Ladies Fashion Plates from 1840s

        Fashion plates of ladies gowns and capes published one year apart. Use the images to inspire your next period doll costumes?

Ball gowns from 1840

Capes for warmth and travel in carriages and walking, 1841

Dressing for school in the 1930s

       Dressing for school in the 1930s all across Western Europe, Australia and even in private/parochial schools of U. S. and Canada often required a school uniform. Uniforms helped families save on clothing and kept the upper crust looking sharp and clean. 

       These young teens wear navy jumpers, red ties and white blouses to school They also have hats to match their uniforms. In the 30s, proper girls and ladies still wore hats everyday outside of the home.

Pantyhose or tights and closed toe heals were also
 a staple for girl's uniforms.

Uniquely covers a Teen's Life During the Great Depression.

Top Hats and Suit Coats in The 1880s

        Everyday suits men wore to the office or on the street. There is one tuxedo in the group, however, this was worn to an evening at the opera or to a fancy dinner theater in 1883, London.

All of these styles for men were popular in the Western cities of Europe and the Americas.

Top hats, checkered wool pants, gloves and long coats were also 
in fashion in 1886.

See how the coats of the men influenced the one of the woman?
These are Victorian Era Street Cloths from London.

Children's Fashions in The 1880s

       In 1885, children wore feathers in their caps, silks, ribbons and lace to play together out of doors on their estates. Boys preferred tambourines to Badminton and dolls, however, and wore pom poms on their hats instead of feathers.
       This watercolor came from an actual depiction of child clothing for outdoor sports in a 1885 magazine, believe it or not!

I had no idea that Badminton was such a high-end sport, did you?
Can you imagine playing this game in the costumes shown above?

Visit a couple that live the Victorian Life 

in modern times.

When you wore a "Union Suit" to keep warm...

       "Long johns were first introduced into England in the 17th century, but did not become popular as sleepwear until the 18th century.

       It was first used as loungewear but later became popular in Truro, Nova Scotia. In 1898, Myles and his brother John had developed a product called Stanfield's Unshrinkable Underwear for their garment manufacturing company. He and his brother started with non-shrinking cotton underwear and applied for a patent for long johns on December 7, 1915.

       From 1914 to mid-1918, the item of underwear most purchased by various military forces was a garment known as a union suit; it is a one-piece form of underwear covering body and legs and was the prototype of the Chinese qiuyi, the top part, and qiuku, the bottom part. After 1918, countries returned to producing for civilians.

       Demand declined following the spread of central heating and more frequent baths or showers." Wikipedia

Quality Union Suits for Men, Women, and Children.

Coopers Kenosha-Klosed-Krotch, our Athletic Nainsooks for athletic men.

"Keep yourself fit and warm this Winter in Lincoln, unshrinkable superfine quality,
All Wool Underwear."

Color and Cut The Costume of the Philippine Islands

        Both of these paper dolls, man and women, wear traditional costumes from the late 1800s and early 1900s. These fashions have both Spanish and Americans influences.

       "By the late 18th century, the traditional everyday wear of women in the Philippines consisted of two basic pieces of clothing known as the pares ("pair"). This consisted of a saya reaching up to the ankles (usually checkered) and a collar-less baro or camisa (usually plain or striped)."

       When the Americans came, the fashion remained the same for the first five years of the 20th century. But it has started to change and became more modern in contrast to the conservative style of the previous centuries as the Americans started to influence the modern Filipino culture.

       The women then wore the terno, the more modern version of the traje de mestiza. It had bigger sleeves and a narrower floor length skirt with a long train called saya de cola and replaced the full wide skirt reflecting the Edwardian Fashion of the West.

       A notable variant of the barong tagalog during this period was the baro cerrada (literally "closed baro"). Its name is derived from its closed-neck collar. It was made from opaque material (which can be white or darker colors) and was paired with white pants. This style of baro remained popular up until the early 1900s." Wikipedia

The male paper doll above is wearing the modern "classic" barong tagalog.
His hat is a bowler style.

