Happy Birthday Laurel!

My niece turned 5 yesterday and we had an Angry Birds birthday. She loves the birds and so do I. I decided to make a live action Angry Birds and she loved it. I even created a "new" bird just for her. It is a pink flamingo. I hadn't told her it was a new bird yet and when she saw it she told me that it was nice but next time I might want to make the toucan a little more green. The boxes are just empty boxes (cereal, shoe, etc.) that were wrapped. It was a little confusing at first that they weren't actual presents for her to open and she wasn't quite sure how to play. But once I explained and showed her how to play the game she loved it. She enjoyed restacking the boxes to make a new game just as much as she enjoyed throwing the birds. She was even coming up with strategies for the order she was going to use the birds. Oh and the "King Pig" always has to be on the highest box according to her.

There are tutorials and patterns to make your own Angry Birds here: http://obsessivelystitching.blogspot.com/2009/01/make-it-for-you.html

I didn't end up using the patterns because I was too lazy to print them out and figured they were pretty easy to make on my own and I made a few small alterations. But I did look over her tutorials and took some of the advice. Also the tutorial uses fleece but I used felt because it was cheaper. I also had to unstuff a couple of my own pillows to make the birds because I forgot to buy stuffing. I guess I'll have to buy stuffing later for my pillows. How I forgot stuffing on my two trips to the craft store for materials for this project I'll never know?!?!?

I spent a lot of time editing the little photoshop photo at the top for her birthday too (I'd printed out a couple and hung them around the house) and was thrilled when she was looking at it and said, "Hey the pigs stole the present!!"While I wasn't expecting a 5 year old to pick up on all the little details I went to the trouble of making she really did notice everything and comment on it. I think she has an eye like her auntie.

Attempt #1

Attempt #2

Attempt #3

Candles out!

I love that she hasn't yet blown out the candles and she already has a half eaten cupcake in her hand... she is an Anderson! (Grandma is not going to be happy she is in the picture. Sorry Grandma but we have so few pictures of you anyway and I love your smile!)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LAUREL!!!