Coffee and a smile

I've entered the world of amigurumi. Say it with me: Ahh-mee-gah-ru-mee.

Roll it around in your mouth. It feels as good as it looks: tiny animals, anthropomorphic objects, all with a smile and those big, doughy eyes you could get lost in.

Take this tiny cup of coffee, for example.  No bigger than a chicken egg, it's now sitting on a skinny shelf in my den, smiling at me while I watch crime dramas and crochet other adorable items.

I checked out basically every book of amigurumi I could get my hands on at the Seattle Public Library.  One of them talks about the the cultural phenomenon of amigurumi and kawaii (cuteness) showing up in Japanese culture after the war, when things were sad and defeatist. In order to bring joy to the working men and women stuck in windowless cubicles the cult of cuteness was born.

A quick web search and I can't find any information that substantiates that historical perspective. And yet, I think we could all use a little cute now and then.