The Fairy School

The Fairy School by Marjorie Barrows

At goldenrod and aster time
The fairies near our pool
Put on some freshly laundered wings
And flutter off to school.

They sit at little toadstool desks

And do their fairy sums,

And learn to color autumn leaves

Before the frost king comes.

And then they study very hard

So they can spin cocoons

And sing the flowers all to sleep

With little bedtime tunes.

They'd fluttered home for tea today

When I went past the pool,

But I almost saw the fairy dunce

Staying after school!

Soap Root

Soap Root pollinated by moths.

Unspotted blossom,

A-sway in the heat,

Thanks for the Castile

That lies at your feet.

       The flowers we have been studying open their hearts to the sun in the morning. Most flowers do that. They love the early sunshine. However, there are some flowers that seem to hate to get up in the morning, just as some little boys and girls do. 

       Do you all know the California Soap Root? If you have camped out in your summer vacation, perhaps you have used the root to clean the grime off your hands. You like it because it makes those soft suds that make your hands feel nice. Perhaps that is just why the plant does not like moisture. Perhaps it is afraid that if it touches much water it will melt into soapsuds and float away in rainbow bubbles for the Fairies.

       At any rate, you do not find its flowers in the Spring when the air may be damp. The long green leaves are out, spread on warm rocky hillsides. They have little earth to draw moisture from, but they grow longer all the time. The flower does not bloom until summer. Even in that warm season, it does not open until in the afternoon. Then the air is sure to be well heated.

       The Soap Root has six regular floral parts like Fritillaria but they are different from hers in shape and in color. Botanists say they are ''tongue shaped.'' Does not that describe them well? They are long and narrow. They end in a roundish point. Their sides curve in. 

       Because she comes out in warm weather, Soap Root does not need an overcoat on her flower buds, as Iris does. She sends up many buds along the main stem and along branch stems. They spread out wide into six white waxy parts, with a purple line down the middle. While the sides of the floral parts curve inward, the tips curve backward from the center.

       The six stamens rise up tall and then bend toward the outside. The dark anthers swing loosely on their tops.

       The pistil comes up in the center of the stamen ring. The little stigma knob at its top divides into three lobes.

       Just as some flowers open in the late afternoon, some insects come out then to feed. Mrs. White Moth sleeps in the early half of the day and comes out late looking for a meal. She becomes almost discouraged. Flower after flower she finds closed. Can she find no meal? And she so hungry? Her wings begin to droop.

       Suddenly up she tosses her head. What are those white waxy stars waving in the lower air. Stars should be higher up. She fairly flings herself through the air to reach them. Aha! Food! And a very good food at that. She gains new strength and courage. She goes from blossom to blossom, and you know what happens?

       When the Soap Root seed-case ripens, she does not cast off her sepals and petals. She dries them into purple and twists them over the seed-case. The seed-case is shaped something like a top. See if it spins to send its little round seeds out.

       We can easily see what gives Soap Root its common name. The root has been used by all the peoples who have lived in California. The native people washed themselves with suds made from it. They also used it in a way that our Law to-day will not let us. The native women knelt down by a pool and made it all white with Soap Root suds. The fish did not like that mixture, so they floated on the top as if half asleep. Then, the women caught them in their hands and filled many baskets with them. What they did not wish to eat fresh, they hung on the bushes to dry. Then, they had dried fish when none were to be caught.

       The Spanish Californians used the Soap Root for washing their clothes. Washing Day was not disliked in their time. It was really a sort of picnic. Baskets of soiled clothes were carried down to the creek bank. Camp fires were made under large copper tubs which were filled with the creek water.

       The clothes were soaked in the creek water and well rubbed with Soap Root. Then they were boiled in these copper tubs in Soap Root suds. Next these were rinsed in the clear creek water many times. After washing, the clothes were spread out on the grass to dry in the fresh air and bright sunshine.  How white those clothes were and how sweet they smelled! 

       I said Washing Day was like a picnic. It was. The washers ate their game and tortillas by the stream. In those days, people travelled mostly on horseback. There were few roads between Northern California and Southern California. People rode on trails. Most trails followed along the creeks. So, the washers often saw a horseman coming from a distant part of the State before he got to the ranch or to the town.

       They would hail him. He always stopped to talk with them. Sometimes he lingered to eat with them. He used to tell them all the news of the place from which he came. The washers used to know the news before the other people did. So, when the Americans came to the country and the General wanted to learn the latest news from Los Angeles, he sent his scout to the washing-pool. They used to call this way of getting the news "The Washerwoman's Mail."

      When the Forty-Niners were digging gold in the Mountains, they were very glad to have Soap Rootto wash themselves and their clothes. Soap was not so common in those days as it is with us. And besides, it would be heavy to pack the miles into the mining country. So, they looked on Soap Root as one of their friends who made their lives easier.

       If you want to have fine glossy hair, use the root as the Spanish Californians did. Make a good suds of the root and rub it well into your scalp. Then, rinse the suds out in several waters and dry your hair in the sunshine.

Back to "Little Blossoms" Doll Summer Camp Index

The Blackbird

Collect all pages-cleaned and sized to make a miniature
book for your dolls.

Assemble a mini doll sized book: Right, is the Blackbird's illustration and verse. Visitors can collect all the bird illustrations and verse from "Bird Children" to print and construct a small book of verse for their dolls. Simply drag each png. into a Word Document, print, cut out all of the images the same size and staple the pages together at the left edge. Squeeze out some white school glue along the stapled edge of the pages and attach a cardboard cover.

