Ever played 'house' or 'dress-up'?  What about creating an animal world with molding clay or sock puppets?  Remember the cardboard box that became your play structure for hours on end or until the box fell apart?  Using my colorful imagination to sip tea with a few favorite plush friends was my world for countless hours.  A quiet, snowy Sunday afternoon took me away today, just like it did back then, to a time when reality took a back seat to playtime except now I'm playing with the computer instead of sipping tea!  Our favourite childhood pastimes stay with us forever---what were yours?  Here's my artwork and hope it triggers some happy childhood memories.....     The quote is from Marilyn Monroe.                             -chameleon

This piece is beautiful, Chameleon!  I was just emailing someone about some childhood memories.  How synchronistic!

Blessings,
Kim

I am thrilled that the artwork sparked a recollection, Kim, and that you liked it.  We definitely must have been on the same page at the same time - although we live miles apart!  I'm hoping that members will contribute some of their curious, imaginative, creative stories with us.  Let your imagination run wild ----

"There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child.  There are seven million."  ~Walt Streightiff

- chameleon

I love this quote, Chameleon.  I have been working to recapture my childhood awe of the world around me.  I think it has come back.   

chameleon:

"There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child.  There are seven million."  ~Walt Streightiff

- chameleon

Hi chameleon! Thanks for creating that beautiful work! Posts like this get my Inner Child to come out and P-L-A-Y and I love my "Little Mary." She's much more fun than adult Mary. However, adult Mary is taking care of that! You prompted me to take out my childhood artwork, like homemade cards and such. I'm tempted to scan some of them because they have that real childlike essence that you also captured in your post. So thank you!

 I love this, Chameleon!

Makes me remember sitting under the pine trees with my cousin, Betsy, playing dolls.  Every so often we traded doll clothes, and then in a fit of regret and late appreciation, we would trade them back!

And yes, it really IS all make believe - and fun to remember that, too!

Thanks for sharing this bit of delight and whimsy with us!

KateSinging 

What great memories you've shared with us, Kim, Mary and KateSinging!  I've been sorting, washing, and repairing stuffed toys and others for my little grandson to enjoy when he's a bit older. Being my first grandchild, this is all such an overwhelmingly wonderful experience.  We learn from the past, and I wanted to be able to have lots of toys for my grandchildren (notice 'children') when they came to visit.  With doing all this sorting and what-not, alot of my childhood experiences have surfaced, as well as raising my own two sons (who are now 25 and 29). 

Between the two boys, they have GI-Joes, Star Wars, Transformers, Masters of the Universe, Lego, building blocks, Tinkertoy, and lots, lots more!  No, I didn't save everything but looking at it now, I wonder what exactly I did not keep!  Oh, I came across a sock monkey that I had made for my oldest son that looks like he's been in the jungle for a very long time (let's just say he's a little ragged around the edges), and my other son's stuffed dinosaur that he used to shake and shake it's neck so that now it just falls because the stuffing has deteriorated.  Ah well, it's great to reminisce, friends.

- chameleon