“Ugh. Easter Hat Parades are dumb” was my reply when Mr Surfer forwarded the preschool email reminder.
Mind you, I had yet to experience one. My judgment was largely influenced by the numerous complaints I heard from other mothers and their pains in making what should be a simple hat.
I swore I wasn’t going to subject myself to such unnecessary stress.
“Leave it to me!” he said. “I’ve got all these fantastic ideas!” he promised.
Come Wednesday – the day before the parade – Mr Surfer’s creative juices weren’t pumping. Not even a drizzle.
I had already vowed the spontaneous Christmas Advent Calendar would be the first and last thing I ever got my hands stuck with PVC glue.
Yet once again, I was dumped with the craft duties.
I have been known to be somewhat of a *ahem* perfectionist. So, give me a creative project, like making animal balloons – and dude, I will stream all related YouTube tutorials until I run out of my monthly internet plan to makethatperfectgoddamngiraffewithcutelittlehorns.
Going completely against my plan to make an in and out trip to Hot Dollar, I found myself confused and dazzled among the endless rows of Easter paraphernalia.
Pipe cleaner bunnies and carrots, polystyrene, glittery eggs…my mind went into overdrive with visions of colourful, imaginative, cute easter hats paraded by the twinions.
Creative Challenge: Accepted.
Why? Why? WHY??
Shouldn’t a $2 hat covered with pretty stickers be simply enough?
Am I a closeted crafty mummy itching to come out?
Mr Surfer who knows me too well, eluded to that it may not be so much due to perfectionism but my competitive nature…
“You want your hats to win, don’t you?”
And to tell you the truth, it hadn’t even occurred to me. Cross my hot bun.
Instead, I’ll take Carolyn from Champagne Cartel’s straightforward logic:
“Motherly love and all that crap”
The things we do for love…
However, no one dare try to get me into that loom band craze. Otherwise I’m going to have to give you a Chinese burn…then go to Hot Dollar and watch a YouTube tutorial.
Do you dive into creative challenges? Or stick to the sweet and simple?
Are you a closet crafty mummy? Or out and proud?
Are you into the loom band craze? Or do I need to give you a Chinese burn?
Have an awesome, safe Easter, folks! x
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Those are some seriously cool hats and no I am SO not a crafty Mama!
I have been known to do some pretty cool block letters though – does that count?!
If you know of anyone who would like to share their ‘Struggle and Triumph’ story on my blog can you please send them my way?
Thank you thank you thank you xx
Happy Easter!
Deb – An Inspirational Journey recently posted..Struggle & Triumph.
Oh I’m loud and proud baby! You did such a great job, I bet they had a ball. (And I bet you secretly did too!)
Danya Banya recently posted..Apple Scented Play Dough
You did a fine job! Awesome looking hats. My son’s school had the most brilliant idea. This year, we sent everything in and hats were made at school with older buddies. Making one or two hats has been fun but I was happy to pass the reigns over. X
Robo recently posted..My Crazy
Well I got my girl a loom kit but haven’t given it to her yet, just been too busy with other stuff at school holidays… might just hold off til she gets in to it at school! I forgot it was Easter parade at school, until 8am that day, so they both wore bunny ears #motheroftheyear! Have a great weekend lovely xx
Emily @ Have A Laugh On Me recently posted..Never make a promise you can’t keep.
9yr old daughter has discovered loom bands after been given a kit (which I looked at in bewilderment and couldn’t work out how to do at all – thankfully other 9yr olds could help).
I know its just a toy phase that will go the same way as Zhu Zhu pets etc…..So I will ride out this phase, like all the others I have survived!!
Annie recently posted..Why you need to spice up your camping
You are wonderful, Grace. Even more so than those marvellously creative hats. X
P.s. – So very lovely to meet you on Saturday. X
Bec | Mumma Tells recently posted..The Write Mumma
They are some impressive Easter hats that look like they went down a treat!
Twinkle in the Eye recently posted..Why blog?
The Easter hats look fantastic! I haven’t had to make anything crafty because my girls haven’t started Kindy but I’m sure my competitive nature will come out too. We do craft at home when I’m organised and can be bothered to clean up the mess afterwards! My daughters are too young for the loom bands so I’m hoping we might skip this trend altogether!
Bec @ The Plumbette recently posted..WAR method for finding a plumber
The Easter bonnet parade seems to be the nemesis of many a mother. Happily our local school has never made this into an event.
Happy Easter Grace.
Carolyn
Desire Empire recently posted..Kidspot Voices of 2014 Top 100 and Some Hot Blogging Tips
I’ve tried various crafts and failed miserably. My kids always had the worst costume at school and kindy even though I was a drama teacher. I did some lovely cross stitch though so I guess that’s something. Those hats are admirable.
