T-shirts

One of the things I love to do is draw on T-shirts for my kids for their birthdays. This all started about 2 1/2 years ago when Nathan had a party at the local Science Museum. I was concerned about keeping track of the kids at the party and ordered a yellow t-shirt for all of them. I then drew a picture of the big mouth that sits in the foyer of Impressions 5 and also Gumby in a labcoat with a chemical potion in his hand. I traced that drawing onto all those shirts (I believe I made a total of 25 or so) and colored them. That was a little insane, but I enjoyed it and everyone liked it. Wait...back up a little, about one month before, knowing that I'd be making these t-shirts I threw a George and Martha party for Joseph's birthday and made each member of the family a t-shirt with a scene from a George and Martha story. Those t-shirts still look great to this day. (If you haven't read the George and Martha stories, by James Marshall, you really should check them out of your local library. They are a little silly and sometimes a big hoot.)

Anyway, since the advent of this tradition I have made many t-shirts. I drew Miss Spider for Sariah. That's probably been my best one yet. She's got a Hello Kitty and a couple of ducky shirts too. I have made a rock and mineral shirt for Nathan. Another of Nathan's is a Queen Conch. He loved that one. May has a horse shirt and also a froggy shirt. Elijah has a couple Curious George shirts and also a Mr. Putter and Tabby shirt (Hey, that's another series of books to check out if you haven't seen them Mr. Putter and Tabby by Cynthia Rylant) This past birthday party of Elijah's had a penguin theme and so did his shirt. Last Christmas I made all seven of us Nativity scene shirts as pajama tops (Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus). The picture also shows our first ever Jesse tree which was recommended to me by a friend. I'm sooo glad we did that and hope it becomes a tradition.

This year when May's intern left at the end of April, we decided that we would make her a froggy t-shirt to match May's (the mascot of their classroom is frogs). I thought it would be nice if the kids could sign the shirt for her. It worked out wonderfully and so when I was thinking about what to give the teachers, I first thought of... toffee (which I am giving and mostly because I love it so much), but also of t-shirts. The back of the shirt says "Thanks From Your 2006-07 Class!" Elijah's class are the mice and May's the frogs like I already mentioned. Nathan has a male teacher named Mr. Ulrich. I couldn't imagine what to draw on his shirt, but Joseph suggested "Mr. U," which is often how he signs his name and the kids also call him that. So, the front of his T has a giant Mr. U. I didn't get a picture of that one.