Little Dresses for Africa

Little Dresses for Africa is a Christian non-profit organization that provides assistance to children across Africa. Simple dresses are distributed throughout orphanages in Central Africa. The message is simple, but the impact is great - to let the girls know that they are special, they are worthy. To date over 50,000 dresses have been distributed to over 13 countries, but there is still a need for more assistance. It's not only about the girls though, they also provide Britches for Boys. Shorts are distributed to the boys. They also provide many other types of assistance.

"We're not just sending dresses, we're sending HOPE!"

This is your chance to help send hope! I am offering special listings throughout the summer:

Infant Sundress - Little Dresses for Africa

Little Girls Sundress - Little Dresses for Africa

Girls Sundress - Little Dresses for Africa (Coming Soon!)

Purchase a dress for your little girl and I make an extra to donate to Little Dresses for Africa. No profit will be taken on any dresses that I donate and a portion of this summer's profits will be donated to cover shipping the items to Africa.

For sizing and additional information on the dresses please see: Sizes

Please note that since I am not a nonprofit organization, I cannot provide a receipt for taking a tax deduction. If this is a concern for you, please consider making a donation to Little Dresses directly. Visit their website for more information and contact me with any questions. And it's free to simply pass along the information so please help spread the word!

35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

³⁷"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

⁴⁰"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Matthew 25:35-40 NIV

In the Garden

A few months back I decided to plop a few seeds in the ground and see what came of things. We decided to try raised beds and square foot gardening. I checked out a few books from the library (My favorite was All New Square Foot Gardening by Mel Barthlomew).

I was beyond delighted when I saw my first little sprouts.

And now I am already harvesting lettuce and spinach for salads!  In fact, I can't keep up!

I added a few more seeds at the beginning of May and am already rewarded with some nice tall plants. 








I love that we have food coming in from our own backyard.  It is a very gratifying experience.  I know I could probably have a better yield or stronger plants if I put in some more work, but even with minimal care I still feel successful!

Back to Nature Treasury

I recently joined the CAPS (Christian Artists Promoting Shops) Team at Etsy. They have been so kind and welcoming. I even have my first spot in an Etsy Treasury! For those of you who don't know about them, it's a way to choose your own little gallery of items for showcase on Etsy. Each treasury has a theme and you can shop through them from their homepage.

Mama Hoot's Car Kit Bag

After reading the Mommy Milestone blog over at Forever and After, I decided to share with you all what I dub my "car kit bag". Months ago we were out and about as a family and decided to go ahead and have a nice sit-down dinner out at the Cheesecake Factory. I bought something next door at Whole Foods for Lil Hoot to eat and we sat down for dinner. Then we realized - we didn't have a bib or a spoon or any number of other things that would come in handy. I had diapers, wipes, toys and blankets but that was about it. I was in the habit then of packing a bag each time we headed out and only packing what I thought we would need. So we came home and made a list of Things to Keep in the Car. I also made a bag with lots and lots of pockets to keep it all straight.

Mama Hoot's Car Kit

• diapers, wipes & rash cream
  
• change of clothes
• a towel/burp cloth, spoons, baby food, bib
• toys and books
• changing pad & blanket
• sippy cup
• teething tablets
• small pouch of toiletries
• a zip lock bag or two (small & large)
• first aid kit

Depending on the season I may also throw in:

• Hats & mittens
• Extra blankets
• Shoes/Booties
• Jacket or sweater

This list is certainly not all inclusive. Do you already have a car kit bag? What do you keep in yours?

I keep all of this neatly tucked away in my Car Kit Bag which stays on the floor in front of Lil Hoot's car seat. Then when we need to leave, I grab my normal-size purse and head out the door. Sometimes I need to grab a few extra things but then I just drop them into a side pouch on the big bag and we're still ready to go. Saves me time and effort while also making sure we have what we need!

Get your own custom Car Kit Bag at Mama Hoot Designs!

Sewing Tip: Threading Elastic

Years ago I saw an infomercial for this handy plastic tool to thread elastic through casings in "mere seconds". I thought it looked neat but had no need for it at the time. Fast forward to present, I have spent more time than I care to think about trying to feed a safety pin through yards of casing. All the while thinking to myself of this plastic tool that I can't seem to find anywhere.

I finally have found a better way than the safety pin - a zip tie. It is cheap and essentially the same as the plastic tool I saw once upon a time ago. Simply create a loop with the zip tie, attach your elastic either with a small safety pin or by tying the elastic onto the zip tie, then feed it through the casing.

Zip ties are available in any number of thicknesses and lengths as well. I use a tiny one for threading elastic through baby pants or a large one for threading shopping cart covers. So simple that I'm kicking myself for not having thought of it sooner!