Sweethearts

My new character doll is Isaac, born on February first. Actually, the real Isaac is the youngest child of six in the Lake family. Our grandson Isaac was born "when the apples are in the orchard" --- October 27, and he loves his siblings, dirt, snow, momma, dog, coconut cream pie, hot dogs, baseball and CATS. He has found the love of his life here and will not leave the side of his new girlfriend, Miss Kitty. Since Isaac met Kitty he always has to be in her vision. It looks like these two kids are here to stay. One can almost hear their conversations, first her, then him. "When were you born?" "My your eyes are pretty." "Can I brush your teeth?" "Did you know I can play the violin?"

Always caring, little Isaac memorialized George, their family cat hit by a car. Daily he would place a stone on his grave. When I wrote A Dozen Cats Plus One Sew, I was sure to include a photo of George in my book. Of course he loves Silvio, but I can see this is different. They try to hold hands. If I pick her up and hug her, he get weepy. Kitty was naturally born into the dollmaker's repertoire, because she just loves cats. How Isaac became the new character on the block is a sweet story.

About 18 months ago I wrote a blog about Being a Kid Again. We were at a baseball game and Isaac ran off with his sisters to play in the mud. He returned, to say the least, dirty. Lew photographed him and it became our joy to chuckle at this actor. At that age he owned both an airline and a baseball team and would dress according to his schedule. Tying his shoes was often our task, whether he was in his baseball uniform or coat and bowtie to catch a plane for a meeting. Hence a bowtie had to be a part of costuming of this fellow.

The crazy clothes, you ask? He was to mimic my calico layered girls with several mixed fabric designs - polkadots, stripes, plaids, and gingham and of course a star imprint. His face was photoshoped from the photo to become the actual lines on his face. We love the way my fabulous embroiderer Eileen followed my idea of featuring the teeth in his smile. His hair jumped out of my maple knitting chest right into my hands. Silvio grabbed the end and hopped down the stairs just like his cat brother Sanford used to do I cried with joy when it all came together. To get a "whoa" from his mother was the crowning glory. Hard to imagine what Isaac thinks. They both made the cut on our annual Valentine,, but Isaac is tidied up.

Lew and I are busy keeping watchful eyes on Isaac and Miss Kitty, keeping them occupied to stop them from eloping!