It’s Not All Mary Poppins

Mother’s Day Craftiness

An older group, a more complicated craft, ably assisted by Haley. First we melted the soap chunks in the microwave. NOT TOO HOT!! Oops. Bubbles throughout the first batch…

Then we carrrrrefulllly pour the melted soap into the molds. (“We” are four-year-old George of the steady hands.) Just a thin layer, then let it cool enough to form a thickish skin. Oops. A little on the cloth, but it will wash out!

Next we very carefully place the plastic butterfly stickers onto the first layer. Carefully. Carefully! CAREful– Oops.

Some of the butterflies rest gracefully on the layer. Others have plunged recklessly to the very bottom, and will no doubt protrude from the surface after the first use.

Here, Haley’s hands wrestle with those of young Zach, who is of the plunge-to-the-bottom school of butterfly placement.


The finished product! Not too bad, huh?

All set to go home.

Throughout this process, Haley and I made sure that the word “soap” never, ever crossed our lips. It was “a craft”. “Here’s let’s put a butterfly in your craft.” “Shall we take the craft out of the mold now?” “Oh, haven’t you made a lovely craft?” Smart George knows what’s in his pretty parcel, but he’s also too smart to tell by accident. The others have all gone home not having a clue just exactly what it was they just made. I know what I’m doing here.

Mommies come to the door and are given the wrapped package by a very proud child.

“Oh, did you make something for mommy?” the mommies beam at their wee ones, who each, without fail, said,

“Yes, I made you A CRAFT!”

Ha! I am so smart.

May 13, 2006 - Posted by | Uncategorized

13 Comments »

  1. Fun project! And the mommies will love their present – I love that the kids were in the dark about what they were making, that way they can’t tell mommy right away!

    Comment by Angela | May 13, 2006 | Reply

  2. You ARE so smart! That is brilliant! I got Mom&Me (ie Make your own) cookies and one of those empty boxes (filled with love, you know.) Good thinkg I’m not above stopping by Lush on my own 😉

    Comment by MsSisyphus | May 13, 2006 | Reply

  3. Oh how I miss teaching and doing Mother’s Day crafts with the little ones. That sure is a cute gift idea. I’ll have to remember it for later, especially the part of labeling so the secret doesn’t get out.

    Comment by Mamacita Tina | May 13, 2006 | Reply

  4. You’re so crafty that even I didn’t understand the reason for the secret until the end. I was thinking the kids wouldn’t want any part of the project if they knew it was soap.

    I shouldn’t admit to these things so freely, should I?

    Happy Mother’s Day!

    Comment by Sharkey | May 13, 2006 | Reply

  5. Oh you are so smart! We did that for the GirlChild’s kindergarten class and they turned out lovely and the mother’s were so pleased.

    Comment by M&Co. | May 13, 2006 | Reply

  6. I might even be able to manage that one (the sinking to the bottom (oops) variety.

    Comment by Granny | May 13, 2006 | Reply

  7. What a great craft! And you are very clever–My son is 6 and still can’t keep a secret. No accident about it, he just has no patience.

    Comment by Cheryl | May 13, 2006 | Reply

  8. wow, that IS smart! Way too many gifts are ruinied by the overeager. Hey, I can barely contain myself sometimes, and I’m a grownup, at least in theory.

    Nice soaps. bet the moms will love them. Meanwhile, I have officially become a parent now that I am the proud recipient of a – wait for it – plaster handprint! hee hee. I knew it was coming some day.

    Comment by kittenpie | May 13, 2006 | Reply

  9. What a great gift idea!

    And how nice of you to do that with them for their mommy’s!

    Happy Mother’s Day to you Mary P!

    Comment by kimmyk | May 13, 2006 | Reply

  10. All I have to say is that those kids are strong! I was having to pull up with considerable force to keep the butterflies from plunging to the bottom of the semi-formed soap…

    Comment by Haley | May 14, 2006 | Reply

  11. Yes. Yes you are. Modest too.

    And, you speak the truth. E. made me a butterfly on a stick and I nearly cried.

    Comment by mo-wo | May 14, 2006 | Reply

  12. Wow, what an awesome idea. And brilliant on the “soap” avoidance!

    Comment by Kristen | May 14, 2006 | Reply

  13. Sooo clever! And the ‘crafts’ turned out so well.

    Comment by Kat O+ | May 15, 2006 | Reply


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