The problem of a Princess
January 3, 2008 10:43 pm
Let me just say flat out….I really HATE (Oh wait. We don’t say that word at our house) …Try again…Disney Princesses are NOT MY FAVORITE.
I have a problem though. I have a princess of a daughter. Do I love it? YES! Do I love that she prances around the house with that dreamy look in her eyes when she hears romantic music, YES! Do I love the way she sings as if she is in the middle of a staged opera, YES! Do I love that dress-ups magically turn her into royalty, YES! Do I love that ANY store I go into we can’t get out of without her begging for that DISNEY princess book display in the front entry, NO!!!!!!!
Why can’t you be a princess anymore without trying to be Belle, or Ariel, or Jasmine or Cinderella? Why???? Why can’t girls just be their OWN kind of princess, instead of being someone with a 16 in waistline with perfectly curled blond hair? (I could keep going, but I won’t). I really love the movies…I mean, Cinderella really is the only cartoon character I know of who can get away with saying “Oh! Killjoy!” upon rising too early. It’s all the merchandise I get annoyed with.
I wasn’t that ‘girly’ of a girl. I pretended “princess” but I also pretended “school” and “mommy”. Addie’s first choice of pretend is Princess. She was BORN with it! And I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT! I just don’t love that most tools that you need to have princess play are dominated by “Disney’s BIG 6″
SO: Addie’s third birthday is on Saturday, and I am trying to come up with a fun party theme that she will just love. As a mother, I just want to give her a princess party. As Sarah, I want to give her a tea party with dolls, or a Dress up party…the good old standards. But, being a good mommy, we are having a PRINCESS party. No Aurora plastic cups, No Belle table cloths…none of that. Just good “kiss the frog” “dance with wands” princess party.
I came up with these invitations in like 5 minutes tonight. I think that I might want to start doing Children’s invites. So much in the kid’s industry right now is dominated by mass marketing…Disney being the front runner. To me, once you get a mass market like that, it just takes all the imagination out of the pretend play. This invite is really simple. But I want to really learn more about Graphic design and layout.
Anyone know how to make a scalloped edge or dotted lines in Photoshop/Illustrator?
So, with that said, I have to share some AWESOME trades that I did for my kid’s Christmas presents. I am telling you…the internet (ETSY being my FAVORITE) is really my answer to keeping my children from narrowing their imaginations to what Disney has to offer. My kid’s FAVORITE toys are the good handmade wooden toys and handmade dolls.
Take a look at what I traded this Christmas with GEMMIE LOU HANDMADE:
Aren’t these so sweet? Addie and Ian play with these for HOURS!!! Handpainted wooden pegs (and BEAUTIFULLY painted nonetheless). I also grabbed these clips too. Can’t get enough of them.
And from Rachel at DARLY BIRD, I traded a few prints for these BLA BLA dolls that I have been eying for a year now.
On Christmas morning, Addie’s eyes grew SO big when she saw “Sheesha” (her Addie-given name). Sheesha hasn’t left her side yet. They are SO soft, handmade in peru…but the simple pattern and colors are my favorite.
Horray for handmade and handcrafted toys! Word from a mother: keep your kids away from the BLING BLING of the kids industry, and let them imagine again. Keep it handmade. Keep it simple. Keep them children.
Any of you mom’s have any fun (non-disney) Princess activities you have tried with your 3 year old princesses? Do share.
Categories: my art, my family, updates
megan-russell :
Date: January 4, 2008 @ 7:40 am
Love your work. When we move, I’m hoping to get some prints for my girls’ room
Not sure what versions of photoshop/illustrator you have. For the dotted line, there is an option on the strokes palette in Illustrator. I think it’s just a box you check for dotted line, and then you can adjust spacing/size. In my old version of photoshop, there was also a strokes palette where you could do the same, but it doesn’t look like they have it in CS3 (which is what i’m on now).
I did find this tutorial on scallops and dotted lines using a standard brush: http://spraguelab.squarespace.com/blog/2007/7/6/photoshop-friday-26-make-a-scalloped-frame.html
I’m sure there are some high-res brushes out there for download that feature that option as well…
Hope that helps!
Sara Tams :
Date: January 4, 2008 @ 8:19 am
My daughter, Emma, (also obsessed with princesses) is turning three next Saturday (1/12), and we’re having a princess tea party as well! I couldn’t agree with you more about Disney merchandise!! I really love all the simple, handmade things on Etsy and similar sites that aren’t associated with any licensed characters!
