Let’s diagnose a common refrigerator problem that you can most likely repair by yourself.  Has your refrigerator stopped getting cold even though it’s plugged in, has power, and the lights are on inside?  If so, your condenser may have overheated from the fan being so dirty that it can’t properly cool anymore.  We’ll show you how to clean a refrigerator condenser fan in the handy video below.

Diagnose This Refrigerator Problem

The condenser fan may be dirty and clogged in your refrigerator if:

• The refrigerator is plugged in
• The fridge’s power is on
• The lights come on in the refrigerator

but…

• The refrigerator is not cold
• The fridge is getting warmer inside
• The frozen foods are starting to melt
• You can’t hear the cooler (compressor) kick on for the refrigerator
• The refrigerator looks normal but is not making any sound

How to Repair Your Refrigerator by Cleaning the Condenser Fan

Before calling the refrigerator repair man, watch the short DIY (do it yourself) repair video below that shows how to clean a refrigerator condenser fan.

This refrigerator breakdown happened in my house last night.  Luckily, my husband was able to diagnose the problem and repair it by cleaning off the condenser fan right away. 

Keep in mind when you watch the video that your refrigerator will probably be WAY more black and dirty inside than the one in the video (mine was).  Our cleaning project took about 30 minutes and the filth was very built up, so have a bandana ready to cover your nose and mouth and expect to get dirty.

Being able to handle this refrigerator repair yourself will save you a lot of money by not having to hire a repair person.  This frugal home DIY refrigerator repair project is a must-know!

(Subscribers will need to click through to this article to watch the video.)

Want more? We’ve got lots of How To videos and instructions!

DIY Repair: How to Clean a Refrigerator Condenser Fan Video is an article from Home Ever After.
Copyright 2007-2009 HomeEverAfter.com by Danelle Ice/IS World Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction of content in this feed is prohibited.

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1. Home DIY: How to Clean and Repair Rain Gutters Video
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3. How to Clean Refrigerator Coils (Video)

Sewing: Learn How to Make Hair Scrunchies

Hand made fabric ponytail holders, otherwise known as hair scrunchies, are a simple fashion accessory and are easy to make.  It’s easy to learn how to make hair scrunchies, the perfect frugal hair accessory to match any outfit! Just follow our step by step instructions and you can make your own hair scrunchies for less than $1.

With either a needle and thread or a sewing machine, some elastic and the fabric of your choice, you can make your own scrunchies to add to your wardrobe or even sell at your local flea market or craft fair.

What are Scrunchies?

Worn by young girls, teenagers and women alike, scrunchies are strips of elastic covered by tousled pieces of fabric. They provide a fashionable alternative to traditional elastic ponytail holders and can even be used to twist hair into a stylish bun.

Selling in department stores for as much as $5 per piece, homemade scrunchie materials will cost you under a dollar per piece and can be customized to match your wardrobe. Holiday themed scrunchies are always a hit for younger kids and make great gifts.

Supplies Needed to Make Scrunchies

You will need to purchase:

• One 10 inch by 5 inch piece of fabric
• 6 inches of narrow elastic for each scrunchie you wish to make
• Needle
• Thread
• Sewing machine (optional)
• Straight pins (optional)
• Iron (for pressing seams)

How to Make Hair Scrunchies

1.  Cut out a rectangle of fabric, about 7” long (longer or shorter for bigger or smaller scrunchies) and about 3” wide.

2.  Cut a piece of elastic about 2” shorter than your fabric length.

3.  Begin by folding the fabric carefully in half with the good sides of the fabric meeting together. It is best to attach the sides with pins to allow for neat, even sewing. Based on your personal preference, you can use either a sewing machine or a simple needle and thread to stitch the fabric together lengthwise.

4.  You will now have an open-ended tube of fabric. Using an iron to ensure accuracy, press the seams of the fabric open. This is done to reduce bunching of the fabric and helps to smoothen the appearance of the scrunchie.

5.  When finished ironing, turn the fabric right side out.

6.  On both sides of the tube you will need to turn the fabric inside about ½ of an inch.

7.  Place the elastic inside of the fabric tube. Knot the ends of the elastic and stitch together the fabric at each end. Now the elastic will be attached in a circle.

8.  For the final step, stitch together both ends of the fabric tube and your hair scrunchie is complete.

Now That You Know the Basics…

Scrunchies can be tossed into the washing machine along with the rest of your everyday laundry. Scrunchies are versatile and can be as casual or as dressy as you like, depending on the type of fabric you choose. Denim and cotton are sturdy fabrics good for everyday scrunchies while silk and satin work well with dressier outfits. Taffeta and organza are lightweight and work best with thinner hair.  Enjoy sewing your new frugal hair scrunchies!

Next, read more in our Learn How to Sew series: Learn How to Sew a Button, Learn How to Cut Out a Pattern, and Learn How to Patch Jeans.

Get more Frugal Friday at Life As Mom.  Photo by Flickr’s we_heart_heartbreakers.

Learn How to Sew: How to Make Hair Scrunchies is an article from Home Ever After.
Copyright 2007-2009 HomeEverAfter.com by Danelle Ice/IS World Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction of content in this feed is prohibited.

