Minnie Mouse's Dress

I just finished this adorable dress for my 2 y/o daughter who wants to be Minnie Mouse for halloween. After searching for the perfect pattern, I found a tutorial for a pattern-less dress on From An Igloo. Christine has done such a wonderful job in describing the steps and including beautiful pictures, that this dress only took me about 5 hours to cut and sew!



As you can see by her face, she LOVES this dress! I have a feeling this dress will be out on the town before October 31st! <3
The dress bodice front is a beautiful double layer large red and white polka dot with a cotton eyelet lace accent. The bodice back has shirring (yes, I did the shirring myself and you can too!!) and an adorable fake halter tie in a coordinating black mini dot cotton. It actually threads through a small button hole, so no more complaining about the tie on the neck! The skirt is a classic "tube" pattern that is hemed in the coordinating fabric.

For Halloween, I will be adding felt "ears" on barretts and a matching bow, just like Minnie. I will probably also add black leggings or tights if the weather is cool (we will be trick or treating in San Antonio this year and I am not sure of the weather in late October.)

Trick or Treat!!

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The Scoop on Child Seats

Joe came home the other night and proceeded to tell me about a car he saw at a stop-light: mom was driving and there were 3 lil' ones in the back. Only mom had on a seat belt!! The kids weren't even in child seats, let alone a seat belt. He said they were turing around and standing in the seat!! I was livind and asked him if he said anything--he didn't. :(

I do not understand why parents continue to put the lives of their children at risk. There are programs out there that will give you a seat if you cannot afford one. Don't use money as an excuse.

So you have a seat and you are using it properly everytime you put your lil' one in it, right? Well, did you know that the new recommendation is that children remain rear-facing until 2. I was so happy to tell our Pediatrician that we had already planned on keeping Miss Abby RF until she out grew the car seat...oh and did I mention that our seat is approved to 45 pounds RF?! That's right...Miss Abby will remain rear-facing until 45 pounds-ish.

And when she does finally turn forward facing, she will stay in a 5-point harness. No booster...here is a video that shows why:

**Warning: Grab a Kleenex!**

Car accidents are the number one killer of children. Dont let your lil' one be a statistic--stay RF as long as you can, and always use a 5-point harness!!

Test

Abby's Hair: Branched Pony Tails

This is Abby's first "fancy" hair-do...it's a branched pony tail.

Step 1: Make a pony at the front to hold her "bangs"--I find it easier to wet her hair and use a little lght gel to help hold it better. Make this pony lay down.

Step 2: Split that pony and make a 2nd row using half of the first pony in each of the second row.

Step 3: Continue for a 3rd row if her head/hair allows, splitting each pony in the previous row. Row 3 would have 3 ponies.

Step 4: Add bows or clippies to dress it up. We left it as is because we used colored bands and Abby tends to pull on the clippies.

That's it!

Enjoy a fabulous free gift from The Old Schoolhouse®!

Illuminate your Thanksgiving & Christmas holidayswith the help of a special present from a trusted homeschooling friend . . .

Enjoy a fabulous free gift from The Old Schoolhouse®!

Start planning now for a wondrous holiday season with . . .
The TOS 2009 Digital Holiday Supplement

Get ready to . . .
Wrap your family in a ribbon of thankfulness and joy and
season your holiday with laughter, love, and togetherness.
How will you celebrate the holidays this year?

• Family traditions?
• Handcrafted gifts?
• Delightful desserts?
• Memorable moments?
• Joyful feasting?
• Frugal trinkets of love?
• Thankful hospitality?
• Festive home décor?
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• Fun, kid-friendly activities?
• "Why not all of the above?"

This is the perfect “idea book” to get your family ready for the upcoming holidays!
The staff and friends of The Old Schoolhouse® have come together to share their favorite family traditions, recipes, and more with you.

Solarveil Ring Slings

I am excited to announce that I will be stocking Blue Solarveil Ring Slings in July. I have a limited quantity, so if you are interested, please contact me.

Solarveil is a lightweight fabric that is breathable and facilitates good airflow during those hot summer months. Solarveil dries fast, so it is a perfect choice for a water sling - fresh or chlorinated water.

My ring slings have a fan fold shoulder that fits comfortably over your shoulder cap. This allows the weight of your child to be distributed over your back, and NOT your neck.

Solarveil was discontinued due to high manufacturing costs.