Recently I’ve been busy making toys to give as Christmas gifts to the young children in my family. This year I made several things from Storybook Toys, a beautiful book with exceptional toys and reasonably good instructions. I’ve made several of her dolls for my own children that are truly loved. Last year for Christmas I made my daughters several outfits and bedding for their dolls. They frequently travel with the dolls and their little suitcases full of clothes. It always makes me smile. As I worked on these toys, my oldest daughter asked for the Mae doll. She has a doll named Pen-you, made from this pattern, but modified slightly because she wanted a Chinese babydoll. She has remained attached to Pen-you for more three years now. So, Mae will be one of my next projects. These toys are time consuming, but if you follow the instructions they are well made and beautiful, and I think the end product is worth the effort.
This year the puppets are my favorite. As children, my sisters and I had a Red Riding Hood doll that could be turned upside down to reveal Grandma and the wolf. At the time I thought it was a great idea, and I thought a lot about that doll as I made these puppets. One of my children had a similar thought and brought it down to me from her toy bin when she saw them completed. Jill Hamor, the author of Storybook Toys, has a similar doll, only it is a version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. I had hoped to make it by Christmas as well, but was too short on time. The child I intended to make it for will turn four in September, so I plan to finish it by then.
I made the puppets for my neice, Scarlet. Last year I made her a little baby doll from this book that she calls Dolly and still carries with her. After I gave her the puppets she got into the car and asked her mom why they had the new dolls with them. My sister told me she was wide eyed when she realized they were hers to keep. I got a call the next morning telling me she needed to sleep with them when she got home. That's my idea of time well spent!
I made the puppets for my neice, Scarlet. Last year I made her a little baby doll from this book that she calls Dolly and still carries with her. After I gave her the puppets she got into the car and asked her mom why they had the new dolls with them. My sister told me she was wide eyed when she realized they were hers to keep. I got a call the next morning telling me she needed to sleep with them when she got home. That's my idea of time well spent!
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