How to make a giant fake lollipop

"A craft post?" you may ask.

Why yes!

In a striking turn of events last week, Anna Grace's sweet dance teacher somehow got the misguided idea that she would ask me to make the props for this year's recital. The girls are wearing green polka dots and will be dancing to... you guessed it... "Lollipop," so my job would be to make nine giant fake lollipops. In an effort to help out (and let's be honest- it's better than the backstage mom gig), I gladly accepted the assignment, put it on the back burner, and then started to break out into a cold sweat on the way to Hobby Lobby several days later. Acting on Anna Grace's brilliant idea, I called her aunt Jenny (the queen of all things crafty- have you seen the cake?) as we pulled up under the big orange sign. After a quick craft consult (but not too long since I had three kids in tow), we gathered our first round of supplies. And now, a couple of days later, I'll spare you the details, but I will relay a few things I've learned about making giant fake lollipos:

1. You can use a plastic tablecloth, tissue paper, or wrapping paper to cover the 16" cardboard cake round, but wrapping paper works best- by far.
2. Don't use a hot glue gun with a plastic tablecloth.
3. Don't use plastic balloon sticks. A wooden dowel works much better. But the balloon stick is good for blazing the trail for the dowel in the innards of the cardboard round. And jamming the stick in the cardboard is a delicate and strenous job all at once.
4. Solid colored wrapping paper is hard to find.
5. Cellophane works great but you will need more than you think. Much more.

So there you go. Now you know why I don't blog about crafts.  Go ahead and laugh at with me. 

I enjoyed this little project about as much as a trip to the dentist.

But...

My little dancer was thrilled. She thought it was the best thing ever and she could hardly wait to take them to class today. It was funny- she seemed to pick up on the fact that this was hard for me because she kept emphasizing what a good job I had done and commending me on how hard I had worked.

It was important because I was able to tell her that I did it because I love her and because I know that God has given her the gift of dance and song.

When it was all said and done, I was more impressed by the irredescent shadow on the wall than the lollipops themselves, but you know... that's how God made me.

I'm so glad He gave us each other. Like I've said, it keeps things colorful.

Here's to lollipops and love!

(Oh, and you can say a prayer for me... I've still got one more trip to Hobby Lobby and two more lollipops to go!)