Sometimes You Just Have To Be A Princess (How To Make Pipe Cleaner Crowns)

* Today is Kyla’s birthday and I just couldn’t get words to work for me, so  instead of a letter to her, I’ll post the next best thing.  How to be a Princess for a day (or however long you manage to keep your crown looking normal for).*

Sometimes I am glad that I work half of the day.

I can outsource finding entertainment for the kids to my fantastic in laws.  They have been properly spoiled these holidays, going all over the show with their grandparents – devouring chocolate brownies and checking out the horses at Oude Molen, climbing on the lions at Rhodes Memorial, visiting the ducks at Houw Hoek Inn and destroying the play areas of the Spur.

When the entertainment is left to me we do far less things that involve leaving the house (I don’t like going out with all 3 of them on my own – not quite as brave as Seth).

Anyway.

They were given bags of colourful pipe cleaners and wanted to make something with them.  Obviously they passed them along to me with eyes full of excitement at all the amazing things I was about to create for them.  Obviously my brain went absolutely blank and I just stared at the pipe cleaners, then at the kids, then at the pipe cleaners and then at the ceiling for one last look out for that light bulb moment.

Nothing.

So I did what I always do when I am lacking in creativeness.  Pinterest.  The answer to any creative problem you have ever had.  I could get lost on there for days. DAYS!

But before I could do that they were shouting at me, “No I don’t want to make a finger puppet.  Eeew, no spiders!  Papa already made me a person!”  Then they saw this.

There was no convincing them to do anything else at all.

I didn’t photographically document the step by step process, so I will describe it to you with words.  Could life get any crazier?!

You need:

• Roughly 10 pipe cleaners – depending on the size of your head and how full you want your crown to be
• Patience
• A child’s head to measure

Use two pipe cleaners to make the base of the crown and then decide what you want the pattern at the top to be, make it and fasten it on (with the pipe cleaner itself).  I am sure that there are more permanent and crafty ways to do this but who has time for that anyway.

They will look sort of like this…

And then you get to put it on their heads and watch their faces light up, despite how wonky and uncoordinated it looks to you.  YAY for stuff like this still being awesome for little people!

Knox was not at all interested in a crown and opted for bright pink, heart shaped sunnies instead.  Obviously.