ABC Hardware Crafts for Dolls...

       Below are links to our doll-sized hardware according to the alphabet. Many of these things have already been made and many more of them will soon be added in the near future.

A is for Axe, Allen wrench and Anvil

B is for Bucket for general maintenance and cleanliness  and bellows and block and tackle

C is for Can for watering your doll's garden  and cans for collecting garbage here.

D is for Door Hardware Printable and How to Craft movable dollhouse doors...

E is for Electronics found in the technology for dolls index here. and E is also for Extinguisher for fires here.

F is for Feather dusters for swushing away grime... and also for flash lights made from golf tees found here.

G is for Garden equipment and workbench... and glue gun/glue

H is for Hammer and nails, hoe, handsaw, hangers and hex wrench . . .

I is for Ice scraper for the dolly's car in winter and "I" is also for Iron and Ironing Board.

J is for J ?

K is for Keyboard used with a computer, knee pads, knife and kitchen tools.

L is for Laundry detergents, and cleansing agents for taking care of dirty clothes and cleaning the dollhouse at large..., ladder, lantern and level

M is for Mop for absorbing water and mess, measuring tape, mallet and monkey wrench

N is for Needle-nose pliers

O is for Outdoor grill for barbecue here.

P is for Paint cans, brushes and other supplies to keep walls clean, fresh and pretty. Plus patio chairs and table here made from Popsicle sticks, Clothespins and Plastic.  Handy "P" Hand-Tools Include: Phillips screwdriver, plane, pickaxe, pliers, pruning shears, putty knife and pitchfork for now.

Q is for Q ?

R is for Ruler, rope etc . . .

S is for Sponges and scrub brushes and more. More "S" hardware includes: saw, safety glasses, shovel, spade, sand paper, squeegee, screwdriver and stapler.

T is for Toolbox for home improvement. More "T" hardware also includes: torch, tongs, tiller, trowel, and tape rolls.

U is for Utility cabinet for storing cleaning supplies

V is for V ?

W is for Windows made from cardboard frames and Printable versions: Stained glass windows for houses in color, for church school pictures in color, for a doll's Christian church in color, and for a garden view in color, garden views framed with mullions and for coloring to look the way you like listed here.  and W is for old-fashioned Washboards.

X is for X ?

Y is for Yard and lawn care tools and yardstick.

Z is for Z ?

ABC Tools for kids:

• A to Z Tools For Kids! - Make some of these for your doll's toolshed, garage or work shop!
  

DIY a Gondola Palm Tree

Woven palm leaf totes hang on a gondola palm tree
display for our Maui general store.

       I discovered a strange plastic palm tree with fairy lights inside of it at the local dollar store. Although it looked like something any child would love, I decided to alter it anyway for the Maui General Store. This is a method anyone can use to upcycle inexpensive items into things that can look a bit more sophisticated when refinished for your doll interiors.

        This palm tree will be used to display hanging merchandise like woven palm totes or perhaps even bagged foods in the future like macadamia snacks or even Hawaiian themed key chains or poco shell necklaces. Many things would look cute hanging from the skewer style hooks.

Left, the gondola palm display from above. Right, the display without tote bags.

Supply List:

• tall, narrow plastic container for the trunk of the palm tree
• flimsy cardboard for the palm leaves (if you need to make these)
• masking tape
• wooden skewers 
• tiny beads that fit onto the ends of the skewers (optional)
• a nail to make holes in the plastic trunk form
• gravel to weight the bottom of the container
• acrylic browns and greens to paint the gondola
• Mod Podge
• white school glue
• brown paper bags

Left is the masking tape covered palm trunk. Center now the plastic palm branches have been
covered with masking tape too. The palm shape as seen from above.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Before masking the forms, remove all of the fairy lights. 
2. Then fill the bottom of the tube approximately 2 to 3 inches up with gravel to weight the gondola and keep it steady once things are displayed on its 'hooks.' 
3. Use a nail and pressure to make holes into the plastic for skewers to be pushed through. See photos below. Put the holes where ever necessary to display merchandise.
4. Use small pliers to clip off the skewers to a predetermined length once these have been secured inside of the bottle. 
5. Now mask the palm trunk and also secure the skewers in place with the tape as you work your way around the trunk.
6. Glue on the beads to each skewer's end using white glue to attach in place. Let dry.
7. Attach the palm branches at the top using tape.
8. With glue and brown paper bags cover most of the tree gondola about 90 percent. 
9. Fill in and cover the trunk with brown paint. Then dry brush the surface using a lighter shade of brown paint.
10. Cover the palms with a dark green paint. Dry brush a second layer with a lighter shade of green.
11. Mod Podge for a finishing coat. Let dry.

