Tuesday, February 28, 2017

AG Trading Cards: Meet Molly

This trading card features an illustration from Meet Molly
It shows Molly and Susan dumping laundry out of a window onto Ricky, Jill and two others. 

I am not going to name them here because it would spoil the question on the back of the card!


Sunday, February 26, 2017

New Doll Releases

There are a lot of new doll releases out there now! Thank you, Toyfair 2017!

There are three dolls from different lines that I am really excited about. Although I have posted about them separately, I thought it would be fun to look at them in one post.

First of all, obviously, Nanea. She's gorgeous, it sounds like she has a really interesting backstory, she is culturally diverse, and she has a new face mold! AG did a stellar job on her!


Then AG is releasing a new Korean doll, Z Yang. Z is short for Suzie. She makes stop motion videos.
Z is the first Asian AG doll who is a main character in her own right. I am so happy that they are making her. I don't know if I'll be getting her yet. Nanea is my first priority.



Next is Bex from A Girl from All Time. She is SO pretty. I love her and Nisha.
I am trying not to start collecting for another doll line, because honestly my first and last love is always American Girl. If you aren't AG, you're gonna get neglected by spells at my house.
But I love Bex, and I already have patterns for this line of dolls. It's so hard to resist!



Also, there is Aya from Hearts for Hearts. I love her. I love her story of being a Syrian refugee. It is one that many people need to hear. She is lovely, and she is unique in the Hearts for Hearts line.
She is definitely coming home with me! I am so proud of Hearts for Hearts for making this doll.
You can see pictures of Aya here. I don't want to steal someone else's photos by posting them without permission.

Then there are the AG Contemporary Characters, Tenney and Logan. I do not like them and will not be getting them.
I do not like their unrealistic story line, and I do not like that they stole thunder from Gabriela as Girl of the Year.

I especially do not like that AG used Kaya's face mold for Logan. It implies that there is something masculine about her. That can be very hurtful to Native girls. Kaya is so sweet and pretty.

What dolls are you most excited about?

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Patterns for Caroline Abbbott- War of 1812

Caroline is retired now, but that doesn't mean she can't have new clothes!

On Pixie Faire:

Dollhouse Designs Georgiana 1812 Regency Gown

Flossie Potter Sisters Doll Clothes

Karen Lorraine Designs Regency Style

Keepers Dolly Duds Double Cape and Bonnet

Keepers Dolly Duds Regency Pinafore

Thimbles and Acorns Bib Front Regency Dress



Thimbles and Acorns Regency Foundation Garments

Thimbles and Acorns Three Straw Hats



Hint of History 1812 Day Dress

Jen Wrenne Regency Pattern Set

Mother of Nine 1808 V Neck Dress

Mother of Nine 1809 Regency Dress and Coat

Mother of Nine 1810 Regency Dresses

Mother of Nine Regency 1811 Summer Dresses

Mother of Nine 1812 Regency Dresses

Mother of Nine Day Dress

Mother of Nine Regency Feather Tail Spencer

Mother of Nine Regency French Empire Dress

Mother of Nine Regency Underdresses

Mother of Nine Regency Early 1800 Dress

Mother of Nine Regency Ruffled and Pleated Dress

Mother of Nine Tear Drop Hat and Poke Bonnet


Thursday, February 23, 2017

Melody Goes for a Walk

I bought Melody in December, when AG was having a pretty epic sale on the historical dolls.

For a relatively low price, I bought a bundle that included Melody, her coat, her holiday dress and her dog. 

Here she is all dressed up in her coat for the winter!



Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Hearts for Hearts doll Aya

Hearts for Hearts is releasing a new doll, and she is amazing!

Her name is Aya, and she is a Syrian refugee. You can read about her here.

Her story is a heart breaker, and I think it will be a great one to share due to current events.

She is also gorgeous!



Hearts for Hearts is re-releasing some of their dolls that already exist, including Lauryce and Tipi.

Here is the story about the re-releases.

I am so excited!

Sadly, the word is that she is tentatively scheduled for 2018.


Tuesday, February 21, 2017

AG Trading Card: Meet Addy

I am featuring one of the Pleasant Company American Girl trading cards.

I plan for this to be a recurring feature on this blog, 

This card is from Meet Addy. It shows Miss Caroline answering the door to Addy and her mother.


Sunday, February 19, 2017

Pattern Review: Vintique Designs Regency Ensemble

This is a dress I made several years ago, before I had a blog, so now I am featuring it here!


This dress is made from the Vintique Designs Regency Ensemble.

It's a very beautiful dress. From what I remember, it was easy to sew and follow the directions.

This shop only has two doll clothes patterns for American Girls. The other is the Vintique Designs Elegant Outerwear pattern, which includes a pelisse, spencer and bonnet.

They are worth checking out, give them a look!

