Art Easel and red dress

The art easel we had ordered is here - an early birthday present and a supply for our upcoming school year at the same time.  The fabric I bought in Murray yesterday has been finished out into a red dress - with maybe enough left over to do a sundress bodice with later - if I make the skirt of something else.  I like being able to stretch a yard of fabric enough that I don't feel so guilty paying 5 dollars a yard for it in the first place.  And it is just what I wanted pattern wise :)

Dress info: I used Butterick 4543 in size 7 with alterations.  I made the front bodice a double-thickness for the facing...no way it can pop out and be visible like her herringbone dress has been bothering me with.  Her dress looks like view C with short sleeves, no inverted pleat in front or flaps or collar.  I did pleat the skirt and sleeves-- it is my make-do, but it works. The zipper remains to be sewn in by hand - but other than that it is done.  I tried it on her before I set the sleeves and it seemed to fit her just fine.

Esme has been very artistic today.  She has drawn a beach scene (hint hint to Mama - she put me in the picture under an umbrella reading my Kindle, so she could play with the kids at the beach).  And the other drawing  pictured is a tree that is a home for cats - and she left room for me to draw something on the other side.  I made a school house and the kittens are all marching to school.

That brings to me something she said yesterday.  We had bought a clearance geology kit and put it up with her supplies for next year.  She asked when we are starting school again.  I told her August 2nd.  She said 'Why can't it be August 1st?' She dived into 'summer projects' making decorations with stencils and markers and her drawings today.  She wants to work more in Minecraft today again - making another house by the bank in Freeway world.  In short, she is starting to want to 'do things' a bit more ...especially when Mom is home on her days off.

//am getting some more of her curriculum together... poetry, geology things, some ideas for projects and trips...I would like to take her a few more places this year but not sure how we can do it (time, distance etc.)