I have observed that my best friend's daughter Kyra likes to dress up. Anytime she and Violet are together the event is a back and forth extravaganza of the naked/not-naked game. I have also observed that children's dress-up apparel is expensive, poorly constructed and sized specifically for children of an alien race. Finally, I have observed that I have a modicum of skill with a sewing machine and the free time necessary to comb the thrift stores for raw materials. So, this year I am busy creating the most fantastic, trunk full of fancy dress clothes that Kyra's mother will ever have occasion to lay her eyes on. Was that a bit much? My past gifts for Kyra have received so much praise for creativity and originality that I am kind of addicted to the pursuit of the next best gift. Of course, the gifts are also super cheap (sometimes free), which I have a reallly hard time NOT bragging about. For Kyra's 3rd birthday I gave her a storybook starring herself that I made on Shutterfly. It was FREE. I made Kyra's baby brother funny newborn onesies, using iron on transfers. But, I digress...
Here is Violet modeling the recycled t-shirt rag boa that I made using a pattern from the book
Alabama Stitch. A kid size boa takes two XL t-shirts to make. An adult version takes four. Violet's lovely skirt was fashioned from a
peignoir that I found at my favorite thrift store. Most of the items that will go into Kyra's gift didn't need to be altered at all. I found quite a few very small adult blouses that make great play dresses. I also stalked the post-Halloween sale racks for cheap buys, because every little girl needs a purple fright wig. I cannot wait for Kyra to open her gift, so that I can hear her mother tell me again how good I am at giving gifts! Hey, 'tis better to give than to receive, right?
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This week's
PBN Blog Blast was sponsored by
Klutz Books.
