I Made... Alphabet Blocks for Amanda's Baby

So Joann.com posted a project on Facebook the other day for these alphabet blocks. Basically, they were three blocks made from fabric with an A on one, a B on another, and a C on the last one. I thought they were really cute and quickly skimmed the project instructions to get the gist of the materials needed and dimensions. Then I shared the project on my Facebook wall stating that someone needed to have a baby so that I could make these. I had to turn the waterhose on my dear friend Annie who suggested that I needed to have another "cub" (direct quote). Later on in the dialogue, my high school buddy Amanda reminded me that she was with child, and BOOM! Another project was born. (Bah-dum-bump!)

I decided to make alphabet blocks using the letters of Amanda's baby girl's name which will be the beautiful and sophisticated "Isla". Wait! Stop the presses! Amanda, you have to learn the lyrics to Madonna's "La Isla Bonita" and make it her own personal lullaby. Even though, I'm thinking that her name will be pronounced "Ai-lah" like Isla Fisher, the actress who starred in Confessions of a Shopaholic and is married to Sasha Baron Cohen. Awaiting confirmation on the pronunciation.

So I made four blocks: one with I, one with S, one with L, and one with A. I bought six different quarter flatsfrom Joann's in various pink prints and used felt for the letters. For each block you need six squares of fabric. I cut four four and a half inch squares in each print. Then I put them into four groups of six making sure that I had one of each print in each group. I chose which print I wanted to display each letter and chose a felt color that I thought would complement it.

I cut a three by three inch piece of felt to cut the letter from. Then I just freehand cut the letters out trying to maintain that three-inch size. I used some Aleene's OK to Wash It! glue to secure the letters onto the chosen square. Then I let the glue dry for at least an hour... maybe two.

It must have been at least that long because when I tried to go to bed around midnight, I couldn't. I just kept thinking about working on those blocks! So I got up and sewed all the faces of the square together leaving one edge open to turnout and stuff. I used a slight zigzag stitch, tension level 2. I stuffed them but didn't stitch them completely up. I was still debating whether I wanted to add some embroidery details to the letters or just leave them plain. I also was unsure about how much stuffing to put into the blocks either. I had them pretty stuffed.

But I didn't go to bed just yet. I decided to make the skull pin cushion wristlet that I posted at like 2 A.M. this morning. I don't know why I had to make it right then, I just felt compelled and inspired which for me are pretty much one in the same. Wow, epiphany right there.

So I crashed around 2:30 A.M. Woke up around sixish. Ate a couple of poptarts and drank some OJ. Watched the first season Project Runway marathon that was on Style Network. Fell back asleep after the US Postal Service episode, woke up and it was the finale with Kara Saun getting busted for getting free shoes. Barrett was already up by this time playing on the computer. He informed me around 1030 A.M. that he needed breakfast. I said, "It's almost lunch. Want me to make chicken burgers?" "I want Burger King." "Why?" "Because I want a Transformers toy." "How do you know they have Transformers toys?" "I saw the commercial." "Oh. [long pause] Lemme take a shower."

So we went to BK, no Transformers toys. Apparently their location didn't receive them. Asked Bear if he wanted to go to Joann's, Hobby Lobby, or Michael's to get the craft stuff I needed for today. He said Hobby Lobby so he can get that Titanic model. I told him he wasn't getting it (ages 14+ !) but we went anyway. Titanic model was sold out, but he didn't notice. Got some embroidery thread, some wooden dowels to make talking wands, got some clearance July 4th baking goods stuff, got some mini cupcake liners to go with the mini cupcake pan I got a Wally World yesterday.

Came home, determined which color thread to use for which letter. Did some stitching on those while watching Jem and the Holograms and Fraggle on HUB Network. Never realized when I was a kid how many near-death experiences Jem had. Restuffed the blocks with much less stuffing that I had originally used, and they look and feel and sit SO much better. Stitched them closed while watching a recorded episode of How Do I Look?. OK, the mark in this episode was this chick who DJs weddings as a hobby, she's like in her mid-forties probably, and dresses like she just stepped out of a Great White video. She idolizes Rick Springfield to an unhealthy degree (and all I was thinking was, isn't that the dude that had a cameo in Californication for a few episodes?).

And one of her four children was an accomplice. Her daughter's name was... wait for it... TAWNY! Of course, she spelled it Taunie, but still. Really? Really? I am dying to know what her other kids names are. Coverdale? Brett? Nikki? Dee? Bon Jovi? It was quite an episode. But she did look very fabulous in the end. And Rick Springfield came on the show and gave her tickets to go on the Rick Springfield and Friends Cruise. I can only imagine what that would be like, but at the same time, I just don't think I WANT to imagine what that would be like. Especially after being scarred from his Californication appearances. Ack!