Candy Canes, Bolognese and Artistic Sensibilities

Simple

Spot the difference

Sometimes I have to start something in order to get Z1's interest. It was her idea to make candy canes out of paper. She does love a good candy cane.

When I started making this, I hadn't really thought it through to the end. I rolled up the paper, bent it into shape, secured a few ends with tape, held it up to show a very unimpressed Z1 and stirred the bolognese while musing upon whether I should paint the candy cane or colour it in.

Then it hit me - inspiration: pipe cleaners to make it striped as a candy cane should be. Genius! Pipe cleaners to the rescue again. I then realised that I should have used one in the middle of the paper roll too so it would hold its shape. I didn't want to undo the tape and red pipe cleaner stripe so I poked a pipe cleaner into the curve and trimmed the edge so you can't see it. More genius improvisation.

I asked Z1 if she thought I should put a green pipe cleaner on too, in an effort to include her. I then ignored her when she said "yes", admired my candy cane and put it on the tree. She took it down and added the green later. I think it ruined the simplicity  but this was supposed to be for the children so I let it be, though it hurt my artistic soul.

I must say, it looked a lot better than I expected on the tree. I'd consider making them again.

Points to note: Hurrah - we did a craft today despite the bed-hopping last night. Also despite an excess of exposure to bodily fluids on the journey home from work and school (though, in fairness, Husband bore the brunt of the exposure).