please be careful not to overlap the strands. Otherwise, it will look too chunky.
When you get to the other end of the headband, dab inside of the headband with glue to secure and let it dry.
Your finished wrapped headband should look like the picture above.
Remember you want your headband to look neat, so to tidy and melt the hairs on the yarn, gently sweep across the headband with a lit lighter. If you are a child doing this, please give this to an adult to do this for you. I don't want you burning your tender fingers.
For my headband, I used two different coloured yarns. You may use and thread the same colour as your headband if you wish. Thread one end of the yarn through the needle, secure the other end of the threaded yarn onto one end of the headband with a glue. Let it dry. Begin to wrap the yarn around the headband; I would recommend about 4-5 times, making sure each strand is pushed firmly together.
Thread a seed bead, button and a further seed bead onto the yarn/thread and wrap tightly. Repeat this process until you get to the end of the headband. You can mix the colours and sizes of your buttons to suit your personality and style if you wish.
When you get to the opposite end of the headband, finish off by wrapping 4-5 times, secure with glue and leave to dry.
Your finished headband should look like the picture above. Or Below if you use a different type of button.
This style of button reminds me of sweets. The colours are so refreshing and vibrant for any princess looking to stand out from her peers.
Headbands have always been in style, even when I was a teeny weeny child. Of course, we are all created differently, so why try to be like everyone else, when you were born to stand out.
I hope you enjoy creating this beautiful headband for yourself, and with your beautiful princesses.