Flitting 'round the swimming pool,
Where the air is nice and cool,
Red-winged Black Bird sings in glee:
"Gloogle-ee, Gloogle-ee-e."

 

Additional Authors: 

 

THE BLACKBIRDS' HOME

       Jim was a careless boy. He hung the Gardener's basket on a nail on the wall, and forgot all about it for several days. Then, the Gardener missed it, and Jim was sent to look for it. When he came back without it, the Garderner was angry.
        "Please, sir," said Jim, "the basket's on the wall right enough, but there's a nest in it, and a blackbird sitting on it, and I hadn't the heart to hurt her."
       "That's right, Jim," said the Gardener, laughing. "We'll let the little mother have a house rent-free for a bit, I think."
       After a time, the little ones were hatched - four of them. At last, their feathers appeared, and it was time for their first flying lesson.
       "Tomorrow we will begin," said the Mother Bird, and the babies cheeped for delight. They made such a fuss, indeed, that the smallest one got pushed close to the edge of the nest, and, before the parents had noticed it, the poor mite tumbled out onto the ground!
       In a moment, the big gray Persian Cat basking in the sun on the lawn, sprang up and ran towards the poor chirping birdie. The parent Blackbirds shrieked so loudly in their grief that the Gardener and Jim both stopped digging. Jim picked up the frightened little creature, and put it gently back in the nest.

       And Mistress Pussy was chased away in disgrace, and kept out of the garden till all the little Blackbirds had flown away for good.
       "After all," said Father Blackbird that evening to his wife, " it was a lucky thing we took this house. We never had such a nice big one, and the Gardener and Jim have been very pleasant neighbors."
       And all the Birds about the farm, even to the cross old Turkey-cock, agreed that Jim was the very nicest kind of a boy. Henry Altemus Company.

MIRANDA AND THE BLACKBIRD.

HEAR the song of Yellow Beaky!
(That's the Blackbird's other name.)
See his sparkling eyes so cheeky!
(Mister Impudence is tame.)

He is singing to Miranda
(Who is getting well from mumps:)
"Come and play on the veranda,
And forget about those lumps!

"Sing a song of Blackbirds,
All have fled but two;
And Yellow Beak and Bright-eyes
Have stayed to sing to you."

 

 Additional Content About Blackbirds:

• The Red Winged Blackbird
• All you need to know about Blackbirds!

