First Sewing Lesson...

Today I gave my two older girls their first sewing lesson.  With a sewing machine, that is.  They made themselves skirts.  They were ecstatic!  We picked out fabric a few days ago and they had been begging ever since to start.  With a busy weekend I just couldn't fit it in, but today I could!  And it's a good thing I waited til today because they didn't want to put it down.  We finished both of their skirts in one session!  Yep, 3 1/2 hours!  Whew!  Now that is one heck of a home economics class!

The first time using an iron:

Cutting out her skirt:

Pinning the seams:

Sewing the seams together:

First french seams!

Inserting the elastic in the casing:

Here is what the littlest one was up to while we were sewing up a storm. Too funny!

Almost done!

Still working on her elastic:

 All finished!  They were so proud!  

Ballerina moves always complete any fun experience.

It was truly a wonderful time for everyone.  They learned patience and how to focus on every little detail.  Katie was sighing and rubbing her eyes near the end.  She said, "Sewing makes me tired."  Lol.   I think she was concentrating very hard on it.  She pretty much sewed her skirt entirely by herself.  I was just standing there correcting little things here and there.  Ava needed more help and by the end she was just sitting on my lap and letting me do everything but the pedal.  

So glad we did this!  Totally worth all the time.  :)

Betsy McCall Paper Dolls...

I had the idea yesterday to look online for some paper dolls I could cut out for Katie.  I just wanted free printouts because I didn't want to spend money on something she wouldn't enjoy.  Anyway, I looked online for about two hours and I found these!  Betsy McCall paper dolls!  They are so CUTE!  They were printed monthly in McCall's Magazine from 1951 through the 1990s.  There are literally hundreds of dresses and dolls to cut out.  The design changed several times but I am in love with the first designs from the 50s.  On the website above you can print them all out for free!

I printed the first one out for my daughter, Katie, yesterday and she just loves it!  I am so excited she does!  She wants me to make her a bed and a closet to hang all of her clothes in.  I'm not sure about the closet but I might make a "dresser" out of shoe box for her.  

She has never heard of or seen paper dolls before as far as I know and she couldn't believe there was such a thing!  I love introducing her to new things.  All the searching online was worth finding these!

My budding artist...

Recently I have been discovering how artistically inclined my oldest daughter is.  Homeschooling has really opened my eyes to how she learns and what her strengths and weaknesses are.  I have started her with Sonlight Curriculum, which I love because of how mapped out everything is for the teacher (me), but she is not thriving with it because it is very language oriented and she is very visually oriented.  So I've shifted my focus in her schooling to incorporate more visual activities (drawing, painting, photography, picture books, etc.).  Since I have spent more time with her visual side her creativity has just blossomed!  Here are some paintings she made this afternoon that I just LOVE!  They are so colorful and creative!  Can you tell what's on her mind?  She can't stop talking about Santa Claus and Christmas and snow.  She can't wait for the holidays to get here!

Here is a snowman:

Here is another snowman with large snowflakes falling:

Here is a picture of Katie and Ava playing in the snow together and holding hands:

Oh so sweet!