Exploring Filipino Textiles from the Natural History

Museum of Los Angeles County.

How to Craft a Mermaid Birthday Cake

I've alternated pearl bead strands and white rick-rack around the sides of the cake and
 on top. A star fish is featured in the center at the top. The cake stand is a recycled
"dome" shape from a box. The detailed buttons are playful
mermaids with companion dolphins.

       Both little girls and dolls love mermaid themed birthday parties! Here is one of many cakes we have made for the large AG dolls from our growing confection collection. This one is decorated with buttons representing sea life like: dolphins, sea shells and star fish and mythical mermaids.

Star fish on top of our
doll's mermaid cake.

Supply List:

• card set of mermaid and sea themed buttons
• beaded faux pearls (come attached to string)
• cardboard tube and extra cardboard
• masking tape
• white school glue
• white rick-rack
• 2 or 3 cotton balls
• hot glue and hat glue gun
• recycled cardboard platform or plate shape
• aqua blue and white acrylic paints
  

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. For this cake, I used a large cardboard tube measuring 2 and 1/2 inches across. Cut this tube 2 and 1/2 inches tall as well.
2. Trace around one end on top of a scrap piece of cardboard twice to make circular cut outs. 
3. Close both ends of the tube by taping these to the top and bottom of the tube.
4. Cover every side of the cardboard cylinder with masking tape.
5. The stand is painted using a ombré painting technique with a dry brush, carefully blending the two acrylic paint colors together. (aqua and white)
6. I permanently attached the stand to the cake using white school glue.
   
7. Now unwind the cotton balls. 
8. Glue the cotton batting with layers of white school glue to the surfaces of the cake.
9. Using the tip of your scissors, make small grooves into places you wish to attach the fancy buttons. Hot glue these buttons to the tube, nestling the back of the buttons into the cotton batting surface.
10. Now glue on the strings of beads and rick-rack in a formal pattern on top of the faux cotton "icing."
11. Serve up a cake and presents to all of your mermaid loving friends at your doll's next birthday party!

See More of Our Doll Birthday Crafts and Cakes here!

The Little Garden

 

 The Little Garden 
by Anne Hamilton Gordon
Illustrated by Rose O'Neill

 

There is a little garden that I love.

As secret as a child, a gentle place.

And there, like smiles across a well-loved face.

The quiet lights and shadows seem to move.

 

There, rising rosy from the morning mist,

The flowers stand a-tiptoe in their beds.

And, all aquiver, lift their little heads

Like eager children waiting to be kissed.

 

And there the lilies, when the breezes pass,

Like gracious ladies curtsey from their height;

And the warm roses, tremulous with delight,

Lavish their glowing petals to the grass.

 

Sometimes the moonlight lulls the languid breeze.

And, spreading in the garden hushed and fair.

With silent music fills the listening air . . .

And drips like fluent silver from the trees.

 

There may I neatly lay my will away.

Safe in the secret of the brooding close.

Where breezes scattering sweetness from the rose

Drift through my heart and scatter its dismay.

 

O little garden, sweetly unpossessed.

Today I came to you, a tired child

Uncomforted . . . and lo! I thought you similed

Ineffably, and took me to your breast.

DIY a Green Quilled Bowl Set

  After making the set of bowls, I filled them with either blue berries, granola and yogurt or
strawberries, granola and yogurt. Of course, this is just pretend food, but our dolls love it!

       Young students can learn to make dishes for their dolls using only paper and glue! These kinds of dishes are made using a ''quilling'' technique.   
       The supplies needed for this craft are: paper - your choice color and design for paper quills, white school glue, Mod Podge, scissors, a large bead any kind, one skewer, plastic wrap , twist tie (wire found on loaves of bread in market).

