With the economy being how it is right now, more people are trying to come up with new uses for some old items. Why not take Dad's old button down shirt and turn it into a beautiful dress for your little girl? I found a great tutorial showing you how it can be done on the Craftster forums.

These need to be button-down shirts that have a back yoke (that panel of fabric on the back found on most men's button down shirts) That back panel is what makes the front bodice of the dress. I am planning on going to a thrift store and looking around to find the perfect shirt to turn into a dress for my daughter, since my husband doesn't really have any to spare. I'd recommend adding some kind of trim to the top and to the bottom of the dress, like ruffles, lace, pom-poms, or any other kind of trim - it seems to finish the dress off nicely!

Now go raid your husband's closet or get to a thrift store! - Trisha

Some days, no matter how many toys you've got around the house, the kid needs something new to play with. For this, I suggest this super simple crafted toy: the recycling bin maraca. Somewhere in that bin you have just what you need... Is it a quart milk jug, or an Odwalla juice bottle, or conditioner bottle? Doesn't matter. Basically, a smallish, thin walled, plastic container with a secure lid. I used a tiny jug that I bought molasses in, which was nice because it has a kid-sized handle.

Clean and dry this container well. Drop about 10 unpopped popcorn kernels, or dry black or pinto beans, or some very small pebbles in there. Then find some nontoxic glue and dab a tiny bit on the threads of the lid. Screw the lid on tightly, and give the glue ten minutes to set up.

Voila! Shake it as a demo for your child, and then let them try it out. If you child is used to rattles, the learning process will be rapid.

As a side note: If your kid likes to bang things, the glue bond might eventually break. In this case, you would be best with a dab of flexible silicone caulk if you have it. Regardless, check periodically to ensure that the lid is really well screwed on - a loose lid could become a choking hazard. - Leigh G.

We all know how hectic it can be searching for a pacifier in the never ending diaper bag. I can remember when my husband would search for one, couldn't find it, and then I'd look and it was right there. Sometimes it was as simple as him looking in the wrong pocket. Other times it was just that there was so much stuff in the diaper bag that it was easy to miss. It would have been nice to have a small bag to keep them all in one place - then we'd always know where to look!

Here is a great picture tutorial that shows you exactly how to make your own pacifier bag. Whip out one of these and you won't have to deal with them getting lost in your diaper bag, or finding them stuck to the bottom covered with crumbs.

If you have a diaper bag that has removable straps, I'd consider sewing a piece of material on the back or attaching a ribbon to make a loop that you could use to attach this to the straps of your diaper bag. That way it never gets lost! - Trisha

Many moms love the benefits of carrying their baby around, but sometimes you just need your hands-free. One way to do this is to use a baby sling. I found a tutorial from On Pins and Needles for how to make a lined ring sling.

I've seen lined slings like this with a cute decorative fabric on the outside, but the lining is a super soft Minkee, or fleece. For the warmer summer months try doing a lightweight cotton sling - very breathable and still comfortable for both you and the baby. I would not recommend using a stretchy fabric, or if you do, use one with only a hint of stretch, as this might make it hard to feel like the baby is secure enough.

With a ring sling, you can adjust the tightness of the sling, making it idea for a one-size-fits-all item. It's great for when you want a sling, but also want Dad to wear one occasionally too. No need to buy a separate one just for him - just make sure your sling is in a fabric he doesn't mind wearing, as it might be a little harder to convince him to wear it if it's pink flowers! - Trisha

A few recent articles on the web (both NYTimes and Slate) left me wondering - is it really that easy to make your own yogurt? Can I really save money by doing this? And maybe most of all, is it worth the effort?

So I embarked recently on my virginal yogurt-making adventure, and it was all I hoped for and more. By following the NY Times' recipe, I was able to make very nice whole milk yogurt in about 10 minutes out of my day. Total cost was just about half that of my regular, plain, whole milk yogurt that I buy for my baby. And the slightly different texture and taste were accepted readily by my sometimes picky child.

I discovered two pitfalls from the mom and baby perspective. First, as a mom, remember that milk boils over really quickly. Don't try to heat it up while doing any hardcore multitasking - it will almost certainly boil over and make your house smell like burnt stovetop residue for an hour or two. However, overheating the milk seems to have had zero effect on the finished product. Now, for the baby, I realize I should have tried the draining technique (referred to ask making it more like "Greek Yogurt" in the recipe) because my end product was a tad runny. Not in a bad or dysfunctional way, but in a way that thwarted my budding spoon user and created more of a mess than usual. Draining the yogurt, which might add 5 minutes, seems like it will make a sturdier, more baby spoon friendly, product.

The verdict is that I felt this was totally worth it. It is fast, easy, and saves money. I plan to make yogurt regularly from now on. Maybe you should give it a shot! - Leigh G.