Back To The Bird Children Index

The Rude Bag of Clothespins

        Mr.  Popover  lay  on  the  floor  under  Aunt Amelia's  dining-room  table.  Ellen  had  dropped him  there  not  five  minutes  ago.
       She  had  carried  all  the  Popover  family  down to  the  dining room  to  play  at  ice-skating  on  the slippery  polished  table.  But  perhaps  because it  was  a  warm  afternoon  the  Popovers  didn't seem  to  feel  like  skating.  They  wouldn't  or  they couldn't  stand  upon  their  feet,  and  as  for  taking hold  of  hands  and  gliding  gracefully  about  over the  ice,  Ellen  simply  couldn't  make  them  understand how  it  was  done.
       "Perhaps  we  had  better  play  that  this  is  a swimming-pool,'  said  Ellen  at  last.
       She  slipped  off  the  warm  pink  flannel  coat  that Mr.  Popover  was  wearing,  but  before  she  could prepare  the  rest  of  the  family  for  a  dip  in  the waves  Ellen  heard  Aunt  Amelia  calling  to  her.
       'Ellen,  where  are  you?.'  called  Aunt  Amelia. 'Come  upstairs.   I  want  you.'
       Ellen  hastily  bundled  the  Popovers  into  the skirt  of  her  dress  and  ran  with  them  up  to  the playroom.  She  knew  Caroline  would  be  far  from pleased  to  find  her  neat  dining-room  in  disorder. But  Ellen  was  in  such  a  hurry  that  she  did  not see  Mr.  Popover  slide  out  of  her  dress  and  roll under  the  table,  nor  did  she  miss  him  when she  tucked  the  Popovers  into  their  Little  Red House.
       At  first  Mr.  Popover  didn't  mind  lying  there on  the  floor.  It  seemed  cool  and  restful  to  him after  the  trouble  he  had  had  trying  to  learn  to skate.  He  was  glad  to  be  rid  of  the  hot  pink coat,  too.  But  presently  Mr.  Popover  felt  lonely. Why  didn't  Ellen  come  back  and  pick  him  up? He  had  done  his  best  to  skate  and  please  Ellen. It  was  high  time  that  Ellen  did  something  to please  him.
       A  fly  came  walking  delicately  over  the  rug toward  Mr.  Popover.  Here,  at  least,  was  some one  to  whom  he  could  talk,  and  Mr.  Popover had  just  opened  his  mouth  to  speak  of  the  heat when  into  the  room  from  the  kitchen  bustled Caroline.
       She  pulled  down  the  dining-room  shades  to keep  out  the  sun,  and  the  foolish  fly,  instead  of
sitting  still  and  unseen  under  the  table,  buzzed his  way  over  to  the  windowsill  under  Caroline's very  eyes.
      'Ugh,  a  fly!'  said  Caroline.
       And  flapping  her  apron  she  drove  him  away from  the  window,  under  the  table,  and  out through  the  kitchen  door.
       As  she  chased  little  Buzz-Fuzz  out  of  the room,  Caroline  spied  Mr.  Popover  lying  on  the floor  under  the  leg  of  the  table.
       ' How  in  the  world  did  a  clothespin  get  in  my dining room?'  said  Caroline.
       She  hadn't  an  idea  that  this  was  Mr.  Popover.  She  didn't  notice  his  little  face  -  his  two black  eyes,  his  dot  of  a  nose,  his  tiny  mouth. And  as  Mr.  Popover  was  dressed  for  the  water in  nothing  at  all  but  his  dark  brown  skin,  he looked  to  Caroline  like  a  plain  ordinary  clothespin and nothing  more.
       So  Caroline  picked  up  Mr.  Popover  and carried  him  into  the  laundry,  and  there  she dropped him  into  the  blue-and-white  striped bag,  hanging  on  the  wall,  in  which  Caroline kept  her clothespins.
       'Dear  me!'  said  Mr.  Popover,  as  he  tumbled head-first  into  the  bag.  'Where  am  I  going  and what  has  happened  to  me?'
       The  other  clothespins  in  the  bag  didn't  say a  word.  They  drew  away  from  Mr.  Popover  and stared  him  up  and  down.
       Mr.  Popover  gazed  eagerly  about,  hoping to  see  a  familiar  clothespin,  one  who  had  held clothes  on  the  line  with  him  when  he  had  been a  boy.  But  though  he  looked  from  one  to  another, over  and  over  again,  he  didn't  see  a single  friendly  face.  They  all  seemed  very  young clothes-pins  to  him,  light  and  clean  and  small, not  one  so  old  and  dark  and  tall  as  he.  And  so it  was.  The  clothespins  who  had  held  clothes on  the  line  with  Mr.  Popover  had  long  ago been worn  out  and  thrown  away.  While,  on  the other  hand,  the  new  clothespins  in  the  blue and white  striped  bag  had  no  idea  who  Mr. Popover  was  and  thought  him  a  strange looking, old-fashioned  clothespin  indeed.
       For  a  long  time  the  clothespins  simply looked  at  Mr.  Popover  and  Mr.  Popover  looked back at  them.
       At  last  it  was  Mr.  Popover  who  spoke  first.
       'Do  you  live  here  in  this  bag?'  asked  he.
       'Certainly.  Where  else  would  we  live?'  was the  answer  the  clothes-pins  made.
       Mr.  Popover  thought  this  rather  rude.  He hoped  Velvetina  and  Baby  Popover  would never talk  to  strangers  in  this  way.
       But  he  answered  politely.
       'I  didn't  know  whether  you  lived  here  or  not. When  I  was  in  your  business  and  held clothes on  the  line  I  lived  in  a  basket,  a  grape-basket. I  never  was  in  a  bag  like  this  before.'
       ' How  do  you  like  it,  now  you  are  here? '  asked a  clothespin  with  a  saucy  smile.
       'Very  much  indeed,'  answered  Mr.  Popover stiffly.
       He  didn't  care  at  all  for  the  manners  of  these young  clothespins.  He  meant  to  be  very particular with  Velvetina  and  Baby  Popover  when once  he  reached  home  again.
       'Where  do  you  live  now?'  asked  another clothespin,  tilting  his  head  on  one  side  in  a  bold fashion  as  he  spoke.
       'In  a  house,'  answered  Mr.  Popover,  feeling provoked  at  being  treated  so;  'a  red  house  too. It  has  four  rooms,  and  windows  with  curtains, and  rugs  on  the  floor.  There  are  chairs  and tables  and  beds  and  sofas  in  it.  It  is  the  prettiest house  for  miles  around.  So  there!'
       And  Mr.  Popover  stared  as  boldly  at  the clothespins  as  they  stared  back  at  him.
       'If  they  can't  be  polite  to  me,  I  shan't  be polite  to  them,'  thought  Mr.  Popover.