Step-by-Step Instructions: 

1. First, cut long narrow strips of paper. Make all of these lengths the same width, whatever that width may be. My green dishes are quilled using lengths of paper that are approximately 2/4 inch wide. You will need many cut lengths of paper to make four small bowls like mine.
2. Next, lightly dab on a narrow line of white school glue down the length of each piece of cut quill paper as you spin it on top of it's self around the skewer. 
3. Detach the small "wheel'' shape after it gets to be approximately 1/2 inch in size. Let it dry.
4. Fit a large bead onto the skewer. This bead will determine the size of your doll's bowl. The larger the bead, the larger the bowl. 
5. Wrap the bead with a bit of plastic wrap and twist tie it to the lower half of the skewer.
   
6. Fit the dry ''wheel'' shaped bead at the top of the bead. 
7. Now glue on more cut paper quills around the initial "wheel"shaped bead and work your way around the sides of the bead. Apply small amounts of glue as you wrap the sides of the bowl around the bead's sides. 
8. Stop wrapping and applying glue once you have worked your way around and down half of the bead to shape the quilled bowl. 
9. Let the bowl dry before removing it from the bead. 
10. Untie the plastic wrap and lift the bowl gently off of the bead.
11. Use a hole punch to clip off circles to glue and cover the openings of the bowl at the center part.
    
12. Apply Mod Podge to every surface of the quilled bowl several times. 
    

Left, four quilled bowls make excellent doll dishes! Center, see the bowl turned upside down
and hole punch tool. Right, the bowl is drying after applying a coat or two of Mod Podge.

More Quilling Crafts for Students:

• Learn how to quill a poinsettia at our Christmas blog here
• Learn how to quill a Jack-o-lantern at Thrifty Scissors

A Sad Case by Roberts

 A Sad Case by Caroline Roberts

I have the sweetest dolly,
Her name is Belle Marie:
She came her on my birthday
From Paris o'er the sea.

But she's no comfort to me.
They keep her locked away,
For she's so very lovely
She'd soon be spoiled at play.

And so on my next birthday
A rag doll I will choose;
Because it's hard to have a child
Who is too nice to use.

My Pet Clip Art Printable

        A printable clip art page from former 4-H club resources. Learn more about National 4-H clubs here. There may be active programs in your area; these are usually hosted by local State Universities. As always, the clip art is free for student art projects and private journals only folks.

Illustrations of cats, fish, mice, hamsters, dogs, and birds for students.

A Gentile Little Lady Doll for Coloring

Description of Coloring Page: stripes and ribbons, full skirt, lady doll, puff sleeves, porcelain arms, legs and head, old-fashioned doll

Don't forget to drag the png. or jpg into a Word Document and enlarge the image as much as possible before printing it folks. If you have a question about this coloring page, just type into the comment box located directly below this post and I'll try to get back to you as soon as I can.

"The Best Loved Doll" Doll Birthday Party

"Best Loved Doll" by Caudill

        Our little doll party idea here is based upon the award winning children's book "The Best Loved Doll.'' Written by Rebecca Caudill after observing her child at a neighborhood birthday party given for her friend from the neighborhood.

Caudill "watched as her daughter took her shabby but much-loved doll to a party and a sensitive mother awarded her a medal." 

       In the book three awards are given for: beauty, age, and mechanical genius to three lucky winners out of 12 girls attending the birthday party with each of their favorite dolls. But, there is something missing from the competition. That something was made very clear while each child explains 'why' they chose to bring a particular doll for the competition. 

       Betsy explains why she chose Jennifer to the crowd of little contestants.

       Jennifer is not pretty; her features are torn and mended from all of the play and adventures that she and Betsy have had. 

       Jennifer is not old, she is a newer rag doll from Betsy's collection.

       Jennifer has no fancy mechanical features: she does not play music, or talk when you squeeze her tummy or sit at a tiny pretend sewing machine while she appears to operate it. 

       Betsy had a doll much prettier and another much older and still another who could pretend to sew!

