Miniature Doll's Furnishings from Egg Cartons

       To make modern looking dollhouse furniture like mine you will need the following supplies: a paper egg carton, white school glue, decorative paper, Mod Podge,  a recycled toilet paper roll and scrap fabric for the seat cushions. Many detailed photos are shown below.

Photo Details of The Egg Carton Furniture Construction

Left, cut and glue cut egg carton pieces and reassemble these into dollhouse furniture. Center is
the sofa front. Right is the sofa back.

Left, a modern version of a dining room set of table and chairs that can be cut from the humble
 egg carton. Center, use scrap cardboard for the table top. Right see how I cut apart the egg
carton to form the center table leg support to the table. It is upside down here.

Left, dining chairs may be cut very similar to each other. front. Center chair backs. Right,
more side chairs to the sofa.

An umbrella chair shape cut from a paper egg carton. Left, is
the top front view. Right is the chair turned upside
 down to show the feet.

Details Photos of the Finished Surfaces:

 

Egg carton furniture is first decoupaged before the padded chair seats and cushions for the sofa
 are made. I chose modern scrapbook paper designs to cover the doll seating along with some
 solid yellow and purple tissue paper.

 

Left, see the finished dining table with matching chairs from above. Center, the finished back side
of the umbrella chair. Right the front finished side of the umbrella chair plus a tiny cushion
for a doll's neck comfort.

Left, the finished upholstered dollhouse furniture displayed together. Right, a detailed and
up-close photo of the modern couch covered with a white and blue fabric.

Left are details of the dining room chair legs. Center, shows the tiny stripped pillow made
for an egg carton side chair. Right, See the table and chair legs are painted white.

• Dollhouse miniature furniture made with Popsicle sticks
• Dollhouse dressers made using boxes and blocks
  

Restoring The Our Generation Patio Treats Trolley

Above are photos of the refinished treats trolly by Our Generation, updated with faux wood
surfaces. Plus I had to restore the ice "sink" as it was missing from the piece I thrifted from
resale. I think this version looks far less manufactured. The new surfaces now look 
antique! I kept the 'marble' top and added a sink that looks like enamel.

 

        I found this treat trolley at resale. None of it's original foods or ice cubes were still with it. But, not to worry, I will show how to restore these play foods along with this brief review for those of you who are in need of making new accessories for your own playset.

       This trolley has three working wheels, is a periwinkle color with a granite looking top. There is a handle bar so that an 18 inch doll may be made to move the cart while she walks. 

       Originally, this cart would come with the following treats: a lemonade picture and two glasses of lemonade, two snow cones, two ice blocks, an ice bin (photo above), two ice cream pops, two sodas, a large fruit tray (below), tongs and two serving spoons, two dishes of ice cream and a floral display of some kind. Depending on the year you purchase this set, the flower pot with flowers may be different. I have also seen several versions of the fruit tray from different years and locations and some photos of the treat trolley also include a syrup bottle for the snow cones?

• Directions for crafting 18 inch doll-size ice cream treats in dishes is here
• Always Dolls gives a brief video review of this old set here at YouTube...
  

The surfaces have yet to be changed. Here you can see that I fitted the new sink first.
It is made from cardboard, masking tape and later painted white.

Left, see details from beneath. Center close-up of sink for ice and cold drinks. Right, the handle 
looks fine 'as-is' wouldn't change that at all.

 

       I decided to change the periwinkle color to better compliment our doll's cafe set. The faux granite top, a version in red, pink and white speckles, blends well with neutral grey and white so I will leave it alone. The gold colored handle bar also looks just as good with the chosen faux wood motif I selected for this project so this remained "untouched" as well. 

       I needed to make an ice bin to fill the hole in the top counter. I would have loved for it to been transparent like the original but I had to make it a painted cardboard ice bin instead. This version I painted white to blend with the granite top.

