The purple starfish

About a week before Christmas, the girls got to visit with Santa at school. We asked them what they had asked Santa for. Avery said she wanted a purple starfish stuffed animal. We asked her where she had seen one and she said "at the bowling alley". They have one of those giant claw games there and the purple starfish was one of the prizes you could aim for.

Then, Avery told everyone that asked her that she wanted a purple starfish for Christmas. So, Matt and I looked everywhere for one! We almost went to the bowling alley to try to "win" it or bribe them to let us buy it from them. But, I decided I could make it myself. So, off we went to Joann Fabric and got all the things we would need. This was December 23rd.

Now, I don't own a sewing machine, so I had to do this by hand. I didn't have a pattern either, so I used a ruler and tried to get a reasonably symmetrical star to use as a guide. Using my 8th grade home economics skills, I stitched together a purple starfish stuffed animal for Avery during nap times and at night when she was in bed. It's totally not symmetrical and the mouth is crooked, but it's purple and soft... and Avery adores it! :) She has carried it everywhere and slept with it at nap and nighttime since Christmas morning.