A Happy Birthday and a Happy Easter makes for a Busy Amber

A lot has been going down around here, including a certain little Bear turning 1 without my permission.

Baby Bears are suppose to stay babies forever. That was the deal. Of course, I don’t really want her to stay a baby forever because, whoa, babies are a lot of work and 1-year olds are pretty flippin’ adorable.

Except one-year olds who are teething and waking up for hours in the middle of the night. Then they are considerably less adorable, and also try my patience to the very brink. I am not the nicest Mama in the world at 2 in the morning, and become down-right pissy when you shove your finger up my nose and find it hilarious. For the record? Not funny.
Claire’s birthday was good. We had my in-laws from Calgary here so it made it quite a party. It was also a hand-made birthday with some pretty amazing hand-mades making their way into her hot little hands. I think that is a measure of how blessed you are, when you get hand-made dolls, quilts (for the dolls even!), doll beds, stuffies, dresses and a 3-D pink bear cake.

My Mom made “The Bear” a bear…
The girl rocked in the hand-mades and my family floors me with their endless talent.

Claire in the dress my Mom made her.
So, instead of talking about my kid like any normal Mama would do, I’m going to talk about what I made for my kid, starting with this doll bed.

At first I had this optimistic idea that we’d make her a doll house, but of course Steve wasn’t co-operating (is this just my husband? Or all husbands?). Then I thought I’d make the doll house but in order for that to happen I’d have to first learn how to make time. I don’t have the time to make time so I downsized and decided on a doll bed for Stella, the doll Michelle bought Claire for her birthday. Again, Steve wouldn’t co-operate (are you sensing a trend?). By this point I decided I can make the damn doll bed myself. And you gotta know that if I’m making a doll bed it’s going to be re-crafted. That’s how I roll.
So, one afternoon while Claire slept in the car, Mom let me pop into the thrift store while she watched Claire. I was itching to go for no real reason and while I was there I found this cute little wooden tray which you can buy at Michaels for way too much money but I paid $2. I picked up a bag of little wooden candlesticks and buttercream colored paint at Michaels (using my coupon I spent a whooping $4) and voila! Instant doll bed. The painting on the end of the bed was done by me, inspired by the illustrations of Anita Jeram whom I adore (she illustrated the Little Nutbrown Hare books by Sam McBratney).
The bedding was thrifted batting I’ve had for some time, I made the mattress and pillow cover from unbleached cotton I’ve had for years, and the quilt and pillow case were sewn from my stash.
After I did all this, I got Stella and realized that she was a good 2 inches too big for the bed.
Fuck. Me.
So, now I had a doll bed with no doll. What is a girl to do?
I made a doll.

She turned out a little creepy, but I still have a creepy doll, Ashley, that my Mom made me. We love a little creepy around here.
She’s the black apple’s dollie, the tutorial is offered by Martha Stewart, but the doll itself is from Inside a Black Apple who is incredible cool. This doll is considerably smaller than the actual dolls in order to fit my bed. She has red hair because I’m narcisstic and desperately wanted a kid with red hair. Failing that I make dolls with red hair.
Claire adores her, so I think I did a-ok.

There was so much more hand-made, but I suspect that is enough for now. I really need to get a picture of the quilt my Grandma made for her. My Mom also made her doll a quilt.
It was also a hand-made Easter, which meant I was crazy busy leading up to the festivities. A post of those hand-mades will follow because I enjoy inflicting this torture on you.
(and for those interested, Claire be pseudo-walking. She WILL walk for several steps, but prefers to crawl. She is getting more adventurous everyday, taking a few more steps from one piece of furniture to the next, or the table to the patio door. Of course we suck as parents and have yet to encourage the walking. It just opens up her world to more things she can get at and put in her mouth.

7 Responses to “A Happy Birthday and a Happy Easter makes for a Busy Amber”

1. Rick Brown says:

   April 13, 2009 at 10:32 am

   Did you get our card?
2. Mom says:

   April 13, 2009 at 7:45 pm

   She will learn to walk when she figures out she cannot run, and leap first! She is pretty freakin adorable!!
3. Amber says:

   April 13, 2009 at 8:14 pm

   I did get the card! Thank you!
   yeah, she needs to slow it down a little .
4. Angela says:

   April 14, 2009 at 7:15 pm

   Happy birthday to Claire from all of us!
5. Laura says:

   April 15, 2009 at 3:15 pm

   Happy Birthday Claire! Amber, I love the post and all the pictures. I always enjoy reading about your craftyness! You rock!
6. Suzy says:

   April 15, 2009 at 8:22 pm

   Claire has amassed quite the collection of stunning headgear in just one year!
   I remember when my sister was at the just walking stage. She’d do it, but of she wanted to get somewhere fast, she’d crawl. It was so funny!
   Love the doll bed – you are so talented!
7. pogonip says:

   April 17, 2009 at 9:42 am

   Claire’s doll and her new bed are adorable. You are sooo talented! And how could she possibly be one already?