       There were several surfaces on this trolley that were covered with something sticky. Although I couldn't identify this substance, I removed it easily with cooking oil and a paper towel. Then I washed the cart afterwards with dish soap and warm water.

       I masked the periwinkle surfaces so that the decoupage would adhere properly. Then cut and fit the faux wood papers for every surface before applying even coats of white glue to the paper to stick to the trolley.  Afterwards I sealed it with a several coats of Mod Podge.

 

Left, I glued the Sculpey fruit slices directly inside of our covered tray. Center, side view. Right,
 the fruits include in our new version of the fruit tray include top to bottom: cantaloupe
cubes, kiwi slices, apple sections, mangos peeled and slices and strawberries.

This container once was used for a strange deck of cards.

• See how I restored a doll's desk using similar techniques here...

Upcycle a Vintage Cafe Set for Barbie

Barbie's teen sisters love to 'hang-out' and have their sodas around our vintage cafe table and
chairs. Their enjoying the cool summer breezes this year. At night, after the sun goes down,
they might even need a light weight sweater to ward off the slight chill in the air.

       To make this cafe set you will need: four plastic dollar store chairs for Barbie sized dolls, one table-like looking candle stand, decorative papers, Mod Podge, acrylic paints and green tissue paper.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Paint to change the color and feel of the candle stand. I chose to give this cafe table an aged copper look by spray painting it first with metal-like copper finish and then dulling it down with an aqua paint. 
2. Then to make the table's top I inserted a cardboard piece cut to the exact size of the opening and glued it in place from underneath the table legs.
3. After painting the top of the table with black acrylic paint, I then proceeded to glue tiny square, paper tile shapes in an abstract pattern across the surface of the table.
4. Seal the mosaic design using Mod Podge of course for that perfect finish!
5. To make matching, old looking chairs, I 'upcycled' the inexpensive plastic chairs. I wanted these to have a similar looking surface to a set that my grandmother once owned and kept outside on her back porch. Her's were painted red metal chairs from the 1940s or 50s I think. But, I chose to give these a green finish instead. Start this process by applying a coat of Mod Podge and layering onto the chair random tears of green tissue paper. This will create an aged faux metal surface.
6. Keep building up the surface with tissue and paint until you are satisfied with this altered surface. It is delicate work but the end results are marvelous. 
7. Seal the surfaces again with Mod Podge.

Left, friends and soda pop. Center, vintage looking metal chairs arranged around the faux paper
mosaic embellished table top. Right, we have four altered chairs that stack neatly in storage.

 

Left, the candle stand was purchased at a thrift market for fifty cents; it is just the right height for
 Barbie and her family. Center, I traced around the stand's edges and cut a cardboard insert for
the table-top. Then spray painted it copper. I will paint the legs here and there with a bit of aqua
acrylic to give the table legs a weathered copper look. Right the table top's mosaic design was
 crafted using tiny cuts of paper glued down to a painted black surface.

These purple plastic chairs were purchased from a dollar store, four for a dollar.
You can see I'm beginning to alter their finish with glue and tissue paper.

•  See another table for Barbie that was made using large life-size tiles here.
  

Make a Button Display for Your Dollhouse

Left, old stained finished frame with circular opening; very 1970s design. Center, the buttons we
will use for the button craft. Right, the finished frame and design for a 'groovy' 70s display.
We designed this button board for the bedroom of a American Girl doll like Julie.

       Try making a button board or brooch board for a doll wall decoration. Although young doll lovers may not have many brooches, they can just as easily use buttons or charms to make this craft. If you are an adult collector, this craft can be made to feature doll jewelry or tiny brooches you may have accumulated over the years in a unique way on a dollhouse wall or on a real wall near your doll displays. 

       The supplies that are needed for the child's dollhouse version of this craft are as follows: cardboard, glue gun and hot glue, a doll-sized dollhouse frame, fabric or decorative paper to cover the display background.

