Fairy Tale Peg Pendants

I have had a love for fairy-tales for as long as I can remember. They still influence

my art, and I am always pushing them on my children! (they went as Little Red Riding hood and the Big bad

wolf for Halloween a few years ago.)

So after seeing the adorable peg ninjas  Sarah made last week, and this cute link  she shared with me, 

it was quite natural that I would make these;

Little Red Riding Hood and The Big Bad Wolf pendants for my kids.

A Bag of Ninjas

Traveling Circus in a Suitcase

When I was growing up our neighbors had an amazing collection of antique toys. The father was actually collecting toys he had owned or had wanted as a kid.
They had everything from an actual carousel horse to old tin wind-up toys and I loved going over their house to see these things. My favorite of all was this model miniature circus tent, in a room dedicated to circus memorabilia  I was not allowed to touch it of course
but it was as big as a coffee table (at least in my memory) and I just loved
to look at it, and peer inside the tiny tent with trapeze artists flying through the air. 

Sarah and I were discussing new projects to make, and we had been meaning to make

 a circus, for some time.  The only thing holding me back, was figuring out what to make it in.

Then it came to me, a suitcase! And I was ready to go, already inspired by the memory of that 

toy circus!

 It is small and portable, and opens up to an amazing little world inside full of talented 

performers and animals just waiting to put on show.

The Great Houdini Escape Necklace

This Sunday, March 24, would have been Harry Houdini's 139th birthday!

He lived a really fascinating life, his career starting as early as 9 years 

old, as a trapeze artist in the circus.

He went on to become a magician, taking the name Harry Houdini as his stage name.

He became the great escape artist, without using "smoke and mirrors" to trick the 

audience. 

He would calm himself into a meditative state to concentrate on freeing himself, along with his ability to regurgitate a key, and dislocate his arm, he could escape anything.

His death, contrary to what movies may have led us to believe, was not in any escape act. He died from peritonitis  from a ruptured appendix, after surgery trying to correct it.

 His appendix was ruptured when a college student caught him off

guard and punched him in the stomach, (before he could brace himself) after hearing the claims Houdini could withstand any blow to the abdomen. 

You can read more here, and all over the internet for more information on him.

Tiny Portable Peg Family

We travel a lot, visiting our family in Ohio. It is quite a long drive from Chicago,

but I have to say my kids have really learned to entertain themselves on this 5 + hour long drive. 

(either that, or we pull the video games and dvd player out! I have to admit it, we do that too!)
They have been doing it since they were babies.

What I have learned is, new things keep them happily entertained. 

This can get costly, right? So here is a very inexpensive and easy little toy, that will entertain them on those long car trips. Also good for Dr. office waits, restaurant waits...you name it. Pull this toy out, and 

you just may have some happy little people. (for a little while at least!)

Plus, it's so tiny, it takes up almost no space in your bag.

I modeled this one after my own family.

(l to r.) My son Simon, daughter Ava, our wiener dog Alice, me and my husband Paul.

This particular peg is my son. He is going to turn 5, just a few days before Valentines Day. 

This is very important to him, since his sister's birthday has fallen on Thanksgiving, and his Dad's on Easter.

Valentines Day is his day!

So this is both a Valentine gift, and birthday gift, that will be presented to him in the car on our way to Ohio!

His sister has already seen this, is already jealous, and has already stated she NEEDS one too.
Of course.

So I used the tiny altoid tin. Then purchased these tiny, tiny wood pegs from the craft store.

I had a different idea for them, that didn't work out, then realized I could re-use these....and boy have I! 

(Another post coming soon, with yet another tiny peg idea!)

I just painted very simple color blocked  shapes, and added detail with a good, fine point, black ink, rolling ball pen.

Add a scenic interior. I used felt and trees...since it seems that is all we pass on our 

way there. Not complaining, these trees have inspired many of my drawings!

I can't wait to give this to him, I think he'll love it.
-Corinne