Before masking the forms, remove all of the fairy lights. Then fill the bottom of the tube approx.
2 to 3 inches up with gravel to weight the gondola and keep it steady once things are displayed
on its 'hooks.' Use a nail and pressure to make holes into the plastic for skewers to be pushed
through. 

All the Days of August . . .

       There are so many days to recognize during this month of August, click links to find the posts that match up with content celebrating the day in the listing. The days listed here are by no means the only ones celebrated worldwide. I've simply included topics/subject matter that students in United States elementary schools may be familiar with. Not every day in August will have a link to a craft here as of yet; I will add these links over time.

1.) Homemade pie day is August 1st - pie crafts thus far: pumpkin made from clay, pecan, paper mache fruit pies

2.) August 2nd is the National Coloring Book Day - To celebrate, a coloring book for your dolls. 

3.) National Watermelon Day is August 3rd  - So, craft a sweet watermelon salad for your dolls to eat! 

4.) National Friendship Day is August 4th - make friendship bracelets for your dolls and also a miniature globe to study friends from around world!

5.) National Oyster Day - Craft oysters on the half-shell for a doll party

6.) National Root Beer Float Day is August 6th and it is also National Fresh Breath Day so we made doll toothbrushes and root beer floats and it is Farmworker Appreciation Day - a Summer's worth of farm appreciation here for farm camp...

7.) National Beach Party Day - make swimsuits and beach balls and surf boards

8.) International Cat Day on the 8th of August - Craft scratching posts for your doll's cat today.

9.) International Day of the World's Indigenous People is August 9th

10.) August 10 is World Lion Day

11.) National Bowling Day is August 11th - Craft a bowling alley and everything that goes with it!

12.) August 12th is World Elephant Day

13.) World Calligraphy Day

14.) World Lizard Day and National Creamsicle Day

15.) International Relaxation Day on the 15th of August - Make a hammock to relax in! and National Back To School Prep Day  - Back to school craft index here for dolls.

16.) Tell a Joke Day

17.) National Thrift Shop Day and National I Love My Feet Day - Craft doll flip flops for happy feet! and National Honey Bee Day - The Bee-havior or Bees

18.) National Fajita Day

19.) World Humanitarian Day is August 19th 

20.) International Lemonade Day is the 20th of August -  To celebrate you can make a citrus juicer. The 20th is also National Bacon Lovers Day

21.) National Spumoni Day - how to assemble Spumoni sodas for dolls

22.) Eat a Peach Day - sculpt a set of peaches and Tooth Fairy Recognition Day

23.) Free The People Day! (For abolitionists across the world.) 

24.) On Vesuvius Day, August 24, We made toy volcanos for our doll science lab. (coming soon) and  Remember Strange Music Today!

25.) National Secondhand Wardrobe Day and Remember the Banana Split Day

26.) The 26th of August is Dog Day - Read our dog posts for doll pets here. Remember to appreciate toilet paper today by recycling all of those cardboard toilet paper rolls: - Read about our popular recycling toilet paper roll crafts at this blog... toilet paper cardboard tubes

27.) On the 27th it is a Day to Remember Bananas  - make some for your dolls

28.) This day is also the day to celebrate bow ties! 

29.) Chop Suey Remembrance Day!

30.) Slinky Toy Day, Frankenstein Day, and National Toasted Marshmallow Day - smores craft

31.) Eat Outside Day! - Make a picnic in the park for your dolls.

Elementary school children may also celebrate general monthly themes of August that include: Back-to-School, National Wellness, National Dog Month, Family Fun In The Sun, and it is also a month with many awareness initiatives.

Practice Quilting With Cheater Quilts

Breezy and cheerful, a Summer light weight
cheater quilt for a Barbie bed.

