Jen's Companion Doll

An Update from Samantha

2012-01-30T18:31:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone! I have been sharing this blog with so many other dolls, I thought I'd better post, so you wouldn't forget about ME, the Very Important Doll that lives here! Leah asked for her brown wig back, and she looked so sad in a borrowed wig, that I had to give it back to her, after all, it was a custom order just for her. So while I was looking through the wig bag, Gabrielle mentioned to me that she had a wig that she'd tried, but then decided that she wanted to keep her original curly blonde mohair wig. She found the one she was talking about, and we agreed that it works pretty good, too. It is human hair. So, a blonde, french, human hair wig - chic, non?

I've picked up a new hobby, dog whispering... when you live with animals that are so much larger than you are, you need to learn how to keep the peace and make friends. Here's a photo Jen took of me this afternoon. I am congratulating Josie for snatching the sunny spot on the kitchen floor before the other dog or cat spotted it. She told me that she really likes the scent of my shower gel...she said I smell like Christmas cookies, and I told her that I am almost out of my holiday shower gel, and will be back to normal in a day or two.

I still have my bunny. She is my favorite stuffie. I would take her everywhere with me if I could.

Do you have any living animals at your house? Do you get along with them well? Do you have a favorite stuffie or other treasure that you'd like to take everywhere?

- Samantha

Want to play dolls?

2012-01-15T16:07:00.001-05:00

Want to play dolls?, originally uploaded by JLP2000.

It is way too cold to play outside today, and all the grown ups are busy watching football on tv anyway.

Louisa wants to know if anyone wants to play dolls with her. You can be Felicity, and she'll be Kirsten.

Louisa in the sunshine

2012-01-06T22:14:00.001-05:00

Louisa in the sunshine, originally uploaded by JLP2000.

This is Louisa. She is a Kidz N Cats doll by Sonja Hartmann of Heart and Soul. The Kidz are distributed by the Madame Alexander company in the US and Canada. Louisa is all vinyl, with jointed shoulders, elbows, hips, knees and neck. The newer Kidz have 11 joints (wrists are articulated, too). The bodies are blushed and they are very high quality dolls. Louisa's eyes are described as grey-brown, and I love this shade - it is more unusual than the blues and browns. She is a bit slimmer than the American Girl dolls, and her feet are a little smaller, but I think she will be able to share some of their clothes and shoes, to add her her wardrobe. Louisa loves her little kitty. She also likes candy and playing and reading story books. She is trying to decide which stories are her favorites! You can see more photos of her in my Flickr photostream!

Can't Christmas Come Tonight?

2011-12-19T18:47:00.001-05:00

Can't Christmas Come Tonight?, originally uploaded by JLP2000.

I found Rosy Bumps'n'Bruises while out Christmas shopping with my husband on Friday. We usually go to the same Target that is near our church, but we decided to go to the one a bit further away, and there were only 2 "large" Lalaloopsys. Rosy was one of them, and I had to have her. I've been looking for her for awhile. She was made from a nurses uniform. My Mom was a nurse. Sometimes I'm too fast and get clumsy, and I bruise easily, so having my own "nurse" might be a good idea! I love her hair style - I think she is going to be one of my favorite Lala's! Of course, I do love all of my Lala's...
So Rosy is eager for Christmas to come, and while she is waiting, she's all snuggley in some nice, warm pj's! Now, where are those cookies and milk?

Samantha's Make Over

2011-12-04T18:54:00.000-05:00

Samantha has been sporting the same face up since she came here, back in May 2007. Lately she's been wearing a reddish wig, that matches that face up extremely well, but she just hasn't been herself.

She felt like trying on one of her earliest wigs, but when she did, an eyelash came off, and it messed up her face up around her eyes. It was time for a little bit of a makeover! While we were at it, she tried on some different eyes that we had around from other dolls - she's had the same green ones since she arrived. She picked brown glass eyes!

So, she tried on a few wigs. Here's the wig she remembered. We actually trimmed it a little so that she wouldn't sit on it!

Then she thought, new eyes, maybe it is time for new hair?! So, she borrowed Leah's wig, right off of her head! Poor Leah, she really likes this wig a lot, but since Samantha has been so down lately, she figured she'd be willing to do anything to cheer up her friend. After all, it would give her a chance to try something different, too.

She's going to keep this one for a bit, and try to decide if she wants to keep this look or go back to being a blond. What do you think? Blond or brunette?

Marie-Grace

2011-11-20T18:17:00.001-05:00

Marie-Grace up close, originally uploaded by JLP2000.

I had been thinking that Marie Grace was a strong candidate for coming to our house in 2012, competing with Rebecca and the 2012 Girl of the Year. We really don't have a lot of room for more 18" dolls here, but I can't help myself! Anyway, my plans were accelerated when American Girl had a 25% off sale for a week on everything in the Marie Grace/Cecile collection. I love the new mold and think she is one gorgeous girl. When I bought Josefina from the AGDC store, I thought this line was too frilly/fancy, but away from the store-overload, I think she is perfect. She is from the same era as Elsie Dinsmore, a series that I've really enjoyed reading. Since she is a girl from the pre-Civil War South, she reminds me of both my husband (a North Carolina boy) and my Dad (a Civil War buff)...
My father left this world for his Heavenly home last month after fighting renal cancer, brain cancer and radiation necrosis of the brain. I will miss him greatly, but he was a man of great faith, so I know some day, I will see him again, when I am called home to be with our LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Meet Gwynith Linette

2011-11-20T18:11:00.001-05:00

This is Gwynith Linette, originally uploaded by JLP2000.

