Thanks to a brilliant craft idea from Abbey, who was inspired by a tip from Stephanie, I spent the day crafting up a winter wonderland Mikey and Nico can appreciate. Glittered reindeer? Looks good, mom! Glittered dinosaurs? You’re the best mom ever, mom! False.
When I told Mikey and Nico last week that I would be covering in glitter the cheap dinosaurs I bought at Michaels (the ones they were playing with as if they didn’t have 52 million other dinosaurs of the same variety but ten times more expensive) all game playing came to a halt. Mikey brought his Tyrannosaurus Rex up to his chest in a protective hug.
“You’re going to what?!” Four horror-filled eyes looked up at me. Even the dinosaurs looked scared.
“I’m going to cover them in glitter and put them on the tree table in the toy room. It’s going to be Dinosaur Mountain! I’m telling you, you’re going to love it!” Please. Now you’re opposed to glitter? You used to be quite the fan. A really big fan, in fact.
Crickets.
“But, Mama,” Mikey explained to me in a tone one normally reserves for the feeble-minded, “Mama, dinosaurs don’t glitter.”
This went on for several minutes, with the dinosaurs suddenly children in a bad custody case. Finally, I had no choice but to put my legal education to use. My closing argument went something like this:
“WE ARE GLITTERING THE DINOSAURS AND BY GOD YOU TWO ARE GOING TO LOVE IT!”
Then I called my mother-in-law and told her she needed to head to Michaels to buy her grandsons some dinosaurs for Christmas.
Yesterday I glittered the dinosaurs. I put Nicholas to nap and laid out all the supplies on the dining room table. Mikey, his head stuffed with a cold, sniffed both to alleviate sinus pressure and communicate his disdain.
“Do you want to work on the dinosaurs with me, Mikey?”
“No, because dinosaurs don’t glitter. I’ll just work on my lego car.”
Suit yourself.
I had just finished gluing and glittering Tyrannosaurus Rex when Mikey approached the table.
“Whoa. What did you do to that Tyrannosaurus Rex?”
“I glittered him. Now I’m going to do the rest.” Holds breath.
“He looks really cool, mom!”
Releases breath.
“Aw, thanks, Mikey!” But really I was thinking, Thankyouverymuch maybe now you will think twice before you argue with your mother because I think I know you just a little bit better than you give me credit for, little mister.
Also, AHA!? I KNEW IT!
Mikey kept checking on my progress until all four dinosaurs were covered in glitter and ready to perform alongside white tigers in Las Vegas.
Mikey likes the Stegosaurus best because he looks like “he’s on fire.” I like the Brachiosaurus best because he comes closest to the vintage colored glass look I wanted. Overall, everyone was happy, including the dinosaurs.
At night is when they look the prettiest, coming close to how I envisioned them in my mind when I first saw Abbey’s post. This year I went with a cheap snow blanket since I didn’t know how the project would turn out. Next year I will probably use a piece of muslin and spread some of that cotton-candy fake snow if I am confident Nicholas won’t fiddle with it too much. I will also replace the tree lights underneath the blanket with a lit table garland. The lights get a bit hot for my comfort, and I think a garland would look better overall. In the next day or so I will tape down the tree wires if I get the energy and position the dinos better. We’ll see. Right now I am pleased everyone likes Dinosaur Mountain–initial furious mutiny notwithstanding.
HA! I love this post! The dinos look amazing!
That is the coolest Christmas display ever! Now I have the urge to glitter dinosaurs and I don’t have children. Or dinosaurs. Or glitter. Wonder if I can just glitter the dog?
You are an awesome mom. I hope I can remember this idea when I have little ones. I hope I can still remember my own name when I have little ones.
omg. i want to glitter something RIGHT NOW. and i’m about to get on a plane.
You are hands down, the coolest mom ever! The triceratops is my favorite.
THAT.IS.AWESOME. Now I keep imagining a dinosaur version of “men on film” : )
AMAZING! These are great and this post killed me. My cheeks hurt from smiling like the Joker while reading this.
I love it!
I couldn’t help but think the whole time I was reading (call me obsessed) ‘dinosaurs don’t glitter but yummy vampires do’. LOL
Happy Holidays Jules!