Pinky Poinker recently posted..O- is for One Day I Sniffed Cheese!
I always knew my parenting philosophy would take off eventually! Now waiting for the book deal offers to roll in…
Your hats looked GREAT! Every Easter I watch other kids at the endless hat parades I go to an think ‘bah, I should have done THAT, or THAT or THAT’…but every year I do the last minute scramble of a supermarket-bought crappy hat with some crappy-arse stickers all over them. I’ve not a crafty bone in my body, but hopefully I’m not scarring the poor tinies too much. I can teach them sarcasm, shoe shopping and how to fit 14 unbroken cheezels in your mouth at once. And that’s just as important, right?
Carolyn @ Champagne Cartel recently posted..Friday Fizz: on a Thursday!
You so are that closeted crafty mama Grace! Well done! And Happy Easter to you and your Boys!
Stephanie recently posted..Genesis of Stephsjoy – Zero to Hero Challenge
Those hats are brilliant – so vibrant and full of Easter motifs. I’ll bet the twinions adored them 🙂
I recall making my daughter’s first Easter hat extravaganza for her first parade. I had it in my mind to make a Medieval style conical hat, with ribbons and lace hanging behind. I should hasten to add, I’m not in the least crafty! But I constructed this feat of engineering out of pink cardboard and she wore it – poor thing, well tried to. It was too big and heavy for her tiny head and during the parade it kept slipping to the side and over her eyes until she couldn’t see where she was going 🙁 (got a pic though, for posterity)
🙂
Lee-Anne recently posted..Monument. A little tribute to Daisy.
I love doing crafty stuff but I’m not actually very good at it!!! I wish I was though! xx Happy Easter Grace 🙂
Lucy @ Bake Play Smile recently posted..Sweet Potato, Lime & Coconut Soup
They are the coolest easter hats Grace! I love getting creative when I have the time and if I don’t well, it’s always something simple. Being a Mummy has definitely helped my creative side to venture out every now and then. And loom bands…I really don’t understand the craze. I’m pretty sure they’re something that was cool back in the 80’s?
Eva @ The Multitasking Mummy recently posted..Why I Don’t Take My Husband Grocery Shopping
I am crafty. I plan to craft cunning excuses to AVOID all craft activities!
(Meanwhile, I also said I’d never make a fancy cake for my kids’ birthdays. Four down, who knows how many to go?!)
Emily recently posted..Quirky writer’s habits
These are great Grace – did you win?
Kathy recently posted..5 reasons why it’s ok to wobble
Awesome hats Grace, well done! I used to be very crafty but seemed to lose my way for awhile. Over the past few months I have been getting back into it a lot more, and my big boy loves any activity where he is let loose with glue and glitter. Fortunately we will be able to avoid the looming craze, no doubt it will be back in a few years time though 🙂 Happy Easter x
Lauren @ Create bake make recently posted..Malteser and Mars Bar Slice
Aww the twinions look too cute in their hats! And it’s amazing what you can do with just a day to craft.. I like to craft too and I have so many to-do projects in Pinterest it’d probably take me 3 years (maybe more) to finish them all hahahaah
Happy Easter weekend!
Ai Sakura recently posted..Fitness Diary :: The Only Constant in Life is Change
I get my craft on when it is necessary….absolutely necessary. I am certainly not crafty though, or creative. And yep we are in the looming craze. I have to admit though I actually enjoying looming, it is relaxing or something??
Sam Stone @ A Life on Venus recently posted..Riding in cars with kids
That hats look fabulous Grace!! I wish I had a crafty bone in my body. It’s google all the way then off to the craft shop. I do impress our visitors though with a pretty cool craft drawer. I just let the kids go wild! 😉 Happy Easter to you and your beautiful family. x
Neets recently posted..It’s The Small Things
Those hats look amazing!! I am not at all crafty so I’m kinda dreading this aspect of parenting. Maybe I will channel your spirit and get right into it with the YouTube tutorials. Here’s hoping. If not, there’s always the $2 shop.
Denise recently posted..10 things I tell myself when I’m afraid everything sucks
Maybe a tad over-the-top, but hey it’s EASTER!
Very nice.
Cranky old Man recently posted..GRANDPA
Well, I dragged myself out to all the cheapo shops when ill with the flu to get hats sorted for my kids only for them to come down sick the day of the parade – so my craft prowess is now hidden away until next year. At least I won’t be running around like a nut next year… 😉
Kirsty @ My Home Truths recently posted..Memes, glorious memes!
Big congrats on those hats, Grace!