       Now  of  course  that  wasn't  the  right  spirit  for Mr.  Popover  to  show.  He  should  have remembered how  surprised  those  clothes-pins  must have  been  at  having  him  come  tumbling  in unexpectedly  at  the  top  of  their  house.  On the  other  hand  Mr.  Popover  had  tried  to  be agreeable,  and  it  was  really  the  fault  of  the clothespins  that  he  felt  he  must  speak  to them  so.
       But  the  clothes-pins  were  now  more  impolite than  ever  to  Mr.  Popover.  They  began  to whisper  to  one  another.  They  spoke  so  softly that  Mr.  Popover  couldn't  hear  what  they  said. Then  they  all  spoke  at  once  in  a  very  loud voice,  quite  shouting  in  poor  Mr.  Popover's ear.
       'Oh,  you  live  in  a  house,  do  you? '  shouted  the clothespins  all  together.  'And  a  red  house  too.
       Well,  perhaps  you  would  like  to  go  home  to your  red  house  again.  It  isn't  good  enough  for you  here.'
       And  scarcely  were  the  words  out  of  their mouths  than  they  began  to  push  Mr.  Popover.  
       They  pushed  him  down,  down,  down  toward  the bottom  of  the  bag.  They  crowded  on  top  of him.  They stepped  on  his  toes.
       'Some  one  will  break  my  leg,'  thought  Mr. Popover.
       But  there  was  no  use  saying  so,  for  the clothespins  wouldn't  have  cared  if  they  had.
       They  pushed  and  pushed  Mr.  Popover  down to  the  very  bottom  of  the  bag  and  then  they began  to  push  him  over  into  a  corner.
       And  once  the  corner  was  reached  Mr.  Popover  saw  what  they  were  about.  For  in  the corner  was  a  hole  and  out  of  the  hole  they  began to  push  Mr.  Popover.
       You  may  imagine  that  Mr.  Popover  didn't want  to  stay  in  the  bag.  He  squirmed  and  he wriggled  as  hard  as  he  could  to  get  through  the hole,  and  what  with  Mr.  Popover  squirming and  the  clothespins  all  pushing  it  wasn't  long before  Mr.  Popover  dropped  with  a  click  down on  the  laundry  floor  under  the  blue and white bag.
       He  was  so  glad  to  be  out  of  the  bag  that  he lay  quite  still  for  a  moment  without  even thinking a  thought.  He  didn't  bother  to  answer  when he  heard  the  clothespins  calling  to  him from the  bag  above  his  head,  and  he  simply  shut  his eyes  tight  when  a  saucy  clothespin  stuck his face  out  of  the  hole  and  laughed  to  see  him  lying there  below.
       But  by  and  by  he  began  to  wonder  how  he would  get  home  again.
       'I  am  afraid  my  leg  is  broken  too'  said  he  to himself,  'and,  if  it  is,  it  will  never  be  so straight and  so  beautiful  again.'
       He  tried  to  roll  toward  the  laundry  door. But  his  leg  was  painful  and  he  felt  stiff  and  sore, so  he  was  forced  to  lie  still.  And  there  he  lay for  hours  and  hours  and  hours.  Or  so  it  seemed to  poor  Mr.  Popover.
       He  dozed  and  woke,  he  dozed  and  woke again.
       '  Suppose  no  one  ever  comes  to  help  me  home' thought  he.
       The  house  grew  still.  Every  one  was  in  bed. There  was not  a  footstep  to  be  heard.
       Never  before  had  Mr.  Popover  felt  so  lonely and  so  sad.  He  thought  of  his  big  gilt  bed. He thought  of  Mrs.  Popover  and  Velvetina  and Baby  Loo-Loo,  watching  for  him  and  wondering why  he  did  not  come  home.
       Then,  in  the  quiet  of  the  laundry,  Mr.  Popover,  tired  and  sore  and  homesick,  heard  a gentle  scratch,  scratch,  scratch  in  the  wall.
       'Peanut!'  thought  Mr.  Popover.  'It  is Peanut,  come  to  save  me.'
       He  raised  his  head  from  the  cold  hard  floor to  look,  and  sure  enough,  out  of  a  crack slipped Peanut,  his  bright  little  eyes  peering  hither and  thither  for  a  sight  of  his  old  friend.
       'Peanut!  I  am  here!  Save  me!'  called  Mr. Popover.
       And  a  second  later  Peanut  was  slowly  rolling Mr.  Popover  toward  home.
       'Go  gently,'  begged  Mr.  Popover.  'I  think my  leg  is  broken.'
       So  gently  Peanut  rolled  him  over  the  laundry floor,  through  the  kitchen,  the  dining room, the library,  over  to  the  foot  of  the  stairs.
       'I  shall  have  to  carry  you  up  the  banisters' said  Peanut.
       Mr.  Popover  shut  his  teeth  and  bore  it  bravely while  Peanut  carried  him  by  way  of  the  banisters up  the  stairs.
       It  was  only  a  short  way  to  the  playroom, and  there  were  Mrs.  Popover  and  Velvetina  and Baby  Loo-Loo  watching  eagerly  at  the  window and  hoping  with  all  their  little  hearts  that Peanut  would  find  Mr.  Popover  and  bring him  home  soon.
       How  happy  they  were  to  see  him!  How Velvetina  and  Baby  Loo-Loo  clapped  their hands  for  joy!
       Mrs.  Popover  helped  Mr.  Popover  go straight to  bed.  She  wouldn't  let  him  talk  until  it  was found  that  his  leg  was  not  broken  and  until  he had  been  well  rubbed  from  top  to  toe  to  take the soreness  out  of  his  bones.
       '  We  can  all  thank  Peanut  that  you  are  safe at  home,'  said  Mrs.  Popover,  shaking  the  bottle
of  liniment  to  and  fro.  'He  came  to  call  and found  you  gone,  and  he  hasn't  rested  a  moment since.  He  has  run  from  one  end  of  the  house  to the  other,  looking  for  you.  Oh,  what  a  night I have  had!  I  shall  never  forget  it,  never!'
       'Neither  shall  I,'  said  Mr.  Popover.
       And  sitting  up  in  bed  he  told  all  that  had  happened to  him  that  day.
       'Poor  dear,'  said  Mrs.  Popover  tenderly, when  he  had  finished,  'you  need  a  good  rest. We  will  all  go  downstairs  now  and  let  you  sleep.'
       But  as  they  tiptoed  out  of  the  room,  Mr. Popover  called  Peanut  back  to  his  bedside.
       'Thank  you  again,  my  friend,  for  saving  me from  those  rude  clothespins,'  said  Mr.  Popover drowsily.  'But  let  me  tell  you,  clothespins didn't  behave  like  that  when  I  was  a  boy.'
       And  then  Mr.  Popover,  tired  out  by  his  exciting day,  fell  asleep.