       If your collection is valuable, you will need foam or cotton batting to line the back of fabric for the frame display so that the value will not be diminished with a glue attachment. A valuable collection of brooches or buttons should be pinned onto the padded board. 

       Both the frame and the covered display board may reflect the time period of your collections. A Victorian guild frame with a velvet covered display panel will look entirely different from a retro frame of the 1970s with plastic buttons mounted on top of groovy wall paper. Choose the items that best reflect the style and time period of your dollhouse and/or collections.

 More Button or Brooch Boards:

• Laci Fay makes a vintage brooch board...
• The Glambassador makes her own brooch board for display
• Lady Rebecca displays her sparkles on an easy brooch board

1953 Bewtron button reproductions.

Revival Buttons by W. Williams & Sons, London

Wisconsin Pearl Button Ad.

Thelma Wears A Swedish Folk Costume

        This Swedish lass dances about a May pole with all of her school chums. She comes with two changes of clothing, is in full color and has a doll, pockets and also wild flowers to hold.

• Color also these children dancing about a May pole from Crayon Palace
• The May-Day Queen by Georgene Faulkner
  

Print, cut and match A to A and B to B. Cut along dotted lines carefully.

"If You Were A Flower . . . "

If You Were a Flower
by Emile Poulsson

 

If you were a flower

And I were a shower,

or even the dripping wet dew,

I'd go to your bower

To seek you, my flower,

And there wash your wee face for

you.

 

Let's play you're a flower,

That I've caught a shower,

Or gathered a bowlful of dew,

That here in your bower

I've found you, my flower,

And now wash your wee face for 

you.

Sheet music - A face washing song for little ones.

How to replace cafeteria ketchup and mustard condiments . . . .

Finished ketchup and mustard
condiment bottles are quilled.

        The traditional cafeteria ketchup and mustard bottles found in diners, schools, and fast food restaurants across the United States can be duplicated using simple paper coils, (sometimes called quills), white school glue and toothpicks for your dolls. 
       And this is a good thing because there are so many 18 inch doll playsets that have them. Both American Girl and My Generation have sold these tiny squeeze bottles in red and yellow over and over to young children who seem to keep loosing them over and over. (Well, they are very small.)
       So here is how little ones can reproduce ketchup and mustard again and again no matter how often your pet chews them up or even if they happen to fall through the grates of a floor vent dozens of times!
       My replacement versions here are made with paper quills that I cut myself. You can actually purchase these "quills" after they have been cut by a machine and prepacked for the craft market. However, I suggest that you cut them yourself and save the money until you decide to make it a serious craft choice later on. It doesn't matter if the hand-cut paper quills are not perfect, if wrapped tightly, the tiny imperfections may be hidden.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Cut the sharp tip off of the end of a toothpick or skewer.
2. measure the length of the wooden pick and cut it to be approximately 2 1/4 inches.
3. Paint the tip down 1/2 inch in red or golden yellow in advance and let it dry. Below you can see that I skipped this step until the end but realized it would be easier for a student to do it prior to wrapping the toothpick so this is my recommendation for the process.
   
4. To make the bottom half of condiment bottle cap, wrap a 1/8" wide quill paper around and around on top of itself with small amounts of white school glue until it is the width of a cap looks something similar to a condiment squeeze bottle cap.
5. Then just beneath the cap wrap a wider length of quill paper (1 3/4") for the bottle part around and around on top of itself with small amounts of white school glue until it is the width of the bottle part is larger than the cap by double the size. See pictures below, the cap is narrower than the bottle itself. 
6. Alternatively, I also wrapped the yellow mustard bottle section on a separate toothpick and then pulled it off to reattach it with glue just beneath the cap of the first toothpick. Gluing the bottle and wrapping it as you go directly on the original toothpick can get a bit tricky otherwise and I discovered this to be easier.
   
7. Finish the end of the whole bottle by gluing it on top of a piece of matching paper and then cutting around it once it is dry. See last photo below.
   
