Back to school swap things we received

I participated in the Back to School Swap organised by Lorraine and was paired with Betty B in the USA.  The parcel from Betty arrived yesterday and my girl was delighted.  I had asked for Laura to be the lucky doll to enjoy the swap, so my daughter had the great pleasure of opening the bag of goodies inside the box.

Laura immediately changed into her new school dress, cardigan and shoes and the whole bag of school accessories came with us for the journey to my elder daughter's concert.  The maracas, silver cup and camera were a big hit on the journey.

Laura holds a maraca (perfect little wooden musical rattles)

Helping Laura hold the other maraca

Laura plays the maracas during the car journey

Laura wins the silver cup
for her photo of a bird in flight
(my girl's story)

Today my girl started playing with the various things and making an organising box for keeping things tidy in the classroom, so these photos were taken in her bedroom under artificial light just before she reluctantly went to bed.

All the school accessories from Betty B

Maracas, Play-Doh, Playing cards,
apple and ice cream in the box my girl made 

Piggy glove puppet, camera, 3 mugs and silver cup

puzzle book, word search, mini dominoes and yahtzee dice game

mini felt tip pens, stickers, tiny pair of scissors
which really work, sellotape, phone book, scrap book,
pencil crayons and pencil sharpener

gorgeous little notebook and pen, which Betty had personalised
with a photo of  her baby Sasha inserted in the front

the little notebook which my girl has decided
is the 'weekend book' which a child takes home
for class reward for the best work of the week

the miniature camera

close up of the adorable maracas and play-doh

the delicious shiny apple (for teacher) and ice cream

Betty told me that she made all the clothes, she gives a sewing class to half a dozen women every week. She said "The dress is a print of our Indian corn.  We braid the tops and hang it on our door in the fall. The sundress/apron is my own style enlarged and altered from a smaller old pattern. It is my pleasure to put a smile on your daughters face."

Betty's note on the sundress

The lovely sundress 

Laura in her new American school clothes 

close up of the smocking 

The knitted cardigan

Thank you Betty B for such a wonderful collection of Back to School items from the USA.  Playing school during the remainder of our summer holidays will be great fun as a result for my girl, her Sasha doll Laura and the rest of the doll family.