I’ve had this idea of making cardboard fairy wings with cut-out windows filled with tissue paper for the longest time. I probably thought it up when I was little but never was allowed to use a sharp knife or didn’t have the right supplies or something. So now that I’m a grown up, I’m making all my little-kid dreams come true. I love this part of being a grown up.

When I was down at Bethany‘s the other day, Annalie was kind enough to let me cut up her cardboard house that I made for her several weeks ago. We cut out a few sets of wings (utilizing the folding seam of the box for the fold where the wings would flutter) and got busy with some cheap craft paint.

You know what I love about visiting Bethany besides the fact that we’re really good friends and we stay up all night talking? I love it that I can whip up any old craft any old time and she NEVER complains about the mess. Maybe she secretly does when I’m gone but I’m thinking she doesn’t. [Editor’s note: I really don’t.] Plus it occupies the kids and that’s always worth something.

We painted, glittered and pretty much made Bethany’s patio into a sparkling wonderland of mess. I was a big fat happy grown-up princess in the middle of it. Of course the kids got bored of all the crafting way before I did and they wandered off to play fairies or something without the fancy wings I was making them. But that’s okay.

I’ve been thinking lately, as I do all these craft days with kids, that I need to have an adult crafting class. I try and try to cater my craft ideas to kids’ attention spans but that is a tricky, tricky business. It’s impossible, really. Maybe I could buy a bounce house or something and then finally have a satisfactory crafting session with adults that lasts more than an hour without someone wandering off. Just a thought.

The tissue turned out exactly like I wanted it to. I didn’t try too hard to make the cut-outs symmetrical or anything, because as you know I’m not a perfectionist.

Then we packed up our pretty wings and headed off to Jora‘s house to do our Alpha+Mom craft that I cannot reveal at this time. But yes, it does have something to do with fairies, gnomes and toadstools. I think this woodsy fairy kick might last a while.

The kids seemed to enjoy modeling the wings, which totally made my day. Bethany snapped most these photos because I was up to my eyeballs in the other craft that I cannot talk about right now. You’re going to love it. Stay tuned for that one. (Last Thursday of the month, like usual.)

We finished our magical fairy-filled day with something sweet: toadstool cupcakes! I don’t know if I’ve written this about Bethany before, and I’m sorry if I have (I don’t mean this to be a Bethany lovefest), BUT all you have to do to get Bethany to bake or cook for you is say something like, “Wouldn’t it be cool to make cupcakes that look like little toadstools?” and whoosh! She’s gone into the kitchen.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been focused on something when suddenly I hear her mixer going or some pots and pans banging. I’ll look up and say, “Oh, you’re cooking. What are you making?” and she’ll reply, “Well you said you wanted bruleed lemon bars/almond cherry scones/eggs benedict/croque monsieurs…so I thought I’d whip some up.” Seriously. Just dream up something and she’ll make it happen. No wonder I spend so much time visiting there.

p.s. I know somebody is going to want the toadstool cupcake recipe. It’s here, with lemon glaze frosting. All that is Bethany. I can take no credit.