A Doll Sleepover in Paige's Room

Paige decided to have a sleepover in her newly-remodeled room (version one).

She invited her friends, Kit and the-blonde-haired-girl-that-rarely-talks-so-no-one-remembers-her-name (hereafter referred to as "Miss Blonde Hair"). :)

First, they played dominoes. Kit and Paige both won a few rounds. Then they decided to move on to another game ...

Connect Four! This was Kit's favorite game, and she was very good at it. She beat Paige every single time. At least Paige took it well!

What's a sleepover without food? Since they were aiming to stay up as late as possible, they were sure to load up on the sugar - cake, cake pops, and soda (except Miss Blonde Hair, who chose a bottled water).

I'm thinking an adult didn't choose this menu ...

But wait! When they finished their cake pops, Paige [notice that she's left-handed, just like her owner] remembered the ice cream she had bought to go with the cake slices. (Miss Blonde Hair preferred a popsicle, which Paige had bought just for her.)

After a long time and a sugar rush or two, it was time to crash. Kit borrowed Paige's Hello Kitty sleeping bag, and Miss Blonde Hair got the pull-out part of Paige's trundle bed. They tried sleeping with the lamp on, but it was just too bright.

Paige's clip-on bed lamp and the string lights were all the nightlight they needed. (I sure hope those girls can sleep with that light right in their eyes!)

DETAILS:
Almost everything you see was handmade or a thrifting find. (Even the mini AGs. I got two of them for less than $10 from a fellow doll collector, and we found Rebecca at Salvation Army for $0.50, fully clothed!) If you want the particulars on anything, just ask. As for the room itself, we "built" it on top a small table in my daughter's room. My daughter is saving up to buy the materials for a real dollhouse, but we're making do with what we have until then.

Doll's Easter Egg Coloring Set

Darren and Kit hit it off right away!

In the last post, I showed you a glimpse of the Easter egg coloring set I made for my kids for Easter. Well, here are some close-ups.

But before we go any further, please note that this was not my original idea. I used Brandy's idea (from Doll Diaries) with only a few minor tweaks. Hers is much more detailed and includes a chocolate-dipping set like American Girl came out with for Kit this year. I used that idea for the doll's "chocolate" lambs, but I didn't make the playset because, to be honest, I don't think I've ever dipped/molded chocolates with my kids. It's an awesome idea, but I don't think my own kids would get as much enjoyment out of it.

Changes I made from Brandy's idea:

• I just used the bubble gum eggs that came in the package. They're colored and won't melt, so I didn't see the need to buy other eggs.
• I chose to use a pill organizer from Dollar Tree for the "dipping cups", since they were already colored the right shades. (There are 7 different shades that screw together on this particular pill organizer.) I also didn't add any of the acrylic water to these dipping cups. The cups themselves are colored, and that gives the illusion of them being full of dyed water.
• I also used just three of the nail art bottles from Dollar Tree for my "food coloring". I only made the three primary colors, since most food coloring only comes with the primary colors anyway.
• I used clear plastic cocktail spoons instead of the usual egg dippers. My own family occasionally used regular spoons instead of the dippers, and I really didn't want to cut myself on the wire.

My cost: $3 (with extra eggs and egg cartons, pill organizer components, and nail art bottles)
AG's version: $32

Granted, mine didn't include the fancy little extras that AG's version has, but my kids aren't used to decorating eggs with glitter, stickers, and such anyway. This was a great way to save money and customize the playset to how our family usually celebrates. BONUS: Our eggs come out of the carton. (AG's don't.) :)