Guilty Pleasure Hair Clips

Books, coffee and crafts are my jam. So when I came across these miniatures at the craft store, I knew I had to make them into something wearable! Click below to see how I did it!

MAYA IN THE MOMENT: Day of the Dead Hair Accessories

My mom, The Crafty Chica, has a new product line out at Michaels Stores through November 11! I thought I'd use some of her supplies to make some Day of the Dead  hair accessories.
The first one I made is this headband!

 You'll need a headband and a piece of felt. Plus the design stuff. Here is a link to all the Crafty Chica products! I used the Flocked Iron On and ironed it to a piece of glittered canvas. I then added feathers and gems.

 Once you finish the design, glue it to the headband and glue the piece of felt to hold it in place.

Here is my other project, a hair clip! I had a headband with a big zipper thingy that I didn't like, so I revamped it into a hair clip!

 I added Beads in a Bottle and glued the Crafty Chica applique in the center and added a dangling feather!

 This is a JUMBO hair clip - but if you want you could make it a pin or wristlet...The main objective is to have fun and be bold and colorful!

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Craft on!

How to: Sparkle Kitty Ear Barrettes!

Today, it's clip-on cat ears for when you're feeling a little bit feline! The occasion? Well, to be perfectly honest, I set out making these for my niece's 5th birthday (she happens to love cats--her cat, Mo, in particular), but I didn't finish them in time (yes, despite the fact that they only take about 10-15 minutes to complete!). It turns out, though, that there was a higher power (called glitter) at work and the delay was well worth it: I recently got a delivery of Tulip's new iron-on glitter sheets and I realized that the delay was meant to be (because what would these ears be without the sparkle?--I know the Crafty Chica would be proud.)

Save these for Halloween if you want, but why wait? I wholly believe in wearing fun accessories whenever the mood strikes--because, hey, some days you just feel like a cat and here's the perfect accessory to let you indulge. And talk about fun in the sun--these ears sure do sparkle!

Materials:
-Pen or pencil
-Scrap of paper
-Colorful felt
-All-purpose scissors
-Fabric scissors
-Metal snap barrettes
-Aleene's Fabric Fusion fabric glue
-Tulip Fashion Glitter Shimmer Transfer Sheets
-Pressing cloth
-Iron

Make it:
1. Use the pen and paper to sketch out a slightly rounded triangle, about 2" high. Add 1/2" at the base of the triangle and then mirror the shape below it to create the template. Cut it out with the all-purpose scissors. (You can also fold the paper at the base after you've drawn the top triangle and the extended base, and cut around the shape through both layers.)

2. Fold over the felt and lay the template on top of the folded section. Use the fabric scissors to cut around the template, through both layers.

3. Mark and cut a second template, in the shape of a rounded triangle, about 1/4" smaller on all sides than the original triangle in Step 1.

4. Select a color from the iron-on glitter sheets and trace the second template twice onto the shiny surface. Use the all-purpose scissors to cut them out. Peel away the shiny surface layer and arrange them on the felt ear pieces. Lay a pressing cloth over the ears, and press firmly with the iron for about 40 seconds. (Repeat if necessary to set the glitter transfer.)

5. Clip the metal barrettes in the center, on each side of each felt ear piece, so that the top of the barrette corresponds to the wrong side of the ear piece and vice versa. Generously apply fabric glue around the edge of the wrong side of the ear piece. (Felt absorbs a lot of the glue, so don't hold back!)

6. Fold the ear piece around the top of the barrette to seal the glue, and repeat on the second barrette.

7. Let dry. Optional: Clip the layers together with extra barrette clips while the glue dries!

8. Quick! Try them on before the actual cat who's been helping you craft gets a little too interested and starts batting them off your workspace!

(Special thanks to Tulu the cat for "helping.")

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Gotta Get Those Boom Boom Pow Earmuffs!

First there was Princess Leia and her cinnamon roll style hair-do. Years later came the Limi Feu spring/summer 2009 runway show and their amazing hair covered headphones. Then with a Boom Boom Pow Fergie is all over MTV wearing her own spikey hairphones. I thought to myself, mommy like. The problem, I don't wear headphones. What I do wear are ear muffs.




