Little Roman & A Viking: An Activity Book Crafting Affair

Just in case he loses it.

It's been a while, I know.  My blog is halfway between neglected, forgotten and haunting me.  I actually have so much to post (my picture file is overstuffed with yummy things) but I just don't have the time - and when I do have the time, the last thing I want to do is sit at my barely-surviving laptop so it can die on me halfway through a post.  You know how it goes.

Anyway, I have been busy crafting since we moved to Maine, mainly because I finally bought myself a sewing machine!  This craft actually started before the arrival of the Viking, so it is mostly hand-sewn (read: pain in the...) which gives it all the more value to me.  I did, however, finish the heftier parts (sewing pages together etc.) with my new thread-stitching companion.

I got the idea for this book from MADE - an amazing blog full of all sorts of very cool DIY projects - everything from making kids' clothes to building and stylishly painting your own backyard sandbox (this project is in the works, assuming Matt doesn't bail, which he has threatened to do more than once lately).  Check out her tutorials and you will never be bored again.

Ok, sorry, no....no, no, no, I got the idea for the activity book from At Second Street another very cool "mom who makes amazing stuff" blog.  The tutorial for the activity book is here in case you get inspired by my clearly gifted-crafting and decide to make it yourself.  Not kidding - Roman absolutely loves it.  We took it on the plane ride to Texas a couple of weeks ago and Roman was magically transformed into an angelic little darling, coloring and dressing-up the ride away!  I "manned" the design up a little as well as 2-year-old-izing it; he just doesn't quite get tic-tac-toe yet :)

Anyway, here are some pics of the final outcome.  I am super proud despite the obviously wonky seams and generally embarrassing sewing job.  It gives it character dammit.

This is Little Roman and his limited but stylish wardrobe.  He was a huge hit with Big Roman from the start.  Boys like dolls too!  That's a baseball cap on the top left in case you couldn't tell.  I felt it was wrong not to put the undies on him.

And my computer is being evil again so the remaining two photos are, of course, upside down!  Just use your imagination or turn the screen upside down.  It's super worth it, I promise. :)

This was the tic-tac-toe page in the original book but I made it a number page.  Roman is learning his numbers so this comes in handy and can be made into tic-tac-toe at a later date.

The last page is the easiest one to do and probably the most versatile.  He loves coloring in the little pad and sometimes I carry a couple of sheets of stickers in here too so he can further embellish.