       But Betsy loves a torn and tattered rag doll the most. Jennifer is the doll who listens to her at night in bed. She is the doll that Betsy carries everywhere on adventures. She is the doll that doesn't mind rough play at all and smiles at everything Betsy does. Jennifer is always there for Betsy whenever she needs a friend.

       While Betsy is talking, the birthday girl's mother realizes she has made a mistake. 

       Quickly and discreetly, this mother makes a fourth award for Betsy's doll Jennifer. Check the book out from a library to find out what happens next and go to hear the book reviewed online.

• Picture books that will make you kick your feet by Hadley Queen
• "The Best-Loved Doll" described by Novelzilla

How to Give a "Best Loved Doll" Party for your own dolls:

       The girls play games before the doll show and then have the awards ceremony afterwards. They play the game "pin the tail of the donkey." among others...
       For every award given there are prizes and ribbon awards given by Mrs. Anderson, the birthday girl's mother.  Children may prepare their own versions of prizes as well, for their own doll shows.

• Here is a craft describing how to make ribbon awards

There are a variety of crafts on our website that would make special prizes for a doll to receive at a party: 

• String doll sized necklaces - easy ideas
• Craft doll coloring books for guests at your party
• How to sew hair bows for dolls - make them party themed!

       After the games and doll show, the children in the storybook have refreshments at a big table while their dolls eat at a special smaller table, set with a Blue Willow doll tea set. Each doll has a tiny pink cup cake and each doll is given a party favor, a miniature doll fan.

• How to make a miniature doll fans - these may be made with or without feathers, here is another version made with toothpicks from my Christmas blog . . .
• See how to make Birthday cakes for dolls, all kinds!

       At the big table children are treated to pink cupcakes and pink lemonade. Each guest also receives her own party favor, an umbrella small enough for a doll to use! (beverage umbrellas)
       Then the party ends with very happy dolls and even happier guests...

Paper Dolls Wear 19th Century Costume

        For these paper dolls representative of 1810, a girl doll has three dress costumes along with three different bonnets. The boy paper doll has three costumes with two hats. Both dolls also have heavier seasonal jackets drawn with their inner garments.

Make these miniature Valentine sweets for your dolls . . .

        All dolls will love to pretend to eat candies below for St. Valentine's Day! All of our tiny versions crafted here for both young and old to copy or make similar versions are made using Sculpey clay, toothpicks and a bit of paint. Seal the finished versions with Mod Podge to protect the surfaces, once these have been painted.

Far left, pictured are my versions of candy kabobs. Center are the Valentine s'mores with
 painted chocolate centers sandwiched between to pretend graham crackers, topped with
red puff paint and tiny Sculpey candies. These candies are purchased from a local hobby
 shop for just a few pennies.

Here you see miniature pretzels painted toasty brown and ''dipped'' into pastel puff paints
 to mimic both yogurt and chocolate; just as they are in real life.

Chocolates, heart shaped marshmallows and ribbon candies all mounted on a faux kabob
are a fantasy inspired Valentine treat for your dolls. Sculpt these using oven-bake clay and
 push them gently onto a toothpick. Paint all the parts as you see them in the photos.
 Don't forget to tie a miniature bow just on the handle for that finishing touch.

Above left, are the unfinished, sculpted roses. Right, are the painted, finished ones.

 

       To make the miniature chocolate roses, sculpt the tiny petals using an oven-bake clay. Apply the petal around the tip of a toothpick until the bud and bloom are formed. Bake the roses in a 275 degree oven or according to the directions on the Sculpey package. The clay will quickly harden and be ready to paint. Once the roses have hardened and cooled, paint the upper petals a rich chocolatey brown. The bottom of the roses should be painted with a gold, red, or silver metallic paint to mimic the foil that the real candy roses come covered in. The toothpick should be painted green as the actual stems are with real chocolate roses.

Above, you can see how I wrapped the chocolate roses with green tissue papers. Go
 to Thrifty Scissors to see how the craft life-sized real chocolate roses and carnation
 kiss bouquets for a presentation/gift for a sweetheart or friend.

