Paper Dolls for Cold, Wintery Days

While winter in the desert isn't necessarily snowy, it can be cold and definitely very windy! It's on days like this, when it we can't play outside, that I like to find free things I can print off on the internet for the children to to do!

Photo Copyright 2009 Domestic Legacies

Our family recently watched the old Disney classic Polyanna. We were dazzled by the gorgeous Victorian era clothing and extravagant sets which depicted the richness of the homes and lives of some of the people in those days. We decided to look online to see if there were any free Victorian paper dolls that we could cut out and play with. The good ol' internet came through again!...There are quite a few sites from which you can print Victorian paper dolls, and many other types of paper dolls as well! And, wouldn't you know it, we also found Polyanna paper dolls to play with too!

Here's the website we found for the Polyanna paper dolls as well as a number of other Victorian era paper dolls. Some of these are already colored, and some are in black and white for you and your children to color:

Victorian Paper Dolls

The other page I want to share with you lists many other paper doll websites. (It is from this list that I found the above Victorian Paper Doll website.):

Hazelruthe's Paper Dolls Galore

Happy cutting, coloring, and transporting yourselves into a wonderous era from the past...with paper dolls!

Copyright 2009 Domestic Legacies

Online Degrees...Are They Worth the Time and Money?

Only a few years ago, I would never think of paying for something online by giving my credit card over the internet. It seemed to me unsafe and unsecure, and I bought most everything in person at an actual store. My ideas for the use of the internet back then extended to other areas as well: the thought of getting a college degree from an accredited online school seemed like a cheap and cheesey way to get an education.

Now, my ideas have changed and I purchase items online quite frequently (albeit from sources that I know and trust). And can even say that I would consider for myself or my children obtaining accredited online degrees (also choosing carefully from reputable schools). The internet certainly has changed over the years, much for the better!

I recently read about the advantages of taking clep exams to obtain college credit, being that it is often possible to learn and master material on your own much more quickly than taking an actual college course in a classroom. Couple that with taking classes through one of the accredited online schools in the comfort of your own home, during the times that are convenient to you, I can see a real benefit to getting an education in this way.

One place to research such schools is at elearners.com. If you know what subjects or degrees you are interested in you can search by that keyword. Or, you can read about the various schools that offer online degrees that are accredited. I'm bookmarking this site for future reference!

In a country where degrees are a dime a dozen, I think the earlier a pre-teen can develop his or her interest and pursue it in the "real" world, obtaining hands-on experience, the better. A degree can then become a doorway to a career, with the prior experience gained allowing him or her to outshine the employment competition on any resume.