Growing Up Before My Eyes

Blake recently had a hair cut and he looks so grown-up now! It was as if his babyhood fell away with those curly locks.
 

Before

After. Isn't he handsome?

He also doesn't nap regularly anymore. Once in a while, though, on a long hard day, he'll zonk out. Like this:

So sweet.

It's also fun to watch him grow and develop his own interests and sense of humor. For instance, he thinks squirrels are awesome and hilarious. He calls them all "Jumpy." Here is one that made him laugh hysterically. Blake also loves checking the mail, so this squirrel, who apparently has the same interest, was a cause for delight for sure.

I love so much being home every day with him and getting the pleasure of watching him grow and change and develop.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Valentine's Cookies

In the mood to make something yummy and Valentine-y for Nate and Blake, I got up early this morning  to make these beauties.

They are peanut butter cookies with little hearts of raspberry jam in the center! I first got the idea from the Feb issue of Martha Stewart Living. But I have a secret. Being the lazy baker that I am, I totally used a peanut butter cookie mix. These only took 40 minutes to make a batch of 3 dozen!

Here's what I did: I whipped up the cookie mix. I rolled dough into balls and put on 2 large cookie sheets. I pressed the heart shapes into the balls with my thumb. Refrigerated the heart-stamped balls for 20 minutes. Put in oven (375*) for 12 minutes (though next time I make these, I will probably go with 350* or lessen the time. They got a little darker than I prefer). Removed from oven, reinforced the heart shapes with the end of a wooden spoon (despite the refrigeration, the heart shapes melted away a bit). Filled hearts with a tiny bit of jam. Put back in oven for 6 minutes. Put on cooling racks!

They were a hit with Blake as you can see. We'll see what Nate thinks when he gets home. I'll probably make another batch for his parents and brother when they are in town later this week. Happy Valentine's Day!

Finished! Hansel and Gretel Completed

It took much longer than I intended, but I'm very happy with the results.

I had planned to make a hat for Hansel, but my heart just wasn't in it! I couldn't bear to cover up his hair. It's the first "boy" hair I've done with yarn, and I'm amused by the side swept bangs. He sort of looks like an emo kid, eh?

I have also started work on my next project. I am making a big batch of little brown boy dolls for a drive I found out about for dolls for orphans in Haiti! I found a link to this blog, Dolly Donations while searching for other doll-maker blogs one day, and was so impressed with Sarah and her program. Look at those pictures from her last drive!

I can't wait to mail these to the collection site! I will post pictures of those before I send them off.

Work In Progress: Hansel and Gretel

Well, since finishing the  Amelie doll a few months ago, I have been itching to work on another costume/art doll. I had kind of forgotten that I'd started Hansel and Gretel even a few months before Amelie.

I tucked them away because I just wasn't feeling inspired or motivated to work further on them. Well, I've been working on them this week. I squealed with delight last night when I finished Hansel's tiny lederhosen! (pencil for scale)

And this afternoon I finished Gretel's little apron and am equally delighted.

Isn't it funny how inspiration and creative energy ebb and flow? I'm looking forward to making their little boots (using the skills I gained from making Amelie's), and a little Alpine hat with feathers for Hansel! And of course hair and faces. Stay tuned!