artsy fartsy,  the great illness of 06

Meet Sludgie*, the Gallbladder Pillow

November 14, 2006 /

I’m working on a little something something for those of you who participated in my “help-me-entertain-my-baby-while-I-die-of-gallbladder-pain” contest. I thought it might be fun to make gallbladder pillows/Christmas ornaments as a prize. Doesn’t everyone want to hang a little green gallbladder with googlie eyes on their Christmas tree? At least those of us in the no-gallbladder club will appreciate it since we’ve evicted our own gallbladders (Thanks to my friend Kate for that reference.  She called me up pretending to be my gallbladder contesting her eviction.)

My problem is that there are too many of you who had good ideas that I actually used. Measuring spoons in a box! Junk mail! Toys all over the floor! I used them all. I wanted to make all 31 of the participants a gallbladder pillow but it took me TWO hours to make just this one. Mostly because I was sewing it at my Aunt’s shop and I spent most of the time yapping. But what else is new? I love hanging out with my Aunt in her sewing shop.

Yesterday I was super anxious the whole time because I left Baby Bug at her Aunt Becky’s house and I kept imagining her crying because she missed me. I’m sure in reality she was fine and didn’t miss me a bit because she loves her Auntie Becky but trying to get that through my thick skull is impossible. Because I was such a worry wart and I had to get back to Becky’s so she could play taxi and pick up her own kids from school, I only had time to sew one gallbladder pillow. The pinking around the edges took a lot more effort than I planned on (the felt is wool and quite resistant to cutting). So I hope everybody who participated is patient (and likes Sludgie the Gallbladder) because it might take me a while. OR I might just think up a different prize.

*Stuffed toy not recommended for children under three. Unless you are like me with an eagle eye watching your little kid because it is possible for little babies to pry off the glued on eyeballs with their wiggly little fingers and eat them.

15 Comments

  • BeachMama

    November 14, 2006 at 11:11 am

    That is one cute gallbladder pillow and calling him ‘Sludgie’ is just as fun! You are just so creative and it sounds like you had a great time with your Aunt in her sewing shop, it won’t matter if you ever make another one.

  • Bethany

    November 14, 2006 at 4:50 pm

    Best. Ornament. Ever.

    SAJ, you rock! I would totally love a Sludgie for my mom, who had her gallbladder removed a few years ago. I would also love a Lumpy Cat, but unfortunately I wasn’t introduced to your blog till after they’d all been adopted. Someday, maybe. :-) So glad all the advice was helpful to you!

  • Gramma

    November 14, 2006 at 5:15 pm

    What a great idea…your gallbladder doesn’t have to be felt, a nice satin or taffeta might be better to work on. Then you could sew on eyes. You are an enterprising young lady

  • Kedge

    November 14, 2006 at 7:27 pm

    Oops. I should have helped you sew! I was so programmed into my work load it didn’t occur to me to put it aside for just two hours. Duh.

  • Texas T-bone

    November 14, 2006 at 8:40 pm

    That is too cool. Hope you have time to eventually sew all depictions of all the internal human organs, also giving them hilarious names.

    If you do that, you can use the collection to distract the bug. :-)

  • Daisy Mae

    November 15, 2006 at 5:08 am

    What a cool idea! Reminds me of Fudgie the Whale from Carvel ice cream, back in the 80’s. Only this is Sludgie the Gallbladder and doesn’t taste nearly as good as Fudgie did. LOL

  • Clownfish

    November 15, 2006 at 10:11 am

    Not only is the gallbladder pillow cool, I’m sure it’s very rare. hehe I’m with Daisy Mae, Carvel is the first thing I thought of when I read Sludgie. Hey, you already have the pattern, how about a Sludgie Cake? Have us all over for a slice. hahaha Sounds funny but the thought of it starts to weird me out. hahaha

  • aunt kathy

    November 15, 2006 at 3:53 pm

    Very good idea since it will remind the recipient of your gallbladder every time she/he sees it! (Isn’t that what you want? Just kidding). Really, they are a reallly cute novelty gift. I really use the word really a really awful lot. Sorry. Really I am. Also take kedj up on the offer to help…you’ll get them done in no time at all.