My goddaughter who was almost two at Christmas, when I made her a fabric memory game, turned two!
Her birthday snuck up on me, somehow, even though I clearly knew it was coming. I told her mother my goal is that by the time she's old enough to remember her birthday, I will get birthday gifts to her on time. For now I'm consoling myself with the fact that no one really minds getting gifts on non-birthday days.
In any case, I came across this impossibly cute little mouse-in-a-tin (she made hers out of corduroy, with a ticking pillow! adorable!) and was consumed with an overwhelming desire to make one. Luckily for me, little Ann had a birthday around the corner, so I had an excuse -- two-year-old girls like mice in tins, right?
I hope so!
I went out and bought a tin of Altoids specifically for this project (it was the only thing I did buy for it, in fact), though I could imagine making cute little bed/houses out of other little containers as well. The key is that they're little. Everything's cuter when it's little. And they should also be sturdy enough for a toddler to tote around!
I mod-podged scrapbook paper to the top and used a glue gun to add the ribbon and button. Just to make the mouse's house a little prettier.
The mouse is made of a scrap of cotton, with felt ears, feet, and arms. His face and tail are embroidery floss.
He has a little pillow to keep him comfy, and a blanket to keep him warm (I made it wide enough to tuck him in well). His mattress is a piece of felt cut with pinking shears and glued to the bottom of the tin.
He can come out to play when Ann needs a little friend.
And when she's all done, she can tuck him back in to bed!
(I still sort of want one.)
