Saturday, April 25, 2009

Pet Store


"You know what I want to be when I grow up?" Gabriella asked one afternoon.

I figured she would say a doctor like daddy, or a librarian like she had said days before. She's mentioned being a school teacher or a police officer. I was expecting something along those lines.

Nope. It wasn't any of the above. She told me she wanted to be "a pet owner."

I smiled that being a pet owner was her goal in life, her career even. She must know full well that it's not going to happen under my roof.

We were playing at home one morning after rushing and leaving the house early for weeks straight. I was playing baby Cabbage Patch dolls with the girls when Gabs suggested in her best Cabbage Patch voice that our dolls go to the pet store.

That's when I remembered this wood carrying case I had kept in the garage since Christmas. It originally stored magnet dolls, but the plastic that slid over it had broke and it was no longer a good carrying case. I kept it because I knew something great would come of it. I was thinking of painting it and hanging it near my sewing machine to store thimbles and thread and some of the old wooden spools I have. But nothing had come of it, until yesterday.

I got it out and we cut scrapbook paper to fit each "kennel". I got down my bag of notions and the girls picked their do-dads to decorate it with. Gabriella got out her markers and colored pictures to decorate the walls of the store.

I suggested the store name "GG's" but Gabriella wanted bigger. Brighter. She said "The GG Sisters Pet-Pet Store." So that's what we did. Every princess, polly pocket and cabbage patch doll has been to that pet store a million times to buy a new pet since.

This didn't require any creativity of special skill. It was completely free and finished within an hour. It's hardly worthy of being on a so-called craft blog, but it was something we worked on together and something the girls felt like they created. It isn't glamorous or fancy. But it was fun. And it reminded me what I should be doing more often with my free time. Playing with my kids and helping them use their imagination.


Mission accomplished.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Hooded Bath Towels

I know I know. I'm sick of the peanut butter balls too. It's been awhile. Trust me, I've been sewing. Lots and lots of sewing. Just not a whole lot of motivation to take pictures and post my happenings. Some friends and I have started "Friday Fun Day" where we do a project each week. We've tackled a lot of sewing. Maybe one day I'll get around to actually posting pictures. Maybe.

One thing that I have been wanting to do for years are hooded bath towels. My friend showed us how one Friday and the girls love their new towels with hoods. They were simple and easy and fun to individualize with ric rac and pom poms. I know hooded towels aren't anything new or original, but here they are none the less.

I don't know if you can actually get a good look at them, because the only pictures I have of them are from Henry's first sponge bath. Needless to say, he hated it and the girls could hardly watch with all the screaming...but the towels sure looked cute!