        Little hands can learn to quilt easier with cheater quilts! Cheater quilts are printed designs, often in a geometric pattern with areas of print that look as though they are pieced together. Piecing may become frustrating for beginners because they must cut and measure, trace and assemble; in other words, a novice sewer must accomplish many more basic steps in order to finish a quilt before experiencing the satisfaction of his or her end product. But with a cheater quilt, those steps are narrowed down to learning the straight stitch and binding the edges only.

       There are many cheater quilts sold in second-hand markets for young sewers to acquire online these days. Make sure to purchase one that has miniature geometric patterns so that the quilt will be to scale for your doll's house bedroom. This is not impossible to find, folks who sell fabric for cheater quilts are familiar with the request; little girls have been making dollhouse quilts for their own dolls forever! The quickest way to see if a printed cheater quilt has the right proportions is to view it with a coin or ring in the picture online. The smaller the printed piecework, the better scale for a doll.

       You may wish to layer the quilt top along with a thin piece of felt instead of cotton batting sheeting. Dolls don't need real warmth at night after all, just pretend warmth. Felt is far less expensive for young people to purchase and if thin, it is easier for a needle to pass through when layered together with one or two other fabrics. 

       When teaching a younger child, I have them practice with only two layers of fabric for their first doll quilt. It is quicker for them to stitch through and attaching the third layer to the bottom while binding all of the layers together with a ribbon will conceal any flaws that may be obviously seen on the underside of the quilt. It is more important for young sewers to feel proud after a first attempt, than to worry over inconsistency. With practice, their work will improve. In the mean time, their doll will have a new blanket to snuggle beneath that is made by a very young enthusiastic parent. 

• Quick baby quilt using a cheater print by Amy Smart
• How to make a cheats patchwork quilt by Laurens Top tips

The Adventures of A Paper Doll

"She was cut out by circumstances."

The Adventures of a Paper Doll

by Wallace Irwin (pictures and poem)

Elvira was ethereal,

A paper dolly sweet.

Her head of thin material

Was lighter than her feet.

She was cut out by circumstances

For wild adventures and romances.

One day when she was going forth

A-tremble at each breath

A jaggly viper, showing forth,

Alarmed her half to death.

(This snake by paper folk is hated,

For to the bookworm he's related.)

"A paper man appeared."

But lo! with great velocity

A paper man appeared.

"Shoo, serpentine monstrosity!"

Unto the snake he sneered.

Whereat the snake withdrew politely

And left Elvira fainting whitely.

"Elope with me, Elvira dear,

And shun your father wroth.

I am your stanch admirer, dear,

And on yon tablecloth

My merry paper bark is floating

Inviting us to go a-boating."

"A paper fish, paivorous, yawned from the vastly deep"

So spake the man. And sure enough
The boat with great dispatch
Displayed its sail, secure enough
Upon a parlor match.
(I hope you'll note some indication
Of talent in my illustration.)

But when they sailed - oh, shiver us!
My drawing makes me creep-
A paper fish, papivorous,
Yawned from the vasty deep,
And would have eaten sweet Elvira
Had not her strenuous admirer

"Then to the fish he touched the tinder."

Removed the mast so curious,

And with a sudden scratch

Inflamed the end sul-furious,

Igniting of the match;

Then to the fish he touched the tinder,

And soon reduced him to a cinder.

But when their boat had landed them 
Upon the pleasant shore,
Elvira's pa commanded them
To part forevermore.
And, to discourage the intruder,
Upon a postage stamp he glued 'er.

"Upon a postage stamp he glued 'er"

"O Percival, come tear me off!"
 The lady made her wail,
 "For should the postman bear me off, 
And chuck me in the mail 
(Such fate, indeed, a shame and scoff is), 
I'd go to the dead letter office!"

 The paper man seized hold of her 
And ripped and pulled at length, 
Tight-straining every fold of her 
With all his paper strength, 
So bent on his gigantic trouble 
His arms and legs were twisted double.

"Our hero's perseverance has marred his tailor-made
appearance.

"Alas! I feel beside myself!"

Elvira cried in fear.

(I own I rather pride myself

Upon my drawing here,

Wherein our hero's perseverance

Has marred his tailor-made appearance.)

"Oh, haste and save your gown before

I's spoiled!" the man did cry;

And so they laid them down before

a flatiron passing by,

Which slid across their bodies crumpled

And left them faint-but quite unrumpled.