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1. Sewing: Learn How to Sew a Button
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I just realized yesterday that it’s time for the rainy season, the fair, and back to school time already here in Alaska. That means we’ve entered our abbreviated season of Fall in Fairbanks.  Alaskan summers are so short, not really starting until the end of May with warmer weather.  I’m so sad that the summer is over already, especially since we’ve barely had a  chance to do any fun summer activities in these 2 brief summer months.

We had a dazzling heat wave of temperatures in the 90s for 5 days straight.  The next day, the temperature dropped to 62 degrees and Fall and the rainy season had begun.  Around the end of every July our rainy season starts.  It rains nearly every day during this time and the temperature is an average of 60 degrees during the day. 

This rainy weather also signals to everyone 2 more upcoming events: the state fair and the start of school.  We’ve been working diligently to get all of our craft items finished that we’re going to enter in the fair. 

This will be Truett’s first time entering any exhibits in the fair and he’s excited, even though I don’t think he really understands what it means yet!  He sure remembers the rides from last year though, and can’t wait to go on more.  He keeps asking me every day if we’re going to the fair today!

Back to school time is also nearing, and in Fairbanks, Alaska, public school starts on August 18th.  For us homeschool families that take it easy during the summer months, Autumn also means it’s time to get our homeschool curriculums in order and get our papers organized for school to start. 

We’ll have some great back to school and homeschool articles coming up (How to Make a Homeschool Caddy, our Guinness Book Homeschool Workbook, and more), as well as the how to get ready for winter checklist with tips on the must-do chores of the Autumn season.  Happy Fall everyone!  

Rainy Season, Fair & Back to School Already is an article from Home Ever After.
Copyright 2007-2009 HomeEverAfter.com by Danelle Ice/IS World Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction of content in this feed is prohibited.

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1. Autumn Eye Candy: Misty Fall Leaves

The following guest post was written by Marcy Tate, a home improvement blogger at Networx, Your Home Improvement Network. She works with remodeling contractors on budgeted home remodeling ideas.

8 Easy, Simple and Frugal Home Improvements

The average American’s budget doesn’t allow for extensive remodeling projects; even when budgets do, by now, most Americans have caught on to the importance of saving and putting away any spendable income.

However, there are some simple and inexpensive ways that you can give your home a little lift without spending thousands of dollars. You’ll be surprised at how small, simple changes can improve the look and feel of your home.

1. Switch Plates

A switch plate can be made out of numerous materials and is used to cover the area around an electric switch. There’s a huge selection of switch plates, from decorative glass to ceramic, antique brass, wood and more. This small addition can add so much to a room. Consider making your own switch plate, or simply painting your existing ones. Check Switchhits.com for an amazing collection of switch plates.

2. Pulls and Knobs

Pulls and knobs may not seem like a significant part of your kitchen décor, but they actually have a profound impact on your kitchen. Changing the pulls and knobs on your cabinets can completely change the look and feel of your kitchen. Most pulls and knobs are at eye-level and attract attention.

To change your pulls and knobs, first decide what kind of material will best complement your current kitchen design. Popular pull and knob materials include: wood, ceramic, stone, glass, brushed nickel, polished brass, antique brass, antique copper, stainless steel and more. Additionally, you can make your own cabinet pulls.

The web is full of simple tutorials, which even most beginner DIYers can follow. A few tips: Make sure your pulls and knobs are functional as well as attractive. If you have a family with young children, you may want to skip the glass art-deco pulls and knobs. Visit myknobs.com for some great ideas and discounted products.

3. Reface or Paint Cabinets

Refacing or painting your kitchen or bathroom cabinets is a budgeted way to give your kitchen a new look. Aside from saving you money, it will save you time and allow you to be more creative than installing new, pre-fabricated cabinets. If you are a do-it-yourselfer with an average-sized kitchen, you can pull off this project for under $100.

4. Paint

There’s no faster or cheaper way to improve a room than a fresh coat of paint. To give a complete new look to a room, you don’t even need to paint the entire room. Paint just one wall as an accent wall. For new wall décor, hang a few newly framed pictures of your family. Be sure to select frames that complement the new wall color.

If you can’t do it yourself, hire a neighborhood painter to do it for you. During these challenging economic times, many painters offer discounts and are willing to take on smaller jobs. Visit the website of Benjamin Moore for some great accent wall color ideas.

5. Wall Decals

Wall decals are very popular nowadays, as they provide a quick, affordable and quality way to update the walls of any room in a home. Look for vinyl wall decals, as they have the best reputation for the longest lifespan.

Many homeowners equate wall decals with children’s room décor. However, the wall decal market is huge, and wall decals are available in some very elegant patterns for even the most formally styled dining rooms. For one of the best selections on the web, check Wallies.com.

6. Area Rugs

An area rug can add warmth and style to any room in your home. Think out-of-the-box when selecting an area rug, and consider the various shapes, sizes and colors. One of the best places to look for discounted area rugs is overstock.com. You’ll find great quality rugs steeply discounted.

Alternatively, check into carpet tiles. Carpet tiles are very popular, as they are a cost-effective way to carpet a small room or small space. Check Flor.com, the leader in modular carpet tiles.