This is my first MyAG doll. There are historic and Girl of the Year dolls living here, but no MyAG. I am looking forward to getting to know her, since doesn't have stories already written about her like all of the others. Her name means "Blessed Grace" - something very fitting for this season of my life.

Little Suzannah and Emmaline

2011-10-11T20:23:00.001-04:00

Suzannah and Emmaline, originally uploaded by JLP2000.

Suzannah has been here since December 6, 2010. While she was happy to see her 17" twin sisters arrive here, she missed the other little orphan sisters. A lot. So, when she heard that little Emmaline would be coming to live here soon, she waited. She tried to be patient, but when Emmaline finally arrived, Suzannah was the first to greet her. Don't they look happy to be together again? They are looking forward to when Meg can come. Maybe they can bake some Thanksgiving pies together!

Meet Josefina!

2011-10-10T18:59:00.001-04:00

Josefina Up Close, originally uploaded by JLP2000.

Shame on me for not posting this photo on my blog sooner! My daughter didn't have school on 9/29, so I took a day off from work, and my husband, daughter and I drove to the American Girl store that opened in Tyson's Corner last summer. The store was a lot larger than the store I had visited in Atlanta. There were several dolls that I've been debating over, and Josefina was a the top of my list in August, when I orderd some of her outfits and accessories, but I put off getting her until I could pick her out in person. The newest historicals were a big temtation for me, as well as the gorgeous Rebecca and the temptation to get my first MyAG doll was there as well. There was something about the down to earth, simple yet beautiful Josefina and her world, that I knew she was the one to come home with me. I love her stories a great deal and somehow think that she was meant to be with me right now.

Felicity's Pinner Apron

2011-10-08T12:58:00.001-04:00

Happy to Finally have the apron!, originally uploaded by JLP2000.

This apron was a long time in the making! I finished the embroidery during a very long wait in August, and didn't finish the apron until September. I found my tiniest silk pins today, so Felicity is ready to show off her new apron. She is wondering if I will get around to making a matching mob cap before it is time to put on her winter cllothes!

And this is Dory

2011-08-19T20:33:00.001-04:00

Hello!, originally uploaded by JLP2000.

Formerly known as Dell, but who wants to share a name with a computer? If you want a computer name, Toshiba is prettier, don't you think? Unless you are really thin, then maybe Compaq?!!!
Dory arrived on August 15th. She looks so cute out of the box. She is from Kentucky. Her father used to be a coal miner, just like my wonderful husband's grandfather was! She loves music - and there are quite a few musicians and music lovers in my family! I love her blue green eyes and brown hair - they remind me of my most favorite person in the world (my darling husband). Dory is cute and perky and I think we are going to be great friends.

Meet Lila

2011-08-17T19:37:00.001-04:00

Lilian ful length, originally uploaded by JLP2000.

Lila was formerly known as Lilian by the Hearts for Hearts company. She joined our household a little over a week ago. This is here "meet outfit." She has a proportionally large head compared to her body, but I like that - after all, some of my favorite characters have large heads: Charlie Brown and the Peanuts, Ziggy, the kids in Joan Walsh Anglund art work, the Lati Yellow BJD kids, and Lalaloopsys! I think Lila probably is closer to "normal" than any of those. But she isn't as extreme as Blythe. I am trying my best resist her!

I wonder if these will attract any butterflies?

2011-07-07T17:58:00.001-04:00

I wonder if these will attract any butterflies?, originally uploaded by JLP2000.

Did you know that the Black Eyed Susan is Maryland's State flower? Well, ours are blooming now, and Lanie is really excited about it. The Preakness Race often uses Black Eyed Susans as decorations at the track, but since the race is earlier than their normal bloom time, they actually paint other daisy varieties (imposters). At least, that is the way they used to do it years ago when I saw a news story about it!

Julie in patriotic play clothes

2011-07-07T17:56:00.001-04:00

Julie in patriotic play clothes, originally uploaded by JLP2000.

Poor Julie! She was all set to go with us to the Outer Banks, but we discovered that we were "traveling heavy" so I had to cut back on the size of our group. She is okay, now, and is glad that she got to be the first to wear one of our newer MyAG outfits!

LaLaLoopsy Sunny Side Up

2011-05-30T16:24:00.001-04:00

LaLaLoopsy Sunny Side Up, originally uploaded by JLP2000.

I go from one extreme to another these days! Here is what her creator says about her:

Sunny Side Up™ was made from a farmer's shirt and overalls. She loves waking up at dawn, caring for animals, and eating HUGE breakfasts! She has a pet chick.
Sewn on Date: October 12th (Old Farmers Day)

I brought her home from Target last Thursday night (May 26th). My husband and I like to pick up Starbucks there before going to Bible Study and if we are early enough, we'll walk through the store before picking up the coffee or frappes to take to class. When we get to the toy section, he goes to the video games and movies, and I go through the doll isles. I've been looking at the "Bitty Buttons" and "Lalaloopsy" dolls for a long time, and while I thought they were cute, they just weren't "me." I'd bought some minis for my dolls to play with and likes them a lot, but none of the "big dolls" were that exciting - until Thursday night when I first saw Sunny! She just grabbed me. I couldn't leave the store without her (I tried).

