Squishy Turtle and Friends

This is about a craft project in progress - but one with a story behind it.

I am quite sure I know when I started collecting turtles - I was living in Japan as an exchange student and had gone on a school trip. We were staying along the coast near a lighthouse one night, and the gift shop had these teeny tiny carved turtles made out of shell. White and purple, and no bigger than the tip of my pinky. I bought two - one to keep, and one that I gave to a friend.

Soon after I returned home, my mother found a wooden carved turtle - nearly identical in style to my tiny one - and about the size of the palm of my hand. And so the turtle collection began. When I returned to Japan, I added a soapstone one from Hong Kong, a jade one from a friend's visit to China, a bamboo one from another trip in Japan (that one comes apart and is all tiny spinning tops), ceramic ones, an incense burner - my rule was that they all had to be different and from that area (hence why I don't have an Austrian Crystal one yet - I have never been to Austria!).

When my son was born, on our first trip with him, we visited my brother and his family, and my sister-in-law and I made our annual trek to Filene's Basement and Marshalls (leaving the baby at home with the boys!). Squishy Turtle and Friends came home with us that day -and ended up being a favorite book for both baby and mommy.

Fast forward two years - and my neighbor is expecting her first child (tomorrow is her due date!) - so I decided to find a copy of Squishy Turtle and Friends for our neighbor-to-be. An over-the-back-fence-chat later, and come to find out my neighbor is a fan of turtles as well.

stay tuned for part 2 of the turtle saga - in which the Matriarchal Sister gets involved - and a peek at what all this turtle talk inspired me to create...