Inexpensive Alternatives for AG Bitty Baby Doll Wear

Bitty Baby is dressed for Christmas!

With getting American Girl Bitty Babies for wee ones I thought I would post my favorite frugal alternative to paying $26.00 per outfit.

I buy Child of Mine by Carters Preemie Baby Sleepers in the Infant Department at Walmart. Often I will find the sleepers and other preemie wear for as little as $1.00 an sleeper or outfit on clearance. This Christmas Reindeer sleeper is only $7.00 full price.

Little girls will love the cute preemie pink ballet sleepers and appliqued pink pastel monkey sleepers which just came in. Top them off with making dolly headbands with bows for durable doll clothes.

I used a remnant of red bumpy blanket material and lined it with a red Christmas flannel to make Bitty a matching blanket. As soon as I find my hot glue gun the matching set will be finished with a red satin dot headband.

To make a Bitty Baby Blanket

Cut two fabrics 20 inches by 24 inches
Pin right sides together
Using 1/4 inch seam allowance
Begin in the center of one side and stitch around the rectangle, leaving a 4 inch opening.
(I put the slippery bumpy blanket material on the bottom to keep things from slipping)
Clip the corners
Slip and use a point turner or a pin to pull out the corners
Tuck in the seam in the opening and pin
Edge stitch the perimeter with a coordinating color
A Bitty Baby Blanket to match her Preemie Sleeper :)

And Bitty Needs Diapering


Buy a package of Huggies Preemie Diapers for $8.99. Right now they ship for FREE at Babies R Us. If you can find them in the store, use one of the many Huggies coupons to save $$. I used to ration them to make them last.

Wooden Swingsets--Save Money and Build Memories

With the onset of Spring weather, its time to get the kids outside. Becca, Detamara with adult help and supervision picked out this massive swingset project for their home/school construction project. We posted on the blog working on our project. But had never posted the conclusion as it was just beginning snowing as we finished up. Pictures of the project are posted here.

If you noticed we also have a Little Tikes Commercial Play system bought for $700. We have to install its curved slide this weekend. Our yard is a kid magnet and Detamara was found doing her schoolwork in the tower the other day enjoying spring or Becca can be found training her dogs on their massive agility course. It is a riot to see tiny Morgan sliding on command!

To buy a pre-built set would cost major money and would not have as many activities as this kit we found at Menards from Playstar Inc.. The instructions on our kit were very easy to follow, and with spreading out the work over a couple of weeks, it was not too overwhelming for the girls and I to do mostly ourselves. But when we needed instructions or muscles, Doc (Dad) was out there helping us learn.

Of course the project was not just the kit, it added an extra swing bar to add "bigger swings and activities" and we found a "bargain" tic-tac-toe board which we had to figure out how to implement into the side wall of the smaller tower.

Total Cost $2300.00 and hours of family building memories time. Savings... we guess about $2000+ or more than a larger Rainbow Play System Set. When we started looking, we had the amount in the budget for buying a Small Rainbow set or less. With Becca any project has to be big and she wanted to show the schools that she is capable with help.



















The Smaller Swing Bar and Tower for the younger set. This is where the girls put their prized bargain Tic-Tac-Toe game. Under the tower because we were on a hill, we had to add an extra 2-6 to the sandbox and a wooden floor to hold the sand in.



















The Larger Tower and the Monkey Rings, and Big Slide. (we still have to finish the base support.) We decided to add a wooden floor under the Big Tower to have a floor under the picnic table.



















We added an extra taller swing bar with the extra space, a commercial baby swing, commercial Toddler 1/2 bucket swing, a Buoy Ball and one more swing (we need to get longer chains as the bar is higher than we predicted.

We have just a couple of small things to finish up and two major steps. Staining and sealing the set and putting in landscape timbers with a load of wood chips for cushion under the structure.

