This year it’s been a little tough figuring out what to get the girls. Don’t get me wrong – this is a good problem to have. They have all they need and more, and so buying more just to have more seems a little wrong. So I decided this year that maybe we’d enhance the things that they already have, and since we’re adding some new storage into our house (the cabinets under the new bookshelves), it seemed like a good time to rearrange some things and set up a dress up area in the living room. Since our house is so vertical – tall and skinny – and their rooms are three floors up, after school play before dinner usually happens downstairs. With a six year span between them, I know that the days of playing together in imaginative play are numbered. I’d like them to have a place to just play at the end of the school day – and they seem to play best together when they have a plan (and some props) at their disposal.
I found these adorable masks from the etsy shop Mahalo , and I thought they would store really well in this cute owl canister from IKEA. There are actually two canisters – one inside the other. This must be a seasonal item because I couldn’t find them on their website, but I was excited to pick them up when we were there last month.
My sister is doing a Lady Bug Girl themed gift with additional dress up pieces, and the same etsy artist makes these cute ladybug masks.
My parents were in town a few weeks ago and we found a cute superhero cape as well that she had monogrammed at The Initial Design. We ordered a monogrammed crown to match as well, so we can have royalty amongst the woodland creatures when we want to.
When E was a baby I had my grandmother make a drawer full of silks for her to play with – and now they become anything and everything – fancy clothes, flags, tent tops, baby blankets. There are more than a dozen in every color of the rainbow, and they will work well with the addition of these new masks. It’s a simple gift, really, but I think F is going to love it, and I know the girls will enjoy playing with them.
F, with her drawer of silks behind her.
…and putting those silks to fashionable use.
I’ve got more “enhancement” gift ideas to share as the month goes along – but for now, it’s back to the holiday cards!