Hair Snaps

These are easy to make, and would look pretty arranged in your bridesmaids' hair.

Materials:

• Snaps (metal is fine, but plastic is easier on the hair if you can find them)
• Fabric ribbon wide enough to sew the snaps onto
• Decorations: You can use silk roses, plastic spiders, acrylic jewels, or any other lightweight ornament that strikes your fancy
• Satin ribbon (optional)
• Glitter spray (optional)

Directions:

1. Cut a short length of ribbon (just long enough to open and close the snaps easily). Sew half of a snap onto each end.

2. If desired, attach longer pieces of satin ribbon which will hang down gracefully. Sew on flowers or bows.

3. If you're using spiders or other plastic ornaments, you can attach them with a drop of hot glue instead of sewing them on. Spray the spiders with glitter spray to make them sparkle if you like.

4. Wrap the ribbon around a lock of hair and snap closed. Make sure you enclose enough hair to hold the ribbon securely in place.

Bows and Veil Hair Clip

There is an almost unlimited number of things you can do with a veil-like barrette. These instructions are for a simple one, but you can get more elaborate once you get the basic idea.

Materials:

• One large or two small basic metal hair clips (found at variety stores and most craft stores)
• Craft glue or hot glue
• Lace, tulle, or netting
• A bow, either premade (found at craft stores) or made with wide ribbon (see Steps 1-2, below)
• Matching ribbon to wrap the hair clip (optional)

Directions:

1. Take a piece of wide ribbon twice the length you want the finished bow to be and fold it under. Overlap the edges slightly and use a dot of glue or a couple of stitches to hold them in place.

2. Wrap another piece of ribbon around the center and fasten it with a little more glue or stitching. Alternately, you can fasten it by tying a piece of lace around it and letting the ends trail down.

3. To hide the metal of the hair clip, wrap some ribbon around it and sew it in place by threading through the little holes at the ends and securing it underneath.

4. Sew the tulle or lace onto the ribbon so it falls down gracefully off the back. Gather or pleat the fabric slightly as you attach it to give it some fullness, then attach the bow.

Notes:

• Instead of a bow, you can also use a row of silk flowers or any other light ornament that you can sew or glue on. An more elaborate clip might be made of several pieces of long tulle and black sequined fabric falling down from a black silk rose.

• If you use glue on the ribbon or to attach ornaments, remember to follow the manufacturer's suggestions for drying time. Once the clip has dried thoroughly, hold it by the metal part that goes in your hair and shake it around a bit to make sure it will hold together. If anything seems loose, re-glue firmly.