Finished a fun toy project recently. It was a birthday gift for my little nephew, the one for whom I also made the Paw Patrol vest and matching game last year, and I had to keep it a secret until he received it last weekend. I love that creatively, I'm getting a second wind of sorts now that we have a young child in our extended family again. There's nothing like observing kids at play to inspire a person to make a toy!
This one is largely wood,
but with random plastic bits.
Is everyone's winter going well? Our cats are going slightly bonkers with cabin fever so I've converted most of my sewing room shelves to a climbing gym by simply taking stuff off them and dumping them on the carpet below. Stunningly organized and methodical, I know. In fact, for more than a month, my sewing room floor was strewn with the previous contents of those shelves (rationale: inventing new homes for them would siphon off brain power that would be better spent creating wooden toys) plus clamps, sandpaper scraps, half-opened packets of screws, files, screwdrivers, and random bits of 2x4s and plywood. Every night before bed, I'd do a precautionary once-over and corral all the sharp things into a safe place, and the next day they'd all be out on the carpet again while I worked. The mayhem was comforting in a seasonally-defiant sort of way - this should've been done in the summer, in the garage, dressed in shorts and flipflops, after all. But here I was, huddled indoors in too many layers of clothes, carefully sanding pine blocks over my wastebasket while the cats sidled in and out among all the junk. I loved being in the middle of an obsessive project. It made me sentimental for the other manic era in my life when I was on a wooden toymaking kick. Such fun. I can't believe that was 12 years ago (and no cats!). The difference is that I didn't have to hide any of this from my kids this time, because this wasn't their gift. How brazen to be making wooden toys in full view of everyone!
Sorry for all this coyness. I am editing pictures now, and will post some soon that actually show something recognizable. Back soon!
Looking forward to the big reveal, no idea at all of what it can be.
ReplyDeleteHow lovely to hear from you again! I so miss the days when your clever writing and creating were almost daily in my inbox! Sometimes I so wish our children stayed young enough to make all the fun stuff for! The kid stuff.
ReplyDeleteThen, I have a conversation with my adult daughter and think how lovely it is that they grow up!!
I am so intrigued! Can’t wait to see the big reveal.
ReplyDeleteI’ve missed your toy posts! Can’t wait to see what you made this time.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to seeing what you have created. I always enjoy your posts. My granddaughter is still enjoying the bunny and carrot sleeping bag I purchased from you. She still takes it to bed with her when she is visiting us.
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