Maybe it is because I'm an early riser, too, or maybe it's because I can take her with me when I go to the beach with no worries. I don't know, but I feel a new obsession coming on!

Innocent Gabrielle

2011-05-30T16:19:00.001-04:00

Innocent Gabrielle, originally uploaded by JLP2000.

This is Gabrielle. She is my newest Bleuette. She arrived here on May 9th, 2011. She was made by Madelyn Baughman and is a Unis France 301 repro. She is very sweet and has been prompting me to go through my collection of bleuette patterns and do some more dolly sewing.

Nicole Patrice's Easter Dress

2011-05-08T07:00:00.000-04:00

Nicole Patrice has been asking for a new dress for a while. While I was off for a few days around Easter, I found a pattern in my collection that I'd saved since April 2004. It is called Bleuette's Easter Dress. Linda Deiner published the pattern in a magazine, basing it on a dress in the Gautier-Languereau 1930 catalog. She had done embroidery on the stripes, but I decided against that. I also didn't do the coordinating hat. So, now Nicole has an Easter dress, although Easter Day is over, we will continue to celebrate the Resurrection.

Happy Mother's Day!

Jodi's new hair do

2011-05-07T19:56:00.000-04:00

Jodi has never really been very happy with her hair. She's had hair that looked good, but was too small; hair that was too heavy; hair with too many curls...it has been very hard to find something she liked.
Right before Easter, she was changing into a more summery dress, and decided to go through the bag of wigs. She found a new wig that fits nicely and is different from everyone else who lives here. Neither of us know just when this wig arrived, what wig it is, or why it was here. We don't care, if Jodi likes it, that is all that counts. It could probably be restyled a bit, but that will have to wait.

We were tagged!

2011-04-02T18:21:00.000-04:00

Hello! We were tagged by Kiki at Kiki's Corner to write 7 things about one of us, and tag 7 people. Kiki wrote about their person, who they call Tia, so we've decided to write about our person, too!
1. Jen loves dolls and has all kinds of dolls, from simple Mattel playdolls, to a Souldoll, to an antique doll that belonged to a cousin of her grandfather.
2. Jen has spent her entire life in the same county in Maryland, except for the 4 years she was in college.
3. Jen loves animals and has had parakeets, parrotlets, cockatiels, a nanday conure, hamsters, gerbils, a rabbit, cats and dogs as pets. Her family now has 2 cats (a torti and a calico), and 2 dogs (a schipperke and a mutt that is part beagle or foxhound). Both dogs are about 8 years old and are beginning to have back problems!
4. Before Jen rediscovered playing with dolls, she was an avid quilter. She still makes quilts, but not so many. We'd rather she sew for us!
5. Jen is lucky to not look her age. When she was in college and dating her husband, who is only 7 months older than her, little old ladies called him a cradle robber! Now most people are surprised when she says she has a son that's in college.
6. Jen's not athletic at all - she took art classes and piano lessons as a kid. Now she walks a mile or a little more every workday morning before getting ready. She reads on her treadmill!
7. Jen is looking forward to a vacation on the Outer Banks this summer. Her parents invited her family and the families of both of her brothers to all go on a vacation together. It is something they've never done before, and they thought it should happen before the oldest grandchildren start leaving home. Each of the dolls here is trying to be well behaved and to convince her that they should go with her!

We tag:
1. Miss Gladys
2. Bama
3. Karen
4. Elisa
5. Sandra
6. Tracy
7. and anyone else who wants to play!

New GIrl: GBH Suzannah

2011-03-05T07:42:00.001-05:00

Cheery Smile , originally uploaded by JLP2000.

This little orphan arrived at our house on the last day of February. She is wearing her school uniform, but is hoping for something pretty to wear for Spring. She came from Ginger Brook Hollow, and was happy to find that her 8" counterpart was already here!

Luke's new outfit

2011-02-20T16:20:00.001-05:00

Luke's new outfit, originally uploaded by JLP2000.

I made a new outfit for Luke today. I found a cut off pants leg that I'd saved a long time ago when I turned my son's uniform pants into uniform shorts (he had worn holes in the knees and Spring was here). One leg had enough fabric to make a pair of pants for him. The shirt is made from an old polo shirt of my husband's that he didn't want anymore. We had a warm spell last week. On Friday it was in the low 70's, but today's high was only in the 40's and Monday night we may get some snow flurries. The daffodils are coming up, but Spring really isn't here yet.
Luke got a new toy from McDonalds. t is a Tonka truck for Florida swamp exploring - there's some alligators in the back. I don't think Luke is going to find any alligators in Maryland though.

Meet Luke

2011-02-07T18:29:00.002-05:00

Meet Luke, originally uploaded by JLP2000.

Luke arrived today! He is the first boy doll to join the doll family. Something tells me that the girls are going to have a lot of fun with him! You can see more photos of him in this set: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jlp2000/sets/72157626000035430/

Another new dress for Suzannah

2011-01-16T17:18:00.001-05:00

Another new dress for Suzannah, originally uploaded by JLP2000.

I finally finished this dress for Suzannah this weekend. It was cut out, with intentions of making it for a doll I no longer have, a long, long time ago. I love this style, but after making 3 using this pattern, I think I should modify it a bit, or just try something else for Suzannah!

A New Dress

2011-01-02T16:03:00.002-05:00

Close Up of New Dress, originally uploaded by JLP2000.

