topic Re: Happy 4th of July in Community Chat

Happy 4th of July

Enufstuff — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 14:06:56 GMT

Happy 4th of July from Toni.

This will be a fun day, beginning with the activities at the park. The children have decorated their bicycles, wagons and doll carriages in red white and blue. Many children have patriotic costumes for the parade.

Toni is wearing her sailor dress and has her little flag. This dress, I made to replicate my own sailor dress that I wore in first grade.

I hand embroidered the little anchor on the red stripe insert and the blue stars on the back of the sailor collar.

After the parade, the children will go to the park for for games, races and pony rides.

For lunch they will have hot dogs, cold drinks, ice cream and watermelon.

Tonight, Toni will go with her family to the beach to see the fireworks.

July 4th is always a fun time for Toni.

Re: Happy 4th of July

Regal Bee — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 13:49:42 GMT

@Enufstuff Absolutely adorable!

Happy July 4th.................!!!

Re: Happy 4th of July

Enufstuff — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 13:53:11 GMT

@Regal Bee Thank you very much. I inadvertantly posted the

pictures before I typed in the text.

Re: Happy 4th of July

haddon9 — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 14:00:34 GMT

@EnufstuffGorgeous dress! I love the small details...the buttons are so cute and the little stars on the back! Just wonderful!

I miss the fourth when my kids were little. At the time we lived in southern NJ and all the local towns had small parades & fireworks.

My parents, in-laws and the kids' cousins would come over early in the morning for fire truck rides for the kids. Then we would go to the end of the block for the parade. All the usual groups would be in the parade (scouts, various community groups, little league, etc.) throwing candy at the kids lining the street.

Then it was cook out time and playing in the back yard. The grandmoms would clean up while the kids took naps to get ready for the evening fireworks in the park a few blocks over.....such fun times!

Re: Happy 4th of July

meallen616 — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 14:31:20 GMT

Toni looks lovely,

Happy Birthday America -

Re: Happy 4th of July

Enufstuff — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 14:37:52 GMT

@haddon9 Thank you very much. I loved wearing my sailor dress when I was five years old. When my three daughters were 4, 5 and 6, I bought matching sailor dresses for them and I made a little one piece sailor suit with short pants, for my son who was 1 year old.

The holidays were fun when the children were little.

We did the same kinds of things as you, when our five children were young.

After the neighborhood playground activities, we usually had an afternoon cookout with the grand parents. We always took them to the fireworks at the beach.

Now, my daughter and her husband organize the

playgound activities for the neighborhhood. They no longer do a parade, but they have the games and races and pony rides. They also have face painting, a small petting zoo and sometimes the police will come with their K-9 dogs and do a

demonstration for the children.

They have a candy dance, which is done at native American powwows. The children are in a large circle, with wrapped candies on the ground in the center. Like musical chairs, the children move around the circle while the music plays. ( At the powwows, there is drumming instead of music)

When the music stops, the kids scramble to pick up as much candy as they can hold, until the music starts again. This is repeated until all the candy is picked up. The kids love this game.

They also have hotdogs, drinks and ice cream for everyone. They get between 75-100 children at their yearly event. My daughter also does a big Halloween event at the playground for the children. She is a teacher and loves doing things for the children.

I don't know how she does it. She has Sarcoidosis, is in a lot of pain, not feeling well and tired much of the time. She is in her 50's and needs to walk with a cane, but she pushes herself and enjoys doing these events.

Re: Happy 4th of July

haddon9 — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 14:48:30 GMT

@Enufstuff I bet your kids were adorable in their matching sailor outfits! It sounds like your family had a lot of fun too and still continues in the holiday tradition of fun times...they may be a bit different but still wonderful!

I like the musical chairs idea of candy in the middle for them to pick up. I'm sure the kids love those activities which is why your daughter pushes through to do them.

Re: Happy 4th of July

spiderw — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 15:00:41 GMT

Toni looks so lovely in her 4th of July dress! She is ready to celebrate and watch the fire works glow in the sky! The dress is perfect as are all of your creations, Enufstuff!

Your posts are always enjoyable and bring a big smile to my face! Happy 4th of July to you!