Previous Chapter  or Next Chapter

DIY Noah's Ark Valentine Mail Box

Mini Noah's Ark Valentine Mailbox

       I've include a Noah's ark Valentine mailbox for those of you who are nostalgic about Sunday toys.

 Supply List:

• faux printed wood grain paper
• white school glue
• masking tape
• cardboard
• faux water printed paper
• black acrylic paints
• tiny bit of oven-bake clay to shape a small dove
• a bit of wire and green paper to make an olive branch
  

Step-by-Step Instructions:

• First you will need to cut and shape a simple boat shaped box. I made my version of Noah's ark to look like a capital letter "A" with a closed end. 
• Then I cut an arched doorway from the side and took that cut door, bent it down and pasted it to a second piece of cardboard cut to look like a large pool of water. This pool serves as a stand for the ark.
• Next, you will need to shape a simple 'house' with four sides and a ''V'' shaped roof. 
• Decoupage the entire boat with faux ''wood'' printed paper.
• Paint the interior of the ark shaped mailbox black.
• Cut small portal "heart" shaped windows for the boat and paste them across the center of the ark's boat shaped walls.
• Use a permanent ink marker to draw and color in the tiny details that are too difficult to cut from paper.
  

Left, the front of the ark mailbox in progress. Right, the backside of the ark.

 

Left details of the ark shape. Right, the masking tape holds everything together until the mini
Valentine mailbox can be decoupaged.

A side view of the Noah's ark shows a door and heart shaped portals on the ark. The water acts
as the stand for this Valentine mailbox craft.

More Noah's Ark Crafts:

• Craft a Tiny Spinning Ark
• Craft Noah's Ark with Animal Crackers
• Crafting Noah's Ark from Popsicle Sticks
• Noah's Ark ABC Prints

• Back to the Valentine Mailbox Contest index page. 

You can cast a vote for this Valentine mailbox entry in the Comments Box Below, if you'd like. It would be interesting to see if people/kids on the internet judge our doll's Valentine mailbox competition in the same way as the children judging them in our home.

Make Faux Chipwood Market Baskets and Contents

Left, a recycled wooden tray that once was packaging was decoupaged for our market stand.
 Center a variety of tiny fruits and veggies glued inside faux chipwood baskets made from
cardboard: cherries, goose berries, blue berries and grapes. Right, ochra, cherries, plums
 and ginger root up close.

       I made slated baskets or chipwood baskets to hold tiny fruit and veggies for our doll's market stand. Some of the mini fruits were glued directly into the baskets and others, a little larger, were left as individual fruits and veggies that could be removed individually: ocra, ginger root, plums and brussel sprouts.

The wood slat or chipwood printable pattern.

Supply List for Miniature Slat Baskets and Contents:

• cardboard (cereal box)
• printable pattern
• masking tape
• white school glue
• faux wood printed paper
• brown paper bag
• Sculpey oven bake clay
• acrylic paints
• tiny paint brushes
• Mod Podge
• Styrofoam pellets
• newsprint 

Step-by-Step Instructions: 

1. Upload and print my pattern for the chipwood or slatted basket on the right. You may adjust it's size in Photoshop or by dragging it into a Word Document and altering it's size there. The size of the basket will depend on the amount of fruit you would like to include inside it. Our baskets (photo above) measured approximately 1 inch.
2. Make a cardboard template from the pattern. Draw around it on top of additional cardboard for the faux baskets.
3. Bend at the dotted lines and also at the arched corners. Ad a bite of white glue at each corner. Let dry.
4. I decoupaged the baskets with brown paper bags next. 
5. For the baskets filled with tiny fruits, you will need to crush newsprint and firmly press this into the basket construction. 
6. Mask this in place with tape, just below the top of the basket. In this way, the basket will look as though it is 'filled' with fruit to the top.
7. Using white school glue, pool the glue and add the foam pellets. Let these dry. 
8. Paint the pellets green or blue to look like berries and grapes before sealing them with Mod Podge over the top. 
9. I sculpted a few leaves for the grapes and glued these on top of this berry box.
10. Now sculpt the individual fruits and veggies for the loose filled baskets from oven bake clay.
11. Let these sculpted edibles cool and paint them.
12. Decoupage the outside edges of each chipwood basket using the decorative faux wood paper.
    

How to sew doll swimsuits using socks...

This Wellie Wisher doll, Kendall, wears a
cute purple and pink striped swimsuit made
from a sock. There are straps for the suit 
that tie around the neck to hold it in place.

       Young girls can design cut and fashion small socks into swim wear. Pictured here is one of our Wellie Wishers and a Best Friends Club Doll, Addison, modeling different variations of this simple sewing craft.
       The swimsuits when made of socks need to have their raw edges sewn down tightly or these will unravel. Sewers may also use a glue made especially to prevent this called No Fray, Dritz Fray or Sit n Sew as an alternative.
       I chose pastel striped socks for our dolls to wear but socks come in so many different, colorful designs these days, it's difficult to choose which print to try for this simple craft.
       I cut the sock straight across where the leg and heal come together. Then I slip this tube onto the doll's body to measure where the leg openings should be and the top of the bathing suit should end.
       Next I sew a small seam between the legs and finish all of the openings with seams both at the bottom and top of the sock tube.
       Finally, I sew on ribbon or straps to hold the swimsuits on the dolls body.

More Ideas for Crafting Doll Swimwear:

• How to make swimwear and bikini for Barbie without sewing by Ideas Barbie DIY
• How to make really cute swimsuits for your doll using socks by Americangirl Land

Day At The Pool for Dolls:

• Take a Brain Break at The Pool! by mixiepixie7 and Sophie Clair's Pool Party Plan
• DIY Pool Floats for Your Doll

Our Addison doll wears a bathing suit made from a green and white striped sock. It is trimmed 
at the top with calico print, cotton ribbon and has a snap in the back to tighten and close the 
swimming suit snug against her body.

