Lilly's Birthday Gift

I have been trying to figure out what to get Lilly for her birthday. She doesn't need anything. We don't need any more crap in our house. For their party with friends, we are not having gifts. Instead, we are collecting money for a water filtration system for Haiti. They need to learn that it is not about the gifts. They were not happy about it (maybe still not), but it is a lesson that we all need to learn.
Claire and Coco are getting her earrings. Jim wants to get her the game Mousetrap. I decided to make her some clothes for her hard-to-fit doll. We bought these dolls for the girls in 2007.I got them off Etsy from Jill Zurzolo. She was living in Japan at the time and started making dolls. I emailed her pictures of the girls, along with a description of their personalities, and she created these awesome dolls. The girls love them. I have had to "fix the hair" on these girls many times due to the sleeping with them in bed, playing and adventures.
They are custom dolls, so they are custom sized. Commercial clothes don't work. So, these girls are either in their cute dresses they arrived in or naked. Poor girls....
In comes my brainstorm.
I purchased a dress pattern from Avery Lane also on etsy, downloaded a free pants pattern online, and got started. Oh, I also ordered a sweater off of etsy, but it will not get here by tomorrow. Surprise mail is always a treat though.


Claire's doll decided she would help model. I made a total of 3 dresses, 3 pairs of pants, and 2 jackets. I suppose I will be duplicating this work next month for Claire's doll, but they go really fast. Including cutting, it took about 5 hours. It will go even faster next time because my serger will be fixed. I straight and zig zaged each seam because my serger is on the fritz.

Notice my new logo side tag in the seam of this dress? Isn't it cute? turtledove is the name I have chosen for all of the kids stuff I do. It is often the name I call the girls.

Each dress has matching pants. Can't see them in this one, but they show in the picture of Claire's doll.

Anyway, I am very satisfied with my most recent project. I am putting it all in a little case so she can take her doll and the wardrobe wherever she wants. I sure hope she is as impressed with it as I am.

Teacher Appreciation Week

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week. I know I probably should have put these ideas up before tonight, but I just put the finishing touches on them this evening. Teach girl will bring their teacher one gift each day this week. We LOVE our teachers do doing something like this for them is a lot of fun for all of us.

Monday:

You are a lifesaver! Thank you for teaching me so much this year!

Hobby Lobby had their glass containers 50% off. We filled them with individually wrapped lifesavers so the teacher can use them as treats for the class if they want.

The printable for the top is available from eighteen 25.

Tuesday:

You really measure up! Thanks for making this year great!

Measuring cups and spoons. Our Meijer had these for $5 for the whole set!

I have seen this several places, but I know it is shown on Smile Monsters.
Wednesday:

You deserve a hand!

These are cut outs of the girls' hands holding a small hand lotion.

This was actually a Valentines Day gift idea from Baltimore Mommies.
Thursday:

Teacher survival kit.

This is filled with paper clips, binder clips, post it notes, candy, thumb tacks, etc...

The idea for this wonderful gift came from one of my favorite blogs eighteen 25.
Friday:

Thanks for helping me bloom!

This idea and free template is from Skip to My Lou.
Hopefully you will still have some time to work in some of these ideas this year.

A special "Thanks" to all of the teachers out there. You are appreciated.