"The while the paper peasantry danced on with lightsome toe."

They sought her father tearfully

Forgiveness to implore,

Who answered rather cheerfully,

"My goodness, what a bore!

Though paper money I prefer, son,

You seem  a capable young person."

So soon, with song and pleasantry,,

They tied the marriage bow,

The while the paper peasantry

Danced on the lightsome toe,

An altruistic glamour shedding

Upon the gorgeous paper wedding.

Craft your own Barbie hospital room . . .

This hospital room constructed inside of a binder is large enough to provide for two
11 1/2 inch dolls hospital stay although much smaller dolls occupy it now.
Each doll has a spacious bed, a bookcase with a tiny desk and a window.

       Carry this binder anywhere to set up a hospital playset for Barbie and her friends. When you are finished playing simply fold it back up and store it on your bookshelf. The bed cushions and linens must be stored separately in a shoebox along with the dolls.

Supply List:

• one large binder
• solid colored scrapbook papers
• masking tape
• white school glue
• scrap corrugated cardboard
• solid color or white fabric for bed mattress and cushions
• fuzzy fabric or white terry cloths for blankets
• one wooden paint stirring stick from hardware store
• one bag of fiberfill or foam for mattresses and pillows

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Choose a sturdy, large binder to work with so that the walls may support whatever you wish to attach to these. I chose to include two beds and two sets of shelves and two windows to my own version. When the hospital is stored away, everything folds up neatly inside of the binder. My binder was at one time used to protect a large folio. It has both velcro to keep it tightly shut and also a convenient handle.
2. Cut and glue in the cardboard shelves and folding, platform beds. The beds should fold up against the walls when not in use. Each bed should also have a folding foot board at the end in order to prop them approximately one inch above the floor. Once I add the mattresses the beds will be much taller. Make sure to cut the corrugated cardboard for the platform beds where the internet grooves run horizontal wise to that the bed rail ends may be pasted inside of the grooves. If you don't do this it is okay but the rails may not appear as seamless in the end. 
3. I also glued a small desk near the bottom of each shelving unit and covered this section with wood looking paper. The small desk is for the doctor to set his or her laptop on while typing in notes and prescriptions during patient consultations. The upper shelves are used to store general supplies that each patient may need like: tissues, soap, eye glasses, books etc...
4. Paste in the wall papers before the windows. You can see that I used a bit of tape below to show where the windows would go prior to decoupaging the walls in the photos below.
5. I cut 'views' from the hospital windows from a magazine and pasted these behind the frames before permanently attaching them to the walls. You might prefer to use a 'cityscape' for your own version of a hospital. I grew up in a rural area so I chose a peaceful landscape the dolls might admire during a hospital procedure.
6. Position and glue in window frames. Let dry with the binder laying on it's back.
7. To make the privacy curtain, accordion fold a large piece of durable paper cut to size and glue this to the narrow wall space between the beds. The curtain may be pulled out between patient's beds when one or both are sleeping or if the doctor needs to examine a doll patient prior to surgery.
8. Glue a paint stirring stick to the end of the accordion curtain so that it may be caught in the carpet fibers to hold it open during play. This will also keep the paper curtain sturdy and upright and hopefully from tearing too much over time.
9. Cut mattresses from solid colored fabrics or white to fit the platform beds and stuff these with fiberfill. 
10. Make also two pillows from the identical materials.
11. Cut a blanket for each patient from the terry cloth. 
12. Don't forget to secure a small hook for a clipboard at the end of each bed for the doctor's and nurses to keep track of each patients medical procedures!

What the hospital room looked like prior to decoupage. It all folds up neatly into this
 recycled cardboard binder. It can be filed into a bookcase! See also our binder for 
printable paper dolls here.

• Love Family Doll Show shows how she made a hidden doll bedroom with a binder here . . . 
• Medical Accessories by Lena Wiese for small dolls
• Diy Projex makes realistic hospital items for standard dolls

I've cut and pasted the bed frames and bookcases to fit exactly inside of the binder.
Read about the day-in-a-life of a Red Cross nurse paper doll here.

• Medical Mash Ups by MyFroggyStuff
• Barbie Miniatures for a Doctor by Ez DIY

Left, the binder on it's side, see handle. Right, pastel mint green papers cover the walls and 
white paper covers the 'drop down' beds and bookcases.