As much as I love creating, I just can’t do a good Easter hat! John has been the major maker of those the last couple of years, he and Bell get into it together, thank goodness.
We’re just jumping on the loom bandwagon here, and I’m a bit scared. Bell tried to teach me the other day, and mine fell apart as soon as it came off the board. As I type this, she’s waiting to teach me how to edit music videos…..think of me !
Happy Easter gorgeous xx
Lisa@RandomActsOfZen recently posted..The Journey
LOVE those hats! It’s probably a good thing I couldn’t have kids as I’d be SO lazy re that stuff!
Deborah recently posted..Book reviews: Sharp Objects & Dark Places
I’m seriously in love with those hats, although I am a little sad that you didn’t stick an Eiffel Tower balloon on top. Ah, there’s always next year and the year after that.
You see I love getting my craft on, creative expression and all that crap, but I don’t like it if it feels like homework or is some kind of competition and especially if there’s some kookiness behind it that somehow links it to how much we love our children, where’s the fun in that? I love how you took those Easter hats by the balls and owned them. Go you good thing! Ahem, I just slipped off my soap box x
Cybele @BlahBlah recently posted..A very important filing system and how to make a storage box
You’ve done really well. I’m rather thankful that the schools we’ve attended haven’t been big on Easter Hat parades and if they do something the craft side of it is carried out at school. I’m not very crafty at the best of times.
Mystery Case recently posted..GIVEAWAY | Conversation Corner
But they look oh so cute!! I think you are becoming a crafty mummy!!
Zita recently posted..for P
I crafted like a woman possessed for a while – then I got over it.
Mumabulous recently posted..Slices Of Life
Um, you totally nailed it. They are two very awesome looking Easter Hats. And slightly better than my creation, which involved wrapping a hot pink feather boa around a sparkly pink hat and whacking a couple of drunk looking yellow chicks on the top!
Kirsten and co. recently posted..DIY MANICURE IN 6 EASY STEPS
I thought the same thing when I first heard of these hat parades. I still don’t get it!
Vanessa recently posted..Brilliance
I cringe at having to do craft for the kids but then I get started and really get into it. I like to be a perfectionist but am learning to let go of that and just let the kids have a go and make a mess and do their own thing. I am learning to love the messy perfection that it is.
Malinda @mybrownpaperpackages recently posted..CADA coconut almonds date apple
Cross my hot bun – you ARE the craftiest! Love this (and the fact that surfer seem to bail on this exercise !). Happy Easter to you all
Caroline Raj recently posted..What would it be like to be a princess?
These hats are awesome! Happy Easter Grace!
Rita @ The Crafty Expat recently posted..Wordless Wednesday – The Alchemist
Well done on the hats!
No Chinese burns required here.
No craft happening here either ….
Not the least bit crafty
L
Leanne @ Deep Fried Fruit recently posted..Day 1655 – Proof Reading
All linked up. Thanks for hosting and WOW check out your super crafty skills! That Easter bonnet is epic!!
Super Busy Mum {Debs} recently posted..Word of the Week – 18/04/14
Fan-bloody-tastic! They are so good! Don;t get me started about those loom bands! So glad Dora is too young to get stuck into it…
Kaz @ Melting Moments recently posted..Weekly Wrap Up Linky – Dyed Eggs for Easter
Those were some mighty crafty hats! And don’t knock looms – they’re pretty addictive. Beats knitting.
Nami recently posted..Same Ingredients, Different Buns
Those hats are so cool! My Mr 5 is very bossy and independent so he wanted to decorate his own hat. Which is fair enough because he did a better job than I would have anyway. I’m not crafty at all. Hope you’re having a very happy Easter. x
Thanks, Ness! My boys didn’t care to put in any input into their hats except for them occasionally asking “Mama, have you built my hat yet?” like the slave that I am! 🙂
Hope you had a great Easter too, Ness!
Totally didn’t get a chance to comment on this earlier or do any reading but better late than never right?! We had out fist easter hat parade here too and I have to say I nailed it. A rectangle of cardboard big enough to go around the head, covered in easter stickers, and two cardboard bunny ears covered in cotton balls, stapled together. That was her hat. It was all I could be bothered with and the only thing I didn’t already have was the stickers, which I got from the supermarket for $2. That’s a win in my books! Having said that though, the twinions hats are pretty kick-arse! Maybe you could make one for Punky next year 😉
Kylie Purtell recently posted..And the Tosser Trophy goes to…
sorry no creative bones in this old body of mine….mind you my youngest makes up for it – HE LOVES loom bands and can watch a youtube video and create them 🙂
Love your Easter hats, by the way did you win?
Lisa Wood recently posted..Merlins Lookout Hill End