I can't take much credit for this part of our "Handmade Holiday," because my husband put in most of the work here! Our boys have been needing an upgrade from foam/plastic swords for quite some time, and Christmas seemed like a good opportunity to make that upgrade.
Each boy received a simple oak sword finished with wax, a plywood shield, and a cape (my contribution!) -- the cape fabric is the same as the crosses on their Christmas stockings, and the shields received a matching stripe.
I'm still not sure about the prudence of giving a not-yet-2-year-old a solid oak sword (petite though it may be!), but it's certainly adorable to watch Laddie sparring in the back yard with his older brother!
These pictures were taken over a month after Christmas, and I'm pleased to see that both swords and shields are still holding up well! They've been well-loved already, and while (true to form) we barely finished them in time, they were well worth the time and effort. I'm not nearly as comfortable in the wood shop as I am at the sewing machine, so I'm glad my husband has skills in that department.
Not long now before we find out if we're adding another knight or princess to our growing clan!
Such a great gift!! Juanito was given a similar Christmas gift from a friend who went to Kazakhstan. It's almost identical in form, with a more intricate design. I love seeing what you made because José will want his own one day and little Mateo too! We found out we're adding another boy!! It'll be fun to hear what you add to your family.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the news, friend! How exciting! I am eagerly (and not very patiently) counting down the days until my next appointment... Unfortunately, my lack of patience has absolutely no effect on how soon that appointment comes! ;-)
DeleteAnd how lovely that a friend brought back a sword for Juanito -- what a special gift!
Cheers,
Shannon
How adorable. I love that the themes and colors coordinated with the stockings.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Livia! I had been trying and trying to think of a good motif for those stockings, when I realized that I already had the material for the capes. Serendipitous! :-)
DeleteCheers,
Shannon