7. Mini-Bathroom Makeover

If you are trying to give your bathroom a new identity, then replacing your soap dispenser or shower curtain won’t do the trick. However, the good news is that replacing your soap dispenser AND shower curtain (along with a few other accessories) can make your bathroom feel fresh and fun.

For the most significant change, consider adding or replacing the following: window treatments, light fixtures, wall colors, framed art, pulls, knobs or the towel rack.

8. Address Sign and Mailbox

The address sign and mailbox are the most common porch items that homeowners let go. Updating yours will surely bring a smile to your face as you pull up to your home each day. This subtle and simple update will likely get noticed by neighbors and visitors. Mailboxes4less.com is a great place to start to get ideas for mailbox styles and address plaques.

Love home improvement and home DIYs?  Next, read 14 Home DIYs Every Homemaker Needs to Know.

8 Easy, Simple and Frugal Home Improvements is an article from Home Ever After.
Copyright 2007-2009 HomeEverAfter.com by Danelle Ice/IS World Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction of content in this feed is prohibited.

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Did you read the first part about our camping trip?  Make sure you get the first (good) part of the story before you read on to the BAD part below!  Read about camping day 1 here first.

4th of July Camping Photo Progression: Sun to Rain to McDonald’s (Part 2)

I woke up a few hours later from a loud sound.  It was the sound of rain – lots of it.  I lay there quietly for a minute, listening to the rain pound on the tent, watching it land and bead up and roll down the outside.  Then it got harder.  And harder.  That’s when I woke up Michael.  The rain pounded even harder and I was afraid it would start hailing.  Only then did I wonder how long it had been raining and how much our tent could take. 

Michael had to go to the bathroom, so he asked me for the raincoat to walk to the outhouse.  Surprise! The raincoats were in the car.  He made a mad dash to the car to get it and continued on.  He came back soaked, but had the Blackberry (which we had also left in the car).  Now we knew it was 5:30am.

This was when we discovered that it was raining INSIDE our tent, and had been for a while.  Keep in mind that this is a brand new tent, never before even set up.  The rain was coming in on two opposite walls, and had soaked all of Truett’s clothes and all of our shoes and coats.  The bottoms of our sleeping bags were wet also. 

We made a mad dash for the tarps which were inside the car and got them up on top of the tent:

That slowed down the water coming into the tent somewhat.  My turn for the bathroom. I put on the poncho, ran to the car, and drove to the outhouse!  Did I mention the rain was pelting down like someone was throwing Morton’s water softener salt pellets at you?!

When I got back, the kids were awake and freezing.  There was no way for us to start a fire and cook breakfast, because our fire pit was a giant pool of water.  The firewood?  Water logged.  We had no way of warming up the kids, and the rain wasn’t letting up.  When could we feed the kids?

At that moment, with cold, wet, starving children, we made an executive decision.  McDonald’s was a 10 minute drive away from the campground in the town of North Pole.  We had no choice but to pile everyone in the car (in their pajamas) and drive to McDonald’s to get breakfast.  We cranked the car heater and dried out our shoes, safely nestled inside the certainly waterproof car.

We arrived in North Pole, only to find that McDonald’s didn’t have the breakfast menu up yet.  It was pretty early, but too early for breakfast?  A quick drive site seeing around the town used up the time until we could order our coffees and McMuffins.  The kids, exhausted, were finally able to go to sleep in the car in their warm carseats.      

We drove back to the drive thru, and when I realized how ridiculous our camping trip had become, I took this picture out of our front window:

My poor husband in his pajamas and very tired/cranky in the drive thru:

We got our steamy breakfast and decided to drive around North Pole until the rain let up enough to go back to camp and pack up the tent.  On our drive, we saw a mother moose with 2 babies (the brown dot on left is the mother, the two babies on the road are harder to see because of the rain):

I gave my husband a narrated tour around my childhood home town, identifying all the buildings that had not been there when I was a kid.  Reluctantly, we finally drove back to the camp when the rain slowed to a drizzle.  We were drenched by the time we had taken down the tent and packed up the car. 

After that, everyone was glad to be home, and we’re looking forward to our next campout.  Of course, we’ll be doing our homework first, learning the basics of outdoor survival (ahem, how to start a warm campfire!).  I hope we have better results to report next time!

We may be camping out with our friends, the Chasteens, next time.  I joked to my husband that I was glad we got to look like morons only in front of each other and not in front of them.  He said, “Of course they’re better campers than us! They both have outdoor survival training.  They don’t even NEED a tent.  They just say to the kids- ‘Come on, we’re going to burrow into the ground!’”

4th of July Camping Photo Progression: Sun to Rain to McDonald’s (Part 2) is an article from Home Ever After.
Copyright 2007-2009 HomeEverAfter.com by Danelle Ice/IS World Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction of content in this feed is prohibited.

You might like these articles too:

1. 4th of July Camping Photo Progression: Sun to Rain to McDonald’s (Part 1)

It wouldn’t have been the 4th of July weekend without some fun family camping, which is just what we did!  My husband and I packed up the family minivan and hauled the kids out to Chena Lakes for some good old fashioned roughing it.  At least that was the plan.  The misadventure looks even funnier in photos than it was in real life!  Here I present for you the 4th of July camping photo progression: sun to rain to – McDonald’s?