I’ll be keeping an eye on this post - I really need some fun, simple ideas for tea party activities. So far all I’ve done is made some simple “princess crowns” like the ones Tamar sells in her Etsy shop for the girls to wear at the party:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8352122
Good luck with your party, and I LOVE the invitations!
ej :
Date: January 4, 2008 @ 8:28 am
I am with ya on the Disney saturation these days. For my daughters party I drew a princess on a poster and we played pin the tiara- using a pink sash to cover their eyes, of course. Good luck!
sarah :
Date: January 4, 2008 @ 10:48 am
You should definitely have a princess parade, even if it’s just for the girls’ parents when they come to pick up their child. You can hand those inexpensive bead necklaces out at the party and the girls can color crown templates which you can cut out and assemble for them. You could also buy some pretty rocks at a gem and mineral store or the science center or a good toy shop and do a basic scavenger hunt (think easter egg type hunt) so the girls can find the “jewels.”
Mommy & Daddy K :
Date: January 4, 2008 @ 11:05 am
OKay.. I LOOOOOVE your stuff!!! I so would buy those invitations for my daughters b-day party. And the fact that they are simple makes it even better.
I am with you - I hate the fact that everything is so commercialized with kids. I want my little girl to be able to imagine too.
i'm kelly :
Date: January 4, 2008 @ 3:24 pm
so i don’t have a little girl, and i definitely wasn’t a girly girl, but i totally felt inclined to comment. one, because i am so jealous that you can come up such amazing invites in 5 minutes. (boy i wish i had that kind of talent). second, for the scallop border i’m not sure, but i recently came across a dotted line tutorial, i’ll look for it again. as for the party, i’m sure they will love anything. but your post reminded me of another party a while back.. they did a “glamour” party,
granted the girls were a bit older, but they gave each girl an “up-do”, took photos, decorated a picture frame to put photos in, and age ice cream sandwiches… (here’s the link http://heidiswapp.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/05/quite_the_q_wee.html )
you could do a modified version… just provide the dress-ups, do there make-up and hair. do model shots, and a fashion show & have a little tea party.
Ambyr :
Date: January 4, 2008 @ 11:41 pm
You couldn’t have said it better Sarah! I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks this way! Though I have to say I’m a big Mulan fan =)
Lynette :
Date: January 5, 2008 @ 9:15 am
I couldn’t agree with you more! The older I get the more I find that simplicity in EVERYTHING really is the way to go. Isn’t it true that the cardboard box really is the best part of any toy?
I love your work and admire your courage to GO FOR IT! Oh, the places you’ll go…..
Lorajean :
Date: January 5, 2008 @ 11:19 am
I agree that our children need all the imagination play they can get. Tv and movies creep into oue live to often. I played school and store all the time and a kid and i Loved dress ups.(Wait I still love dress ups just more grown up fashion.) I have to admit that I love the classic Disney princesses, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White. But the merchandise is saturating the stores so much that my 3yr old daughter found a Disney princess Jello packet at the grocery store the other day. Crazy huh? Classic is the way to go for sure. Instead of party hats you could do tall princess cone hats that are hand made. I was thinking of doing that for my “Princess” but to my surprise and joy she asked for a cooking party. Here is the link to her party pictures for more inspiration. http://www.flickr.com/photos/littleloladolls/1219372073/
Anonymous :
Date: January 5, 2008 @ 4:33 pm
Great question about the scallopped edge.
What about this tutorial?
http://digitalscrapbookplace.com/university/tutorials/ps_scallopedshape_bs/ps_scallopedshape_bs.shtml
Doris
Sarah Jane :
Date: January 5, 2008 @ 11:01 pm
thanks girls for all the help! WOW! Great great great ideas! I used most of them….and got great compliments..but don’t worry. I didn’t claim any of them…I just mentioned how much I love blogging and the great new aquaintances I have ! Megan and doris…thanks for the photoshop advice. wow. Didn’t know it was that easy!
Doris :
Date: January 6, 2008 @ 10:47 pm
Ok I am definitely not stalking your website but I couldn’t figured out how to do the dotted line either. I found this link that does the dotted lines it is so easy!
http://www.bittbox.com/photoshop/make-a-dotted-line-in-photoshop/
Thanks for teaching me something!
Doris
Jessica @ A Bushel and a Peck :
Date: January 8, 2008 @ 11:21 am
My 3 y.o. daughter is the same way. I try to avoid the Disney stuff, but the rest of my family and my in-laws just inundate us. I don’t mind the movies, but we have the bedsheets, and pillows and games and legos and its just too much. I am hoping to un-commercialize some of the toys soon. And start over with just generic princess-y stuff so she can make up her own story.
jenlou :
Date: January 14, 2008 @ 10:33 pm
She is so precious in this princess shot! I can not believe those invitations. Here my friend sarah, for all these years, and I am drooling over this site! Coveting her talent in the same way I do when I go to an art gallery or boutique! Obviously you have quite a following. Why dont we live closer to each other?