Paper Doll Fashions from 1830

       The following fashions from 1830 include three changes of clothes for a girl paper doll and two changes for a boy. There are also two bonnets for the girl and two hats for the boy. During this period in dress in the United States, the fabric and color of the fabric reflected wealth and status. The lighter the clothing and finer the fabric the wealthy the child. 

       Children from more ordinary households wore similar styles but the fabrics were made of sturdier stuff and the colors were darker to hide stains and the fact that the garments may not have been laundered as frequently.

Don't forget the poke bonnets and top hats for children too . . . 

Katelyn Kearns makes costumes from the 1830s. 

One of many videos showing methods, fabrics and styles.

Paper Dolls Wear 18th Century Costume

An adult salon gown with wig.

        The costume below is representative of how the upper classes of the 18th Century dressed in Europe around 1775. Men and sometimes women would powder their hair or wear wigs to go with these styles. 

       Children wore similar costume to their elders, no matter how uncomfortable it was, during special occasions. But while they played in the nursery or slept, they wore less formal clothing when they were not in public.
       If you parents were not wealthy but were ordinary folk, the costume would be made of rougher fabrics, in sombre/neutral colors. There would be fewer trims and adornments on the surface of the clothing too and women did not wear wigs much.

       Below are the formal garments of those children of upper class parents. Both a boy and a girl are illustrated along with hats, a shawl and a cane for the girl. The boy has three costume changes, the girl two. 

       A child's hair would not be treated with powder, nor would they ordinarily ever wear wigs. Hair styles were combed and secured with pins in similar shapes and styles of their parents but their natural hair color was left alone. 

Born to a family of status and wealth in the 18th Century, these children dressed
 like just like their parents when in public places. Only infants had clothing
 designed particularly for their size and age. If an infant were a boy he would
  wear clothing similar to a girl. By the time he was four or five, this would end
   and his gender would dictate his costume.

DIY Dollhouse Christmas Tree Ornaments: Part 2

Miniature Candy Cones, Snow Ball Garland and A Sticker Cross

Left, tiny Christmas candy cones are made by cutting cardboard circles in half and then
winding these into cone shapes, tape the cone shapes in place and trim off the parts at the
top to form perfect candy containers. String seed beads together for the handles and tape
 these in place before decoupage is applied to the surfaces. Center, using a needle and
thread string together white pom poms. Add a little glue and glitter to finish the snowball
 garland. Right, tape a thin wire hanger to the backside of a cross sticker to make this
simple religious ornament for a dollhouse tree.

Tiny Cotton Toad Stools

Left, shaped cotton batting toad stools before painting. Center, paint the caps red with white 
polka-dots. Right, see one hanging on a tiny tree. Learn how to make these ornaments larger
for a real tree here.

American Flags, Miniature Baubles and Butterflies

Left, American flag pics for cupcakes make cute decorations for a doll patriotic Christmas
tree. Center, these little plastic baubles are mass produced for tiny trees. Right, tiny, tiny
 glass bead butterflies just need little hooks before hanging these on our doll's Christmas tree.

Leaping Reindeer and Cotton Batting Rudolf

Left, these leaping, red glitter reindeer where at one time parts of a garland. But, I decided to
recycle them into smaller ornaments for our 18 inch dollhouse. Center, the cotton wrapped
Rudolf prior to painting. Right, see both ornament types finished and hanging on a doll-sized
 white Christmas tree.

Beaded Garland

Strings of faux pearls may be purchased from shops selling sewing notions. These make
perfect tiny garlands for miniature Christmas trees!

Parlor Birds

Left, the beginning supplies used to make these cotton batting birds in miniature. Center, you
 can see the stage for this craft mid-way. The feathers are wrapped into the body with cotton
and glue. Right, our ''parlor birds'' are ready to spy on naughty children. These are German
 types, once made from glass. The parlor birds, so my mother-in-law once said, would
fly away to tattle on children to Santa Claus if they misbehaved. 