Foam covered mattresses, hospital blankets and foam pillows for each bed.

See how the accordion folded paper room divider can be extended to give each patient
 a bit of privacy while the doctor examines them.

The Barbie hospital rooms are ready for new patients!

DIY a Spinning Scratch Ball for Bunnies or Cats

Furry and fun pets for dolls can use this simple homemade toy to scratch and nuzzle.

      Unlike the old-stand-by for pets, the ball of yarn or twine, this toy contraption's twin cannot be unraveled all about the house! Either cats or rabbits may spin the suspended ball just barely in reach and dull the nails on their paws just as they would do with a scratching post. The doll version of this amusing toy may be embellished with decorative scrapbook papers and cardboard cutouts of triangles.

       I also suggest a second version below using an empty masking tape roll and a ball of yarn twisted about a skewer instead of covering a Styrofoam ball with glue and twine. Use what you have and craft something cute for your doll's favorite pet!

       To make either version of this toy you will need the following supplies plus a foam ball for the first version: yarn or twine, white school glue, scrap cardboard, a wooden skewer or toothpick, beads to hold the ball of yarn in place and decorative papers.

Left, step 1. Next, step. 2. Center, step 3. photographed. Right, see from different angle.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. To make the first version of this toy you will need to poke a long skewer through the center of a  small Styrofoam ball. 
2. Spread small amounts of white glue around the foam ball while you cover it with yarn or twine. 
3. Poke both ends of the cut skewer through the peak ends of two identically cut cardboard triangles. 
4. Glue a wooden bead at both end tips.
5. Glue the yarn covered sphere and triangles to the bottom of a cardboard base. Let dry.
6. Cover the sides of cardboard with decorative papers and white glue.
7. Decoupage to finish if you wish.

The second variation of the same kind of toy. This one
includes a yarn ball wrapped around itself instead of 
a foam form. It is also mounted on top of a masking
tape dispenser that has been cut in half.

How to Build a Chicken Coop for Dollplay

This is a tall hen house for play time with 18 inch dolls.

       This variation of a chicken coop or hen house does not open for play. It does have very realistic detail and also open nesting boxes for toy chickens to roost in and supply your dolls with an abundance of eggs if you wish.

 Supply List:

• two cardboard boxes
• a box of Popsicle sticks ( I used large ones but you can use whatever size you've got!)
• additional scrap corrugated cardboard
• white school glue
• acrylic paints
• Mod Podge
• sawdust 
• paper mache pulp
• both brown and white papers for decoupage steps
• faux wood print papers (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Acquire a box or two that are of the size you would like for a doll chicken coop. 
2. glue these together and mask all of the surfaces with masking tape. 
3. Apply glue and corrugated cardboard to the roof areas.
4. Glue on Popsicle sticks to give the coop added texture and realistic details
5. divide the opening on the side of the coop into nesting beds. 
6. Glue on an additional cardboard scrap to imply a door opening. Covering this with faux wood printed papers.
7. Cut openings in the bottom of the coop to insert Popsicle stick legs. Tape in position to allow the glue to dry overnight. Our coop stilt-like legs are made using three sticks each forming triangular shaped legs.
8. Remove the tape once the legs are glued in place and dry.
9. Craft a platform using cardboard and masking tape.
10. Cut 'slots' for the legs to be inserted and glue in place.
11. Cut a simple ramp for the hens to access the coop from beneath from cardboard. Attach the ramp to both the coop and the platform using glue and masking tape.
12. Craft the poultry feeders and glue these in place.
13. Use paper pulp and sawdust to decorate the 'yard' beneath the coop. Let it dry.
14. Paint all of the surfaces that are not decoupaged with wood print papers. I painted this version of a coop roof to look like aluminum metal and the walls red. I reserved the trim, door and ramp for decoupage. But you may wish to stain these brown or paint them white instead.
15. I also painted the paper pulp ground cover in green and left the sawdust a natural color. The rest of the yard was covered with white glue and brown paper bag.

See the chicken coop from all sides before I have painted it and added details.

See the ramp for the hens and rooster to ascend inside of the coop at night. 

The four sides of the chicken coop have been painted and decoupaged.
The coop's platform is finished with paper pulp grass and sawdust. 