I finally finished this green dress! My mother gave me the fabric when I admired the back of a quilted table runner she'd made. I thought it would be perfect for Felicity with her green eyes, but after modeling for photos, Felicity gave it to M. for her Elizabeth. Green is M's favorite color and all of Felicity's clothes are pink and blue. I bought eBayer AllTimeFashion's CD of American Girl patterns and this is the first dress I've made using them. I had to do some "unsewing" do to silly mistakes, but I think it turned out pretty good for a first run with a new pattern.
I also made Felicity a coral necklace since that is what she wears in the book and is the original necklace in her accessories collection.

A Doll A Week 52/52: Felicity

2010-12-30T12:30:00.001-05:00

Felicity profile, originally uploaded by JLP2000.

Felicity arrived here on Christmas Day. We are sad that she is being archived by American Girl, but we are very glad to have her here as part of our doll family!

A Doll A Week 51/52: My Twinn, Jenny

2010-12-19T20:40:00.001-05:00

My Twinn, Jenny, originally uploaded by JLP2000.

I thought I'd post this weeks earlier than usual, since the end of the week might get a bit busy with Christmas preparations! This is Jenny. She's been here for about 10 years. My mother says she doesn't look at to all like me when I was little, but I did send them a picture of me when she was made. She likes to sit in the rocker that was mine when I was a little girl, and cuddly with Rachel and a big teddy bear. There's a cradle full of dollies right next to the rocker, and she reads them stories when they can't sleep.

Suzannah, waiting for Christmas

2010-12-19T20:33:00.001-05:00

Suzannah, waiting for Christmas, originally uploaded by JLP2000.

Suzannah is modeling her newest dress. It was cut out at least 5 years ago, but just sewn together last weekend. It has a nice hint of Christmas to it, but not so much that it can't be worn at other times of the year.

A Doll A Week 50/52: Rachel

2010-12-18T18:39:00.001-05:00

My Twinn Cuddly Rachel, originally uploaded by JLP2000.

This is Rachel. She is a My Twinn Cuddly doll with a bean bag type body. She has little freckles and french braided hair. She's a sweet little one and has been here longer than most of the companion dolls.

A Doll A Week 49/52: Ginger Brook Hollow Suzannah

2010-12-11T18:54:00.001-05:00

Ginger Brook Hollow Suzannah, originally uploaded by JLP2000.

Little Suzannah arrived on Monday this week. "She is an excellent seamstress for a girl and is always creating things to share with others. She likes to visit Harold’s store sometimes when she has some pennies. There she will buy gumdrops, one of each color. She especially likes the purple ones. Suzannah is the peacemaker who has stopped many disagreements with a positive word or change of subject. She chooses to see the good side of people and be positive. This is probably why she always looks happy." Here's a secret: she likes to make teeny tiny little dolls that sleep in half a walnut shell that she carries in her pocket! Isn't that neat?
Another thing I'm thrilled about is how this dress I made 5 years ago for a doll I no longer have fits her perfectly! She is going to be a lot of fun to sew for, play with and take along on trips!

A Doll A Week 48/52: Hitty Friend Amish Annie

2010-12-08T06:51:00.000-05:00

Annie certainly isn't your typical Amish girl, but she is very much loved by all the Hittys that live here. She is a peaceful spirit who strives to help the other Hittys however she is able. Annie has lived here with the Chesapeake Bay Hittys since May 31, 2005 and came from the American Kit/Raikes company, which is sadly no longer in business.

A Doll A Week 47/52: Rosina Hittykin

2010-11-26T11:30:00.000-05:00

This is Rosina Hittykin. She is a resin Hittykin by Dee-Anne R. Cote. She arrived in July 2005. She is a very sweet Hitty who loves to explore and learn new things. In fact, at one point, she had a terrible accident and ended up having to have peg-replacement surgery on her legs! She would like to be a teacher someday, but in the meantime, is happy to watch over the younger Hittys.

A Doll a Week 46/52: Hitty Faith

2010-11-20T20:14:00.000-05:00

Hitty Faith Brown came to live with us on March 4, 2006. Hitty Grace Brown and Jen were at the Gaithersburg Doll Show, and got to meet her carve-mother, Judy Brown, there. Hitty Faith called out to us to please let her be the little Hitty to come home with us - and how could we say no?
She was the smallest Hitty living here for a long time, but she is a very loyal and encouraging friend and wise beyond her years. She's been going with me to work all week - she fits in a little pocket in my purse, and there's still room for a little sleeve of pens in that pocket! Here's some photos that I took today:

The Japanese Red maple is holding on to its leaves for a few more days...

Some of my Black-eyed Susans have refused to stop blooming...

And just so you can see how little she really is...

A Doll A Week 45/52: Hitty Patty

2010-11-14T19:14:00.000-05:00

This is Hitty Patty - her carving was finished on February 17, 2006, thus her name. She is the first Hitty I've carved, and I learned a lot from her. Unfortunately, I haven't really had a chance to really apply what I learned about carving since then! She loves to cook and bake, and when she isn't in the kitchen, she's probably reading cookbooks and watching the Food Network! The other Hittys get really excited when she's in the kitchen!

A Day at the Parade

2010-11-07T17:56:00.000-05:00

Today Molly got to go to a parade! Here's Molly, waiting to get out of the car to walk to a good spot along the parade route. The wind was cold - she wished she'd brought a jacket!

There were the usual police motor cycles and cars, and some less-usual fire trucks. This is their "bush truck."

