Skirts and Tees...and an Overactive Imagination!

A few weeks ago, I was shopping in our local thrift store and spotted a large, gathered skirt.  It was black striped with an accent border of solid black.  There appeared to be several yards of fabric in this skirt.  I think I paid $2 for it.  I could see flounced pants for the little girls, for sure...and maybe something else.  I washed the skirt and carefully took it all apart...and I really did have a LOT of material!

Original thrift-store skirt.

The end result was a pair of pants for Zola - and another for Kelsey...a little ruffled "tie-on" skirt for our new niece Ellie Grace...and lots of appliques.  I always have good thrift-store knit t-shirts on hand.  A yellow one became a pillow-case dress/top for Zola...a lime green one will go to Kelsey.  Leftovers from the yellow tee became a bumblebee applique on a onesie for Ellie Grace!  I did have to purchase a spool of grossgrain ribbon for the ties on Kelsey's dress and Ellie Grace's skirt.  So counting materials like the onesie, iron-on adhesive and tear-away paper for the appliques, thread, etc., I am probably into these sets for less than $10.  I consider that a pretty good deal...don't you?!

Pants and "pillow-case" dress for Zola.

Onesie and "skirt" for Ellie Grace.
Pants and "pillow-case" dress/top for Kelsey.

I still have a few scraps that could become a headband...or more appliques at some point.  I don't ever let a decent piece of fabric go to waste, so these will go in my "scrap bin" for a later date.  Meanwhile, I think the girls will be adorable - and ready for summer - in their "flower power" ensembles!

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On a slightly different note...last week, a girl posted an ad on Facebook for some Fisher Price "Little People" sets she wanted to sell.  I've bought things from her before, so I know she sells nice things - and she is very reasonable.  I went to her house, and she had a full-sized bed COVERED in "little people" - all for $35.  I bought every last piece - 3 garbage bags full!
I washed, bleached and sorted all of the "little people" and their houses yesterday, and I cannot believe what all I have.  I kept a "Zoo" set for the kids to play with here.  I have an airplane and school bus with people set aside as a birthday surprise for Nathan.  Then there is a playhouse for Zola that is fantastic...Amazon lists it new for $159!  And I have all sorts of accessories for it, like a picnic set, a "patio table with umbrella", baby carriage and playpen and more.  The house makes all sorts of noises - the washer "runs"...the phone rings...the typewriter "types", the toilet seat lifts (but there is no flushing noise that I can determine! *ha!*).

THEN...there is an "amusement park"...all of the accessories for that, 2 dump trucks, 2 "girlie" cars, some little cars, 3 tricycles, a full set of "Easter" little people in bunny suits, an outdoor "playhouse" with 3 attachable swing sets, and I don't know how many "little people" to go with this.  And I paid $35 for EVERYTHING!  I'm guessing I have at least $400 or more of "Little People" if I bought everything new!

So I have Christmas pretty much "set" for the kids.  By the time I wrap up these things and separate out the various pieces, they will have lots to open and a "Little People" festival!   I can already hear Timothy doing the voices for these little guys! 

The same day that I saw these sets for sale on Facebook, another mom I know posted a different playhouse for sale for $35...it retails for $300+ with all the pieces.  Someone beat me to this one.  Then the girl I bought from advertised a farm set - 50 pieces for $20.  Someone offered her $15, and she took it.  I was so disappointed.  I told her, "I would have gladly paid you $20."  That's when she offered me the things I ended up buying.  I really would have liked to have that farm set, because it was so cute...but I cannot complain, and there is PLENTY here!  

I cannot believe people pay this much for kids' toys!  But I am more than glad to purchase them after the fact and refresh them for my kiddos! They may not have brand new stuff, but they don't know and don't care.  You would never know most of these little pieces are not brand new.  It pays to shop around...hit the thrift stores...and stretch a dollar...and I am living proof!