Halloween spider hair clips

Today's 5 minute craft. Think they will catch on for non-Halloween wear? No, I hope not either.

Mum's birthday cupcakes

Pink vanilla cupcakes. Yum. Someone has borrowed my big star piping nozzle, and there are bubbles in the buttercream icing for reasons unknown, but they still look pretty cute, and they taste gorgeous, if I do say so myself!

Happy birthday Mum xx

Child's shoe tying aid

Sometimes the simple things in life can be unexpectedly pleasing, and for me this sweet little craft project just hits the spot.

It barely needs explanation - draw around shoe on card, cut out, poke holes and thread old shoelace through - and I even managed to complete it with my demanding 3 year old *helping*, so it must be an easy one.

Even so, there's something about the laid back colours and the shape of those cute little Converse that just makes me smile.

It has yet to actually become useful, however, as Eva refuses to participate in the shoelace tying lesson. Despite my protests that I already know how to tie my shoelaces, the only response I get from her is "Mummy, you do it". I think we'll be buying velcro fastening shoes for a while yet.

Paper napkin pompom flower

Craft fail. Or at least I thought it was. Maybe it doesn't look quite so bad on the photograph.

I fell in love with the fabulous paper napkin wallflowers at Made this morning and immediately decided to give them a go...

...only somewhere in between "start to peel each layer of the flower up" and "you have a gorgeous over-sized flower", my craft mojo deserted me. If fact, my flower spent a good long while looking suspiciously like a crumpled, folded waste of four perfectly serviceable party napkins.

I think I made my folds too narrow, and the second and third ply of my napkins are white instead of the same colour as the top...and the dog ate my homework, honest Miss.

After much snipping and preening, (and an elastic band around the bottom to bunch the whole thing together), it finally resembles a flower - although it's more of a crazy, giant carnation than the elegant magnolia I had hoped for.

Bah.