WARNING: If you are Eric, Cabel, Nicole, mom or dad please read no further! This post contains some serious spoilers regarding Christmas gifts!Eric stayed home today, and very generously took Zöe with him on a morning-about-town. It was like an early Christmas present...they were gone for four hours! This enabled me to complete many unfinished tasks that I've been scratching my head over, wondering how in the world they'd get done by Christmas. I bought some canvases from Michael's last week and each of the kids did a painting for Eric.
This was much harder than I imagined it would be, but they turned out better than I dreamed. Each of the boys did a sketch first, and then begrudgingly penciled it onto the canvas. It took us several sessions over a period of days, but that was good becasue they'd get all tired after a while and start laying on the floor, rolling around. Spacing things out kept the project more fresh. I don't have a picture of Zöe's yet. Hers was the hardest to do by far. 
She loved doing it and has a lot of confidence with a paintbrush, but things just became kind of a mish mash. I kept the colors in one family: red, pink, orange, maroon. That way we didn't end up with a big brown puddle, and it worked for the most part. The other project we finished today are stuffed creatures for Cabel and Nicole, and my mom and dad. 
The boys each drew a creature on paper, helped me pick out fabric and I made their image into a stuffed animal which they helped stuff. They're cool and I definitely want to make more, especially since Zöe is in love and will hardly let go of Jack's "Red Eye Guy." It's amazing how much I can get done with just a little bit of toddler-free time. Merry Christmas everyone!
12 comments:
Wow! I'm impressed. I've been spinning my wheels on so many of the projects I had planned for this Christmas. The last few days I've been in a shopping frenzy trying to buy things instead of make them. Can't wait to come and visit and see all the changes you've made to your house since moving day! I'm so in love with all the stuffed creatures!!!
Meegan, I think you're amazing!!!
I love the picture of your living room. What a beautiful Christmas house!!! The tree brightens the corner and the fireplace makes the room so warm and inviting. I'm SO-O-O eager to see your house!!
Your projects with the kids are fantastic! Jack and Max's paintings are wonderful,--- I'm sure Eric will treasure them. The monster pillows look like a lot of fun and turned out great. I'm really impressed with the way you have mastered the sewing machine in the space of one short year.
Maybe if I'm a good girl this year, I will be the recipient of some of the kids' creativity next year. I would treasure it too.
I love your blog, and the photos add so much,--- proves the adage "a picture speaks a thousand words."
Barbara
Amazing ideas! They turned out great! I've been wanting to embroider my daughter's drawings, but I really like the 3-D nature of the creatures. Plus your house looks fabulous!
Meegan,
You are a crafter of craftsters! Your ideas are great and the execution superb! I can only imagine how difficult those projects would be with young kids, spacing it out was definitely the way to go. As a sock monkey maker, I can only imagine how tedious all the stitching and stuffing of the creatures must have been. Kudos to you! They turned out great!
I have not openend my Portland present yet, but I am crossing my fingers that I may find some homemade nephew/niece creation inside. They are absolutely adorable!
Love,
Andrea
Your gifts look wonderful! I'm sure the receipents loved them ;)
Isn't toddler free time wonderful? I'm always amazed at what I can get done.
"Red Eye Guy" has taken up a proud position on our living room couch.
Both cats seem to enjoy snuggling him when there are no human heat sources available. We are blown away by the creativity and skill that were required to take these projects to completion. By the way, after some research on your blog, we have come to the conclusion that most of your postings appear near the end of nap-time. Is this a coincidence?
By-the-way, we wish there was another choice besides "anonymous" when we make a comment. We feel like English poets or urban "taggers" with a can of spray paint every time we wish to speak. Short of creating our own blog, we will continue to sign at the bottom. Love,
M & P
Hey, hey, hey, Meegan asked us to experiment by clicking on "other" and this is the result.
As you can see, it is no longer anonymouse.
Look at you! First of all, that living room of yours is gorgeous. I used to live in a house with arched doorways...sigh, how beautiful. Secondly, I am amazed at how well all your crafts turned out. Your kids should be so proud, their paintings are fabulous. The stuffed creatures are great too. Did they take a long time to make? Are they made of felt?
Meegan all those prezzies are so wonderful, and the living room is so gorgeous. It will be so great to save those gifts as the years go by. XO, a
Wow - If Portland had a prize for Mommy numero uno I would nominate you in a heartbeat. You truly inspire! Happy New Year to the Blue Fruits household!!!
Ohmigosh, these paintings are phenomenal!
Meegan,
I don't know if you will recieve this, but it's Danielle Rowe. Your children are beautiful! Believe it or not, I have a son of my own. His name is Jeremy. Please e-mail me back...my address is jdbean1@charter.net.
I'd love to hear from you.
Take care!
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