Re: Happy 4th of July

Enufstuff — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 15:03:44 GMT

@spiderw Thank you so much. I'm glad that you enjoy seeing Toni and reading my posts.

Re: Happy 4th of July

Enufstuff — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 15:13:11 GMT

@meallen616 Thank you very much.

Re: Happy 4th of July

lynnie61 — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 15:13:31 GMT

@Enufstuff Toni - Beautiful as always! I love the details!

My mom dressed us in patriotic dresses, RWB bathing suits, jumpers. Still today I still like my patriotic tops with white pants or capri's. One of my childhood favorites was a red white and blue striped tube top. (Great when you're 11 or 12!).

Enjoy the day! Thanks for sharing. So nice your daughter still does these activities for kids. Dedication for sure, lots of work and planning. Kudos to her!

Happy birthday America!

Re: Happy 4th of July

Enufstuff — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 16:53:52 GMT

@lynnie61 Thank you very much.

You and your sisters must have been cute in your patriotic dresses and bathing suits.

Back in the 70's, I made a red , white and blue patchwork summer skirt for myself.

Re: Happy 4th of July

DSD2 — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 19:05:21 GMT

@Enufstuff the care and meticulous detail you gave to Toni's beautiful dress is evident at every turn.

She looks beautiful!

Re: Happy 4th of July

PamfromCT — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 19:45:11 GMT

@Enufstuff

Thank you so much for treating us all to the lovely pictures of Toni. She is always dressed so nicely and appropriate for any occasion.
A Happy 4th to you and your family. What a creative and fun way your daughter celebrates the holiday with so many children. I am so sorry for her challenges, but she is quite brave and strong - just like her mother.

Wishing you a happy summer! Stay in touch!

Your friend,

Pam

Re: Happy 4th of July

nycalady — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 20:48:40 GMT

Re: Happy 4th of July

Enufstuff — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 22:36:56 GMT

@DSD2 Thank you very much

Re: Happy 4th of July

Happy2BHere — Sat, 05 Jul 2025 00:38:11 GMT

I can always count on seeing another adorable outfit for Toni on the holidays, and this one is just that!

I can't wait to see what Labor Day brings her - I already know 100% it will be super cute too.

Serious question @Enufstuff how do you outdo yourself with every outfit? I really admire your artistic talent, because I know I would be out of creative ideas and you never are!

Re: Happy 4th of July

AuntG — Sat, 05 Jul 2025 20:49:19 GMT

@Happy2BHere those outfits are so adorable; I need to remember to look for @Enufstuff's posts.

Re: Happy 4th of July

Enufstuff — Sun, 06 Jul 2025 00:37:16 GMT

@PamfromCT Thank you so much. I'm glad that you enjoy

seeing Toni in her little outfits.

I hope that you and your family had a happy

4th of July.

I had a relaxing day, reading on the porch. That

is what I enjoy the most, until it gets too hot to sit

outside. The past few days have been lovely with

low humidity and comfortable temperature.

Tomorrow morning I will be going to a

farmer's market with two of my daughters. It is

held every Sunday, near the beach.

We have no travel plans for the summer, but I

did go away for a few days, last month, with my

oldest daughter. Girl time is always fun.

Do you have any summer travel plans?

I hope that you enjoy your summer.

Love,

Donna

Re: Happy 4th of July

Enufstuff — Sun, 06 Jul 2025 00:53:45 GMT

@Happy2BHere Thank you very much.

Many of the dresses that I post, like the

sailor dress, are not newly made.

Some are pictures of dresses that I had

previously made and sold online to Toni Doll

collectors.

I have a very large stockpile of fabrics and

made some new outfits during the past year,

after not sewing for several years. I did re-

create some dresses and skirts from my

childhood. A cute fabric will inspire me to

make a new dress.

There are a few dresses that I plan to make,

but I have never done one for Labor Day. Do

people dress up for Labor Day?

At the end of summer, I usually post Back to

School Dresses. I also have materials to re-

create one of my favorite Christmas dresses

that my grandmother bought for me. I didn't

get to it last year. Maybe this year, if I'm in the

mood to sew.