 Part 1.,  and Part 2., Part 3., and Part 4.

Wallpaper Designs for Printing and Coloring

        Four uniquely designed wallpaper patterns from the past. Print and color them in just as you like to
paste inside of your own dollhouse!

DIY Dollhouse Christmas Tree Ornaments: Part 1

        Our dolls are dreaming of those perfect miniature decorations for a dollhouse' Christmas tree nestled in front of a fireplace. It will require much crafting throughout the Summer to manufacture ornaments with very tiniest details. If our readers feel they need to embellish their own dollhouse displays too; they can follow along with me, while I upload each ornament idea/craft for our 2025 Christmas Tree Workshop Challenge.
       For ornament crafts on this page, visitors will need to gather the following supplies: white glue, a toothpick or two, green felt, tiny red pom-poms, green and red embroidery floss and thread, lampwork beads, a tiny white bottle brush wreath, fine wire, chenille stems, cotton balls, needle nose pliers, a selection of small beads.

• See how to make gift wrap for the gifts beneath your doll's Christmas tree here...
• Craft supplies I have purchased for future doll-sized Christmas trees.
• How to make a chenille stem Christmas Tree for a dollhouse

Wire Shaped Candy Canes

Far left, cut cotton covered wire into one inch lengths. Next, wrap each length with red
 embroidery floss to make a peppermint looking stick. Center, curl one end or each into
 a cane shape. Right, attach a tiny wire hook for hanging the miniature peppermint candy
 canes to a doll sized Christmas tree.

Felt Holly Leaves and Pom-Pom Berries

Left, for this craft you will need red and green thread, the very
tiniest red pom-poms in the market place and green forest felt.
 Right, cut the holly leaves from the felt and sew the tiny red
 pom-poms, three to each pair of holly leaves using red thread.
 Then make tiny straight stitches down the centers of each leaf
 using the green thread. Tack on the itty-bitty wire hooks at
 the back of each holly and berry sprig to hang on the doll's
 Christmas tree.

Holly Berry Jingle Bells

Left, you will need a fine wire and jingle bells for this holly berry ornament craft. Center, string
three jingle bells onto a fine wire and bend them into a triangle formation. Right, squeeze a little 
white school glue on the surfaces of the wire and wrap the wire with green embroidery floss.

Chenille Peppermint Lollipops

Left, twist and wrap the red and white lollipops into shapes using chenille stems. Center,
 cover the stick part with  cotton batting and glue. Right, use pliers to attach the tiny hooks.
Go here to see how we made miniature clay lollipops for other holidays.

White Flocked Bottle Brush wreath

Left, this flocked bottle brush wreath came with the red

bow. Right, use white school glue to add a few red pom-

poms for more decoration. These chenille stem Christmas

wreaths can be made even smaller for a Christmas tree.

Lampwork Bead Baubles

Left, small needle-nose pliers are a very necessary tool used
to make the tiniest hooks on the ends of the wires needed to
hang these lampwork beads onto the branches of miniature
Christmas trees. Right, are the loveliest glass lampwork
beads in red and green for our American Girl Doll trees. You
 can purchase even smaller beads than these for smaller dolls
 and trees. See beaded garlands for dollhouse trees here.

Icicle Bearded Santa

Left, the beard of this Santa ornament is shaped like an
icicle. The tiny ornament is sculpted using cotton and
glue shaped over a wooden toothpick. Right, then Santa's
face and hat are hand painted using a very tiny brush,
and acrylic paints...

 

Coming soon . . .

Part 1.,  and Part 2., Part 3., and Part 4.

The Yellow Mouse? Full of short words for young readers.