8. Wrap just a tiny amount of either cotton or paper around the tip to give it a inverted "V" shape and paint it to match the rest of the bottle.
9. Give a coat or two of Mod Podge to seal all of the surfaces of the doll-sized condiment bottles.

Left, compare the width of the cap quill both on and off of the toothpick. Center, I'm
wrapping the cap onto the toothpick, permanently attaching it with glue as I go. Right,
I wrapped the bottle part of the condiment bottle on a separate toothpick but have
removed it and then attached it again with glue just beneath the cap. It helps to make
these two coils on different toothpicks to begin with and then transfer the lower half.
This is because my hands are a bit clumsy working with something so very small.

Swat! those creepy-crawly pests!

The finished yellow fly swatter for our 18" dolls.

        An old-fashioned fly swatter is a handy tool in the kitchen! Weather the insect pest has wings or crawls on multiple legs, your doll will wish to keep her kitchen clean and her food free of invaders for certain.

       To make the doll-sized fly swatter you will need the following supplies: wire, two cotton balls, dry wall mesh tape, white school glue, acrylic paint (your choice of color) and a threaded needle.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Unravel the cotton balls.
2. Wind the cotton and layer it about a glue covered surface. Twist the cotton down and or roll the wire between your palms to get the cotton to adhere to the wire.
3. Now bed the wire to make a shape similar to the one in the photo below. The shape for the fly-swatter will need a handle and a paddle at the top.
4. Cut a small piece of dry wall mesh tape to fit snug inside of the wire paddle opening and glue this in. Let it dry.
5. Now take the needle and thread and weave this in and out of the mesh tape to insure it is firmly attached.
6. Paint the paddle section only and let it dry.
7. Paste a tiny bug on the fly swatter mesh if you have one.

Left, roll of mesh tape for dry wall. Center, the bent wire part of
 the fly swatter. Right the mesh tape has been both glued in
place and sew firmly to the sides also.

A Closer Look at The Latest American Girl Gourmet Kitchen

        This newest gourmet kitchen with two units by American Girl features: open shelving, subway tiles, sink, a detachable faucet, dishwasher, oven, stove, microwave, glass front refrigerator freezer, three cupboards for storage. The stove top, microwave, refrigerator, and oven all have working features sound/lights.
       Again, I will link to those simple crafts featured on our blog that may be followed in order to replace lost accessories for these doll-sized kitchens. Look for more groceries here and more dishes here to elaborate on your doll kitchen accessory collections!

• Unboxing the New American Girl Gourmet Kitchen by The Britney Doll Show
• How I Restored An "Our Generation Gourmet Kitchen Set

The Accessories That Come With the Kitchen:

1. Salt and Pepper Shakers: the pepper is in a silver container and the salt is in a transparent container - learn how to make button top salt and pepper shakers
2. Pink and Lavender Sugar and Flour Canisters
3. Big Pink Colander 
4. Two green cereal bowls - quill craft: green bowls 
5. Two green plastic drinking glasses
6. colorful stack of measuring cups
7. Two white and green dinner plates
8. 2 pairs of forks and spoons - cut, paste and paint doll sized silverware
9. A cluster of ripe bananas
10. a pale green carton of eggs - newsprint and bean egg carton craft
11. a cluster of red peppers - red peppers sculpted for playsets
12. lavender oven-baking dish of lasagna - 
13. hot pink oven-baking dish of homemade cinnamon buns - newsprint cinnamon buns craft and a grey oven-bake dish of cornbread handcrafted here
14. A tall red pasta pot and a small lavender skillet - Pots for the stove top made using toilet paper rolls . . . 
15. colorful measuring spoons, plus whisk and serving spoon - make doll kitchen tools
16. A silver cheese grater comes with a block of cheddar to pretend grate . . . 
17. green berry basket with strawberry insert -  Our Sculpey versions of baskets of berries, plus a berry basket pattern
18. a half gallon of milk - doll-sized dairy handmade
19. A box of pretzels that includes one large plastic pretzels - variety of pretzels: dipped in chocolate, shaped from synthetic twine
20. "The secret ingredient is Love" tea towel
21. An empty yogurt container
22. three carrots stuck together - single servings doll foods
23. A pale green ice-cube tray with separate pieces of ice cubes

Color and Cut The Costume of Japan

        This paper doll set of Japanese traditional kimonos include: two changes of clothes for a boy and three costumes for the a girl. 