DIY A Rainbow Candy Surprise Cake for Dolls!

This rainbow sponge cake has been sliced open to reveal doll sized candies at it's center!

       This rainbow sponge cake stuffed with doll sized candies would make an awesome cake for an A G doll Birthday or maybe even an excellent desert accessory for a doll's St. Patrick's Day party! However, I didn't use actual sponges to craft the layers with; I made it with cardboard instead. It is definitely not the easiest doll cake that I have ever made. I suggest this DIY to an older sibling or parent to make.

Supply List:

• two cardboard tubes, one larger than the other
• Styro foam beads, multi-colored
• cotton balls (maybe two)
• white school glue
• masking tape
• corrugated scrap cardboard
• acrylic paints in all the colors of the rainbow
• decorative paper
• lid for the cake plate stand
• large rubber bands
• white lace for the cake's top icing 

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. To construct this unique rainbow colored cake you will first need to acquire two cardboard tubes. I made this cake using a bread crumb container and a toilet role tube. Cut down the bread crumb tube to approximately 3 1/2" in height. 
2. I used a circle measuring 4" across for the lid to this outer tube. I cut away, approximately two inches wide, a pie shaped opening from this lid, so that my cake would look as though two pieces had been cut from it already. Of course the excess sides of the outer cake needed to be trimmed off so that the outside edges would reflect a corresponding opening to the lid.
   
3. Then I glued and taped this outter tube to a masked and decoupaged lid representing the cake stand in this case.
4. The next step was to insert a narrower tube of the same height inside the opening. I crushed newsprint to fill the open space around the inner and outer gap between the two shapes and then masked the opening between the two to form flat walls on either side. These walls became the cake layers.
5. The inner tube should have glue applied to it's upper and lower walls where the top and bottom of the insides meet between the tube and the lid and cake stand. Let this dry.
6. I unraveled a cotton ball and layered it onto the walls to with white school glue to give the cake layers some added texture. 
7. I cut another wall from corrugated cardboard to glue onto the outside of my cake. Corrugated cardboard having three separate pieces may be dismantled to reveal an interesting linear texture if you carefully remove one half of the wall. You can see from the photo below that I had to wrap two large rubber bands around the cake to hold this corrugated cardboard against the sides of the larger outside tube while it dried. I wanted this unique texture on my cake, but if you feel it is two complex to attempt, smoother walls will look nice too.
8. Next, you will need to pool the white glue and add plenty of the Styro-foam beads to the interior of this faux cake. These tiny beads may be purchased from a family dollar store.
9. I painted the layers of this doll cake with rainbow colors: green, pink, purple, blue and orange. Be careful to separate your layers with white icing between!
10. Then I also painted the outside of my cake with those same colors.
11. I used a hot glue gun and stick to attach rows upon rows of lace to the lid of the cake top and then used white glue to paste on a few Styro-foam beads for the finish.
    

Left, here you can see that I used rubber bands to hold layers of the cake form together while it dried
 hard enough for me to proceed further. Right, the backside of the cake will have rainbow stripes
with texture as well. This cardboard siding comes from the interior of a corrugated cardboard piece.

Left, the cake seen from above. I have yet to paint the layers of the sponge. Right I glued on the white
lace icing before painting the cake actually, but this should be done last for cleaner results, if you are
not an experienced painter. I glued on the tiny Styrofoam balls with white school glue. You do not want
to glue these using hot glue, they will melt! Pool the white glue in the inner tube, add the fake candy
and lay the faux cake on it's side to dry overnight. When it is done drying, the cake should look like
it's just been sliced and the candy has tumbled out.

Above are three views of the rainbow cake taken at different angles.

Cynthia Vera made this real awesome rainbow surprise cake! 

Visit her YouTube channel to see even more recipes 

Crafts for "Playscale" Dolls Like Barbie

Sample projects shown above from the listing below include: floaties for Barbie, a soap
dish transformed into a playscale bathroom sink, a heart-shaped tufted doll bed and
mid-century modern doll chairs.

  

       Our Giant listing of dollhouse crafts below are for Fashionistas, Monster High, Disney Princess Dolls and Descendants, Rainbow High, Spin Master Dolls, Kelly dolls, Fresh Dolls,  Bratz, etc... any dolls that are comparable to Barbie's twelve inch height. This would also include the dolls made to be the smaller children or siblings to the 10" - 12" scale dolls. 

• Our Barbie Crafts Pinboard is Here 

Doll & Toy Storage:

1. How to Upcycle a Child's Suitcase Into Doll Storage - for smaller than playscale dolls but the same transformation of a larger suitcase may be used for larger doll versions.
2. Decoupage A Doll's Storage Trunk - 12'' scale dolls and wooden trunks like the one depicted on this post may be purchased for very little money at resale.

Collecting & Crafting Dollhouses: 

1. Apartment Dollhouse Modernized with Elevator - Vintage dollhouse plans for visitors to print and study for the building of their own versions...
2. My Vintage Tudor Doll House - a Rich Keystone dollhouse from 1938
3. Every Child Needs a Fabric Dollhouse - A fabric dollhouse is easy to fold up and store or to carry anywhere to play with.
4. Turn a Bookcase Into A Dollhouse - This is a dollhouse for miniature dolls but a larger bookcase may be treated the same for 10"-12" dolls.
5. Aunt Marlene's Doll Cupboard - A built in cupboard makes a nice place to display or play with your dolls...

