The Dollies Are Coming! The Dollies Are Coming!

A couple of days ago Brenden had asked me who I made these two dolls for. I explained that I made them for children affected by a parents substance abuse and that they were going to be sent to Australia. His reply- "Why send a dolly mom? Why not just go get the kids and bring them here? We can adopt them and then they can live with us and have lots of softies!" Though his idea is not possible, I love the way his beautiful heart and mind think.

Today we are packaging up our dollies, Bella and Vivi, and sending them out. I am so happy to be a part of this grand idea. Next years Softies for Mirabel will be even more fun because we will have time to get the kids more involved. I cant wait! I only wish that we could find something like this a little closer to home, too. Hmmm...Maybe its time we get a little more involved. Who knows, maybe even start something ourselves.

***After a trip to the post office, we found we were too late to send these out. Too bad we didn't hear about this sooner! So, I will be passing these two cuties on to my sweet nieces. There are plans to do Softies for Mirabel again next Christmas and I will have all year to make some softies to contribute! Yay!

Choo Choo Trains And Jungle Gyms

A day in the life. Ain't it grand?!

It's done!

Rocky finished Luke's workbench today and it looks so cool!

Can you believe this use to be a night stand?

It's beautiful! Luke is going to love it!!

Christmas Anticipation

Thanksgiving has not even passed and yet Rocky and I are beginning to feel like kids again waiting for Christmas morning. We are so excited! More projects are being completed and the anticipation is building. We cant wait to give the kids their goodies!

Rocky finished Jacob's Dino chest and is nearly finished with Luke's workbench. It looks so awesome! What a great idea Rocky had to convert this old family night stand into a workbench for Luke! Like I said, its not completely finished, but almost! Imagine it with peg board backing. Rocky should have it finished this weekend. Hurray! Luke is going to love it!

I am almost finished with my first doll pattern! Just a few minor adjustments and Taa-daa! She'll be done!! You know what that means? I will have completed my first new years resolution EVER! Its true! I made a "prototype" doll Wednesday that Emily and I have named Isa (on the left). Isa has some quirks, so it was back to the drawing board for adjustments. Well, Emily adores Isa. She requested that I make one for her friend who's birthday is tomorrow. So, I adjusted the pattern and made doll #2- Isa's little sister (on the right). It still has some quirks but I'm getting closer still!

Later this week I will hopefully be able to post the plushie monster that Jacob is working on, a doll that Emily is making and the mixed up animals that Brenden is working up (its still on the drawing board!). Oh what fun!

A Little Brother's Right Of Passage

My poor brothers can relate to this, no doubt.

Emily has always used her little brother as her personal people pet. She has him do errands for her and play all the games with her that her big brothers find too "girly". She dresses him up in her favorite dresses- complete with headbands- and sometimes she even puts lip gloss on him (thank goodness lip gloss is the only make-up she has!). Luke just goes along with it and enjoys being the center of Emily's attention.

I find it hilarious while Rocky is a bit more disapproving. Rocky's never had a big sister so he doesn't fully understand. Yes, he has a twin sister, but its not the same as when you have a BIG sister looking down at you, slipping a dress over your tiny head. Its a right of passage for little brothers of big sisters everywhere. The hazing, if you will, that gets you into the club. If you survive, you are a better man for it all. Speaking as a big sister, we are honored and proud to disperse this life strengthening experience onto our little brothers. Just look at my little brothers. They not only survived our dress up and make-up sessions, they also turned out handsome, smart and funny as well. Maybe a little more fashion and make-up knowledgeable than most men, but perfect.

Elisabeth and Carly- Youre welcome.

It's begining to look like a handmade Christmas!

I walk the store isles and I find myself feeling like a child - smelling the scented dolls, watching the whirling lights and listening to the baby dolls cry. I'm tempted, in an impulsive haze, to buy so many of these bright and beautiful toys but reality sits in and I step back. I realize that a month after Christmas, these bright and beautiful toys will lose their luster and brilliance. They will succumb to the dreaded fate that so many toys before them have met. They will be neglected and some even dismantled by chubby little fingers.

So, that leads to my questions. Why do it? Why spend so much on these toys of plastic, rubber and wire when they hold so little value to my children? How do we get the kids to be more respectful and to value their belongings?

In attempt to get the answer, we go back. Rocky and I reminisce back on the days of "when I was a kid". We talk about how we use to beg to play outside- unlike our kids who beg to stay indoors so they may play their video games. We recall how toys were in our childhood and how they use to spark our imagination. We loved those toys! We remember those toys and despite being adults, we wish we had them still. But its different for our children. The toys today do the imagining for you. Its quite amazing, really. They talk, walk, cry and even think. But, after all that, whats left for the kids?

For example: time after time, Emily makes requests for dolls that cry real tears or a stuffed animal that makes real animal noises. Then without fail, after she gets these dolls or animals, she is soon shoving them under her bed or in the closet. They have either made her mad because she wants the baby or puppy to be happy and it wont stop crying or they just plain scare her. By having toys with pre-programed electronic responses she has lost her right to use her imagination and make her dolly or stuffed animal act how she dreams it to act. Though she may not be completely aware of this and may be drawn to the noise making toys lining the store shelves, at home it's her hand-made and simple softies that are played with religiously.


The same holds true for the boys toys as well. We bought Jacob one of those expensive robots that does it all- right down to bowling and dancing. He played with it for a sum total of 3 days and it has sat on his locker every since. Its the same problem as the dolly. The robot is neat but it takes from Jacobs right of imagination. The simple Legos, however get played with nearly every day. See where I am going with this?

So, after some observation and hard thinking (but not too hard, we are after all the tired and sleep deprived parents of 5) we have found that the toys that are loved the most are the toys that are the simplest- dolls that don't talk/walk/cry, blocks, Legos, GI Joes that don't shout orders, softies and good ol' classic board games.

So, it's back to the basics for us this Christmas. I have pulled out all the fabrics and craft books and already started my army of dollies and softies. Rocky has pulled out his wood working books and tools and already begun his attack on his list of Christmas to-dos. And the kids- amazingly enough- have also pulled out their list of things that they would like to make for each other. Did you hear that? EACH OTHER!! Amazing! So, when visiting, please don't mind the piles of wood, fabric, stuffing and books. Just step high and gently over them. We assure you, the couch is still there.

And now our request to you goes out. When thinking of gifts for the kids this year, think creatively and crafty. Handmade is always wonderful and loved immensely. For those who are not so crafty and are time-challenged, think craft supplies, books and games.