Gettin' Our Craft On, Birthday Style!

Our girls love books.
Our girls love cupcakes.
Our girls love to craft.

On their birthday, we got creative and combined all three.

Our inspiration was a Corduroy book we bought several months ago.


Corduroy realizes one morning that it is his best friend Lisa’s birthday. When she leaves for school, he decides to make her a cake…but all he makes is a huge mess in the kitchen (…as if I needed a reminder not to let the girls loose with a mixer anytime soon!).

To escape the mess he made, he hides in the sewing room. He feels terrible…until he discovers the most beautiful buttons and ribbons and bows. He becomes inspired to decorate a hat box for Lisa as a gift…which she later exclaims looks like a “Corduroy cake”. Corduroy made Lisa’s birthday special in his own special way.

I started by letting the girls comb through my big tub of buttons – something they love to do – to pick out three favorites. Then, using a combination of tactile materials, we created birthday cupcakes…each with three candles, of course.


The cupcake liners we made from coffee filters. Our cupcakes were felt, adorned with buttons. Ribbon, topped with glittering sequins, accounted for our candles.


Unless I’m one-on-one with the girls, I don’t turn them loose with a bottle of glue. I spread glue on the coffee filter and felt and let them place those pieces on our cardstock. I ran the ribbon through my Xyron to create a “ribbon sticker”, and I put dots of glue for them to place the buttons and sequins.

They had a great time, and they continue to have fun comparing their activity to their beloved Corduroy.


I’m linking up with Adventures-in-Mommy-Land for Hey, Mom! Look What I Did! Thanks to Charlene for her awesome crafting inspiration, much of which is book-inspired, too!

And I’m guest-posting today on Pontifications of a Twin Mom as part of her Specially Christmas series. Thank you for the opportunity, sweet Julia! Psst…my post includes a recipe!