This past christamas season

I must admit that the best part of being a parent is watching and encouraging my little peoples imaginations.  From the elves candycaning our house (happens anytime between December 1st to December 24th) to Aaron our resident elf getting into mischeif to their excitement of opening Santa gifts.

The worst part is trying to figure out where I tucked away the kids presents. deciding which prezzie is the best one because the gift we give them will outshine Santa's! at least in the long run even if it is not the one he asked for. and the endless wrapping of gifts. I won't include a photo of what all the boys will be getting but it is a haul this year. I seriously need to start working the season like a job and creating a secret spreadsheet for them.

But, this post is not about what they got, how their eyes lite up with the toys nor how grotesquely over run my living room is still with toys.  It is instead about the present I made my oldest.  He loves computer games, he loves to watch tv, and sometimes I have a hard time getting him excited to go outside to play with me and his brother.  So I am on a mission this year to introduce some old time toys to the little person.  Hence this first one, marbles. 

Now I have never played marbles but it allways looked interesting.  At least the marbles do, with cool designs in these little spheres of glass and all the different desgins and colors.  So maybe he and I can learn to play marbles.  In winter you say?  How on earth?  Well, here is where my creativity takes over a bit. Yep, this felter felted a marble board.  Now it is by no means regulation league size (6'-10' diameter circle).  Can you imagine how much fiber that would take?  Not to think of the floor space one would need to be sure when you harden the piece off it would end up being that size?

And so 3 days before the big day I began the felt process:



first the backing - huge square of white, 3 layers deep

lay in where the circle should be

 

 

 

 

fill in said circle

 

 

start filling in the rest of the circle; hardest part is determining what colors to make it

 

 

 

all ready for felting, 24 hour break!  and make sure the kids do not head into the basement

And let the felting begin; LOVE the new felting tool!

 

Felting part done, you can see how much it has shrunk already and I haven't hardened it off yet

 

FINISHED!  with 20 hrs to go before the big unwrap!

 

 

Piece measures 23.5in x 21.5in; not bad for getting it very close to being square!  The circle from the outside line is 21in at the widest, although it looks a little bit like an oval.