As you know ear muffs are typically not the most stylish looking of warming accessories and I set out to change that. Inspired by the hairphones and with a wink and a smile I hope to keep your ears not only warm, but also in vogue with today's I Love to Create project.


SUPPLIES
Tracks of Hair
Liquid Fusion Glue
2 Plastic Doll Faces
Aleene's Hot Glue Gun
Clothes Pins
Small Rubber Bands
Scissors
Ear Muffs


All Hair and Ear Muffs are not Created Equal
First you need to choose your hair. I opted for a red/brown shade to match my real hair. I also went with cheap synthetic hair. This is the exact same fake hair you would use to put in extensions (read about my escapades with fake hair here and my sister Hope's how-to guide for installing a weave here). The hair comes in tons of colors and if you wanted to pay more money you could even buy human hair.

Once you have your hair, next you need ear muffs. Look for ear muffs that don't collapse or fold up like a sandwich. If you had to you could make a pair from foam and a hairband.

The first step is to coat the band of the ear muffs with Liquid Fusion Glue on top and underneath. Take a portion of the hair and wrap the headband. Use clothes pins to secure the ends.


Creepy Vintage Doll Heads Make Everything Better
The next step was a happy accident actually. As I was braiding, wrapping and gluing hair to the earmuffs I started to realize that I did not have enough hair for the job. Suddenly I thought back to some crocheted doilies I had recently purchased at the thrift store with creepy doll heads in the center. I rushed to my stash of doll parts and there smiling back at me were two of the exact same vintage doll head halves. They fit perfectly in the center of my ear muffs and added just the right amount of kitsch to my couture hairphones.

I used Aleene's hot glue to attach the braids for the most part. However, I went back through with Liquid Fusion Glue to anchor down all the ends. Hold in place with clothes pins and allow to dry overnight.


All that is left to do is wait for a chilly day. I never thought I would say this, but I kinda can't wait for our next cold snap just so I can wear my hair muffs.



If you liked this post, I got a feelin' your gonna like these posts too...

Tartan Tiaras
New Years Eve Pipe Cleaner Tiaras
Cowgirl Hat Headbands
Fergaliscious Domino Nails

Iron On Hair Clips and Jewelry

My inspiration for today’s I Love to Create column comes from two places. First there were the iron-on’s by Chronicle Books. Adorable illustrations by Mike Perry and Sukie of kittens on mopeds and football helmets with skulls. The books sat mockingly on my shelf never getting used except at the occasional onesie making baby shower. Recently while looking for the perfect hair clip I came across a barrette I bought at Maker Faire last year. I’m embarrassed to say I don’t know who made the cute little owl on felt, but I adore him nonetheless. The owl is a stamp on felt which got me to thinking: if you can stamp on felt, why couldn’t you iron on it? I plugged in my iron for the first time in God knows how long, drug out stacks of stiffened craft felt and got busy. The iron-on transfers actually were more vibrant on the felt than they ever were on clothing. I was on to something good.


SUPPLIES
Iron On Transfers
Fabric Fusion Glue
Craft Felt
Blank Hair Clips and Pins
Liquid Fusion Glue
Eyelets
Scissors
Pinking Shears
Chain
Pliers
Jump Rings
Crop-o-Dile


The first thing I did was to choose a few of my favorite motifs from the books. Luckily lots of the illustrations are small and some even come in pairs, just right for a set of hair clips.

Following the instructions for the fabric transfers I ironed the images onto different color pieces of craft felt. I tried to use the pre-stiffened kind when I could.


I love layering color so I added a second piece of felt which I cut out with pinking shears for a decorative edge.

Using my Fabric Fusion glue I stuck the two coordinating pieces together and waited anxiously for them to dry.


Once the two pieces of felt were stuck together I had to decide which pieces were going to be barrettes, pins or necklaces. Rings and Things has an amazing selection of hairclips, pins and jewelry parts. For the pieces being made into pins and hair clips I attached the felt to a blank using Liquid Fusion Glue.


Once I got started, I found it hard to stop ironing. For the larger designs I ironed and layered just as I had with the hair clips. I used my Crop-o-Dile and some eyelets to make holes in the felt. I attached a chain using jump rings and my necklace was born. Since the craft felt was stiff the necklaces keep their shape.


If it will sit still long enough I will find a way to make it into jewelry!