In our family, my sister Bonnie and I have a tradition concerning Mom’s birthday. For the past 20 plus years we each give her 6 small presents on her birthday so she has a gift to open each month all year. Now, like anything else, the gifts and their value go up and down with our finances, time constraints, etc. We try to take advantage of seasonal sales and we alternate months. Well, of course, after 20 some years Mom has a zillion holiday pins, dish towels and apparently (if you read the blog on a regular basis) a ton of knee highs.
We have had a lot of fun along the way. One year I gave her a pajama top for April and Bonnie gave her the bottoms in May – took Mom the entire month to get the joke. Another time for my 6 months I gave her 6 white tops since that is pretty much all she likes to wear. She never did catch on to that one! It is so cute – she piles the gifts on a chair in her bedroom and the first of each month she unwraps a gift. She even has her beautician (I’m pretty sure they aren’t called stylists in Lorain, OH) asking her what the gift was every month.
Anyway, this particular year I am on a tight budget so I decided to get creative and make her a gift! I went to Michaels (that crazy, gigantic craft place) and I purchased a pair of hot pink flip flops for 99 cents! (I know what you are thinking – who gives an 84 year old woman a pair of flip flops, but Mom is steady on her feet). I also bought a small roll of polka dot grosgrain ribbon. I knew I had some other supplies from previous projects.
First, I hot glued a length of ribbon to each plastic strap. I glued an artificial flower (get small ones with flat backs) over the raw edge. I made small bows (7 for each foot) and glued one in the center and 3 spaced evenly on the side. Then, I added flowers and individual pearls for fun. Be sure to pull off the glue strands as you go since they accumulate quickly. Pretty soon the straps were totally covered and I was so excited I went back to Michaels and bought 3 more pair – for Bonnie and my daughter and me! I WAS IN A FLIP FLOP FRENZY!!
We have had a lot of fun along the way. One year I gave her a pajama top for April and Bonnie gave her the bottoms in May – took Mom the entire month to get the joke. Another time for my 6 months I gave her 6 white tops since that is pretty much all she likes to wear. She never did catch on to that one! It is so cute – she piles the gifts on a chair in her bedroom and the first of each month she unwraps a gift. She even has her beautician (I’m pretty sure they aren’t called stylists in Lorain, OH) asking her what the gift was every month.
Anyway, this particular year I am on a tight budget so I decided to get creative and make her a gift! I went to Michaels (that crazy, gigantic craft place) and I purchased a pair of hot pink flip flops for 99 cents! (I know what you are thinking – who gives an 84 year old woman a pair of flip flops, but Mom is steady on her feet). I also bought a small roll of polka dot grosgrain ribbon. I knew I had some other supplies from previous projects.
First, I hot glued a length of ribbon to each plastic strap. I glued an artificial flower (get small ones with flat backs) over the raw edge. I made small bows (7 for each foot) and glued one in the center and 3 spaced evenly on the side. Then, I added flowers and individual pearls for fun. Be sure to pull off the glue strands as you go since they accumulate quickly. Pretty soon the straps were totally covered and I was so excited I went back to Michaels and bought 3 more pair – for Bonnie and my daughter and me! I WAS IN A FLIP FLOP FRENZY!!
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