       "The kimono is a traditional Japanese garment and the national dress of Japan. The kimono is a wrapped-front garment with square sleeves and a rectangular body, and is worn left side wrapped over right, unless the wearer is deceased. The kimono is traditionally worn with a broad sash, called an obi, and is commonly worn with accessories such as zōri sandals and tabi socks.'' read more . . . 

Two traditional head-coverings are included with this set.

 

Watch Qiuxi Design fashion a Kimono for her Blythe.

Traditional Soul Food Sides for Juneteenth

Left, are the boiled peanuts shaped with Sculpey individually and then painted with acrylics.
Center, Southern greens with bacon. Right, a classic recipe, fried okra for Juneteenth.

       "Soul food is the ethnic cuisine of African Americans. Originating in the American South from the cuisines of enslaved Africans transported from Africa through the Atlantic slave trade, soul food is closely associated with the cuisine of the Southern United States. The expression "soul food" originated in the mid-1960s when "soul" was a common word used to describe African-American culture. Soul food uses cooking techniques and ingredients from West African, Central African, Western European, and Indigenous cuisine of the Americas." read more . . . 

Left, the small cuts of oven-bake clay are covered in glue and saw dust in order to give this
dish of okra  a deep fried look. After the glue dries, paint it with acrylics and Mod Podge over 
the entire dish. The dishes here are all made with egg cartons and painted red.

Fried Okra Real Recipes:

• Okra Soup with Michael Twitty
• Secrets to Crispy Southern Fried Okra by All Wings Everything

Boiled Peanuts Real Recipes:

• Peanuts and Forgotten History
• Our Mississippi Home
• Louisiana Cajun Boiled Peanuts

Left, green feathers used to make greens in craft. Center, feathers glued to bowl with sculpted
bacon. Right, painted bacon and the feathers are covered with Mod Podge to make them 
look like cooked greens.

Bacon and Greens Real Recipes:

• Sweet Granny Bea's Best Collard Greens With Bacon
• Michelle Cottrell makes collard greens

Happily Ever Zoe makes a Soul Food Classic

• How to make a tray of cornbread in a casserole dish for your American Girl Dolls

Lullaby by Strobel

Lullaby by Marion Strobel
illustrated by Rose O'Neill
 

Sleep, my baby sleep -
By-low, by-low.
We'll not think of things
We know.

We'll not think that some day

You will grow tall, and you

Will leave my house for another house-

Although we know it's true.

 

We'll not think that some day

You'll look with love upon

A casual, handsome stranger's face-

Nor know my face is gone.

 

We'll not think that you are

Part of the endless wheel-

For some day will be soon enough

To think of things we feel.

 

 Sleep, my baby sleep -
By-low, by-low.
We'll not think of things
We know.

No Spam Straight From The Can!

Spam salad, stir-fry and musubi all made in our Doll's kitchen.

 

       Above are three spam toy foods that "mix-up" the way spam gets treated in our doll's play kitchen: Spam stir-fry is on the large platter, the bowl contains a pickled SPAM served with fruits and the third is SPAM musubi place upon an attractive decoupaged Hawaiian platter.
       What is SPAM you might ask? SPAM is a brand of lunch meat (processed canned ham) made by Hormel Foods Corporation, an American multinational food processing company. It was introduced in the United States in 1937 and gained popularity worldwide after its use during World War II. As of 2003, Spam was sold in 41 countries, and trademarked in more than 100, on six continents. read more . . . 