Left, See the details of the ramp for the hens to get inside the coop below and the
directions to craft the hen feeders are here. Right, directions to craft the hens
shown in this post are here. For simpler hens made from factory pom-poms go here.
See also size comparison of an American Girl Doll next to the chicken coop.

To make hen's eggs for your own chicken coop read instructions here. Right, see the
downy 'feathers' and nesting straw inside the nesting beds.

Left, chickens/hens in their nesting boxes. Center, some chickens escape to sit on the
roof! Right, domestic pet hens are well fed and secured for
the night in their Popsicle paradise.

This alternative design for a coop comes with a door large enough for
the doll to enter the coop. It also has a giant window.

More Doll Sized Coops:

• Read and explore all about doll camp for farming. Here there is much information about chickens and roosters. Plus so much more crafting for other animals on the farm.

Credit and Gift Cards for Dolls

VISA, Mastercard, American Express . . . etc. are all relatively common credit card
 companies in the United States. These magazine clippings were mounted onto
cardboard and then finished with colorful papers, digits and 'pretend'
magstripe on the backside of each card.

       I cut this pretend credit and gift cards out for our 18 inch dolls to use in their local businesses. The credit card logos were cut from magazines as well as the tiny printed numbers shown on the backside of each card. The play gift cards were cut from decorative scrapbook papers and the bar codes from original printed ones on the backside of recycled paper boxes.

These tiny doll-sized gift cards are easy to make. Spend them at any doll coffee shop,
 grocery store, or boutique in Dollville!

• Cards are the perfect size for American Girl doll purses . . . - Fashionable handbags and Bohemian bags

Sew a Pieced Pasture For Pretend Ponies!

       Our pony pasture is quick and simple to sew. Whether you are sewing it by hand or by machine it takes very little time and just a wee bit of creativity to patchwork a pasture for any child's barnyard toy!
       The fabrics I pulled from my scrap stash included one green solid, one green plaid, one green floral print ( including daisies of course), one green marbled pattern, one brown (muddy) batik, one white to straw batik and a distinct, vibrant blue batik fabric cut for ponds and streams. 

The quilted pasture mat measures 45 inches by 52 inches.
However, you can sew one  like it in any size you wish!

Left, the horses have been let out of their stalls to roam and eat however, wherever they
 please; which one of the ponies will eat the daisies first? Right, this Melissa and Doug
 horse stable is built to last for several generations of child's play. It's a Take-Along with
 handle and sturdy brass latch.

This stable toy has been produced for many years. It may be purchased new or from
 second-hand dealers. I paid only three dollars for this used one. The horses were
 collected for many years by my youngest daughter.

Left, there are windows on every side of this stable toy. Right, the ponies are drinking
from an applique stream bed!

• See a double-sided car roadway mat made in much the same way here.

Just a bunch of old rocks?

GEMS of the U.S.A.

        Young students can hang little cards like the one shown here to decorate your doll's science classroom to introduce units about Geography.

       On it are samples of sixteen gem stones: Quartz, Moss Agate, Carnelian, Chrysocolia, Fluorite, Obsidian, Opal, Thurlite, Jasper, Amazon Stone, Amethyst, Ulexite, Rose Quartz, Serpentine, Onyx and Unakite. 

       It was sold in the tourist gift shop at Squire Boone Village, Corydon Indiana back in the 1990s. I've included links to the Caverns in Indiana just below. 

Is It A Gemstone -- Or Just An Old Rock?

       "Gemstones have fascinated people for thousands of years. In the past, only a few stones were classified as gems. The first known gemstones were Amethyst, Quartz Crystal, Amber, Garnet, Jade, Jasper, Coral, Lapis Lazuli, Pearl, Serpentine, Emerald and Turquois. These gemstones were sought after by the wealthy as status symbols and expressions of wealth and power.
       Today, the number of gemstones is great and new gemstones are being discovered all the time. Most gemstones are minerals or rocks, but gemstones can also be organic (Pearls, Ivory, Coral and Amber), fossils, wood, synthetic metals or even glass. Gemstone is a name given to all substances that have something special or beautiful about them and are used for jewelry, adornment and works of art...
       Gemstones can be very valuable as well. The more rare and the greater demand for a particular gemstone, the more valuable it becomes. Diamonds, Emeralds, Rubies and Sapphires are examples of valuable gemstones. Many investors choose to store their wealth in the form of gemstones. Gemstones have survived the pressure of inflation better and appreciated in value more than most other investments over the last century." quoted from the Gems of the U.S.A. collectors card shown right.

