kreations and hair clips

I hope your first week back to work/school/full-on life is treating you well.  It’s amazing how fast our busy lives can re-ignite isn’t it?  I was reminded recently that being  ‘busy’ isn’t actually that cool  (awesome article by Tyler Ward) – so I’ve been trying to focus on what I really love about life for at least a little bit each day.  Amazing family, my awesome love, and of course that wonderful world of creativity we sometimes get to escape to…

I’ve had some version of a design company since I was a little girl.  I loved making barrettes with lacquered gumballs and scrunchies, barbie clothes and little bags sewn on my great grandmother’s sewing machine when I was eight.  Did you have similar creations? I called my ‘company’ kreations (the ‘k’ is for kerri – get it? I was super cool even back then 😉 ) Later I worked at a flower store part time while going through university, and started designing flowers and then stationary for weddings… lots and lots of weddings.  By happenstance, I ended up an event planner on the side of another career – and loved every thankless minute of it – before finding my passion building leaders with a community voice.  Then I became obsessed with company and individual brands – how do you set yourself apart? What do you stand for? Why will people remember you?

I believe all those things from my eight-year old impression of creativity to my thirty-something passion for character and core essence – are connected – it’s the brand you exude that makes you memorable (whether you know it or not) and we have choices to make:  in the way I present myself, in the way I treat other people, in the way I create anything from a spreadsheet to a presentation to a work of art or a dinner…. it’s all about my brand and what makes me unique, memorable…me.  I love that all those things are connected, and that’s why I write this – to remind myself that etiquette is not a lost art, that little things can go a long way, and that creativity is indeed contagious (thanks Mr Einstein) … I really have to say there is still that little girl inside that loves making barrettes and little bags.  And so, last night I did.

After a couple of years of buying clips for $10 a pair and watching said mini pieces of gold get lost in car seats and dress pleats, dolly bags and dinosaur mouths – I decided over the Christmas break that I wanted to try to make them for myself.  Imagine my delight when, on a chance moment alone, my husband pointed out a hair store and asked if I needed to get the girls anything (he’s seriously that awesome)… we walked in, and I found these:

Jackpot!  $7 for 100.

I have a list of things that I always keep around.  You likely do as well.  Probably worth a post all unto itself … but that list – for me – includes ribbon.  Every time I walk through a store where it’s on sale for a dollar I buy a new pattern or style.  Just to have on hand for projects or to wrap up a special gift.

So I pulled out some ribbon, my glue gun, some scissors and a lighter – and with that movie night was turned into a baby girl hair clip extravaganza…

Some things I learned along the way:

1. you should measure.  I don’t like to measure anything – but I eyeballed the length and duplicated and it did really save time

2. you should use heat (like a lighter) to seal the end of the ribbon on both sides – otherwise it will fray

3. start at one inside end of the clip and use a hot glue gun working in sections.  Make sure you go right over the top of the clip – the glue won’t affect the coil.

4. if you want to make the clips no slip you can use velcro, glue dots, or as I discovered from one blogger – a thin strip of shelf liner (most economical) on one (in)side of your clip

I made 6 pairs of clips in about 20 minutes.  I was excited.  You can absolutely do this yourself.  Now I’m having fun with the embellishments – from hand made bows to little cupcake and heart add-ons.  I also may need to go grab some filmo (remember that stuff?) and design my own embellishments.  Next week.  Sadly for this week ‘kreations’ must now take a back seat to the rest of life.  Still feeling inspired though, hope you are too…