Pirates' Paradise

 Yesterday was my nephew's 5th birthday. And I felt a bit lost trying to figure out what to make for him. Twirly skirts and hair clips are my go-to gift for girls around this age. I like to make ties for baby boys. And, of course, there are superhero capes. But we've already gone that route. What to make? What to make? And could I do it with supplies I already own? In a moment of inspiration, I decided to give him a pirate dress up set. All kids like to play pretend and dress up!


I crafted everything out of felt because it is fast and easy to work with and I have a ton of felt on hand. First, a beard and mustache filled with stuffing.

Of course, he needed an eye patch.

A hat adorned with a skull and crossbones.

And a hook to replace the hand lost in a heroic pirate battle.

Finally, a treasure map to give our pirate a sense of purpose. I started with a piece of white paper. I crumpled it up and poured over it the remainder of my husband's cup of coffee. Then I set the wet paper on a cookie sheet and baked it at 200 for 10 minutes. After painting a route on the map (go past Mermaid Lagoon, meander a bit at Turtle Beach, go around Monkey's Retreat, and continue until you reach the Floral Fields), I burned the edges to give it the aged look I was seeking.

Now he's ready for lots of pirate play time!

Miss Belle was happy to model our buccaneer look for me.

Bring me some grog, land lubber!