OOOOH I love it! The need to glitter something is HUGE now :-)
Okay, that is freaking COOL.
Hmmm…what should I glitter for my boys….Darth Vader? Batman? The possibilities are endless! ;)
yay! Glad you all like it. :)
Yes, Aimee–the possibilities are endless! I think I will keep adding to the table tree area as they grow and their interests change. I’m actually excited about glittering something each year, and chuckling in advance at the idea of a future dino/car/super hero Christmas display.
Just imagine what a wonderful box to open up when they are adults. They can laugh together as they look back at all their varied interests as children!
You are the coolest mom EVER. Glitter? Dinosaurs? In the words of the late Mitch Hedberg (God rest his soul), I’m FOR IT!
Jules, I am SO stealing this idea from you!
I’m pretty sure I’ll get the same dinosaur “purist”
protest against glittered dinosaurs at first too, but
they too will come around! I think we’ll be adding
some Star Wars guys too. Happy Holidays to you
and your family.
I hope my little guy loves dinosaurs some day!
So neat! And geeze you are my twin. I find myself screaming: Kaiya! This will be fun and you will like it or so help me!!! All. The. Time.
LOVE IT. Next year I’m going to request that my roommate and I do the same thing. Hopefully it will match the robot holiday decor I’ve currently got going?
Hannah–
If you have robot decor, I would get thee to the store to buy robots you can glitter! Otherwise, I think a robot and dinosaur Christmas sounds pretty fabulous. :)
�Mama, dinosaurs don�t glitter.� That made me chuckle. Love it!
i love this! i would love to glitter so many things! what a great idea. so so cute!
AWESOME! I don’t have any dinos wandering around here, but I can think of other things that could use some glittering-up in my house. LOVE the previous glitter story… cute!
P. S. Also in reference to the previous story… I’ve been there with the doggie food… and it’s the same with cat food. I just never knew the mathematical equation for it. ;-) LOL!
Just found you via your comment at Vodka Has No Carbs. Holy shit, you are a genius.
Also, your blog’s wallpaper makes me smile.
I found your blog linked on Meg’s and think this is just about the coolest thing ever. I have three boys who would think this is pretty awesome! On a side note, my husband is the oldest of 2 boys. His name is Michael and his brother’s name is Nicholas. :)
Very cool. How do you keep the glitter from getting everywhere? Also, I’ve been reading about leafing (?) (silver/gold leafing??); could you silver leaf a plastic thingy?
Rosie–do you mean how do I keep glitter from getting everywhere when I am applying? The Martha Stewart glitter bottles have dispenser lids. Also, I glittered over a folded (but opened) piece of sturdy paper. When I was done glittering I used the crease in the folded paper to help me direct the excess glitter back into the bottle. It was actually very clean and simple.
As for leafing, yes, I believe you can leaf plastic. It might be a better idea for those who don’t want to mess with glitter or who don’t like little bits of glitter to come off over time.
How.Totally.Awesome.
Thanks for sharing the idea! Wish I had seen it before Christmas.
I wonder if Dinosaur Mountain could be incorporated into a little boy’s everyday dino decor. I may have to make that happen on his new piece of shelving. [I just hope he doesn’t climb to play with glitter dinos!] Is it normal glitter and glue or a finer glitter and something more interesting?
It’s Martha Stewart glitter and Aleene’s Tacky Glue. I think it would be an awesome everyday dino decor! If you click on the link I have to Abbey’s website in the post (she’s who inspired me to do the dinos) you see how she has them displayed. I actually have an idea for displaying them year round because I already miss them. If it works, I’ll post it!
Thanks Jules. I’ve always avoided glitter because I find it everywhere. I touch it and it’s on my eyelid, in the cottage cheese… you know the drill ;). I was wondering if you knew a secret to keeping glitter on the glittered object.
I sprayed it with a sealer, also by Aleene’s, when I was done. You still get a little glitter on your fingertips when you handle them, but it’s not too bad since no one really touched them when they were in place.
Oh my goodness dinosaurs look better with glitter. I am going to have to give that a try the next time I want to pitch an ugly toy. I look forward to more inspiring projects in 2010.
Annie
OnceUponAParent.Blogspot.com
These look fantastic, Jules!
I totally stole this from you and you didn’t say anything! You are way too polite;-)