Disney Princess Trivia and Princess site with FREE Games and Activities

The Disney Princess Site
You little princess can interact playing games and activities their favorite princess.
Screensavers, cards, coloring pages, and activities. Along with princess paint, games and other interactive games to keep your little princess busy and all for FREE!

We spent the afternoon researching Disney Princesses and found this Disney Princess Trivia.

Official Princesses:
Ariel
Mulan
Cinderella
Snow White
Jasmine
Aurora
Belle
Pocahontas
Princess Tiana

How many Princes or the Princesses Heroes can you help us name?
Leave a comment and help us compile a list

Kid Tested Toy for a 4 year-old: Leapfrogs Scribble and Write

Leapfrogs Scribble and Write
Becca gave it a 5 star rating for its learning and play value.




Becca has a new job babysitting a friend's four-year-old daughter Serena. Today I hauled out a couple of new Leapfrog Toys I bought earlier this fall for her little charge to play with. Hands down, the Leapfrogs Scribble and Write kept Serena busy practicing copying her letters for over an hour.

Swing Set Accessories Clearance and Free Shipping

I found this site and link for some frugal high quality playset accessories. I ordered the extras for making our set unique after researching the best buys. The girls and I are busy finishing our playground after our vacation to California and want to finish before the snow flies.


Gorilla Playsets - Buoy Ball w/ Trapeze Bar in Yellow We bought this Buoy Ball, a Yellow Belted Toddler Swing, and a Tic-Tac-Toe Spinner Panel Game to attach to our Playstar Gold Playset. It arrived today and it is everything we expected and more.

More Swing Set Set Accessories

Check out these post on my girls project.
The Girls 4 H project
More of the Project.

Car Seat Rule Resource

I was looking into buying Miss Becca a new booster. She wanted to know the rules and I found this resource.

Car Seat Rules and Regulations and Ticket Amounts.

Oregon requires that any child under 4 ft 9 be in a car restraint with a pricey $90 fine.

I found out the Minnesota Rules Change 7/1/09 that raises it from age 6 to all children 7 years and younger and less than 57 inches. While researching I talked with my friend who visits Minnesota often and now has to replace her seats that she had given away last year in order to not get the $50 fine.

Dr. Dad and Becca's doctors have been the car seat police even with the rules being age most places because it is just not safe for her medical reasons and short stature.

Bolt - Free Online Games for Kids

Play Bolt Online Games for Kids from Disney

Run Bolt Run

Bolt to the Rescue

Mittens Pinball

Rhinos Breakout

Walgreens--Huggies Pull-up Toddler Deals and Dolly Too

Idea: Pick up a Pack of Huggies Gentle Care Newborn Diapers for your little girls for their Dollies...

These last a long time of pretend diaper changing. Give the kids a couple for the dolly diaper bag and replenish the supply when the Huggies wear out.

Or at my house...Becca's Build A Bears all wear them.

With all the Huggies Diaper Deals, don't forget that Pull-ups count towards the $25.00 get 10 Rapid Rewards Coupons.

Toddler Deal: #1
Buy 2 Pullups at $10.00 each
Buy 1 Huggies Newborn Diapers (for the pretend babies and animals) $10.00
Huggies Natural Care Wipes Refill $6.00
Total $36.00
Use 2--$2.00 mfg. Pullup Coupons
Use $3.00 Huggies Natural Fit Coupon from Coupons.com
Use $5.00 off Huggies Gentle Care Coupon from Coupons.com
Use $1.00 off Huggies Diaper, Pullup Jumbo Pack from the Walgreens Coloring Book
Will take of $3.00 off
Total $21.00 or $24.00 without Walgreens Coupon
Get $10.00 Rapid Reward
Cost $11.00 or $13.00 for 2 Pull-ups, 1 Doll Diaper, 1 Wipes 232 Count Refill

