Framed Baby Dress

Framing a baby dress can make a special piece of 'artwork' for a child's room.

While helping a friend re-design the room her granddaughters stayed in when they came to visit, I found an old baby dress that had belonged to one of the girls. It was such a darling dress, we decided to clean it up and frame it as artwork for the walls.

We wanted the project to be simple; this framing method doesn't protect the dress from damage or dust. However, it was easy to do and looks adorable in the room.

We measured the width and height of the dress (plus a little extra), then cut 1 x 2's for the frame and painted them white. We used a piece of luan for the back. We covered the luan with batting and yellow gingham fabric stapled onto the back side.

We then nailed the back onto the white frame and we were ready to hang the dress.

To hang the dress we simply used quilting pins -they are very short and don't show. We cut a piece of white poster board and folded it into an open "V" shape; we inserted this into the dress to make it puff out and used a little masking to attach it to the inside.

That's it!

This project can be adapted to make a frame that will protect the dress or other special piece, but we wanted to keep it simple. We hung the 'dress artwork' in the kids room and it makes a charming piece with family history.

Adorable Homemade Children's Costumes

There are some amazingly creative homemade costumes on the web and we have collected some of our favorites here.

This candy corn costume for babies is just adorable! There are no fussy bows or belts, etc. to get in the way. It is just perfect for a tiny one.

Most of the following costumes have been made with tulle which is fairly inexpensive and comes in every color you can think of.

You can buy tulle on rolls like ribbon; cut it the lengths you need and tie it onto elastic or other stretchy material.

These adorable costumes for kids will get your creativity flowing. Just add imagination!

Pocahontas was found on Dear Lillie Blog, here.

Little Red Riding Hood can be purchased at Your Sparkle Box; or you can create your own.

These precious little black cats were found on Pinterest. Can you say, "Meow"?

And one of my very favorites - this charming scarecrow is from Lauries tutu boutique, here.

These are just a few of the wonderful ideas out there. These can be easily made and you can make them your own.

Charming Jewelry Boxes for Girls

Whether she likes ballet or horses, The Gingham Grasshopper has a charming selection of jewelry boxes for girls.

We have selected our jewelry boxes for their quality and also affordability. We have chosen well known brands such as Mele & Co., Reed & Barton, and Enchantments; so you can be sure of fine quality workmanship.

Our jewelry boxes come in a wide variety of styles. Little girls have always loved ballerinas and we have two beautiful jewelry boxes for the ballet lover. These jewelry boxes have a ballet design and a pop-up twirling ballerina. The tune played is, Waltz of the Flowers.

For the more upbeat young lady our owl jewelry box is a darling design. This box has bright colored owls and trees, a pink interior, and a pop-up twirling ballerina. The tune played is, Waltz of the Flowers.

For the girl who loves outdoors and horses, we have two adorable styles. These jewelry boxes have pop-up twirling horses and the tune they play is, The Good Old Summertime.

We also have a great selection of wooden jewelry boxes for girls. All of our jewelry boxes are lined to protect her growing jewelry collection. Come visit our jewelry box category to see all our wonderful boxes.

Shop for Girls Jewelry Boxes

Fall Table Decorating

Beautiful table decorations and centerpieces don't have to be expensive. With a little creativity and these ideas to spark your imagination you'll be on your way to a gorgeous seasonal table!

When choosing decorations for your dining table think narrow. You want the table to look great, but be sure to leave lots of space for eating. Don't let your decorations get in the way of the festivities. It's also best to keep things low so diners don't have to look 'around' the decorations to converse with each other.

These small white pumpkins are gorgeous and they are paired with foliage that is dark and contrasts well. The small orange pumpkins are paired with simple white candles.

When using real pumpkins, such as these, be sure to place the decorations on something you won't mind getting messed up in case the bottoms should 'leak'. Something as simple as a piece of wood or at least wax paper will protect your table or fabric runner.

I love the look of the apples and greenery. It is amazing how wonderful a bag of apples and some greenery (probably from bushes) plus (dollar store) white candles can look.

If you more of a 'centerpiece' this white pumpkin filled with natural-looking items is very elegant.

This simple idea uses leaves and acorns to make a lovely display. Use varying heights and groups of 3 to make a display like this pleasing.

This piece has a more rustic feel but is just as beautiful. You can create this for just about any color scheme.