Furniture and Accessories for Dollhouse/Doll Related Crafts: 12 inch dolls: Barbie Dolls and Fashionistas: These doll sizes are called "playscale"

1. How to make trash cans for a doll's garage - realistic looking garbage cans for Barbie and Ken's garage rubbish
   
2. Craft Lawn Care Tools for A Doll's House/Garage -doll sized rakes and shovels made from plastic forks and spoons
   
3. Mini Campfire Bundle - craft one of these using colorful chenille stems and twigs
   
4. DIY a Washer and Dryer for Barbie - Ours were made using recycled food containers, foil, buttons and juice tin caps...
   
5. DIY a Gas Stove Top and Oven for Barbie's Family - This stove is constructed from cardboard, aluminum tape and tiny details using toothpicks and buttons.
   
6. DIY Pet Beds for Your Doll's Dog or Cat - Barbie has pets of course and these cozy little beds are perfect places for them to nap.
   
7. Craft a Unique Doll's Table Using Only Four Tiles! - This one would look lovely in a small breakfast nook or on a patio used for informal dining.
   
8. DIY Pool Floats for Your Doll - A classic craft using plastic straws and an iron. Ask an adult for help with this DIY.
   
9. Use A Vintage Display Box for Barbie's Living Room - We show how to decorate with shells our little ones found on the beach.
   
10. Distressing a Sideboard or Buffet for Barbie & Family - Transform an old music box into formal dining room furniture for Barbie and other dolls.
    
11. Collecting Rugs for Your Doll's House - How to be frugal and imaginative about decorating the floors of a doll's house and all dollhouse floor tags here.
    
12. Tile A Bathtub From An Ordinary Shoebox - This one has real tiny tiles and a faucet made from a recycled soap pump!
    
13. Craft a Faux Stainless Steel Doll House Sink - Made using a recycled soap tray, stainless steal measuring cup, foil and cardboard, it looks amazingly realistic!
    
14. Assemble a Bathroom Pedestal Sink and DIY a Custom Backsplash - Turn a glass candlestick upside down and add a tiled cardboard back splash...and you've got an instant dollhouse bathroom sink.
    
15. DIY a birdbath for a doll's garden - This convincing bird bath looks like it was cast from concrete, but it's just made with ordinary craft materials.
    
16. Make Mini Golf Tee Flashlights - Young crafters will also need to collect small gems or yellow beads for this dollhouse accessory.
    
17. Craft tiny canteens for a doll's camping trip... - Barbie should be prepared for camping and never leave the campsite without taking water.
    
18. Roll and Sew A Tiny Bedroll - This cozy little blanket may be carried over the shoulder of any small doll while hiking and camping in the woods.
    
19. Craft a sleeping bag with a doll inside - Make a small baby for your dolls to look after while camping; this one is bundled inside a sleeping bag.
    
20. DIY a rope basket - A rope basket makes the perfect container for dirty laundry and also a fun place for pets to hide in.
    
21. Craft a miniature ironing board and iron - Every small doll must do chores, especially when it comes to keeping their wardrobes tidy and wrinkle free.
    
22. Mini Breakfast Skillet for Dolls 10 - 12 inches - these have bacon, sausage and eggs sunny-side up!
    
23. Sew a Stack of Felt Pancakes - A yummy breakfast treat made using felt and paper.
    
24. Construct a paper mache or papier-mâché utility cabinet - Barbie and Ken need a place to store all of their cleaning supplies.
    
25. Craft a Utility Sink and Hamper for Your Doll's House - These clever utility room accessories are made entirely from recycled plastic containers.
    
26. Update a Wooden Doll's Cradle - I repainted a 12" doll sized cradle and made bumper pads and a mattress for it to decorate a nursery for a tiny baby doll.
    
27. DIY Feather Dusters for Your Doll's House - craft easy cleaning supplies
    
28. Refinish Wicker Doll Furnishings - A little paint and a few sewing supplies can revive tired old wicker furniture.
    
29. Sew a Set of Towels for A Doll House Bathroom - easy first sewing project for kids
    
30. Glue Together & Paint Two Night Stands - Easy, quick furniture craft for kids to make for a doll's bedroom.
    
31. Painting and Upholstering A Doll's Bedroom Bench - Little doll sized furniture from resale can be made to look brand new!
    
32. Knot a Felt No-Sew Throw for You Doll - An easy first no sew doll blanket project for young crafters.
    
33. Upcycle A Box Into A Doll Bookcase - This classic dollhouse craft can be made to match any dollhouse decor and costs virtually pennies to make.
    
34. Convert a Convertible For a Doll - How we changed a former video tape player into a doll's bed.
    
35. Shelving for A Car Themed Bedroom - Sometimes packaging can be used to accessorize a dollhouse room.
    
36. Assembling A Plant Stand - Turn a former votive candle holder into an interesting dollhouse plant stand.
    
37. Sew Groovy Textile Art for A Doll House - Textile art looks just as cute on a dollhouse wall as a framed painting.
    
38. Make a Foam Flat Screen T.V. - This doll technology is made with craft foam.
    
39. Decoupage A Llama Dresser - Decoupage with paper or fabric and a bit of Mod Podge to transform any furnishings into unusual possibilities.
    
40. Refinish A Doll's Rocking Chair - What is intended for one thing, may be better suited for another...
    
41. Transform a Curio Cabinet for Barbie - How we updated an adorable doll sized shelf with lavender paint and figurative papers.
    