        One evening Mousey made up his mind to leave his home and see the world. His world was the nursery, where just now all was dark and quiet, except for the flicker and glow of the fire in the grate. His home was a warm and cozy nest right under the boards, which his mother had made for him and his brothers.
       But Mousey was tired of the nest, and when Mrs. Mouse had left her children to look for her supper he slipped out after her, and ran up the dark passage to the world above. He was a pretty little thing. His toes were pink and so was the tip of his nose. His coat was soft and brown and furry and his eyes shone like big black beads. His tail was a wonder, so long and so slender.
       Scrit-scratch went his tiny feet on the nursery floor as he ran. What a lot of strange smells! thought Mousey. He sniffed first round the coal-box, and then near the cat's basket, and then under the table, where some cake-crumbs had fallen. The last smell made him so curious that he tasted a crumb with his little pink tongue, and then for the next few minutes he was busy. Nibble, nibble, one crumb after another, till he had had a good supper.
       Soon Mousey found himself at the foot of the table-leg. "This goes up," said he, "and so will I.'' He stuck his sharp claws into the wood and up he went. The table-cloth, too, was a help, for he could stick his claws int that as well.
       At last he was up, and there was a great surprise for Mousey. For in the middle stood a strange little house shut in by bars that shone like gold in the firelight. Behind the golden bars sat a golden prisoner. "Hurrah!" cried Mousey in his thin squeak, ''this must be the yellow mouse my mother has told me of. It is he who sings so loudly in the sunshine when we brown mice are hiding away. I will set him free and take him home and he shall teach us to sing loudly too."
       Mousey gripped the golden bars with his tiny sharp teeth, and bit hard and fast. "Twing, twang," said the bars, and the golden prisoner woke. He ruffled his feathers and gave an angry squawk. "Ugly little brown mouse, what are you doing here? Squawk! squawk!"
       Timid Mousey gave one look at him as he flew, beating his wings round his cage, and then rushed to the edge of the table. Down by the cloth he swung and scrit-scratched across the floor. He did not stop till he was safe in his cozy dark nest again. by H. W. Seers.

 

"He ruffled his feathers and gave an angry squawk."

Decorative Sheet Music for Scrapping

        Antique looking sheet music for scrapper's crafts. This one for all kinds of projects that require musical notes integrated into the design. I have a few more pages like this that I'll upload under this post in the future.

This sheet music printable has color background for those crafters
using white paper for printing.

How Grasshopper Green defended the Meadow Mice

 

       Early one Saturday morning-it must have been about the end of February- Father Meadow-Mouse looked out of the window and saw that there had been quite a thaw during the night.

       "Mother Meadow-Mouse," said he, "it is much warmer this morning, and I think the ice that filled up that hole under Farmer Green's corn-crib must be melted away. Now our larder is nearly empty; so you and I'd better go over there right away and get some corn before the squirrels wake up." 

       So Mother Meadow-Mouse put on her little dark blue shawl, and Father Meadow-Mouse put on his little bright red muffler, and, taking two sacks with them, they started off to get the corn. 

Meadow-Mouse children clean up the house while their parents are away.

    

   Grasshopper Green stayed home with the children (the day being Saturday, they didn't have to go to school), for in spite of the thaw the weather was still too cold for him to safely venture out.

       Making Everything spic and span "Now, children," said Grasshopper Green, "we'll wash the breakfast dishes, and sweep and dust the room, and make everything spick and span to surprise your Mother and Father when they come back." 

       So Long-Tail, Sharp-Eyes, Pink-Ears and Mouseykins all put on funny little blue aprons and fell to work, and in a very short time the dishes were all washed and dried and the room was as neat as a new pin.

       When all the work was done, Grasshopper Green got out his fiddle and said that it was time for a dancing lesson. 

       Oh, how the little Meadow-Mouse Children enjoyed dancing lessons! Of course they couldn't equal the wonderful twirling leaps of their teacher, Grasshopper Green, but they did very well, and you should have seen how gracefully they waved their tails; and that was something that Grasshopper Green couldn't do for the reason, of course, that he hadn't any tail to wave. 

