Christmas Barrettes

I don't know why, but this year I'm more into Christmas than usual. Nevermind the fact that I haven't really done any shopping and I worry friends and family are only going to get rain checks and apologies from me. I'm into it, damn it.

I even did some crafting in the form of poinsettia barrettes to add a little festive touch to any old outfit.



There weren't any instructions to follow, but in my head I had a good plan. I set out to Michael's on my lunch break one day, bringing Meg and Michelle from work for the ride. They ended up being a huge asset because my goal to "quickly pick out a few fake poinsettias," completely underestimated the gargantuan variety and quantity Michael's would offer. The three of us wandered between aisles, picking out and dismissing contenders until we finally had a few different kinds. I also picked up some alligator clips and a packet of little glittery gold discs that I guess are normally intended for scrapbooking (?).


With those supplies and a hot glue gun, it was time to get to work one Saturday afternoon.

The first step is to yank the flower off its stem.


Then remove the green plastic piece on the back that holds the whole thing together.


Just like that, you get two flat layers that are much easier to work with. I threw out the gold bit from the center because I just didn't like the look of it.


Next, it was time to add in a little extra kick with a dose of these beauties.


I cut off a few petals and glued them to the larger of the 2 layers.


Once those were in place, I glued the smaller layer on top, taking care to place it in the right position to see maximum red glitter peaking out. Then I secured one of the gold dots in the center with more hot glue.



By this point I'd burned my fingers several times and there were strings of glue draping over everything like spider webs. But other than that, it was all rather simple.

Now, onto the alligator clip. I began by removing one of the green leaves from the original flowers and gluing that to the top of the clip.



Once it had time to dry, I then glued that to the back of the flower and my work was done.


Some seasonal snazziness for the holiday party circuit. They also make great gifts for the host.