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Saturday, March 21, 2015

Spangled Bangles







































"Great Expectations" - not just the title of a Dickens novel! Sometimes they are what grandma entertains while assembling an afternoon of springtime crafting fun. Last year, I reason, we made an Easter basket for each member of the family. This year we'll employ the same method - paper mache - to make gifts of bangle bracelets for each of the ladies. The boys won't really be left out, either. They love painting and decorating and making things for mommy and their two year old twin sisters. Grandma will set the completed bangles aside and the kids will enjoy handing them out before Easter dinner. I smile in delight at that vision. Everybunny's gonna love this one!

So grandma lays out an inviting table of pretty pastel paint, yards and yards of coordinating ribbon, bunny stickers galore, fuzzy little chicks and a dozen or more unpainted bracelets, dry from the week before and ready to go.

Brielle makes her choice. A striking vivid blue sets the background tone and tiny twinkling jewels dance between a flutter of butterfly decals. She is delighted with it. Slaps it on her wrist and declares that she's wearing it home. That day. I sink in my chair and ask if she'd rather save it for Easter. "No, I'm taking it home. Today!" she insists.

I turn my attention to the boys. Sae is elbow deep in green and brown paint. "Camo!" he gleefully shouts, holding high his choice and basking deeply in brother's unabashed admiration. This time I'm the one who insists it goes home with him today!

Nothing prepares me for what I see next. Nick's engrossed in a bracelet covered solid black. Black. Pairs of peering wiggle eyes drip with glue and encircle the surface. "I'm wearing this one on Halloween!" he proclaims with gusto. Bree and Sae smile their heartfelt approval.

So. Great expectations. Sometimes that's as far as grandma's visions go! I realize then that it'll be me who does the painting, sticking and bejeweling if my basket-of-spangled-bangles-for-springtime is ever to be filled to brimming. But that's okay......

Would I really want grandsons who sit here like prissy princesses, painting pastel posies to perfection? (yes) Well, no! of course not!!!


Make a paper mache bangle by cutting a strip of thin cardboard (1" - 2.5" wide) to size, allowing an inch extra for overlap and padding. Tape ends together. Wrap bracelet in strips of paper towel to give shape. Tear strips of newspaper, dip in flour and water mixture the consistency of craft glue and wrap 3 layers around to cover. Allow bracelet to dry, then paint with gesso so pastel colors will show up brightly. Decorate with cute Easter goodies.




26 comments:

  1. OH this is absolutely delightful - I was wondering at the beginning of the post if it was going to go as planned - kids seem to have their very own ideas sometimes - and that is what makes it all so much fun. I love the pretties in the first photo too.

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  2. LOL of COURSE she'd want to take hers home and of COURSE there would be camo and a Halloween one....considering boys it could be worse. I recall last summer seeing them start to write RIP and DEAD on some of the toy blocks, making a zombie graveyard in the fairy garden, lol...

    Love the pretties in the photo !

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  3. that looks like so much fun. Can't wait until I am living closer to my grandchildren. xo Laura

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  4. Oh my gosh, I love it. I can just picture delicate, little Bree working away with her pastels while the boys are into black and camo. I can only imagine how much fun there will be handing those out at your holiday celebration. Again, you lead the way in craftiness, friend, and you are so generous to explain how those of us without your skills might be able to accomplish something similar. :-)

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  5. These are adorable! I have three little nieces who will love these. Thanks so much for the idea and how nice to meet you!!

    Big Texas Hugs,
    Susan and Bentley

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  6. Grandmothers have the most fun! Love your Easter dinner project that will entertain every age at the table.

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  7. Popping over from Over 40 Bloggers on FB and I love this....paper mache is always a hit and so much fun....I adored making anything with paper mache and still do.

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  8. You seem to have so much fun with the crafts and your grands! The bracelets are so cute! The camo one sounds perfect too! Enjoy your day!

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  9. What fun the little ones would have making the Spangled Bangles, so colorful and festive. Thank you for sharing with the Clever Chicks Blog Hop! I hope you’ll join us again next week!

    Cheers,
    Kathy Shea Mormino
    The Chicken Chick
    http://www.The-Chicken-Chick.com

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  10. I love that you wrote this! It doesn't always go the way we plan and we just have to admit it. I will never forget the pumpkin carriage that Amara and I tried to make for Halloween. It did not go well! Yours at least went well just not the way you planned!

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  11. Cuties!
    I would love for you to share them with our Link Up Party- Idea box:

    http://milaslittlethings.com/2015/03/idea-box-thursday-link-party-2.html

    xx
    Mila
    milaslittlethings.com
    milawayable@gmail.com

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  12. What awesome bangles to make for Easter time! Thanks for sharing!

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  13. These bangles are so fun, my friend! They are perfect for Spring and Easter and I am sure the younger ones love them :)

    Thanks for sharing with Roses of Inspiration. I simply love your creativity. Hugs!

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  14. Too funny how your grandsons turned it into something that THEY wanted. I'm surprised your one grandson is thinking of Halloween -- it's so far off.

    Thanks for sharing this at my link party!

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  15. What a cute idea!! My kids would love these. Thank you for linking up to Party Time and we hope to see you again next week!

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  16. Such a cute project. Hope you drop by to share them this week at the party! Happy Spring. Theresa @DearCreatives

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  17. These are soo cute!! Love the colours :)

    Thanks for linking up with us on this week's Mom 2 Mom Encouragement Link Up! Hope you join us again soon, Rachael @ Diamonds in the Rough

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  18. looks like you all had a wonderful time creating!

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  19. These are adorable and I know a certain little girl who would love these. I'm visiting from the over 40 group.

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  20. Quite adorable, and I also love the colors cause I'm a color girl! Your grandsons know their own mind and expressed it creatively. Visiting from WO40's.

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  21. What adorable bangles.

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  22. What a fun idea! The grands would love them.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  23. I love how the boys took this project idea and made it their own. Fabulous!

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  24. Such a creative idea! Thanks so much for taking the time to link up with us at the #HomeMattersParty - we hope to see you again on Friday! Feel free to bring a friend!

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  25. Gracias for keeping it real! Something tells me The Grands would do something very similar to yours, so thanks for the heads up. ; ) Will definitely keep this in my "things to do w/grandchildren" file. Thanks.

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