There was a very old fire truck:

And a fairly new one:

Ronald McDonald was in the parade, too!

There were some floats, too.

Buzz Lightyear was supporting Toys For Tots!

We were waiting for the marching band to come!

But we only got the back of our favorite trumpet player!

The band brought their Eagle friend, too.

There were some cool old cars in the parade, too.

A lot of local businesses were handing out things like pens, flags and footback schedule magnets with their business cards. Some of the floats and cars threw candy out to the kids standing by the parade route, and one truck had a t-shirt launching gun - we saw a shirt land on the roof of the building near where we were standing.

There was a lot to see, and it was a very exciting afternoon.

A Doll A Week 44/52: Elizabeth

2010-11-06T20:32:00.000-04:00

This is Elizabeth. She has been in our blog before. She is an Early American Companion doll with origins in New Hampshire (a Gail Wilson Designs kit, actually). She is very Hitty-like in personality, but also has a touch of a pioneer spirit (maybe she has been reading too many Little House books). She is a bit bigger than Hitty and has an entire under-the-bed storage box full of kits for furniture, accessories, and clothing. She really hopes that she won't have to wait until Jen retires to see some of those kits turn into real things for her!

A Doll A Week 43/52: DIM Sweet Eileen - Hannah

2010-10-31T13:23:00.000-04:00

This is Hannah. She came to live here in February of 2007. She spent her younger years in Denver. She loves old fashioned dresses and girlie clothes. She has rather large hands, and we always wondered if she was a ball player of some sort, but she's never shown any interest at all in sports. One day, she finally admitted, she is a musician, and can play all sorts of instruments. Her favorite is the piano.

A Doll A Week 42/52: Hitty Rosemary Wilson

2010-10-23T17:25:00.000-04:00

Hitty Rosemary Wilson has lived her since April of 2005. She is Hitty Beatrix Wilson's older sister. She loves to garden and loves perennial flowers and herbs. During the winter, when she can't garden outdoors, she enjoys her houseplants, baking and quilting. She always has a word of encouragement for her friends and is able to find the silver lining of any gray cloud. She makes lemonade with life gives her lemons!

A Doll A Week 41/52: Hitty Beatrix Wilson

2010-10-18T21:29:00.000-04:00

I am a few days late in posting my "A Doll A Week" photo and blog due to a family emergency. Hitty Beatrix Wilson has been riding in my tote bag to and from the hospital since last Friday. We didn't get home until almost 2 AM on Saturday morning, spent almost all day Saturday at the hospital, had to get up at 4 AM on Sunday to get there before the surgery. My loved one is still in the hospital, but has a good prognosis, so I will have to go back to work tomorrow. Hitty Beatrix has been a good source of comfort to me, and is asking if she might be of some help in dealing with the stress of work. I will consider her offer very seriously! My only fear is that she damage her own health in trying to be a help to me.

Hitty Beatrix has been with me since she was born from Gail Wilson "extra parts" back in March of 2007. She is the younger sister of "kit" Hitty Rosemary Wilson, who I still need to introduce to you. Hitty Beatrix is the calmer, more serene sister. She loves animals and has two pet bunnies, Benjamin and Peter, who live in a rabbit hutch and little yard. Hitty Beatrix loves to draw and paint, especially with watercolors.

- Jen

A Doll a Week 40/52: Catherine

2010-10-08T18:14:00.000-04:00

This is Catherine. She arrived on May 15, 2008 from Denver. She was originally called Byeol by Souldoll, but she immediately corrected us all. Samantha would have corrected us anyway, because Catherine is Samantha's older sister. She is taking college courses on-line because she doesn't want to be separated from her younger sister again. When she isn't studying, she really enjoys entertaining and playing with all the younger girls that live here. She is a big help with the little ones. Someday, she may become a teacher. We caught some photos of her this afternoon that we wanted to share.

Mindy's New Dress

2010-10-03T17:53:00.000-04:00

Jen found a bodice, collar and sleeve pattern on the Internet. She made the bodice out of paper towels and discovered that it had no seam allowances, nor any allowance for overlapping for fastening the back. She altered the pattern, so that it would fit and then got to work. Today, Mindy got her new dress. It was threatening to rain, but she didn't care - she wanted to get her picture taken with the flowers outside. The impatiens are still blooming, and the Autumn Joy Sedum are turning a darker pink.

A Doll A Week 39/52: Daisy

2010-10-03T17:28:00.006-04:00

This is Daisy. She is the very first Asian Ball Jointed Doll to come to our house, arriving on July 10, 2006. She was called "Little Gienie Lilica" by Angel Region. She is a tiny little girl with big personality. She can wear clothes made for Barbie's littlest sister, Kelly. She is about 10 years old, and loves to go places whenever she has a chance to. Because she is so little, she can!

A Doll A Week 38/52: Fiela

2010-09-25T20:09:00.000-04:00

This is Fiela. She's been here since February of 2006. She is from Berdine Creedy's 2005 Dressed Up Little Girl's series. She has a little bit of elf or hobbit in her. We aren't really certain, but she's a lot of fun. She does love to where her favorite dress, the one she wore on her trip here. That's a really good thing, because she doesn't have a lot of outfits to call her own, poor thing!

A Doll A Week 37/52: Hitty (friend) Carol

2010-09-18T19:59:00.000-04:00

This is Hitty Friend Carol. She can to us via eBay from a carver that uses the Stonedragon name there at the end of November, 2008. She loves the holidays, and is glad to see the warm days and cool nights of Fall arriving here.

