A busy week for me this one, with a touch of madness I feel. I sometimes wonder why I volunteer myself for such things, why I choose to put myself out there so much at times. But then how can I not? How can I be a stay-at-home-mum with no employment to speak of, and not get involved with activities at the Little People's school when I am Time Rich?? Of course I can't shake my head and say no. Of course I have to jump in with both feet and get involved.
So this week finds me leading the way in organising a Mothers Day craft project with the school children. The hope is that it'll be a fun activity for them to do, resulting in a lovely gift for all those Mummies, and also a little cash will be generated to put in to the schools coffers.
I've had a few weeks to get it together with this project, but in typical fashion I don't prepare in advance and instead choose my usual fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants approach. Its OK I think, because The Idea has already been sorted. The Creative Design has been established, my ideas got a Nod at the recent PTA meeting. All I need to do is bring it all together. Purchase craft materials and the such like. Eaaaasy, no probs, I can get away with doing this oooo let me see, the day before? The day itself? I kid you not, this is generally how I operate, you would not want me on your team.
So want to see what my Idea was? Want to see the Creative Design?
Ok, well here you can see we need lots of brightly coloured card. A heart punch too.
Many, many frazzled minutes are spent cutting and punching and snipping.
Components for the Creative Design are assembled....
Hearts (two sizes), butterfly bodies and butterfly wings, all cut by hand.
With-love-from labels printed, and little cards cut and folded too.
Butterfly wings and bodies are glued together.
Butterfly wings are decorated, my-my I'm enjoying this.
Butterfly attaches to folded card with a jaunty label glued inside.
Space to write ones name, and a little x too.
Now if you pass me the selotape I can stick the whole butterfly ensemble to a brightly coloured lolly pop stick, and ta-dah!!! A Sticky Butterfly!!!
Hmm sorry, what was that?
What am I proposing to do with this butterfly stick?
Where am I gonna stick it, excuse me???
Well....into a PPP of course!!
A PPP, yes :: a Pretty Potted Primula!!!
Look.......
Don't you just think the Little People are going to enjoy making these?
And don't you think all those Mummies are going to love them?
Simple, yet effective.
Now then, need to figure out where/how to purhcase 100 PPP's.
Need to go and harass poor unsuspecting plant man on the plant stall at the market.
Plant man is very nice indeed, says I can surely pop to his nursery and purchase 100 PPP's.
And so this morning (the first day of The Project) I pop to the nursery and fill my car boot up with glorious PPP's.
I dance around with delight when I get home, opening and closing my car boot several times just to get that ker-pow effect of seeing all this floral goodness in there.
Open-Ahhhhh!!!-close. Open-Oooooeeee!!!-close. Open-ohhhhhHHhHhhhhh!!!-close.
It absolutely thrills me to bits to have a car full of flowers.
And this afternnoon, off I go to school and spend a couple hours working with the smallest class which happens to contain my own Little Lady. We successfully transform 30 PPP's with crafty Butterfly Goodness, and everyone is delighted. Teachers are wowed, children are excited, me, well, I'm both of those things and a few others besides.
Tomorrow afternoon I shall go back for more. And the next day. And the next. We have one hundred of these to get through, four more classes of children.
And then there will be The Moment on Friday afternoon, when one hundred Little People will come tumbling out of classrooms, clutching their PPP with its sticky Butterfly to proudly present to their Mummy.
Ahhhhh, I am SO looking forward to that moment, I shall have two of these coming back at me from my two Little People, and I'll be very happy indeed I expect.
xxx
Well done - they are fabulous!
Posted by: Sara | March 17, 2009 at 06:57 PM
Aaah Lucy, what a lovely idea.
Our School also offers primula (wrapped) in gaudy tissue as mothers day gifts.
Last year it was beautiful to see my little girl raiding her piggy bank then coming out of school with a plant pot stuck up her jumper. Needless to say my pressie was a little squashed, but very precious all the same x o x
Posted by: Lucy | March 17, 2009 at 07:10 PM
What a clever idea. You never cease to amaze me.
Posted by: Judith | March 17, 2009 at 07:22 PM
What a fun idea! I used to teach preschool and we were always searching for fun child involved gifts. Any mother would be thrilled to receive a plant with a special butterfly! Wish I could come and help.
Jill
Posted by: Jill | March 17, 2009 at 07:24 PM
Oh they are absolutely beautiful x The mummies will love them, who wouldnt xxx
And best of all you get two as well
Posted by: mandy | March 17, 2009 at 07:29 PM
Lucy you will make lots of children and mummy's very very happy. I am happy just with the thought of receiving the embellished PPP!!! Did you get to choose which PPP 's you wanted from the little people?!!! You bring so much joy with your coloured creativity Lucy and I think the school must be so pleased that they have you supporting them. Well done!