Friday, February 17, 2017

More Our Generation Accessories

I was getting spring fever, and decided to go to a Target that is way out of my way. Actually, where I live, they are all out of my way.

Anyway.

I was lucky!

 I found three sets.

One is the retro Game Night set. I think it will be easy to print out more Bingo cards that look more historical and cool to go with the tokens.

Bingo is a big family tradition. I want Melody's bingo set, but the whole set is just too expensive for me. American Girl needs to figure out a way to promote their brand and stop angering their fans, because Our Generation is definitely offering competition.

This also offers an affordable alternative to Rebecca's Bedroom accessories, which includes dominoes. That set is just so cute though, be still my heart.

Thursday, February 16, 2017

Welcome back, Felicity!

Today, Felicity Merriman is back from retirement.

Felicity is my First Arrival, and I am so glad that she is back.


Tuesday, February 14, 2017

New AG doll: Nanea Mitchell!

American Girl just shared pictures of a new historical doll!

Meet Nanea Mitchell from the 1940s!


Nanea is on the far left in this picture.

She is thought to be a historical doll from Hawaii in the 1940s.

This is so exciting! She is gorgeous. I was never a Molly fan, so I am very happy to see a new historical from that era. Especially one that adds diversity to the American Girl line!

She has a new face mold too!

Eeeeeee. She's so pretty! I love her!

What a wonderful Valentine's Day surprise!


She will be available this fall!


I am happy that Lissie is coming back, but I am super super excited about Nanea!

Monday, February 13, 2017

Saturday, February 11, 2017

American Girl Trading Cards

This blast from the past comes to you via my parents' attic.

American Girl trading cards! Who knew this was a thing? If you are a newer fan, you may never have heard of these. I am an older fan, and I had pretty much forgotten that they existed.


Thursday, February 9, 2017

Vintage Doll- Howdy Doody

My dad got this Howdy Doody for Christmas when he was three years old! He has taken very good care of Howdy Doody so that, although he is fragile, he still survives.

He is, in fact, 65 years old.
I thought it was exciting when my dolls Anne and Felicity were old enough to vote- Howdy Doody is old enough to retire!

After showing my mom's dolls, you didn't expect me to show one from my dad, did you?
Although Howdy Doody is arguably a puppet.

Still, it may explain why my dad supports my doll collecting.


The Howdy Doody Show was a popular television show from 1947 to 1960. Maryellen definitely would have watched this. Maybe her friend Davy had a Howdy Doody puppet too!

You can watch the show on Youtube!

Howdy Doody has sat on the top of a bookcase in the living room for my whole life. I expect him to survive for a long time to come.

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Doll Wardrobe Styles

As a little girl, I loved dresses and fancy clothes. I didn't wear them that often, so my dolls had my fantasy wardrobe.

That was, honestly, how I fell in love with Felicity. She had the fanciest, most beautiful dresses that I had ever seen, and I wanted all of them.

Sunday, February 5, 2017

Patterns for Molly McIntire and Nanea Mitchell

Molly is one of my least favorite AG. I just never bonded with her personality. I owned the doll briefly, but sold her so that someone else could get her for Christmas after she retired.

But I still like the clothes of the WWII period, as well as being interested in the history of the period.

I am sooo excited that Nanea is coming out! Now I can sew all the gorgeous 1940s clothes for her!

Saturday, February 4, 2017

New Free Pattern series from Wren*Feathers

Just when we couldn't love Wren Feathers and her free patterns any more, she does something even more awesome!

She is doing a free pattern series for Black History Month, and doing dresses based on different children's books!

This week, the pattern is from the 1930s. It is based on Stella by Starlight by Sharon M. Draper. I haven't read this, so I put it on hold at the library.

This is SO AWESOME! I love children's books and dolls. This is a wonderful combination!

The link is here.

Friday, February 3, 2017

Patience Rides a Horse

One problem with the American Girl horses is that they are not really scaled well for the dolls. They are too small., or the dolls are too big, whichever way you want to look at it.

I understand why this is, because the horses are already quite large!

It turns out that the Patience dolls look much more realistic with the American Girl horses!


Wednesday, February 1, 2017

Vintage Toys- Missouri History Museum


I was lucky to be able to visit the Missouri History Museum, which was having an exhibit on the toys of the 50s, 60s and 70s.

It was so great! I went with a friend and her parents, who remembered many of the toys there fondly.
1950s Christmas tree with appropriate toys underneath

I focused on the dolls of course, but I took many pictures of non-dolls as well.

This is going to be a long post!

I did my best to note names of toys and get decent pictures, but did not always succeed.

Disney Animator Sundress

 I made a quick sleeveless sundress for the Disney Animator dolls.  I used the pattern   Requiem Art Designs Disney Animator Toddler Basic D...