A Doll A Week 36/52: Sasha

2010-09-11T13:30:00.000-04:00

A new girl arrived on Thursday this week. She came all the way from California. She looks very young, since we are told she was made in the late 70's! She's been called Sasha for over 30 years, but is considering a name change. There are so many names to choose from, it is hard to pick just the right one.
Jen made 3 reversible pinafores using the pattern offered on Sasha Street for a challenge. We are still waiting for some patterns we ordered to come so that she can make some clothes for the coming cooler days. If it gets too cold too soon, she does have her long sleeve blue gingham dress that she wore for her journey here. But she's been wearing that dress for a very, very long time.

A Doll A Week 35/52: Hitty Ginny

2010-09-04T18:52:00.000-04:00

This is Hitty Virginia Brown, but we call her Hitty Ginny for short. She is a Williamsburg Hitty that I adopted from her carve mother, Judy Brown, on March 7, 2009 at a Gaithersburg Doll Show. She is a resourceful, hard working Hitty. She loves history, especially the Colonial Period. This week, she got a notion to work on a special project. She's been working hard with pen and paper and has wished for fingers to help with some addition and subtraction. She says she needs to figure out a way to preserve a special part of American History and that if all goes well, she'll tell me more in a few weeks. I can't imagine what she's up to now!

Jen

A Doll A Week 34/52: Lanie

2010-08-30T06:47:00.000-04:00

Lanie was in our blog earlier this year when she arrived, but got to be the "doll of the week" in our Flickr photostream. She arrived on May 7th of this year. She loves nature, gardens and wildlife, and is very happy that we still have many warm, sunny days ahead of us before it turns chilly. Her biggest fear now is what will happen to her favorite plants and animals if a hurricane should hit our part of the East Coast.

The Latest Sewing Project - A Birthday present for Ruthie!

2010-08-22T18:44:00.004-04:00

Ruthie is a happy girl this evening! August 22nd (1923) is her birthday, and she has a new dress!

Jen made it from some more great fabric from "And Sew it Goes" at Savage Mills and a pattern she downloaded from Liberty Jane called Heritage Vintage 30's Dress by designer Micah Caitlin.

Happy Birthday, Ruthie!

A Doll a Week 33/52: Lucy

2010-08-21T20:00:00.000-04:00

This is Lucy. She is a Sylvia Natterer doll made by White Balloon called "Lea." But she told us her name is really Lucy. She arrived on April 17, 2006, a few weeks after her sister, April. Lucy likes to play jacks, hopscotch and jump rope games. She has her own raincoat, so she also likes to play in the puddles after a rain shower if it is warm enough!

A Doll A Week 32/52: April

2010-08-15T18:21:00.000-04:00

This is April. She is a 13" Sylvia Natterer doll by White Balloon. She was born in 2000 or 2001 under the name Lotta,was found by Prilly Charmin in a warehouse sale, and arrived here on April 5, 2006. She's a very sweet little thing and is fun to play with. She's a little companion to Ellie, Alvina and Talia.

A Doll A Week 31/52: Hitty Joanna Corbett

2010-08-07T20:07:00.001-04:00

This is Hitty Joanna Corbett. She arrived here on April 1, 2005. She was an eBay auction win on Easter morning, and Joanna was one of the women who went to Jesus' tomb but didn't find him there. She is harder to photograph because she has a very high sheen finish. I love her for her simplicity. She loves to spend time with other the other Hittys and would love to go on more adventures. She doesn't have much stamina though, and has to sit down to rest too often for the younger Hittys! She is a good judge of character and always looks at the heart and a person's character in choosing her friends.

Maybe it is because she has a big heart.

A Doll A Week 30/52: Lydia Belle Raikes

2010-07-31T17:39:00.000-04:00

This is Lydia Belle. She's a Hitty friend by Raikes that came here via eBay on March 16, 2005 in a fancy purple dress in a wooden box. They called her a Southern Belle. In today's picture, she is wearing a new dress and apron I made earlier this month.

Lydia is a very serene, peaceful girl. She loves to read romances, and her favorite is Gone with the Wind. She also likes to take garden strolls, and sip mint tea from a shady bench.

A Doll A Week 29/52: Julie

2010-07-24T17:12:00.001-04:00

Please meet Julie! She is the new kid here. Mini Molly and e-mail friend Connie helped me pick her out at the American Girl store in Atlanta. I never really cared for Julie until I saw her in person. There was something about her that just grabbed me. I think she's the only brown-eyed blond in my doll collection. Her hair is soft and silky and her face mold is different than my other AG's. I researched Julie on the American Girl doll forums and found out that her birthday is only a few months earlier than mine! We are the same age, but she's trapped in time at 8 years old in the 70's.

Before I went on vacation, I went to Savage Mills during my lunch hour to buy fabric for the American Girl Fans Message Forum at "And Sew It Goes" (a great quilt shop). I picked out this fabric in Moda's Sweetwater line because I thought my daughter would like it (I hope to make her dolls a few dresses, too) and sometimes Emily likes to time travel to the 1970's. I had no idea that I'd end up bringing Julie home with me!

So, for my first Saturday at home after returning from out trip, I spent the day sewing. Both girls got new dresses. I wanted to photograph them right away. It is so hot outside my camera lens fogged up and a lot of my pictures didn't turn out. The heat ndex today was supposed to get to 108 to 110 F. The sun is making the dresses look a little faded paler than they really are. The thread that I used for the trim on Julie's sundress was called Raspberry Pie - doesn't that sound good?

