Sometimes it’s the simple things that are the most surprising. Take, for example, the humble cupcake case.
Of course, when I was young we made fairy cakes, or just ‘cakes’. Cake cases, along with cakes in general, seem to have been rebranded and are so popular these days you can buy cases that range from teeny tiny petit-four affairs to monster muffin holders and everything in between. A few weeks ago, when I was making Red White and Blue cupcakes, I discovered that some of the cupcake cases I have don’t fit any of my pans.
The downside to cake case rebranding worked in my favour in the art world though: PD and I, with a few simple supplies, turned them into all sorts of creatures to decorate the flower pots. Think of it as scare-crow rebranding.
1) Flatten out your cupcake case.
2) Draw a loose bird/animal shape on the underside (the bit that won’t show- crucial if you are using cases that have decoration only on the outer side)
3) Cut out your shape. Or let your small do it for you. It’s great for working on scissor control since the shapes are simple and the thin paper is easy to cut. For the bird, we started at the tail end, cutting two similar sized wedges out to create a fan-shaped tail. At the opposite end, cut out a triangle to give the head/beak shape. From the point at which the ‘beak’ meets the main body, cut outwards to create the tip of the wing, then do the same on the other side of the ‘beak’. You are effectively cutting out an M, or W depending on which way you look at it.
4) Cut a small triangle from some coloured paper: I used the sticky bit of a Post-It note so didn’t need glue. Stick to the tip of the beak section to actually give you a beak. Or you could paint/colour it in. Then add two eyes. Fasten the underside of your bird Scarecrow, or Scare-bug, to the short end of a bendy straw and stick in a plant pot, window box, pencil holder, exotic cocktail. Voila!
5) Other creatures you could try are:
- Turtle: cut a curved head and four fins. Stick paper squares onto the back of the turtle to create the shell.
- Butterfly: cut out a simple butterfly shape and decorate with sequins and glittery paper.
- Snake: following the curve of the paper case, cut round and round in decreasing circles until you reach the centre. Use a bit of wool to stick a tongue to the cebtral end of the spiral, and decorate with triangles of coloured paper. Attach the head of the snake to the top of the straw and watch the snake ‘boing’ up and down.
These are super cute!! Thanks for sharing at The Sunday Showcase!
How adorable!!! Thanks so much for linking up!
Maria and Tnya: thank you for the invitation. I’ll be over shortly!
Sara: that’s such a great idea. i don’t know why I didn’t think of it myself!
You have created some wonderful pieces with those cupcake wrappers. Great idea.
We have a link-up party going on – Tea Time Thursdays @ Kreative Korner. I would really appreciate if you’d link up some of your awesome posts there. Hope to see you at the party.
http://tanyaanurag.blogspot.com/2011/08/tea-time-thursdays-2-and-features.html
This is a neat idea! These would be great to decorate bulletin boards, too!
Bright and colorful. Fantastic fun craft project.
now that is just darling. Thanks for the great tut to show us how. My kids would love this. I just started a link party today on my blog and I’d be honored if you’d link this up. http://caribbeanmissionarywife.blogspot.com/2011/08/t-time-21-and-link-up.html
Wow, three invitations! Thanks for stopping by Amanda, Erin and Melanie. I’ll happily link up as soon as I get the chance!
These are so adorable. I could see making a whole flock in different colors!
I run Fun Family Crafts, a site similar in nature to Craftgawker and Spotlight, but different in that it’s a library of craft tutorials geared only at kids. I have featured your fun post here
http://funfamilycrafts.com/cupcake-liner-birds/
FFC also accepts submissions! Please consider this an invitation to submit as many kid friendly craft tutorials as you like. I look forward to seeing what you submit!
If you would like to display a featured button on your site, you can grab one from the right side bar of your post above.
These are sooooo cute and I certainly have cupcake cups sitting around that I can reshape. I am a new follower and would love for you to link up at my Savvy HomeMade blog party at http://www.homesavvyatoz.com/2011/08/14/blog-party-3/
I look forward to blogging with you!
Super cute idea!
I’d love for you to link up to our “Crafts for Under Twenty-Somethings” Thursdays this week! It’s a blog hop specifically for kids and teens ideas, so your ideas would be perfect! I’ll hope you’ll come link up this Thursday.
bearrabbitbear.blogspot.com
Melanie
How cute! I’m pretty sure that I want to hang them from string at the ceiling and let the breeze make them fly.
you’ll enjoy my soon-to-be-posted Butterfly mobile then Pumpkinbear!
PS Thank you as always for linking up to Kids Get Crafty!
Maggy
Come and share this with WorkShop Wednesday. It’s such a cute project!
These are great! My kids would loving making them! Found you at ABC & 123 link party.
What a cute and simple idea. The birds are especially cute. I would love it if you would stop by and share at the link party going on right now at Lines Across My Face.
:)Rachel
http://linesacrossmyface.blogspot.com/2011/08/cure-for-common-monday-3-craft-link.html
Aaaah! Love love love! And soooo cute 🙂
Maggy
So creative! I would love it if you linked up to my Tuesday Confessional link party going on now. There is also a great giveaway! http://www.craftyconfessions.com/2011/08/tuesday-confessional-link-party-and.html
I hope to see you soon!
~Macy
these are so cute & fun! We have made flowers using cupcake liners but that’s about it.
Come share on the Sunday Showcase – this is so fun & creative!
Bernadette
http://momto2poshlildivas.blogspot.com/2011/08/sunday-showcase-child-centered-fun.html
This is a lovely arty idea.Wonderful!
Glad you like them Windmill: they were the inspiration behind my 10 ways to play post last week!