My husband, Michael, and I have never gone camping with the kids before.  We should have known we were in for it, especially with a 6 month old baby and a pregnant mama.  Two days of setting up, packing up, and we were finally ready to go have our fun. 

Let us begin the tale of how quickly our “fun” devolved…

4th of July Camping Photo Progression: Sun to Rain to McDonald’s (Part 1)

Sunday afternoon the weather was great!  Michael and Truett set up the tent for us:

Truett was digging the “spy hole” in the tent, which is really an easy-access window to reach your outdoor cooler.  It did serve us better as a handy lookout window to keep a busy toddler occupied!

The day was hot and we had to open the windows to cool down the tent.  Warm and cozy, Seven was content to sit in her cow chair while we set up the sleeping bags:

The finished product- our 2 room, 12 person tent.  Luxurious and spacious!  Isn’t it lovely?

You will note that the rain fly is up, but there is a significant absence of tarps.  Of course, the weather was sunny without a cloud in the sky… Who would be thinking about rain at a time like this?

After a few hours fishing and grilling some hamburgers on our camp stove, we settled the kids into the tent.  We planned on catching fish to cook for supper.  In an unexpected twist, we caught no fish.  It was decidedly colder in the tent when we got back, since it was now nighttime (even though the 24-hour daylight makes the night look like day time). 

We tucked the kids in and went out to start a fire, hoping that would warm things up a bit.  Truett and Elmo were warm and snuggly in their Superman sleeping bag (nice and frugal, since it came from the recycle 100% free!):

We started a fire, which quickly fizzled.  We started it again using a firestarter, and got a tiny flame.  We had brought out a stack of firewood with us, since you’re not allowed to cut any trees at the campground.  However, we wanted to save our bundle for the morning fire which we’d need to cook breakfast on.  We foraged through the woods for sticks and twigs lying on the ground and threw them in the fire.  They burned them up quickly, but the fire was still so tiny, you couldn’t have roasted a hot dog on it. 

It was at this point we wished we had studied The Camper’s Bible, which we checked out from the library a few years ago, when we were first thinking about camping.  Boy would that book have come in handy on our camping trip!  I remember a specific chapter on how to start a fire in the rain.  But more on that later…

The miniscule fire couldn’t have dried a wet pair of pants, let alone warm up children sleeping in the tent.  So we let the fire fizzle out (which wasn’t hard – it was glad to give up and go out!) and went to plan B. 

Seven was sleeping in her playpen inside the tent, and wearing a baby sleepsack, but was still way too cold to be left there all night.  I put the baby in my sleeping bag with me, which was a very tight and uncomfortable fit.  We drifted off to sleep at about midnight. 

That’s when the mayhem started…

Next, read part 2 of the 4th of July camping adventure to lern the exciting (and embarrassing) conclusion!

4th of July Camping Photo Progression: Sun to Rain to McDonald’s (Part 1) is an article from Home Ever After.
Copyright 2007-2009 HomeEverAfter.com by Danelle Ice/IS World Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction of content in this feed is prohibited.

You might like these articles too:

1. 4th of July Camping Photo Progression: Sun to Rain to McDonald’s (Part 2)

Update: This giveaway is now closed.  The winner is June M. Chumley, #10!

Today we have a quick giveaway for The Everything Cooking for Kids Cookbook by Ronni Litz Julien, MS, RD/LDN.

Lighting Giveaways are won fast – so comment right away!  The 10th commenter will win the free cookbook, but you can only comment once per hour.

If you don’t win today, we’re still giving away 3 more cookbooks from this series:

• The Everything Grow Your Own Vegetables Book
• The Everything Almost Homemade Cookbook
• The Everything Raw Food Recipe

Leave a Comment Now to Enter!

To Enter: Leave a comment on this post. Only one comment per hour per person.  The 10th commenter wins the Everything Cooking for Kids Cookbook by Ronni Litz Julien!  Winner to be announced as soon as 10 comments have been received. (Be sure to leave a valid email address.)

This contest is open to USA shipping addresses only. By entering this contest, you agree to our Giveaway Terms and Conditions.

Disclaimer:  In compliance with the FTC Guides, updated 10/5/09, this article has no material connections.  IS World Media (ISWM) received no fees or free products for hosting this giveaway.  Adams Media provided a copy of The Everything Cooking for Kids Cookbook for a winner free of charge.  ISWM does not endorse the company mentioned above.  This post contains affiliate links and readers may assume that HomeEverAfter.com receives compensation when affiliate links are used.

Lightning Giveaway: The Everything Cooking For Kids Cookbook is an article from Home Ever After.
Copyright 2007-2009 HomeEverAfter.com by Danelle Ice/IS World Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction of content in this feed is prohibited.

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Update: This giveaway is now closed. The winner is Cassie #20!

Today we have a quick giveaway for The Everything Cake Mix Cookbook by Sarah K. Sawyer. 