• The Squire Boone Caverns Story from Mauckport, Indiana by Adventures by Roger
• Exploring Squire Boone Caverns with Mira's Adventures

The Horrid Parade!

"On they come, right toward me!"

The Horrid Parade!
by Ruth A. Kenneth.

I heard the grown folks talking,
As I lay in my bed,
And opened my eyes and listened
To everything they said.
It seems there was a circus
Coming to our town,
With an elephant, a tiger,
A bear, and funny clown.
They said there was a lion
That had an awful roar;
A camel, lots of monkeys, and
A thousand things or more.
And then I heard a little noise!
Though dark, I just did see
The whole of that big circus
Coming straight for me!
On they came, right toward me,
From where, nobody knows,
With bands of music playing,
Horses stepping on my toes.
They cam right through the darkness
And never touched the floor;
I didn't see the lion,
But I think I heard him roar.
And then I grew most awful 'fraid,
Called, "Mother!" With a light
She scared that horrid big parade
And put it out of sight.

All The Days of July . . .

         Kids can celebrate all the days of July here by using our family blog posts. I will highlight the days of celebration in the United States/Canada with a pale orange color and the world days of observation with a pale lavender highlight. Sometimes the themes repeat themselves and so I will choose to list a topic under a month that has less content in order to spread things out a bit. I will be covering all of the months of the year. Readers will notice that I make additions to the listings over time and that I also choose content that is age appropriate in order to maintain my certifications.

1.) National Postal Worker Day - Post office related content here. 

2.) National Firefighter Day - The recycled fire fighter costume, fire fighter coloring pages

3.) National Hawaii Day - Visit our collection of Hawaii themed crafts and articles here and here.

4.) Independence Day (USA) - See our American patriotic doll crafts here.

5.) National Apple Turnover Day

6.) National Fried Chicken Day

7.) World Chocolate Day, - Celebrate world chocolates on July 7th, 

8.) Liberty Bell Day - Read about the Liberty Bell...

9.) National Sugar Cookie Day - sugar cookies on cookie sheets, hearts and stars sugar cookies

10.) Teddy Bear Picnic Day - Our collection of teddy bear crafts and articles here. National Kitten Day - Read about "Raggedy Ann and The Kittens"

11.) Cheer Up the Lonely Day

12.) National Eat Your Jello Day  - Craft tiny Jello products, coming soon

13.) National French Fry Day - How we crafted deep fried doll foods

14.) National Mac and Cheese Day - Macaroni and cheese casserole is sculpted along with many other side dishes here. and Cow Appreciation Day - The Ox and The Cow article

15.) National Give Something Away Day - share your dolls, make crafts for your friends

16.) World Snake Day - Make a friendly snake habitat for your doll, coming soon

17.) World Emoji Day -  Read about antiquated smilies, forerunners of Emojis, originally drawn and made famous by Harvey Peake. (and also the origin of the word 'twitter.')

18.) National Tropical Fruit Day - Search our growing collections of tropical fruits for dolls here and tropical fruits coloring sheets here

19.) National Ice Cream Day - So many flavors to make and for doll's to taste!

20.) World Chess Day - How we made a chess board for dolls.  and  Space Exploration Day - See our favorite links to space and dollplay here!

21.) Take a Monkey to Lunch Day - How to sew a mini sock monkey for your dolls...

22.) National Hammock Day - Our doll hammock craft for lazy Summer days...

23.) National Hot Dog Day - Our classic doll camp foods playset includes all American hot dogs!

24.) National Amelia Earhart Day  

25.) National Thread the Needle Day -  Check out our sewing projects for doll lovers.

26.) National Parents Day - Download and print out this lovely Birth Certificate to commemorate the first time you become a baby doll's new parent. and Then, give your new baby doll a name...

27.) Bagpipe Appreciation Day 

28.) World Nature Conservation Day - The index to our large collection of nature studies...

29.) National Lipstick Day - Craft doll-sized lip sticks. 

30.) Cheesecake Day - craft coming soon

31.) Harry Potter's Birthday - Read about Harry Potter and Friends Dolls