Creating a Monster

Hello there. I haven't done this in a while. Not even sure I remember how. But husband is bugging me to start writing again. I figure this is a good place to begin. Back at the good 'ole blog. Familiar and friendly. So how have you been, my bloggie friends? I look forward to filling you in on the last few months. So much has happened . . .

Perhaps I should start with something recent. The Toy Box Monster, I think. He came to live with us this week, a combination of me and Jay's imaginations, and the physical labors of my mom and me. I should preface this story by saying I hate white. My house is filled with white. White walls, white doors, white ceilings. White white white. Everywhere. For the last year, I've been on a campaign to color my house with reds and turquoises, yellows and greens. A splash of color here, another there. All in an effort to blunt the White. And thanks to my recent addiction to Pinterest, there's been no end to creative ideas involving color. That's how the Toy Box Monster came to be. Like so many other things in my house, he started out white:

See? Poor white box. No personality. No features. Nothing to distinguish him from the white wall he sat in front of every day. He was played with occasionally. Used as a table, a computer desk, a hiding place for Hide 'n Seek. As far as toy boxes go, his life was pretty ho-hum. Until one day, a little boy's love of monsters and a mommy's obsession with color changed his fortunes forever.

It began with a new coat of a paint. A total overhaul of his white self into something brighter and happier. Orange? Who'd have thought? Three coats produced a lovely soft shade of sunset that lit the little toy box from the inside and made him glow.

Then two ladies went to work with fabric and scissors. "What could they be up to?" wondered the little toy box. They cut circles, big and small, of fluffy green and blue. The mommy of the little boy traced a pattern on some paper and cut out two arms from a deep purple, bumpy cloth.

Then they started to glue. And glue. And glue. The toy box felt himself changing again. Taking shape into something new. Polka dots. Arms. Eyes. Tongue. Even a mustache! Things he never imagined he'd have.

The little boy came home from school one day and squealed in delight. A toy box monster! How perfect! The mommy smiled, satisfied. No more white. No more obscurity. The little toy box sighed contentedly. He felt as happy as the colors on his new skin.

The end.

I'd like to say a special thanks to husband (who helped with the design) and my mom (who helped with the execution while she visited from CA last week). This project would not have been possible without the both of you. Thank you!! :)