Lighting Giveaways are fast and furious – meaning the entry method is quick and winning is fast, too!  The 20th commenter will win the free cookbook, but you can only comment once per hour. 

If you don’t win today, we’ll be giving away 4 other cookbooks this week:

• The Everything Cooking for Kids Cookbook
• The Everything Grow Your Own Vegetables Book
• The Everything Almost Homemade Cookbook 
• The Everything Raw Food Recipe

Leave a Comment Now to Enter!

To Enter: Leave a comment on this post. Only one comment per hour per person.  The 20th commenter wins the cookbook!  Winner to be announced on June 30, 2010. (Be sure to leave a valid email address.)

This contest is open to USA shipping addresses only. By entering this contest, you agree to our Giveaway Terms and Conditions.

Disclaimer:  In compliance with the FTC Guides, updated 10/5/09, this article has no material connections.  IS World Media (ISWM) received no fees or free products for hosting this giveaway.  Adams Media provided a copy of The Everything Cake Mix Cookbook for a winner free of charge.  ISWM does not endorse the company mentioned above.  This post contains affiliate links and readers may assume that HomeEverAfter.com receives compensation when affiliate links are used.

Lightning Giveaway: 20th Comment Takes The Everything Cake Mix Cookbook is an article from Home Ever After.
Copyright 2007-2009 HomeEverAfter.com by Danelle Ice/IS World Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction of content in this feed is prohibited.

You might like these articles too:

1. Lightning Giveaway: The Everything Cooking For Kids Cookbook
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I’m so excited, I can hardly contain myself! I’ve been working on a new project and my daughter has been testing it out in our summer homeschool session.  My new home school workbook goes along with the Guinness Book of World Records and is tons of fun for ages 9 and up!

The Guinness World Records Homeschool Workbook is designed for homeschool students from 4th grade through high school age.  It can be used with any year’s Guinness Book, so check out your local library to borrow instead of buying.  A lot of hard work went into making this Guinness World Records homeschool workbook, which is something very different from what I’ve seen for non-traditional (but educational and interesting) homeschool topics. 

The Guinness World Records Homeschool Workbook includes:

• Vocabulary, (both provided and some chosen by the student)
• Scavenger hunts to encourage reading, use of the index and table of contents, as well as memory
• Word searches and vocab/definition matching
• Fun activities (physical education/exercise included)
• Writing prompts
• and I even threw in a little Shakespeare (hey- English majors can work Shakespeare into almost any subject!)

I can’t release the Guinness Book of World Records Homeschool Workbook until my daughter has made it all the way through the lessons, in order to check it for workability.  She’s loving it so much that she’s blazing her way through at an astonishing rate! 

Thanks to the bloggers who have written me asking to review it already!  Stay tuned to Home Ever After for the announcement very soon of when our new Guinness Book of World Records Homeschool Workbook will be available.  Make sure you subscribe now to our free updates so you get the notice as soon as it’s ready.

Any Homeschoolers Love the Guinness Book of World Records? is an article from Home Ever After.
Copyright 2007-2009 HomeEverAfter.com by Danelle Ice/IS World Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction of content in this feed is prohibited.

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Did you miss the beginning of the Girls & Modesty series?  You can catch up on your reading here:

1. Girls & Modesty: Parents- Say NO to Kids’ Immodest and Trashy Summer Clothes
2. Girls & Modesty: Kids’ Clothes Should NOT Have Sex Appeal

I’m Angry About Immodest Summer Clothes for Young Girls

We’ve been talking about the indecent amount of skin children’s clothing is now designed to show off.  There’s never a good reason that a 6 year old girl needs to be wearing sexy or revealing styles of clothes designed for a grown woman. 

When I attempted to shop for summer clothes for my 10 year old daughter, the clothes (in this article) are what I found.  We need to bring back modesty and teach our girls to respect their bodies by covering up!

Top 6 Worst Indecent Kids’ Summer Clothes

The most immodest kids’ clothing styles can be summed up in 6 raunchy pieces.  Below are a few fashion standards that have gone mainstream in children’s clothing, but are completely inappropriate:

1.  Backless/topless shirts.  Halter tops, tube tops, and string tops may be hot in music videos, but they are racy provocative clothing items that children do not need to be wearing.  Under no circumstance does my daughter EVER need to wear a backless shirt!  Why would her back need to be out for everyone to see?  Is there some good reason to remove the fabric from the back of a child’s shirt?

At left, you can see a popular “string top” that only has a string that ties around the neck.  Yes, this green shirt is a kids’ top sold at Old Navy.

The pink shirt at left is a halter top.  You can see how (1) lowcut it is in the front, (2) completely backless it is, and (3) short it is so that the entire back, shoulders, and stomach of your daughter is “out there”.  This is NOT appropriate for a tween or teen to be wearing.  Yet, you can buy this gem at Amazon.

At left, you can see a pink striped child’s tube top dress.  Lets pray that while running and playing the dress does not slip down, exposing your child’s entire bare chest (not to mention that unless your 10 year old is sporting a strapless training bra, she’ll be unable to wear a bra at all with this style of dress).

