All of the new hairstyles that Winter has been trying have involved plenty of bobby pins. I made her these fancy bobby pins for some fun accents.
Supplies:
Bobby pins
Fancy shank buttons
Thin jewelry wire
Tools:
Needle-nosed pliers
Wire cutters
I cut a piece of jewelry wire about 3 inches (approximately 7.5 cm) long for each bobby pin. I threaded it through the bobby pin, and then lined up the pin where I wanted it. I bent the wire across the button and pin, and then and put it through the middle of the pin from each side.
I wrapped the wire through and around the end of the pin, through the shank button, and around the shank of the button several times, using the pliers to pull the wire tight each time.
When I got to the end of the wire, I used the pliers to tuck the ends into the holes of the button, so that nothing sharp would stick out.
Time:
It took me 5 minutes per bobby pin. I made 16 bobby pins.
Cost:
$0.05 each.
I used buttons from my button jar. When clothes wear out beyond the point of being mended, I cut the buttons off and keep them to use for new articles of clothing. This particular project works well for both large numbers of matching buttons as well as smaller numbers of buttons, including a single button (such as the blue one) that is left, as it can be used as a single accent. These particular buttons were given to me from a reader, who sent me the buttons her mother had kept in her own button jar.
If you don’t have buttons, you can purchase some on sale from Joann’s, Hobby Lobby, etc. I usually buy buttons on sale for 40-50% off.
Black bobby pins can be bought from several different dollar stores. While those work perfectly for my own dark hair, Winter has lighter hair, so I bought her some brown bobby pins. The lowest priced-ones I could find were the Goody package of 90 at Walmart (Walmart had several choices in that color; I had to look around before I found these ones). If you are using the black ones and buttons you already have, your cost would be $0.02 each.
I purchased the jewelry wire on a 40% off sale at Michael’s last year. This item regularly goes on sale, or you can use the coupon that comes in the weekly ad.
I saw similar looking bobby pins at Target last week; they were $5 for 4 bobby pins! Making my own was definitely worth the time.
Update: Here are some in my daughter’s hair:
Did you make any gifts today? What did you make?
I look for older FANCY clothing at garage sales and the thrift stores. I love the old buttons. I found a jacket once for $3.00 that had a fur collar. I believe it was mink, but I was not sure. The buttons were beautiful. I did save the collar and made my grand daughter a fur coat for her Barbie doll and added fur to her wool jacket too. It was stunning if I do say so myself. She out grew it, but it is in her ‘keep chest’ for her daughter some day. My grand daughter is now 14. She is growing into a beautiful woman. She likes to sew and play volley ball.
Just keep your eyes open and sometimes you can find wonderful things. In our town we have a Goodwill store OUTLET. They sell things that did not sell in their stores. You can buy by the pound. I have got a lot of things just for the buttons and trim. Just a little time to remove the trim and you can remake something real nice. I got some old pillow cases that had some nice trim on them but the pillow case was worn thin. Much too thin to use. I kept the bottom and made some fancy cloths hanger covers.
Seconding Roxie, I once found an Ada Lum Chinese rag doll in an antique store, great condition, but naked. I bought him for my daughter, who was a baby at the time. To make the clothes, I bought a black cotton blouse with some fancy trim from a second-hand shop, and cut it down into fisherman pants and a jacket with a Mandarin collar. They turned out quite nicely, especially considering my limited sewing skills! Turns out my daughter doesn’t like dolls; also, when I Googled Ada Lum dolls I discovered they’re rather valuable (although I’m not sure mine would be, as we don’t have the original clothes), so I never really encouraged her to play with him. But he sits on her shelf and looks pretty, all the same.
I haven’t made any presents in while now; but my daughter is just getting to the stage where she likes to play with her hair, so I might have to borrow your ideas.
I’m always curious about how different families try (or don’t try) to do ‘equal’ on Christmas morning. Is that something you worry about? If so do you focus more on the number of gifts or the amount of time/money spent on them? Or with so many kids do you just sort of figure it all works itself out in the end . . . and if so, what do you do if one child feels cheated?
Mae, I usually do a pretty close to equal number of gifts. It’s not exactly the same, but it’s close. I won’t be making an equal number of gifts per child, since I already bought several things for each child, and I will be making more things for Winter in this series, as I always do, because she has a December birthday.
I’ve never had a child complain of getting less than another.
Brandy, I love these fancy hair pins! I might have to try making some for my daughter.
To add to this idea, I have also made hair pins painted with nail polish to give them colour and, depending on the nail polish, a bit of glittery sparkle. I found that the cheaper, thinner nail polish didn’t work as well for coating the hair pin, and strong, brighter colours work best. Clear sparkle type nail polish will not be very visible. Simply slide the hair pin onto a piece of box board/cardboard and coat the upper side of the pin with the nail polish. Allow the polish to dry and reapply as necessary to achieve a solid, even colour.
SO pretty, Know Winter will love them.
Love Rhonda’s idea of the nail polish too..
I made my twin granddaughters a skirt and a purse.. This is for their birthday, it is in November. Now, I need to get started on Christmas.. I have 5 grandkids.
Today I went to JC Penny to shop a bit. I got a $10/$10 coupon in the mail. 🙂 I used the coupon to buy 2 red shirts. OOP $1.09. I plan on using the red shirts to Christmas outfits. I saw a poinsettia scarf at the store–very pretty. I came home and look in my stash of fabric and made a poinsettia scarf to go with one of the red shirts for my kiddo.
http://marilynswordsofwisdom.blogspot.com/2014/11/zero-christmas-budget-gift-8-christmas.html
These are absolutely gorgeous! I am always amazed at the gifts you create. WOW!
Anna, I always love hearing of your thoughtful gifts too! I don’t know how you get so much done!! Hope your daughter is doing well and stays that way. How is “The Student” doing at college? I think of you and your family often and always with hope and admiration.
My husband took my children to his mom’s for part of the weekend so I did a lot of sewing.
I made these potholders for my mom:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/91098458@N00/15563072699/
And this knitting project bag for my 6 year old daughter, who has just learned to knit:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/91098458@N00/15559928720/
Anna – so good to hear from you as well! I was concerned that when Brandy changed her website we might not hear from you. You are one of the people I hold in my heart and lift up. Interested in hearing how things are going.