Stay cool!
Jen

Mini Molly and Ginny's Road Trip

2010-07-20T20:00:00.002-04:00

Mini Molly was all set to head out on a great adventure. She needed to look around to find somewhere safe to ride.

Hitty Ginny claimed the cup holder for her seat!

We were heading for Florida, but went around DC and into Virginia to take a route through the Shenandoah Valley and Mountains. Almost as soon as we reached the mountains, it began to rain. Sometimes it was just a drizzle, and sometimes it poured. Sometimes it felt like we were in the clouds!

After spending the first night in Charlotte, North Carolina, we visited the Carowinds Amusement Park. It was hot, so after riding a few rides we stopped to have a cold water and plot the rest of the day.

We loved the Peanuts theme!

Good Grief! It was hot and we were really worn out after riding just a few rides. We were lucky to be there mid-week - not much of a crowd at all.

That afternoon, we drove to Alpharetta. We ran into rain before we reached our hotel. The next day we went to the mall to meet one of Jen's web pen pal friends. They had such a great time seeing each other in person, shopping at the American Girl store, and eating lunch together. Even their husbands had a nice visit. It was hard to say good-bye. We wished that we could be neighbors so that we could get together all the time. Here's a picture of us with our new friends: Moon and Elizabeth at the California Pizza Kitchen.

That afternoon, we drove through Atlanta and headed for Florida. We got to see the Olympic Torch!

The next day, we had to go to an appointment, but we were lucky to not have to do any other tests or procedures, so we went exploring. And it rained some more. Check out Molly's neat tee shirt and shorts from Jen's friend!

We discovered a new place to visit: Paynes Prairie Preserve - it is a Florida State Park. Right after we paid the entrance fee and started to drive back to the visitor's center, it began to rain - AGAIN! We waited in the car for the rain to stop for a long time, but eventually Jen and her husband decided to use the golf umbrella and make the hike to the visitor's center. It was probably 1/4 mile. When we got about half way there, the thunderstorm came right over us! The park ranger was really surprised to see us come in! We had a nice visit with him, but we (Mini-Molly and Ginny) stayed in Jen's purse. We weren't sure how a retired Marine would feel about us posing for photos with the artifacts. We did learn a lot about alligators, sink holes and other Florida animals and nature.

Before heading home, we spent a day at the Magic Kingdom. It was so hot and crowded that we didn't get any pictures though, which was a bit disappointing. We all agreed that the next time we make a trip to Florida, we are going to try a cooler part of the year when there are fewer tourists there!

This was the rainiest adventure we've ever had!

A Doll A Week 28/52: Lily

2010-07-12T17:30:00.001-04:00

So, this is Jodi's sister, Lily. She is a Bambicrony Kumi (v. 1). She arrived very shortly after Jodi - April 19th, 2007. She loves pretty dresses, but she loves her hair the way it is and refuses to change it. She loves playing with dolls and having tea parties. Her favorite color is blue, with pink coming close behind.

A Doll A Week 27/52: Jodi

2010-07-11T14:38:00.000-04:00

This is Jodi. She is a Bambicrony Roko (v.1). She came to live her April 2, 2007. At first, we thought her name was Lily, but we later found out that she was just missing her sister. She is named after the main character in the Yada Yada Prayer group book series, but is not Jodi Baxter. She loves to try out new hairdos and outfits - she's probably worn more different hair styles and colors than any other doll that lives here! She also loves playing with the younger children and cuddling stuffed animals.

A Doll A Week 26/52: Patsy

2010-07-03T19:52:00.000-04:00

This is Effanbee Patsy. She is 13" tall and has probably been here about as long as Hitty Rachel Raikes. She only has a few outfits, but I love her 1930's style. I made this dress for her using a pattern I found in a Doll Reader magazine. It was one of the first doll dresses I'd made, and I really wanted to do a good job. I love how it turned out - perfect for summer! Patsy is a quiet girl and is always happy to make do with whatever we have. She was one of the first in our family to think about recycling, but her idea was to save every little piece of string or paper in case we needed it for something later!

Hoping everyone has a wonderful Independence Day!
Jen

A Doll A Week 25/52: Mini Molly

2010-06-23T20:07:00.000-04:00

This is Mini Molly. She is one of 5 American Girl mini dolls that came last Christmas from Amazon (the others are Kirsten, Nellie, Emily and Kit). I wasn't sure if they were going to be dolls for dolls, or a little collection of the American Girl Historic dolls, or something else? I've been reading a lot on the American Girl Playthings message forum in the General Posts, but hadn't paid to much attention to the minis. Then one of my friends started a Flickr project that involved taking a picture of Fina (her mini-Josefina) every day. There's also a Flickr group, just for the American Girl Mini Dolls! That started me thinking that I might be missing out on some fun that I could have without spending any money! So I started looking at the AGPlaythings mini-forum, and saw some suggestions about travel dolls, and some people have shared their pictures. Some people recommended Kaya, Addy and Josefina because their hair holds up well with traveling. Well, Molly has braids, and her bangs aren't really all that bad.
I also have been sewing some Hitty dresses for Hitty Rachel Raikes. Hmmm. Why not see if one of the dresses would fit Molly? Well, almost as soon as I took Mini-Molly's meet sweater and skirt off of her, she was jumping for joy: "Thank you, thank you, thank you! I know you have cold air in your house, but it is just way too hot outside for wool sweaters!" We tried on the Hitty dress, and it fit, but the skirt was way too long - a 1940's girl isn't going to wear an ankle length skirt! At least we have a pattern that we know will work, so we're going to try to make something soon. In the mean time, we got out the Lati Yellow dresses. Most were too short, but this one seemed acceptable at just above the knees. Molly deemed it better than wool, and said she'd wear it until we could make some more clothes for her. She's still wearing her black Mary Janes, but maybe we'll play with shoes sometime soon, too.
Since Molly has come alive, she's stowed away in my purse to go to church, work, a doctor appointment, and a trip to the high school to register daughter for her freshman year. She likes going on adventures very much and is hoping to go on a lot more!