Spam steaks with a rice cake and seaweed wrap are called "Spam musubi." This is a very popular lunch food in Hawaii.

How to make real SPAM musubi:

• emmymade makes SPAM Musubi
• Aloha To You makes Spam Musubi

Santos Chronicles takes his family to the Spam 

Museum in Austin Minnesota.

How to make doll-sized snow cones

Doll snow cones for a fair, playground,
swimming pool or beach.

       Our dolls love to pretend to eat snow cones and these are easy enough for any child to make with just a little guidance. I have made these examples for the 4th of July parade in Dollville. But I'm sure many young folks would like them just as well for the local beach or playground.

Supply List:

• decorative sheet of paper
• template or small jar to trace a circle
• Small sized Styrofoam balls
• transparent glitter
• tacky craft gluee
• acrylic paint colors (your choice of flavors)
• Mod Podge

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Draw a small circle on the back of decorative paper and cut it out.
2. Cut this circle in half exactly. Do this by folding it once in half, unfolding the circle and then cutting along the crease line in the paper. Two halves will make two cone sleeves.
3. Now gently turn the half circle in on itself to shape a "cone" and tape this in place on the inside of the cone where the tape cannot be seen.
4. Trim the top edge of the paper cone so that it is even all the way around the rim.
5. Using tacky glue, paste a Styrofoam ball inside of the cone. Let dry.
6. Paint the foam balls in color you like. Different colors represent different flavors usually: yellow for lemon, red for cherry, blue for blueberry and orange for orange flavoring.
7. After the acrylic painted areas have dried squeeze on a thin layer of glue and sprinkle it with transparent glitter. This will give the snow cone a ''frozen'' appearance. 
8. Brush on a layer of Mod Podge on every surface of the doll-size cones to seal for play.

See More Sweet Treats for Summer Months:

• Assemble Italian Spumone Sodas
• Craft Cotton Candy for A Doll

Give a Doll To Your Doll On Her Birthday!

See "Bambi" doll through a window.

        This year your doll may like to receive a doll on her birthday. Every child knows that a special doll is often wrapped inside of a presentation box. This kind of box usually has a window so that the doll may be viewed while still in the box. 

       If you'd like to make one of these decide how large your doll's new doll is going to be first. Then look for a box you can recycle for this craft. It should be sturdy and clean. I kept the one shown here because of it's unique Velcro tab attachments. These are very east to stick to a new box. Purchase these Velcro dots from a dollar store and peal and stick them onto a box of your own choosing if you like.

       Some recycled clear plastic for the "window" of the presentation box is also needed. All kinds of food packaging comes with clear plastic so it shouldn't take too long for something to get tossed out that will suffice. Simply cut it a little larger than your window opening so that you can tape it to the back of the door.

       Once you have found these supplies, you will need to turn one of the vertical sides of the box into a door with a window. Cut the front side so that it opens like a door but is still attached on it's opposite side to the box. This will eliminate the need for attached hinges. Measure and cut out a window and tape a piece of plastic to the inside of the door. Now your doll may see her doll inside the box. 

       Decoupage both the interior and exterior of the box with decorative papers and Mod Podge. 

       Bend a wire to look like a handle and hot glue it to the top of the box so that your doll can carry her doll inside of the box.

       Poke two holes in the back of the box in order to thread a second wire or ribbon through to wrap about the doll's waist as she is standing inside of the presentation box.

       Wrap the presentation box with tissue or just attach a bow at the handle to finish the gift for your doll.

Finished presentation box from different sides.

A handle attached to the top of the box for easy carrying.

Left, interior of the box is lined with butterfly paper.
Right, see wire that holds deer doll in place in box.

