weirdest teacher gift ever?

well, technically, these were for the class. a mrs. field and mrs. morales doll. i thought they'd be strange and entertaining for the classroom's dramatic play area. after all, what student doesn't want a chance to be in charge of the teacher for once? 

it seemed like the perfect idea in the wee hours of the morning while chip and i were working on them, but when school time came i was a bit nervous that the teachers would not only have no idea what to make of them, but would think they were a serious gift. a very weird and slightly disturbing serious gift. but, happily, mrs. field received them with a big laugh and the two teachers immediately began concocting plans for the many jokes and fun to be had with the crazy little dolls. 

the bubble jet set and rinse that i have stored for the last two years were finally put to use and totally worked. after a wash and a dry, the image was holding fast. eve and ruth have begun making demands for their own dolls, so naturally we will have a little family soon. perhaps even an extended family in doll form, a la angrychicken. and maybe we'll throw in some animals too, a la salvor. . . yes, we'll definitely need some animals. . . the bad luck continues around here. after a break of several months we decided to surprise the girls with a new fish for christmas. in the middle of stuffing stockings chip called my name, i looked over to see him holding the pitcher with our beautiful new goldfish. . . belly-up. at least the girls never saw it during the five hours it was alive. 

more to come on the christmas festivities and a few other last minute projects. . .  happy holidays!

deck the halls..

 

.. with boughs of various discarded tree clippings collected from a nearby park. i wish i could capture the true loveliness on camera, it really feels like a stark winter wood in our little place. chip is the visionary. in fact, i had nothing to do with it- while i was at the grocery store he and the girls gathered, carried and hung the branches with ribbon. lovely. and free. and earth-friendly.

the girls are very happy with all the "holiday and christmas day decorations" they begin each morning by turning on every strand of lights and then choosing two ornaments each to hang around their ears as earrings, as any and every super fancy christmas lady should. then, after the earring play is through, eve asks (about sixty times) how many days and sleeps are left until the big day. now that the counting is down to one hand the excitement is palpable. even little charlie is feeling it, there is nothing he wants more than to get his hands- and mouth- all over the christmas gifts under the tree.

this gingerbread house is a product of the enviable talent of our good friend, abby. two years ago she mailed out a modern gingerbread house kit as her christmas card, complete with pattern pieces and recipes. so smart and so very fun. 

also, if you don't have a wonderful aunt ann of your own to send you beautiful candy horses replete with childhood memories and christmas nostalgia, you can order your own from startup candies. 

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a christmas miracle may occur this week; i may get all the gifts finished and express mailed by tuesday and i may come back to report a little bit more about a few projects and happenings. but i may not. if i don't (and sadly, i probably won't) merry christmas! hope your halls are decked and you enjoy your holiday every bit as much as we plan to enjoy ours! 

charlie 6.0

the love for this little boy continues to swell exponentially every day. he knows his name. he rocks, lunges, scoots and inchworms and is so close to actually crawling. another week or two and he'll get it. he chews on paper and loves to crinkle plastic. his feet and hands are constantly sweaty and constantly being used to grab, pull, tear, kick or push. everything is better in his mouth; fabric, eve's hair, his little thumbs. he sighs, talks, laughs and complains. he prefers to stand. he favors his family but loves kissing only me, not the girls. he's always happier when people are around and happier still if those people hold him upside down or throw him in the air. he stares and laughs at chip and swats at me. he's calm and happy and so good, even with an ear infection and cough. deep, deep down there is a tiny secret part that wonders if he is my favorite, but then i remember the girls at six months and how i could hardly stand how much i loved them... oh, but this boy...

getting colder

the weather has officially shifted. we can no longer walk the streets of brooklyn unbundled without seriously regretting the decision. so, the coats and hats and gloves have come out of storage and onto the big and little bodies around here. a few days into the cold, eve began requesting a scarf. ruth soon joined in. after two weeks of being reminded (scolded?) by my daughters i got to work making the scarves, in the laziest ways possible. instructions below:

scarf #1: find abandoned, half-finished scarf wadded up in the bottom corner of yarn/knitting bag. stick needles in one last time to cast off properly. sew on largest button you have and fasten around daughter's neck. 

scarf #2. think back to when you made a scarf for your sister-in-law four christmases ago. recycle exact same idea. get a bunch of yarn, cut into strands at desired length. holding all strands together, sew back and forth at desired intervals with whatever color(s) of thread you have near your sewing machine. wrap around daughter's neck.

feel really good about yourself. you might have been lazy, but you've just made scarves two scarves in less than an hour. and that's something.