A great idea for creating your own amazing look is this gourd. A pattern was drawn on in pencil then hot glue was used to make the design. Once the glue is completely dried, just paint! You can find the instructions here, at everydaydishes.

All of these ideas are wonderful and can be adapted to your table with little expense. Now the hardest thing you will encounter is deciding which idea you like best for your fall table! Which one is your favorite?

October's Birthstone -Pink Tourmaline

Pink tourmaline is the modern birthstone for October. It is a beautiful rosy pink faceted gemstone. Our 14kt gold October birthstone ring has a beautifully faceted pink tourmaline.

Tourmaline is a complex silicate that contains boron. The stone has a larger color range than any other gemstone - it is available in every color! The Mohs hardness for tourmaline is 7 -7.5, so it is a fairly hard stone.

Pink tourmaline is said to be a stone of the heart; it is soothing and gives feelings of comfort.

White opal is the traditional birthstone for October. Opals are a hydrated amorphous form of silica.

White opals have a pale white body tone and display many beautiful flashing colors.

Most white opals are from Australia and come from the Coober Pedy mines. The Mohs hardness for opals is 5.5 -6; so they are moderately soft stones. Take special care of your jewelry containing opals.

For jewelry, most opals are cut and polished as smooth, domed cabochons; they are not faceted.

The Gingham Grasshopper offers a large selection of birthstone rings, earrings, and necklaces for children, teens, and adults.

Our baby earrings come in the popular screw back style and are available in sterling silver or 14kt white and yellow gold.

We also offer baby and children's bracelets with genuine birthstones.

Our selection includes gorgeous engraved bracelets in cultured pearls, plus baby name bracelets with birthstones.

Discover the perfect birthstone jewelry for your birthday girl in our wide selection of bracelets, rings, earrings, and necklaces.

Birthstone rings for children
Birthstone rings for teens and adults
Birthstone earrings for children
Birthstone earrings for teens and adults
Birthstone necklaces for children
Birthstone necklaces for teens and adults
Children's bracelets
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Fall Decoration Ideas for Your Front Door

Get inspired to decorate your front door or porch with these charming ideas. Adapt these ideas to suit your taste and the style of your home.

Choose a white pumpkin and add your family initial. The pumpkin is sitting in a simple black plastic flower pot. Even if you aren't good at painting, this can be done with a stencil.

Add fall color to the pot with leaves, berry picks, dried grasses, or anything that you like.

Tired of a ho-hum front door wreath? Try one of these great ideas. Put together an "owl" grapevine wreath -this is adorable!

Do you have a fallen tree branch? Cut it into slices and make this beautiful wood slice and burlap wreath. It is simple but so elegant. Or use half pumpkins and decorate them to match your theme.

If you need a tall element try making one of these topiaries. Go with an elegant look or the absolutely delightful stacked pumpkins on the right.

Use items that you have on hand to create a "setting" like the one shown below.

If you like to keep things simple or don't have a lot of room at your front door try one of these ideas.

Do you have a porch? If your front entry includes outdoor furniture try adding a few festive items to the decor. Seasonally colored pillow or blankets will give them a boost. Buy a cheap door mat and paint with with leaves or other decorations to make your porch inviting.

For a home with high contrast colors, this neutral toned decor style is very elegant.

Have you decorated your front entry for fall yet? If not, use the above ideas to inspire you to create a special look that is warm and welcoming.

Baby's First Pearls Bracelet™

Our customer's all-time favorite bracelet is Baby's First Pearls™.

This beautiful heirloom bracelet for babies and children is created with fine white cultured pearls.

The sterling silver clasp can be engraved with a name or monogram, and the engraving on the clasp is included with the price of the bracelet.

Baby's First Pearls™ bracelet comes in sizes to fit newborns, children, teens, and even adults.

The bracelet can be re-sized as your child grows so it will always fit.

She can wear her bracelet for newborn pictures and still wear it to the prom!

Baby's First Pearls™ bracelet is also available in a 14kt gold version. The gold safety clasp is square with an extra safety latch.

Many of our customers have said friends or family members have recommended Baby's First Pearls™ by The Gingham Grasshopper.

Choose this elegant bracelet for a new baby or granddaughter; it comes 'customer recommended'!

Shop Baby's First Pearls™ in sterling silver.

Shop Baby's First Pearls™ in 14kt yellow gold.