I had the loveliest surprise last week when a new-found cyber-friend of mine, Marie from softearthart, sent me this lovely "Thumbelina on a water lily pad" in the mail as a gift for my four year old. We had begun talking online when I joined New Zealand Handmade, which Marie is a team member of, and were conversing about how apt the lily pad doll was for me - not only for my business, but for my family. My four year old is obsessed with Thumbelina and Tinkerbell and all fairy creatures, and we'd just been watching and re-watching Thumbelina and new Tinkerbell Disney movies on DVD. Now we sit with this delicate needle felt art creature in our hands and tell the story verbally to each other - it's a wonderful tool for developing her recall, language and story telling.So I want to thank Marie not only for her gift, but also for sparking my latest new 'creative space' project, which I've made with my four year old this week. 
The clogs began turning in my mind for this project the minute I received Thumbelina. Her body sort of melds into the lily pad petals and leaves. And in the Tinkerbell movies, Tinkerbell, Silvermist, Iridessa and the other fairies wear dresses made of petals and leaves. One thing led to another...Maddie and I first made a sketch, and then raided our tulle fabric scraps to put together a new invention - the "lily pad flower skirt". The skirt itself is meant to be the "lily pad" - made of an opaque green organza with a gold thread through it that looks like leaf veins. The "flower" on top is all different coloured and shaped tulle petals, with a few ribbons thrown in to represent stamins. I don't know if this is anatomically correct - but she loves it!
For more than 160 other lovely crafters creative projects this week, visit Kirsty at Kootoyoo.blogspot.com
