Comments on: Giving Scaredy New Reasons to Fear: A Gingerbread House Extravaganza (With Some Shrinky Dinks for Spice!)

By: Elizabeth Bird

Elizabeth Bird — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 01:09:05 +0000

Clearly there is an underground Sumo ornament movement of which I was previously unaware. I can only stand pleased that now I am counted amongst the ranks.

By: Brooke Shirts

Brooke Shirts — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 05:10:04 +0000

Can I freely admit that I also have a sumo wrestler on my Christmas tree? He’s made of sculpey and wears a red Christmas hat. I made Sumo Santa as a gift for my husband when we were first dating. So glad to see that I’m not alone in my holiday sumo-ness.

By: Sondy

Sondy — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 22:18:40 +0000

Oh, your Little Bird is so sweet! You clearly have not been posting enough adorable pictures of her, so we wouldn’t be so shocked at how enormous she is! I still think of her as just born! Oops!

You have found the MAGIC KEY to gingerbread houses — get someone else to do it! My mother-in-law used to send us kits every year, ostensibly to be nice, but I had my doubts. Usually I got my husband to build one with the boys. On the times when I succumbed, I ended up pretty frustrated! It helps to not be a perfectionist — and to be a decent artist. Getting an artist to do it was a perfect idea!

By: Monica Edinger

Monica Edinger — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 20:15:34 +0000

Wow, I’m so impressed with yours and those you link too. Ours was rather a disaster due to watery icing (and possibly due to children being more interested in eating than in building:).

By: DeAnn O

DeAnn O — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 00:11:06 +0000

This is awesome. I want to make one now.

I tell my daughter all the time to stop growing. She said she would hit 5 and stay 5. Now that she is 5, she claims she will stop at 7. I am not so sure this will work, but it helps me a bit. Anyhow, I suppose we can’t stop feeding them.

Your tree rocks!

By: Jeannie B.

Jeannie B. — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 23:02:02 +0000

Betsy, you made my day, too. (Hi, Matt.) And I’m thinking that Matt’s little person hanging on your tree looks sort of like the real little person you have living in your home. In terms of sheer adorableness at the very least.

By: Carl in Charlotte

Carl in Charlotte — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 19:42:07 +0000

Forget it. It doesn’t work. They keep growing, no matter what you do. We’ve got one that’s about to turn twelve and the preteen earthquakes are already happening. If we could have stopped growth, we would have done it when she was seven and a perfect human being. You want a tip? OK–here’s one: teach her all you can NOW and chances are better than average that she’ll revert back to human form after the teen years are done.

By: Elizabeth Bird

Elizabeth Bird — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 18:58:05 +0000

Thank you! Not entirely certainly how the bigness happened. I suspect she’s been doing something crazy like “eating” and the like. Will have to put a stop to all future growth soon. Tips are welcome.

By: Kelly Ramsdell Fineman

Kelly Ramsdell Fineman — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 18:49:57 +0000

What a great party – and what phenomenal ornaments! *has ornament envy*

Your little one is adorable! (But Betsy, when did she get so big?)

By: tanita

tanita — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 18:23:59 +0000

How FUN! I still want to do that Shrinky Dinks thing sometime. I mean, if you can’t have a tiny sumo wrestler IT ‘TIS NOT THE SEASON.

Oh, the ADORBS with the Wee Oiseau! Gosh, she’s big.