Thursday, August 27, 2009

Flower Bobby Pins on Etsy

For months I have made lists upon lists of all of the products I want to create for my store (Newman Improved at Etsy.com). I have several boxes and bags of materials that I have collected and envisioned making into something else, something new. In the meantime, I have hit some road bumps with moving and my sewing machine. Moving has taken a lot out of me and we are not unpacked or all settled. In addition, my sewing machine needs to be repaired (or replaced) and it has prevented me from sewing.


I finally decided that I need to just get to it! Our h
ouse does not have to be completely unpacked and put together for me to do something else. Nor does my sewing machine need to be fixed in order for me to create. I have many items on my list that I can create without the use of a sewing machine.


Now that I had put my priorities in order, I got to it! Since I was blessed with my first niece, I have been thinking about gifts for little girls. I looked through some of my saved materials and realized I could create flower bobby pins. I am not into flowery things as an adult woman, but when I was small I used to wear all sorts of bows, flowers, and pretty things in my hair.


In keeping with my promise to reduce my impact on this planet, I made the bobbies with all recycled materials. The only exception was the glue that I used. The bobby pins came from a large packet of bobby pins that I had have never used. I have a couple that I use here and there, but I have about 20 or so will never get used (and you can never just buy a couple of bobby pins!).


The flower petals came from a Hawaiian lei that I won at an event. I kept the lei around for a while and then realized that I did not have a use for it. I am not going to wear it anywhere and I could not bear to throw it out. So, I cut the string out of it and disassembled the flower petals.



Lastly, the beads and buttons, used to give the flowers a little pizazz, came from my grandmother's collection that I inherited. Over the years my grandmother collected buttons from clothing and somehow I got her collection. Since then, I have been adding to it when I find a stray button or bead. Again, I just cannot bear to let something get thrown away that could be used for something else.


I had a lot of fun putting together the different color combinations for each bobby pin. I have three listings with three bobbies in each set. Please visit my Etsy.com store Newman Improved to see the listings.
I know the little girl version of me would have loved to wear these and so I know that some little girl now would also love them now. BUT WAIT!!! This product is NOT only for little girls. It is for any one who would like to add some color and brightness to their hair.

1 comment:

affectioknit said...

What a great way to re-use a lei - I think I have a couple from a Cub Scout event...

The flower bobby pins are adorable!!!