Posted by: simone | March 17, 2009 at 07:32 PM
Wonderful!!!! A feast of colour in your car. Love the lolly stick butterfly. Did you get a copy of the crochet mag???? Lucy xx
Posted by: Lucy | March 17, 2009 at 07:32 PM
oh what a lovely idea :-) i am chair of our school PTA and can see this idea being brought out at some point!!! may just do it with my 2 little people anyway :-)
lesleyx
Posted by: Lesley | March 17, 2009 at 07:37 PM
Lucy, what a lovely idea. And what a great time you seem to of had organising it,
I just love the way you describe how you made them, I was chuckling away to myself.
Thank you for such a happy, colourful, cheery blog, absolutely love it xx
Posted by: Linda O | March 17, 2009 at 07:40 PM
You just make me laugh with pleasure, girl! Is there ever, ever, ever a boring moment at your house? Seems not! I'll bet you wanted to keep all those lovely flowers for yourself too? Anyway, what a great idea and your plan really looks so organized for 'seat of my pants' planning and I am so sure the Moms will love it...because I know I would! You're too cute, Lucy...just too cute!!!!!
Posted by: cathleen | March 17, 2009 at 07:45 PM
Oh, Lucy, what a good idea and spirit!!! Congratulations! Teaching young kids how to prepare a gift for mommy that the whole family will enjoy . . .
Posted by: Lucy | March 17, 2009 at 07:51 PM
Oh, that's so sweet. It's great you are prepared to give your time like this, oh for more parents like you. In the Munchkin's school of 250 children, the same 5 or 6 parents turn up each time to help with school fairs and that's it. Given the events make money for the school which in turn benefits the children, it always saddens/annoys/amazes me at the lack of help but that's just the way it is. Lucky you that you are going to receive two PPPs yourself!
Hen x
Posted by: Hen | March 17, 2009 at 07:53 PM
Ohhhhh, how gorgeous are they? Lots of very happy Mummies on Friday your way ! xxx
Posted by: Andi | March 17, 2009 at 07:56 PM
That's just fabulous, I think I must be just as excited as you, just seeing them, and i'm not even getting one. they are lovely Lucy x
Posted by: dottydesigns | March 17, 2009 at 07:58 PM
Ahh sweet but oh so effective, very ppp
Posted by: Jennie | March 17, 2009 at 07:59 PM
You totally rock.
I'd have you on my team.
:-)
Posted by: Teakai | March 17, 2009 at 08:00 PM
Phew, that's a 'wipe of the brow' posting!!
I love the idea and as a Mummie would love to receive one of those, what a beautiful, colourful gift.
Though can completely sympathise with 'by the seat of your pants's' as I'm becoming more and more that person since having three children!!
enjoy the other 70ish more you've got to make,
Nina x
Posted by: Nina - Tabiboo | March 17, 2009 at 08:00 PM
There's going to be lots of happy Mummies and proud Little People! Well done Lucy!
Posted by: French Knots | March 17, 2009 at 08:08 PM
these are absolutely fantastic!!
Posted by: Bean | March 17, 2009 at 08:09 PM
Hi Lucy,
Great idea for the Mother's day gift ! It's very rewarding to help at school, it think.When my daughter was younger i always joined in at school to do these kind of things. Really great ! By the way, in the Netherlands Mother's Day will be on the 10th of may :)
Greetings, Janneke.
Posted by: Janneke | March 17, 2009 at 08:09 PM
omgosh I don't know a Mommy out there that wouldn't be just thrilled to receive one of them! Brilliant idea!
Posted by: Christine | March 17, 2009 at 08:15 PM
That's a lovely idea Lucy. They look fantastic and I'm sure all the mummies will love them.
Nicola xx
Posted by: Nicola | March 17, 2009 at 08:24 PM
Fantastic!
:-)
Posted by: Julia | March 17, 2009 at 08:34 PM
What a wonderful job Lucy! I know that all the Little People will love making those for their mommies. And the mommies will love getting those bright beautiful flowers from their Little Lovelies. It's fun seeing their little faces when they make something for a special someone. Happy days! Have fun with the rest of the classes.
xxxxx
Posted by: Kar | March 17, 2009 at 08:45 PM
Oh, a boot full of prims. How splendid! Can I come to school please? I can scrunch right down and pretend to be tiny.
Posted by: Katy | March 17, 2009 at 09:17 PM