2.  Racer-back tank tops.  A racer back cuts into the middle of the back, meaning that the back of both bra straps are completely visible.  Racer-back tank tops are meant for female athletes wearing racer-back bras underneath them.  Racer back tank tops or dresses with racer backs (yes, I saw this at Walmart today in the Miley Cyrus line of clothing) are not appropriate for tweens and teens. 

As you can see in the picture below (left), a racer back shirt shows the entire bra strap.  Even the photo shows a grown woman wearing this type of shirt, not a young child.  Below (right), you see a child’s racer back tank from popular brand Paul Frank.  The fabric to the back of the shirt is really all thee, but has then been gathered into the middle to expose more skin on purpose.

3.  Too-short kids’ mini dresses.  Dresses that come above the knee so far as to be half-way between knee and nether regions have no place on a child.  The “banded bottom dress” below by company Amy Byer is so short that it looks like a shirt.  It’s really a girls’ size 7-14 dress. 

Not surprising, I couldn’t find a picture of any of these dresses on a child model.  My guess is that the pictures of a real child wearing this indecent clothing would spark decency issues for the manufacturer.

4.  Skimpy kid’s bikinis and cut-away one piece swimsuits.  (Below girls’ bikini swimsuits are by Disney, Roxy, and Hello Kitty.)  A Disney swimsuit isn’t something that should make you think of a bare midriff.

The Hello Kitty bikini is cut so skimpy in the bottoms that you can’t even see the back (it’s smaller than the front).  Does a child’s bikini really need to be cinched in the middle of the chest to accentuate the breasts?

Roxy child’s swimsuit (cut out back and string top):

Xhilaration kids’ swimsuit by Target (with the back and sides cut out to show off your daughter’s midsection),

and Raisins girls’ swimsuit (shown below), which is not only missing its entire backside, but features a large tie in the back.  No one ever heard of 12 year old boys liking to untie things, such as the backs of girls’ swimsuits, then run away – right?

5.  Raunchy children’s mini skirts. The blue skirt pictured below is called “Child Ruffle Mini Skirt” by Body Wrappers.  In their own description of the skirt, they say, “convertible mini ruffle skirt can be worn multiple ways… can be worn over a longer length skirt or over booty shorts.”  Please explain to me why any tween or teen should be wearing booty shorts in the first place, then lets talk about how wrong it is to wear a skirt that is shorter than shorts!

The mini skirt by Funky Diva  shown below is horrifyingly short.  The fact that they chose to put it on a child model wearing fishnet tights doesn’t help it to look any less trashy.  Notice where the child’s knees are – at the bottom of the picture, and nowhere near the hemline of this kids’ skirt.

6.  Kids’ short shorts or Daisy dukes.  With inseams ranging from 1” to 2” on many of the girls’ shorts now, it’s a no-brainer to see how immodest these short shorts are.  If any one of us moms or dads was to wear a pair of shorts with a 1” inseam, I’m pretty sure we know what would happen:

1. We’d have things hanging out the bottom of our shorts that ought to be tucked safely up in the sorts, and
2. then we’d be arrested for indecent exposure when aforementioned items did hang out the bottom!

Below are a few photos of actual girls’ size 7-14 shorts by Roxy, Diesel, and YMI.  I found shorts just as short at my local Walmart store today.

Subscribe now for free so you don’t miss any of this series!  Up next in the Girls & Modesty series: Shopping For Fashionable but Appropriate Kids’ Clothes.

Girls & Modesty: Top 6 Worst / Most Immodest Kids’ Summer Clothes is an article from Home Ever After.
Copyright 2007-2009 HomeEverAfter.com by Danelle Ice/IS World Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction of content in this feed is prohibited.

You might like these articles too:

1. Girls & Modesty: Parents- Say NO to Kids’ Immodest and Trashy Summer Clothes
2. Girls & Modesty: Kids’ Clothes Should NOT Have Sex Appeal
3. Frugal Tip: How to Save 90% on Kids Clothes

Update: This giveaway is now closed.  AmyKB  is the winner!

Lighting Giveaways are fast and furious – meaning the entry method is quick and winning is fast, too!  The 10th commenter will win the free food, but you can only comment once per hour.  Today’s giveaway is for a gift basket of new Kraft foods, including these yummy treats:

• Kraft macaroni & cheese homestyle
• DiGiorno pizza & breadsticks
• Ritz crackerfuls
• Kraft 100 calorie packs cheese bites
• Oscar Mayer deli fresh shaved meat
• Kool Aid Fun Fizz drink tablets

Quickly – Leave a Comment Now!

To Enter: Leave a comment on this post. Only one comment per hour per person.  The 10th commenter wins the gift basket of free Kraft foods!

This contest is open to USA shipping addresses only. By entering this contest, you agree to our Giveaway Terms and Conditions.

Review: Taste What’s New & Delicious at Kraft Foods!

I got to try out these new Kraft foods with my family to share my opinions with our readers.  Since I live in Alaska, it is hard for us to find brand new products at our stores sometimes (they’re a little behind with the latest products).  Because of this, I wasn’t able to find the DiGiorno pizza & breadsticks or Kraft 100 calorie packs cheese bites at our stores in time for this review. 