Historic American Girl Dolls Have Their Own Dolls Too:

• The Kaya doll has a baby papoose wrapped in a cradleboard carrier.
• Felicity Merriman's doll is "carved" from wood and she is dressed in a blue silk gown
• Elizabth Cole's fashion doll, like Feleicity's, is carved from wood and wears a pink gown.
• Nellie O'Malley's doll is named Lydia. She is a porcelain doll dressed in blue satin, peach ribbons and white lace.
• Samantha Parkington has had two versions of the same Christmas doll. The first was retired in 1993. This is a porcelain doll dressed in pinks that carries a even tinnier wooden nutcracker. The second verion is a version also dressing pink with nutcracker, retired in 2008.
• Molly McIntire has a Christmas nurse doll she names Katherine and she receives a ballerina doll in her Christmas stocking later...
• Courtney Moore has a Care Bear.

Little House Dolls Also Have Dolls:

• How to make Mary's doll, Nettie, and Laura's doll Susan

More Dolls Receive Dolls As Gifts:

• Make a Miniature Printable Doll Coloring Book - You can make a doll's doll coloring book!
• Picking tiny baby dolls from resale - any of these dolls would make perfect gifts for a doll
• Send a Doll With a Greeting Card - cute doll presentation boxes arrive by mail
• Mini Lalaoopysy Dolls for Your Dolls! - have wonderful beach scene inside of their presentation box . . .
  

"What's in a Name?"

 "What's in a Name?"
by Constance Johnson 

 

There's a pussy-cat lives in the neigh-
boring room,
A bunny, a frog, and a dear polli-
wog;
A somewhat remarkable zoo. 

There's a sweet little lamb in the neigh-

boring room.

And a "teeniest, tiniest pig;"

A mite and a bird, and (most curious 

word)

A "wiggley-squiggley-grig."

I opened the door to the neighboring

room,

Expecting an animal's lair;

A little bald head lay asleep on the bed;

'Twas only the baby was there.

What The Postman Brings

 What The Postman Brings
by Isadore Baker

 

 Of all life's minor blessings

Fate or providence may send,

There is nothing e'er so welcome

As a letter from a friend,-

For the spirit of the writer

Lurks within the glowing lines

And e'en how much a "-" may mean

The reader quick defines.

But for commas and the colons

We have little use, to-day,

They are frowned upon by fashion

And have no excuse to stay,

For modern "love of letters"

Will tolerate now less

Than briefest art and formula

Ideas can express.

And the old-time books on Letters

(If we'd follow their advice)

Would send the correspondence

To limbo in a trice.

'Tis known without the telling

That you take your pen in hand,

For otherwise is nothing writ

Throughout this goodly land.

And 'tis an item understood

That you, in best of health,

Should wish your friend this blessing,

Of nature's truest wealth.

Oh, kind, polite and friendly

Must the model letter be,

And never dull or prosy,

If you would write to me.

Learn to fold paper furniture . . .

        Here is a selection of paper furniture directions. With these plans children will learn to cut and measure using a ruler. It is a good way to learn simple math and geometry while making something interesting for a paper doll's house or room display. 

Above are the measurements for a kitchen table, chair and wet sink.

Above are the measurements for a serving table, dining table and side board.

Above are measurements for a desk, library table, rocker and sofa.

Above are measurements for a bed, cradle and bureau.

Teen Fashions in The 1940s

        Teen fashions in the 1940s were neat and trim and feminine. Below are school clothes and also the Ballerina suits worn by girls while attending community events, attending church or dining out during the day.
       In the 1940s, fashion designers were enamored with the garments of former Gibson Girls of 1890-1900. So they crafted modern versions of the former looks.

Looking like a girl from 1948: short hair cut,
"Gibson collar and tie", stick pins, "Gibson Girl
sleeves", whittled waist, rounded hips, longer
skirt below the knee, dark nylons and closed toe
shoes with higher heels.

A feminine ''Ballerina" suit
with a Poplin drop waist.

School girl looks for 1948; full skirts replaced
the narrow pencil skirts of the 1930s
 as the decade progressed.