Toddler Deal #2
2 Pullups @ $10.00
1 Huggies Natural Care Wipes Refill $6.00
Total $26.00
Use 2--$2.00 Huggies Pull-up coupons
Use $3.00 Natural Care Product coupon from Coupons.com
use $1.00 off Huggies Diaper, Pull-up Jumbo Pack from the Walgreens Coloring Book
Will take $2.00 off
Total $17.00 or $19.00 without Walgreens Coupon
Get Rapid Reward for $10.00 for buying $25.00 Huggies Products
Cost $7.00 or $9.00 for 2 Pull-ups and Wipes

Remember to submit to Caregivers Marketplace for a $.75 per pack refund. (link down in the Huggies Diaper Deal Post)

Heirloom Childrens Sale--extra 15% off Strasburg Childrens

Strasburg Children's has their spring line on sale and an extra February sale l5% off the everything including their sale items. Save up to a 45% price savings. Use Coupon Code FEBSALE.

Easter, wedding season, and my granddaughters first birthday are all coming up. Check out their the infant selection and come back and give me feedback on what special dress I should buy for Kasja's first birthday (March 19). Kristy, Marissa and my fellow bloggers help me make up my mind!

Space Buddies- On Line Coupon and Rebate

Becca has been anxiously awaiting buying Space Buddies. She has done her homework and found the best price. She will watch it over and over again.

Target and Best Buy have it for $14.99
SAVE even more by using this
Online Coupon for $3.00 off.

At Target you get the Space Buddies DVD for $14.99 with the free Space Buddies music CD sampler. Purchase Space Buddies and & Oliver and Company and receive a $5.00 Target gift card.

Best Buy has Space Buddies DVD and Oliver and Company for $30.00 and get a FREE Space Buddies Stuffed Animal.

Make sure to sign up for the Disney Movie Rewards Club where you earn points for the DVD's you purchase. Redeem the points for Disney movies, posters, CDs or even FREE tickets.

With more research I found the Rebate for Space Buddies or Oliver and Company. Buy BLUE dog or cat food at Petco and Space Buddies or Oliver and Company and get a mail in rebate for $5.00

When Disney has new DVD's out we often buy it the week it comes out to take advantage of the promo release prices and the rebate deals.

This Disney Movie Deal is just in time for Valentines Day for Becca and Company (Milo, Morgan, Pumpkin her furry family).

Heirloom Children's Clothing at Frugal Prices

Update: 1/15 I just visited the Strasburg Clearance site and they posted that due to overwhelming responses they are currently sold out of all clearance items.

I finally have a reason to buy something from Strasburg Children's. Last year went to the Wisconsin Dells and visited the Strasburg Outlet there and fell in love with their dresses. With a new Grandbaby on the way I made friends with the Cashier learned about their clearance deals and signed up for their mailing list.

Today I ordered my Granddaughter Kasja her very first Heirloom Dress for next Christmas at bargain prices. The quality of Strasburg is Heirloom Quality. She will be able to pass it down to her own daughter someday.

I purchased this Pink Baby Cordoroy Smocked Dress in a 3T, originally $136.00 for $39.97!!! I also bought her a White Two Piece Summer Top and Capris in a 2T for her first Birthday. Originally $100.00 for $28.97. Shipping was a little spendy at $9.99 but well worth the bargain and the memories.

Strasburg Childrens Clearance Page

Carters- 70% off sale and 10% off your purchase (Friday-Sunday)

Have you joined the Carters Club? Carters.com
Today I received a flyer announcing up to 70% off at Carter's stores and another coupon for 10% off your entire purchase this weekend only Friday through Sunday! Two weeks ago I bought my Granddaughter Kasja these pajamaes that says it all. Grandma's are for spoiling.

The last time I went to Carters I ended up spending only 32.00. I bought these Santa Grandma Two Piece Pajamas, a Holiday Christmas Dress, Angel Top, Velveteen Embroidered Heart Cordoroy Pants and a Long Sleeve T-shirt Onsie. A $113.00 value.

This store is dangerous for Bargain Seeking Grandmothers.