Busy Bee

Nothing like a 1st birthday party to get you doing arts and crafts at 11pm! Thankfully this was not a 1st birthed party I was hosting, however I did need to create "Birds, Beetles & Butterflies" appropriate accessories for my son for this party and I hadn't realized it was dress-up until the last minute.

Noah nominated that he wanted to go as a Bumble Bee so I started putting my mind to that. My first point of call, of course, was Pinterest. However, I was disappointed this time with what I found there - as nearly all the "Bumble Bee Costume" pins were for girls - with yellow and black tutu's and leotards. I also knew we had 2 birthday's on the one day and so I didn't want Noah turning up at the later "Lightening McQueen/Cars" inspired party as a bumble bee in yellow tights and a leotard.

I decided I would make some wings and some antenna and that would be sufficient. I have made various "wings" for parties as I grew up (or rather helped my Mum and Dad make them) - butterflies and fairies featured predominantly. 2 wire coat hangers, some pantyhose and sequins and ribbon to decorate.

So during the boys naps yesterday I shaped the wings with the mallet and stretched the black pantyhose over the  frame of the wings. I had decided to ask Noah to help me decorate the wings with yellow cardboard circles I cut out. However, my very astute 3 year old informed me, "Bee's have stripes Mummy! Not dots silly!" Hence the 11PM completion of the wings as I had to rethink my decorating techniques. I settled on gold and silver pipe cleaners.

Noah was thrilled this morning and wore the wings the entire party. The headband antenna were not quite so successful - he really didn't like having them on his head (I remember hating plastic headbands as a girl - they always seem to dig into your head). So I wore them for the majority of the party.

Noah had fun buzzing busily around the garden thats for sure!