Thanks for the nice comments about the booklet yesterday - it was fun to share.
Emily arrived safe and sound. So far, she and Violet are getting along well. Princess wrote this letter to her to introduce her to her new home (I've tried to keep the mispellings and punctuation the same):
Dear emily: my name is [Princess]. Welcome to your new home. I am hosting a party for you. It will be tomorrow afternoon. So I ecspect you on your best bhaviour tomorow. now I must tell you about the people . my mothers name is kirsten. my fathers name is Aaron. my two brothers names are [Thomas] and [Monkey] my sisters name is Violet. You will sleep in her bed. now about the party. We shall have juice and cookies and skittles and marsmellows. You shall have punch and pie and fudge and potato chips.
did you get to read in bed in england? if you don't, you do here. sincerily, Violet, [Princess] . [Thomas] and [Monkey] and dad and Mom.
She invited a friend (and her doll) over for tea. She had a very elaborate idea - including a (long) list of things she wanted to eat, do, and play. I made her simplify the idea quite a bit, but I did agree to making cloth napkins, which I forgot about until yesterday afternoon. Another reason why having a stash (and some of it thrifted) is just so nice. So I spent 10 minutes cutting and hemming little napkins. I don't have a serger, so I just did a tight zig-zag around the edges.
There are 2 girl-sized and 4 doll-sized ones. Then I folded them for her (her idea! It's a very easy way - it's in an American Girl book):
The doll ones were a little harder to fold!
Princess had to wear a dress with a pinafore (very Alice in Wonderland), and we hung a sheet on the bunk bed to hide Thomas' messy, boy bed.
She painted a sign to hang up. With glitter paints.
They ate cookies and candy, played dolls and board games. No brothers were allowed (much to the boys' dismay, but that's okay sometimes).
The girls (and dolls) had a very nice time. I kind of wish we would have thought of the cloth napkin idea for her tea party birthday last year! Quick and easy, but oh-so-fancy!