42. Mid-Century Faux Fiberglass Chairs for Barbie - Made with paper mache shoe forms and faux wood shelf paper.
    
43. Sew Bean Bag Chairs for Your Doll (free pattern)
44. Craft a Sunny Little Ball Pit - This unusual craft is made from a recycled tomato container.
    
45. Collage a Baby Swimming Pool for Your Dolls - This craft is made cuter with the stickers you choose.
    
46. Make Rainbow Hair Extensions for Fashion Dolls - Search for supplies at the dollar store for this craft.
    
47. Craft Doll Tennis Rackets (free pattern)
48. How to DIY A Doll Playpen - Made entirely from recycled materials.
    
49. Craft a Car Shaped Ball Pit for Your Dolls - Make something new from discarded, unwanted toys.
    
50. The Tissue Box Cover Bed - Turn a tissue dispenser into a bed frame for a dollhouse.
    
51. DIY Clamshell Laptop for Your Favorite Doll - This version is made using cardboard.
    
52. Turn a bookcase into a changing table - This doll sized bookcase was turned into nursery furniture for our dollhouse.
    
53. Craft a rainbow yarn rug for a dollhouse - This craft requires a lot of drying time but the end results can be very interesting.
    
54. DIY Big Rig Toy Box - A fun addition to a tiny toddler doll's bedroom.
    
55. Cut and Paste Doily Rugs - very easy craft for young dollhouse decorators
    
56. Simple Chenille Stem Christmas Wreaths - If you enjoy this Christmas craft, why not visit our doll holiday index on the right hand margin to make more?
    
57. Craft Couture Bags for Barbie - An adorable way to recycle old purses.
    
58. Make a Soft Sock Sofa for Dolls - This method for making a 10"-12" doll couch is much simpler for young people to accomplish.
    
59. How to Assemble A No-Sew Couch for Barbie - Not to difficult to assemble but the materials are sometimes not as easy for children to come by. Be on the look-out for soft foam for this doll craft.
    
60. Craft a Heavenly, Heart Shaped Bed for a Little Doll - A cute way to upcycle a old heart shaped chocolate box from Valentine's Day.
    
61. Barbie's Bohemian Patchwork Sofa - Dollhouse furniture for beginner quilters.
    
62. Easy To Craft Dollhouse Windows - An easy way to make dollhouses look more sophisticated.
    
63. Spruce Up a Heart Shaped Rocker For a Doll! - How to decoupage a chair seat in order to restore a rocking chair for your doll's home.
    
64. Sculpt a Stone Faced Fireplace for a 12" Doll's House - Every little child needs one of these to make a dollhouse cozy in winter!
    
65. Build a Breakfast Banquette for Barbie - plans for two kitchen benches and table for 12-16 inch dolls
66. How to make handker-shifts from 1966 - make better use of those old-fashioned handkerchiefs!
67. Sew Sock Slacks for Fashion Dolls - Knit coordinates are always in fashion for dolls.
68. Spaghetti String, Summer Top for a Curvy Fashionista - Embroidered socks made into quick and easy doll clothes.
69. Quick and Easy Skeleton Costume for a Doll - Don't like to sew so much? Find out just how quick it is to convert a stuffed softie into a costume for a doll this Halloween or for Mardi Gras if you prefer.
70. How To Sew a Straight Knit Skirt for A Fashion Doll  - Yet another easy fashion for Barbie made from socks without partners.
71. Sew a Jersey/Sweater for Ken or Barbie - 10" - 12" dolls need not go cold this winter!
72. Snow White Redressed...
73. Belle From Beauty and The Beast Redressed
74. DIY Conical Hats for Fashionable Princesses - A necessary craft for princess play. (free pattern) 
75. The Pompon Puddle Pet from the 1960's - Directions for an original vintage pink poodle from 1960s as well as a newer set of directions for a contemporary version are included here.
76. Craft a Doll Bathtub From a Recycled Soap Bottle - Give your Kelly dolls a real bath with soap bubbles inside this waterproof, dolly bathtub!
77. Craft a Clothespin Cathedral Rocker - this design fits 10", 11", and 12" dolls perfectly and all you need are spring clothespins and a hot glue gun to make!
78. Make a traditional wooden rocker for a Barbie... - a design with a slatted back and seat, made using spring clothespins
79. How to assemble a 'Sunburst' Twin Rocker... plus close-up photos of paint design
80. Make doll sized patio furniture using clothespins - Great craft for summer fun!
81. Craft a Shoebox Bed for Barbie - fancy faux carved headboard, kerchief sheets, you'd never guess it was so easy to make!
82. DIY A Vanity Chair for Barbie - This one is made from a cardboard tube.
83. Make three boxy bunk beds for your small dolls - holds for climbing into bed instead of ladders
84. How to make a faux leather club chair for Barbie dolls - this one uses leather-like paper and a wooden block base...

How to Build Or Assemble A 10"-12" Scale Dollhouse From YouTube:

• Anomaly Woodworks builds a playscale dollhouse for his step child
• Crafts by Abuela - LaTorcha shares here 10"-12" dollhouse construction
• Cardboard Cabinet Dollhouse Build by fun_and_craft
• Assemble a Barbie DreamHouse by Barbie
• Bratz World Vintage Dollhouse Unboxing
• Thrifted Barbie Dollhouse Makeover by Bethany Fontaine
• Julie's flickr photostream for 12" dolls and Barbie

Furniture made from spring clothespins fit 12" dolls like Barbie perfectly.