Rodeo Girls

Who doesn't love the images of Western ware from the 1950's. I would have loved to be able to wear an outfit as cute as these little cowgirls are wearing.

Pipe Cleaner Dolls are much smaller than Peg Dolls, but oh my gosh are they ever cute in person. Prepainted heads can be found at Michaels and are also smaller than peg doll heads. BODY: A pipe cleaner cut in half and then bent in half is just the right proportion for the body and legs.

SHIRT: Wrap a length of stem around a pencil six times, cut with craft wire cutters. Body is slipped over feet. ARMS: Length of stem from remaining body piece is slipped through coils of shirt. SLEEVES: Wrap length of stem around arm until desired length. HANDS: Bend end of arm stem.

CLOTHES: When making clothes for Pipe Cleaner Dolls, the pieces are so small, a pattern is too difficult to use. I hand cut from felt strips 1" wide and 7/8" wide as a start and trimmed smaller as I fitted the pieces to doll. STITCHING: 2 ply floss, outline stitch through top layer of felt only. ASSEMBLY: Hot glue in place.

BOOTS: Small rectangle with triangle shape in center; small slits made on each side of triangle. ASSEMBLY: Hot Glue triangle shape to "foot" of leg stem. Wrap sides around stem, hot glue in place on back. OPTIONAL: Bottom of boot: hot glue bottom of boot to scrap piece of felt, trim to boot shape. NOTE: if using doll for a trinket box, step not necessary.

HAIR: Rectangle of felt is cut three inches wide and then into thin, even sized strips. Beading needles and one ply floss is woven back and forth through felt strip; a knot in thread is not necessary. Repeat several times to secure felt ribbon. Sixteen strips are needed for Pipe Cleaner Doll's head.

HAT: Also hand cut pieces of felt as shown.  ASSEMBLY: Tacky Glue is used to form felt hat. FRINGE: Length of crepe paper streamer is folded on itself (enough to circle hat). Cut streamer down center lengthwise, layer all cut pieces together, fold in half lengthwise, use a sewing needle and running stitch along folded edge to secure layers together. Make small slits along open edge of crepe entire length. ASSEMBLY: Hot Glue folded edge of fringe to hat edge. Separate fringe with fingers. Hot Glue to head. (Note: top of dolls head does not have hair.)

Clueless Cinco De Mayo

My son, Chris, asked me, "Mom, did you and Dad plan for your anniversary to be on Cinco De Mayo?"  To which I replied, "Oh Chris, it's just a coincidence it falls on Cinco De Mayo this year." To which my son, who is used to his Clueless mother's logic responded, "Mom! Cinco, Five. Your anniversary is always on Cinco de Mayo!"  This was a revelation to me. Who knew!

 And so tomorrow my husband and I will travel to our son's home to celebrate our 33rd Anniversary, and we will revel in the opportunity to have our hearts gladdened by our son's ability to make us laugh. He is one of those rare individuals people will say about, "He was born with a sense of humor."

For our son born two months early this most definitely was the case. He would rub his tiny feet back and forth over the plush of a stuffed animal placed in his incubator and make himself giggle. Once we came to visit and found his incubator empty with a sign attached, "Mom and Dad, I've gone fishing".

Married now two years to his college sweetheart, I have asked Tammy if she finds herself laughing every day at the things Chris will say. She says so much so she has begun drawing comic strips as a reminder of the moments that lift your spirit when least expected.

This didn't surprise me in the least as I have pages and pages of cartoons drawn myself to capture just this very thing.

Happy Anniversary or Happy Cinco de Mayo, what I do know for sure is the finding of each other and the celebration of years as they pass are made all the more special by the joy our children bring to our lives.

Kindergarten Christopher in his mom's homemade dragon costume is the inspiration for this cute as can be Halloween character.

Please do not Pint pattern on Pinterest.