Happy Birthday, Baby!

Disclaimer: Blogger is being the worst, and taking out the spaces between something like every 15th word.  You know I dislike typos.  This is killing me.

Having a baby niece gives me a perfect reason to buy all sorts of pink ribbon and whatnot. Making things for babies is extra fun becaus eeverything can be colorful, whimsical, and sweet.   My little niece’s 1^st birthday was this weekend, but this time I didn’t make her present because I found something much, much better than the dress I was planning on making her.

You see, a few months ago I was perusing the shelves of a little bookstore in Savannahwhen I found a baby version (BabyLit’s “Little Miss Austen”) of Pride andPrejudice.  I was delighted.  Every girl needs a proper introduction to Jane Austen; the earlier the better.  Thebook is adorable- you can check out a few of the pages on Amazon.  While I was buying the book the owner of the store told me that they had just gotten these books in, and that in the next few months other BabyLit books would be coming out.   I gave my niece Pride and Prejudice forChristmas, and by all reports she loves it. My sister-in-law even sent me picture of her crawling around holding it,which I think bodes well for her academic and emotional success in thefuture…hehe…

A week or so ago I turned my attention to finding a suitable birthday present for the little one.  As previously mentioned, I had been thinking about making her a dress; I’d even already bought the pattern.  However, I suddenly remembered what the bookshop lady said about the other BabyLit books,and I couldn’t resist doing a little online searching.  What I really was looking for was the “LittleMiss Bronte” version of Jane Eyre, which is hands-down my favorite of all theBronte sister’s works.  (Wuthering Heights is just depressing. At least at the end of Jane Eyre Mr. Rochester is still alive).  Unfortunately, the book isn’t coming out until March, and it seemed slightly evil to give a baby a printout of a pre-ordered book for her first birthday. 

I noticed something interesting in the “Customers who bought this also bought…” section, though…a series of books called the “Mini MastersSeries”.  I was intrigued.  As it turns out, they are little board books filled with the paintings of famous artists with accompanying rhyming text.  They have names like Sharing with Renoir, Painting with Picasso, and Quiet Time with Cassatt.  (Let it be known my knowledge of art is notextensive.  All credit for my informal education goes to Whitney, my artist friend) I decided to go with the boxed set, which is all impressionists.  We have Dancing with Degas, A Picnic withMonet, A Magical Day with Matisse, and In the Garden with Van Gogh.  They came in the mail last week, and I was rather impressed.  I fully realize that these gift choices cement me firmly in the “Crazy Aunt” category, but I am supremely unconcerned. 

Anyway, on to the part where it gets crafty.  I wanted to make a card to go with the present, of course.  I know babies don’t really care about cards, except maybe about wanting to put them in their mouths.  I thought I would try to make a card Kayla might at least enjoy touching, and that is why I used lots of different textures and bright colors.  The outside of the card is felt, which will feel soft and be fun for her to touch, I hope.  I used a lighter pink for the elephant body,a little ribbon for the tail, and bigger ribbon for the elephant head.  (I think I’ve discussed the making of ribbonelephants on here before, actually, so I won’t do it again).  The best part is the balloons.  They’re little pink and orange buttons, withribbons for strings.  I used anotherbutton and some elastic to make a little latch to keep the card closed (verysimilar to my ribbon bookmark method) The pictures don’t show it, but inside there are some hearts cut out of different fabric and a little Happy Birthday message.  

Hello, Adorable Elephant.  Has anyone ever told you how cute you are?!

PS- I got the elephant-holding-button-balloons idea frompinterest- but that one was a paper elephant. 

We matched at her birthday party.  Clearly she has excellent taste.