However, I did get to try the other items, and here’s what I thought:

1.  Kraft macaroni & cheese homestyle.  This mac & cheese dinner tastes almost like Velveeta Shells & Cheese, although I think the Velveeta is cheesier tasting.  The dish tastes great, but its preparation is very involved for a boxed side dish.  For the amount of work that goes into cooking this homestyle version, I think I’d rather pass on it and just buy the Velveeta in the future. 

In Short: Tastes good, but too many steps.

2.  Ritz cheddar crackerfuls filled crackers.  These little snack packs are fantastic!  Each individually wrapped pack has 1 long cracker sandwich stuffed with cheese.  I like the cheddar ones even more than the cream cheese filled variety I tried before.  

In Short: This is my new lunch bag snack of choice.

3.  Oscar Mayer deli fresh shaved meat.  This lunch meat is slice razor thin and is perfect for stacking on your own homemade sub sandwiches.  The shaved meats are so thin they make it easy to mix and match meats.  A favorite around my house, my toddler rolls them up into his “meat-rolls”.

In Short: Your sandwich might ask you for this lunch meat by name, that’s how good it is!

4.  Kool Aid Fun Fizz drink tablets.  Only 5 calories and an easy way to get your kids to drink their water!  These tablets fizz just like alkaseltzer and dissolve, turning the water red in the process.  It’s fun to watch and a guilt-free treat to give in to.

In Short: Fizzy fun that keeps them drinking their water – hello hydration!

I always have a great time trying out new food products.  I wish you luck and hope you get to win this delicious gift basket of free foods to try them out too!

Review Disclaimer:  In compliance with the FTC Guides, updated 10/5/09, this article has material connections.  IS World Media (ISWM) received no fees for the writing or publication.   This article is a product review conducted by Danelle Ice and is her honest opinion.  The Kraft sampler basket of new food products was provided to ISWM at no cost by Kraft to facilitate the review process.  We cannot make claims as to the typical results users should expect from this product, as we are trying it out and have no way of knowing other users’ experiences. 

The Kraft Foods logo and product photos are used with permission from Kraft Foods.

Giveaway Disclaimer: IS World Media (ISWM) received no fees for hosting this giveaway.    Kraft Foods provided 1 gift basket filled with foods in the picture shown above along with gratuity coupons for 3 of the items. Kraft provided the gift basket for the winner free of charge.  Kraft Foods is not the “sponsor” of this giveaway.  This promotion is not linked to Kraft Foods, and Kraft Foods is not responsible for conducting the promotion or selecting the winner.  ISWM does not endorse Kraft Foods.

Lightning Giveaway – Free Kraft Foods Gift Basket is an article from Home Ever After.
Copyright 2007-2009 HomeEverAfter.com by Danelle Ice/IS World Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction of content in this feed is prohibited.

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1. Lightning Giveaway: The Everything Cooking For Kids Cookbook
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Remember the garage sale I was supposed to have last weekend?  Well, thankfully I planned it for 2 days, that’s all I can say.  We got to have the sale on Friday for 2 1/2 hours before getting rained out. 

Saturday we weren’t so lucky.  The weather shut us down before we even got our yard sale set up Saturday!  At least we made enough money on Friday morning to pay for the newspaper ad.

However, I’m a trooper with a mountain of decluttered items I must get rid of, and so – the garage sale round 2 is coming up next weekend.  I’m hoping the weather will cooperate and there will be no rain.  Please cross your fingers for all of us garage sale-holders in Fairbanks for some sunshine and warm temperatures next Saturday!

Special thanks to my friend, Barb, from the Forever Neighbor for sitting with me and occupying Truett during the garage sale on Friday.  She’s the best!

Garage Sales and the Weather Forecast is an article from Home Ever After.
Copyright 2007-2009 HomeEverAfter.com by Danelle Ice/IS World Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction of content in this feed is prohibited.

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1. Gearing Up for a Decluttering Garage Sale Weekend
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If you missed the introduction to the Girls & Modesty series, you can read it now: Parents- Say NO to Kids’ Immodest and Trashy Summer Clothes.

Kids’ Clothes Should NOT Have Sex Appeal

If your child’s outfit looks like it could have been worn on America’s Next Top Model, you have big problems, my friend.  Our kids should look like children, not women.  Childhood is short enough already.  There’s no reason at all for children to have “sex appeal” from their clothes.

The picture above might seem extreme, but this an actual photo from Amazon.com showing young girls’ clothes available to buy. 

I have seen outfits very similar to this one (black miniskirt, fishnet tights, and red fishnet top) used as costumes for prostitutes in movies! In fact, if think about the most generic “hooker” outfit you can imagine in a movie, the mini skirt and fishnet stockings probably come to mind first.

Who would want their sweet 9  year old dressed like a streetwalker?  Does a 12 year old need to copy outfits from Lady Gaga or America’s Next Top Model?

When we talk about immodest kids’ clothes, we’re talking about clothes that show way too much skin on a child’s body.  These include halter tops, short shorts (Daisy Dukes) tube tops, skimpy bikinis, mini skirts, and other children’s clothes modeled after adult women’s styles.

