A Birthday Trio for Boy Boy

It all started with a mustache...

Well, a mustache pattern...

Well, the plaid pants and the glasses led to the idea for the mustache...

Maybe I should just start at the beginning...

Our nephew, Boy Boy, is celebrating his 6th birthday this weekend. Since he's all about animals right now, I decided it would be fun to make him some squishy playmates. After browsing around online (thanks, google images!) I settled on a chunky, bear-like creature, complete with little ears and arms. This is the pattern I made out of two pieces of 8.5" x 11" paper.

After cutting out two creature outlines from some leftover creamish burlap, I thought about what I wanted this little guy to look like. Awesome glasses were a must (my brother-in-law rocks some cool specs, as do my husband and I) and, since they live in a Seattle suburb, maybe some hipster plaid pants? Good thing I had scraps from Monkey's first kilt sitting around. The glasses were cut from a scrap from the apron I made last year. A few facial features, ear insides...looks like a little creature!

Look, it's Mr. Smartypants! I didn't do anything fancy to attach the detail pieces, just zig-zag stitching around the edges. The pants are on the front and the back of him - I don't want to give a 6-year-old a creature to moon people with, after all!

My dad was terribly amused when I showed him Mr. Smartypants and I shared with him my plans to make two more creatures (a group is always more fun, right? Plus Boy Boy has two sisters and may be called upon to share...). We brainstormed for a little while and dad came up with the coolest idea! We just needed a mustache...a comb over...some tight red pants...

...and, voila! GianCarlo Orlando was born! Make sure you pronounce it "zhawn-CAR-lo or-LAWN-do" - named by my Swiss father, of course. If his mustache looks familiar, it's because it was made from the pattern that I'm rocking in the first picture above ;-)

So we had two, one designed by me, one by dad, and absolutely no clue what to do for the third one! We kicked around quite a few ideas, but it wasn't until I made an impromptu trip to a fabric store for stuffing and happened to see some suede on super-sale that I came up with the perfect idea.

Virginia Hula-Hoop, as dad decided she should be named. Doesn't she just look like a chubby bundle of joy? Now, just when you thought this fun little project couldn't get any better, I had the great idea that my dad should write a cute little story to introduce Boy Boy to his new playmates. Hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did :-)

Virginia Hula-Hoop, GianCarlo Orlando and Smarty Pants are a team of youngsters. They like each other and are dedicated to making other people feel good.They have been friends for a very long time, almost a lifetime. They first met in Kindergarten. They spend a lot of time together.

GianCarlo was born in Orlando, Florida. His parents had come from Italy and moved to Florida when they were very young. His dad was a truck driver. He drove his truck all over the United States. On one trip he drove through the Pacific Northwest. He liked it very much. When he returned from this trip, he said to his wife: Cara Mia, I have seen the most beautiful place. I think we should take GianCarlo Orlando and move there. Cara Mia liked that idea. They packed up their belongings and moved to the Pacific Northwest with GianCarlo. GianCarlo was only a baby at the time.

Smarty Pants is the son of a college professor and a lawyer. He loves to read and solve mathematical problems. That's why he knows many things and is very smart. He also smiles a lot and is always friendly to other people. He mows the lawn for an elderly woman and runs errands for his mum.

Virginia Hula-Hoop was born in Hawaii. Not far from their house there was a big volcano. Sometimes it had hot lava flowing down the mountainside and into the sea. At night it was glowing red-hot. That looked very beautiful. Virginia loved to sit in the back yard in the evenings with her parents and watch the glowing lava.Her dad was very athletic. He taught Virginia the Hula-Hoop. One day he got a letter from Washington State. They wanted him to come there and teach people how to grow strong and healthy. The family decided to move there just before Virginia started Kindergarten.

Virginia Hula-Hoop, GianCarlo Orlando and Smarty Pants are very excited to meet their new friend, Boy Boy, and his family! Please feed them lots of cupcakes, give them smiles and hugs when you see them, and make sure they brush their teeth before bed.