       The first part of the lesson was over, and Grasshopper Green was just starting to re-tune his little fiddle, when they heard a creaking sound - as if someone were cautiously trying to push open the front door, which was bolted on the inside.

       Long-Tail, who happened to be standing near the little window, peeped out to see who was there, then suddenly jumped back and dived into the corner cupboard, squeaking in a trembly voice, "It's Mouser!"

       Now "Mouser" was Farmer Green's big, yellow-eyed, black cat! 

      Father Meadow-Mouse had once said to Grasshopper Green, "Our home is so far away from the farmhouse and barn and is so well disguised that there is really no danger of that terrible Mouser ever finding it." But here he was at last! 

       Mouser, no doubt, had heard--perhaps the weasel who lived near-by had told him--that Father and Mother Meadow-Mouse had both gone out that morning, leaving the children alone. 

       He probably did not know that Grasshopper Green was there with the little Meadow-Mice, though, of course, even if he had, he wouldn't have thought anything of it. And what, indeed, could a little Grasshopper do against a big cat? 

       There was only one thing he could do, Grasshopper Green decided, and that was to go for help without a moment's delay. 

Thistlewhistle the fairy, lived with 
some rabbit friends.

       Now Grasshopper Green knew that Thistle-Whistle, the Fairy, lived with some rabbits in a rabbit-hole among the briars not far away, and he was sure that Thistle-Whistle, who was quite a powerful Fairy, could in some way drive off Mouser and rescue the little Meadow-Mice.

       So, not even stopping to put on a muffler, he raised the window very quietly and hopped out.

       Mouser was intent on trying to open the door by clawing and pushing, and didn't notice the window at all.

       Then you should have seen Grasshopper Green's tremendous leaps! You may be sure he went faster than any Grasshopper had ever hopped before. Warmed by his excitement an d exertions, he didn't feel the cold a bit.

       He soon reached the rabbit-hole. Alas! The Fairy was not there. As Grasshopper Green turned to go, he spied a small chest standing near the door. At the sight of this a brilliant idea immediately popped into his head!

       Now Listen! In that chest were some tiny black pellets, magic pellets, about the size of mustard seeds.

       Thistle-Whistle and Grasshopper Green had become great friends that winter an d the Fairy had told Grasshopper Green about these magic pellets; if you swallow only one, and then wished yourself any size you wanted to be-as small as a Flea or as big as an Elephant, or any size in between. You would become that size instantly!

       Grasshopper Green returned to the whole promptly and with the seed in his mouth, wished to be as large as a small dog!

       The moment Mouser poked his head inside of the mouse hole, his eyes met with Grasshopper Greens'. The sight of the massive insect nearly paralyzed Mouser with surprise!

       Although a grasshopper is usually a very good-natured little fellow he has a really terrifying face, but we don't notice it often because he's so very small.

Grasshopper Green very scary when he's the size of a small dog!

       Look very closely at one sometime and then try to imagine what a strange looking monster he would be if he were as big as a dog!

       Great-Grandfather Goodheart said, when he told me the story, that Mouser never stopped running until he got to the next village, five miles away, and that he shrieked out to every animal he passed on the way that he had seen a dragon!

       At any rate, he was never seen about Farmer Green's place again. And that certainly was a great relief to all the Meadow-Mice, I can attest to it.

       As soon as Mouser disappeared in the distance, Grasshopper Green swallowed another pellet and wished himself back to his usual size. Then he called to the Meadow-Mouse children to come out of their hiding places and told them the good news. For Long-Tail and Sharp-Eyes had been squeezed in the cupboard and Pink-Ears and Mouseykins were under the bed all that time.

       Pretty soon Father and Mother Meadow-Mouse returned with their sacks full of corn.

       When they heard that Mouser had been so frightened that he probably would never return, you can guess how happy they were. They would be able to caper about freely for certain.

       They sent out invitations right away for a fine big party in honor of Grasshopper Green, who was, of course, their hero for many years to come. The End.

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