The Effects of Dressing Your Child in Revealing Clothes

Dressing your child (or allowing her to dress) in revealing and indecent clothing does your daughter a major disservice.  It  sets her up to think dressing immodestly is the right way to draw attention to herself. 

Showing too much skin is a sure-fire way to get attention from boys and lots of it.  But it won’t be boys who want to date a nice Christian girl, meet her parents, and share common goals and interests.  The boys coming around will be interested in only 1 thing- the thing we don’t want our daughters doing until they’re married.

If a girl child, tween, or teen sends a message out with her clothes that she’s “sexy” or “flirty” or “hot” or “sassy” (words which are even printed on a lot of kids’ and juniors’ size clothes), she is advertising that she is okay with being involved in sexual activity.  Children don’t need to be sexy or even thinking about trying to be appealing to the opposite sex – they need to be playing with toys and using their imaginations.

A Parent’s Job is to Teach Modesty & Purity

It is our job as parents to teach modesty, purity, and correct attitudes about waiting for sex until marriage.  We can’t raise good Christian or non-Christian girls if we don’t teach our daughters how to conduct themselves appropriately in public, and this includes how they dress. 

A reader commented that she was worried that teaching our kids to dress modestly to “be a good girl” or “be a good Christian” might cause them to “grow into women who are ashamed of having sexual feelings”.  This couldn’t be further from the truth if you teach your girls from the beginning that having sex is for married women only and being sexy is ONLY for grown women, and never for kids.  Children never need to be sexy.  That is what we should teach our kids: sex is for the right people (married people only) and being “sexy” is for the right age (adult) in the right situations.

One more huge point is that it is our job to teach our daughters that attention comes to them from their GOD-GIVEN talents and special abilities (like loving science, singing, having compassion, volunteering, or being great at math), not from showing off parts of their bodies that should be covered up.

To illustrate just how bad the young girls’ clothing has gotten, I’ve prepared a list (chock full of photos of real kids’ clothes) of the most immodest and inappropriate children’s clothes you can buy now. 

Stay tuned tomorrow for the shocking photo in our article “Top 6 Most Trashy and Immodest Kids’ Summer Clothes”.

Girls & Modesty: Kids’ Clothes Should NOT Have Sex Appeal is an article from Home Ever After.
Copyright 2007-2009 HomeEverAfter.com by Danelle Ice/IS World Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction of content in this feed is prohibited.

You might like these articles too:

1. Girls & Modesty: Parents- Say NO to Kids’ Immodest and Trashy Summer Clothes
2. Girls & Modesty: Top 6 Worst / Most Immodest Kids’ Summer Clothes
3. Printable: Kids' Getting Dressed to Leave the House Checklist

As of today, I’ve officially seen enough inappropriate clothing being pushed on our young daughters.  Parents, it’s time to say NO to kids’ immodest and trashy clothes!

As each season comes and goes, the kids’ clothes get skimpier and racier, trying to model the pop stars and female celebrities who are grown women. 

There is a huge difference between girl children and women: namely, one is a child and the other is a grown up.  Children should not be wearing fashion styles meant for adult women. Period.

I’m sure to get slammed for some of the adjectives I use in this series, but I am fed up with the immodest standards of our society trickling down to innocent children who don’t know any better.  Even worse is the fact that it’s being allowed by parents who don’t know how to stand up for decency and modesty. 

This series on kids and modesty is a must-read for all parents, Christians and non-Christians alike. If you’re not subscribed to our RSS feed or free email updates yet, subscribe now.

Up next tomorrow, Kids’ Clothes Should NOT Have Sex Appeal.

Girls & Modesty: Parents- Say NO to Kids’ Immodest and Trashy Summer Clothes is an article from Home Ever After.
Copyright 2007-2009 HomeEverAfter.com by Danelle Ice/IS World Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction of content in this feed is prohibited.

You might like these articles too:

1. Girls & Modesty: Top 6 Worst / Most Immodest Kids’ Summer Clothes
2. Girls & Modesty: Kids’ Clothes Should NOT Have Sex Appeal
3. Parents Take Control of Your Summer – Make the Kids a Summer Vacation Plan

My husband and I are now expecting baby number 3, who will be due on February 5, 2011.  We just found out today and spent the night calling through the phone tree to share the news with our family and local friends.  I had to make sure our family heard right from us before the news got leaked onto the internet like so often happens (oh yes, I can just see the uninvited “Danelle Ice pregnant” facebook statuses before the grandmas know!).

Talk about luck right away: we started trying on May 14th and got a positive pregnancy test today, June 9, 2010.  I’m 6 weeks along; click if you want to see what the baby looks like at 6 weeks (he/she is about the size of a lentil bean right now).  I have a hunch that it’s a boy, based on my food cravings already.

Seven just turned 5 months old today!  It feels like I’ve hardly had any time not being pregnant, and now to be back at the beginning again.  I hope the next 9 months goes quickly; I can’t wait to meet our new little one!

I had to record a video to preserve the pregnancy news for the future generations!  You can see the vlog below (subscribers will have to click through to the site to watch).

I Can’t Wait to Share this News! is an article from Home Ever After.
Copyright 2007-2009 HomeEverAfter.com by Danelle Ice/IS World Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction of content in this feed is prohibited.