Heart Skippity Happy Color

Several years ago the children asked me to include more crafts into our lifestyle.  I'm a creative sort, but I don't find myself particularly drawn to this kind of project-crafts (in my tiny brain) require some planning, and to be shamefully honest, I don't like cleaning up the mess afterwards.

I know, I know- the creative process and the together time has far greater value than protecting my likes and dislikes, and it's worth the planning time.  So, having the tiniest little intellectual grasp of this, I committed to crafts at the very least at Christmas.

So, I try to plan a week of daily crafts that will appeal to both young and old, that use simple supplies, and that are affordable.  Hmmm-as I evaluate that sentence maybe that's what makes me stressy-somehow that seems like lots of self imposed expectations!

Nonetheless, we got started last night, and the above criteria were met (with one exception). And although this project is probably as old as time, it is fun and in the end I love me some bling!

You'll need this to get started:

• styrofoam balls -I got mine at the dollar store, and I chose a pretty small size b/c it can get tedious for the little ones after a bit, so I want them to be able to see and be motivated by their "progress".
• ribbon
• straight pins -you can't see the box of pins in this picture ... because we ran out.  I  underestimated the amount of pins we needed.  And this is the exception I mentioned above. I got it in my head that it would be oh so pretty to use pins with colored ends, and those are "budget busters" at $4.59 per box. Our little crafty bunch was unable to finish last night, so I'll be grabbing some more pins on my out 'n abouts today...however, they'll be plain straight pins since I'm shopping with funds from my change jar right now! (Oh, don't worry, that's just because I've completed all my grocery, giving, and gift plans from my Christmas Budget, and so this all falls under the umbrella of "extra")
• Mixed colors and sizes of sequins.  I got ours from Hobby Lobby, but they're widely available from lots of sources.

Now, the simple fun begins.  Make a ribbon loop.  Attach the ends with pins to your styrofoam ball and start pushing pins through the center hole of the sequins and into the ball.  You can see from the picture that the end result is just as lovely with white still showing through as well as a completely covered ball.

Yup, that's it.  Hang them on your tree, in a window, give as a gift...and remember the sweet memories you made while you worked and created together.

Of course there's many, many, many variations of styrofoam ball crafts.  This one worked just fine with our youngest (4yrs.) with the only problem being she bent some pins as she enthusiastically pushed them in.  A sweet Gramma joined in our fun, encouraging the young ones.

I'll do it again next year-the styrofoam ball thing.  Last year we did fuzzy pom poms,  This year sequins.  What are your suggestions for next year?