she and whim

I have one little critter that likes to pull pranks (like throwing her fake cockroach into my shower – ack!), two that love their plastic animals, and another that is getting into the pre-teen years and I don’t want her to forget the little kid inside…

and inspired by my cousin’s prank on his kids,

I added a little friend to the short’s school lunches today :)

I picked them up from school and they were talking all over each other about finding their man-eating snake – and my prankster congratulated me on a job well done. Means a lot coming from the pro.

This just in: a snake wrangling short dropped a whole roll of toliet paper in the can – which was thankfully flushed prior to the mishap. Not a prank, just felt like it. Zing!

The boys are doodle bug (and general animal) loving fanatics. Now that spring is here, they are on the hunt every day. They miss their doodle bugs at night or when they drop them and can’t find those little guys again. My favorite was when my youngest came shuffling out of his room the other morning, shoulders stooped, and I asked what was wrong. He said in his little 2 year old voice, “I miss Sweetie. She was my doodle bug last night. I dropped her on the deck and she fell down the crack. *sigh* She was a wife.” :D And he shuffled to the kitchen all sad. So after all this heartache, we decided to make some doodle bugs to keep in the house to play with too, just in case we need an emergency buddy.

We had to do serious doodle bug research for this project, so we decided the best doodle bugs were at the park! So we headed out…

…only to find a hungry tree that gobbled them up! After a quick escape, there was lots of exploring, playing, and finally some doodle bug hunting. Then we found one!

And don’t even think about taking that doodle bug away – or that cheetah in his pocket. :)

The next day I made a quick pattern (that you can use too). It’s just a simple line drawing in 4 sizes (a dad, mom, kid and baby, as requested by my guys). I cut the grey fabric from the pattern, then cut strips of striped material and sewed them to the bottom of each grey piece. Then I stitched them together leaving a hole at the bottom. These are the bugs, some inside out and some partially stuffed. I like the striped fabric, the black being their many little legs :)

And action shots of the fellows… one serious and the other, not so much.

After they stuffed them, I stitched closed, and then Mr. 5 year old drew the stripes and eyes on with a grey fabric marker. I’m glad we made so many because 4 have already disappeared!

We also made a set for their cousin’s 2nd birthday. Hope he enjoys them as much as my guys do :)

Yay for doodle bugs!!

{design © claire sneau : for personal use only}