All About the Birthday Crowns!!

They are finished! And with a week to spare! Amazing, really. I hemmed and hawed over color, trim, accent choices. I snuck in a few minutes here and there, careful to hide them from the children (I can't tell you how many times my daughter has found a special creation I was working on for her, thus forcing me to either abandon the project or wait long enough before unveiling it that she has forgotten she ever saw it). But, this time, I was especially stealth-like.

There are so many beautiful variations of birthday crowns out there: like here, and here, and these too. You are only limited by your imagination. I followed the basic directions from this book, changing it just slightly by adding a fabric cover to hide the elastic around the back. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I used that beautiful plant-dyed wool felt I ordered from A Child's Dream Come True.

For the accents on the side of my daughter's crown, I chose some clear buttons with tiny violet pansies pressed inside. I chose flowers because they seemed symbolic of her: beautiful, hardy and yet a wee bit fragile, and a personality that is ever-blooming.

(Fortunately, it looks much better in person! Sorry for the blurry picture of the buttons)

For my son's crown, I wanted it to look regal, with a touch of "naturalness," as he is already showing a fondness for being outside and getting his hands in the dirt. If he were old enough to have a collection of something, I think it would be twigs and bark. He is fascinated by both. That's why I chose coconut-carved leaves, which have a nice, thick, wood-feel. As the flowers on Roo's crown symbolize ever-changing beauty and delicacy, the carved leaves on Rascal's crown symbolize strength and the changes we've witnessed in him during this first year. And as the leaves change with the passage of the seasons, we will have the pleasure of watching him evolve in a constant state of change too. Such an exciting time, when they seem to change almost before your eyes!
I really, really enjoyed this project. There was just something about making an object of permanence (unlike the clothes that they outgrow so quickly): something that will be pulled out each year and presented on that special day. I visualized them wearing their crowns this year and for, hopefully, many years to come. I tried to pick colors and trims to suit them. I wanted the crowns to be uniquely them: now and in the future. Not too babyish, so as to grow with them through the years. As I sewed, I flashbacked to the days of their births, Roo's nearly 4 years ago, and Rascal's almost 1 whole year ago. My, what wonderful changes we've seen, in them and in my husband and me too. Amazing, miraculous changes -- so much to celebrate!

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