A Whole Lot of Crafting

The reason we even had to make space and clean up before we could even hold VBS at home is that a week or so before we started VBS we had already had our very own little crafting craze.

Now you might not know this, but we have had a Calico Critters house for a few years. Nana gave it to Miss E for Christmas maybe 3 or 4 years ago, and we have had so much fun with it. My brother and sisters gave us tons of furniture and Miss E has slowly also added a lot of accessories and furniture. This toy/game set has been the gift that keeps on giving. We never tire of it. It's open ended play, so there's always some new story line to follow. They go to school, or work, or they go camping; they build a tree house; they become world renowned chefs; they go shopping; they become scientists... Not to mention the fact that the small size means Mr E can be a dragon or a dinosaur and properly scare the inhabitants every once in a while! The poor critters are attacked by alien or otherwise fantastical creatures on a regular basis, as a matter of fact, but their attackers always feel remorseful afterwards and promise to stay on as well behaved pets.

Miss E has also always had Barbies. Mostly, she has butchered them, though. They existed to have their hair cut, colored, or curled. They had bathing suits painted on, stickers glued on them, and generally tortured in this egregious manner for many years now. Between family and friends, many a Barbie doll has been sacrificed -ahem- gifted, to the almighty goddess of arts and crafts that is my daughter. Princess Barbies, ballerina Barbies, professional Barbies, younger looking Barbies, mermaid Barbies... I had never seen her actually play with the dolls like she does with the Calico Critters (well, the mermaid did go on vacation with us but was promptly lost) and I had seen too many dolls end up in the give away pile after a room cleaning session. So a couple weeks ago, I told Miss E she had to pay for her own Barbie when seemingly out of nowhere she decided she wanted a fancy "jointed new Barbie doll with dark skin and long black hair" (though I know now, after many play sessions and the conversations that happen during said sessions, that it was in fact the fault of a certain YouTuber Miss E is allowed to follow.)

Regardless, she did extra shores for a while, and when she was very close to her goal, she found money in her closet (which used to be my closet) and instead of claiming it was hers, she gave it back. I was so proud of her, especially because she had worked so hard to get enough money for something I usually just buy for her if she wants it. She really really wanted this Barbie, and the money would have covered not one, but probably two or three dolls, and yet she gave back the money. I know it was hard for her to do, so I was so proud of her. I decided that it was time to buy the doll. Have I mentioned how proud I am of her?

The doll came, and she was wearing pajamas. It was time to make outfits. Miss E and I have been hand sewing rag dolls, so she knew it was doable, but then she also wanted a bed, which I had no idea how to build. To the YouTube! This happened:

We followed the directions I found online and recycled a dollar store foam board we had used as a Girl Scouts cookie sale sign. Miss E painted it and decorated it. Dr. YouTube was right, for once, and it actually looks like wood now that it's painted! And of course, the doll needed a coat, which was super easy to make, also with leftover material from my stash -it's felt that was leftover from when I made a tree prop for her school play.

Mr E brought his hydra dragon puppet, of course, and the legos and magna tiles, and soon the dinning room table was looking a lot like a small apartment.

She made a TV and a laptop with clay...

He built separate quarters for his legendary creatures...

Ah yes, they also found a YouTube video showing an origami school bag that would be just perfect... so Miss E and I made one each by stopping the video here and there so we could follow along. Mr E was not interested in folding, but he was happy to take the one I made. It's still around! Origami can be surprisingly sturdy!

And that was the start of a crafting craze of epic proportions. We had been trying to save up cardboard boxes to make a box fort, but the kids decided making a house full of rooms instead would be equally fun.  There was cutting, gluing, painting, coloring, sewing, clay molding... And taping. They loved having pretty tape to work with, and used it on everything!

At first we only made bedrooms and a living area. Now we have a kitchen and bathroom, too. We'll have to make a better table because this one keeps getting knocked over and all the mini dishes (which we took from the calico house) are sent flying and it's crazy.

Mr. E's panda bear joined the girls in the living room couch every once in a while...

Miss E wanted a hat that looked like her favorite winter hat. I also made the outfit and the felt tennis shoes! I made the jeans from an old shirt and the top from  leftover fabric from another project. The sweaters are all made from old socks!

I eventually got tired of being the blonde girl with the blue marks on her face and got myself a doll, though mine doesn't have flexible joints. Her room is also not covered in stickers haha!

Bottles for the dresser made from beads.

And a couple more outfits and shoes! Mostly all Miss E's ideas that I tried to make with or for her. She also wanted them to have earrings, so we looked it up, and all you have to do is push a pushpin into the ear lobes. The "earrings" are actually sewing pins cut to only have a little bit of wire to attach them to the doll.  I'm especially proud of the cute tennis shoes though.

The house has grown a bit. But the boxes are still looking messy to me. They do all fold up so we can fit everything under a bed, but I think we might re do it if this continues to be fun.

Below are the bedrooms, with our closet in the middle.

And Miss E even learned how to use the sewing machine!