- Jen

A Doll A Week 24/52: Abbie

2010-06-20T19:28:00.001-04:00

This is Abbie. She came from the Custom House Ange Ai family. They called her Hani before she came here. She is the youngest cousin of Susie, Emma and Sophie, but has been here the longest. She arrived on November 10, 2008. She is very curious and listens very carefully to everything! She takes what people tell her very seriously, so don't tell her any fibs or tall tales!

Kirsten Larson's Birthday

2010-06-08T19:19:00.000-04:00

My First American Girl Doll

(photo from about 5 few years ago, but she wasn't new, even then - Black Eyed Susans (MD's State Flower) will bloom here in a few weeks)

June 8, 1845 is Kirsten's Birthday! Happy Birthday, Kirsten!

A Doll A Week 23/52: Leah

2010-06-06T19:24:00.000-04:00

This is Leah. She is a Lati Green Special Coco. She arrived here on May 10, 2008. She is a very sweet girl and a great friend to Susie. She likes being a big sister to the little Lati Yellows, too. She likes stuffed animals better than dolls, and thinks the best adventures are had at home. She likes to read and play games. Leah will make time to listen and help a friend in need any time of the day or night. She really is Special.

A Doll A Week 22/52: Hitty Rachel Raikes

2010-06-06T19:18:00.000-04:00

This is Hitty Rachel Raikes. She is the first Hitty to arrive here. We believe she came in the summer of 2003, but are not exactly sure because Jen didn't keep a doll census back then. She came here because Jen read about her as a doll related to a book - and Jen loves books. She came from American Kit, which was a Raikes company, but they are no longer doing business. Hitty Rachel is a traveler and loves adventures. She can find excitement in everyday life, too. Last week, she went to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Virginia. She blogged about it in the Hitty's blog: Chesapeake Bay Hittys.
That's why she was the doll of the week.

Garden Update

2010-05-29T12:27:00.004-04:00

In Emily's Victory Garden, we had to replace one of the tomato plants. The nwe one appears to be doing much better.

Lanie notices that the lilies match her new dress!Emily thinks that the tomato blossoms will probably be yellow and match her dress, when they come!

Kirsten put on the new dress and apron that I made her using the American Girl pattern. She wanted to show you that the pink matched the impatiens, but she had a hard time finding a place where she could stand in the garden.

A Doll A Week 21/52: Becky

2010-05-23T15:58:00.006-04:00

This is Becky. She is a Lati Yellow Byurl, and happens to be Amy and Wendy's younger sister. She arrived here on September 19, 2009. She is probably one of the quietest kids here. She is easy to impress and amaze with little tricks, stories and trivia.She has a pretty awesome imagination, too. She can see the magic in little things we take for granted.

Becky loves to do things with her big sisters. She also loves anything that is pretty and pink. Her favorite toys are a tiny stuffed lamb and a little dollhouse.

A Doll A Week 20/52: Amy

2010-05-16T19:54:00.002-04:00

This is Amy. She is a Lati Yellow Lumi, and is my second Lati. She is the very first BJD that I ordered from overseas, so I was really nervous! She arrived on November 30, 2006. She is the quietest of the Lati kids. She loves anything that's girly, and has wonderful manners. She's fixing ice tea with lots of sugar for us to enjoy with our diner.

A Doll A Week 19/52: Wendy

2010-05-15T20:21:00.002-04:00

Wendy is my first Lati. She's a Lati Yellow Lami. She arrived here in August of 2006, via a Florida e-Bayer. She might be little, but she is full of personality and is a lot of fun to have around. Being a Lati, she's invited her relatives to come stay here with us, too! She loves having her family around. She also likes looking at Flickr to see photos of extended family, friends and other relatives.

Wendy has tried all kinds of hair-dos, but eventually, picked out the very first style she got a month after her arrival! Sometimes you just have to acknowledge that you already have what you need!

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-09T07:00:00.001-04:00

My Mother's Day weekend started when I discovered that I could work from home on Friday afternoon! On my way home, I got a phone call telling me that someone new had arrived! It was Lanie! She brought her bunny, Lulu, with her. I once had a lop eared bunny, but she was much darker brown than Lulu, and not nearly as talented. Lanie has trained Lulu to walk on a leash! Lanie's dress reminds me of the preppy clothes I loved so much when I was in high school.

Her hair reminds us of "pageant hair", but it is naturally this way and doesn't take a night in curlers and a lot of fussing!Her hazel eyes are quite different in our blue-eyed human family, but Samantha, Catherine and a few other girls living here do have green eyes. Samantha loves butterflies, wildlife and flowers. She discovered a butterly bush in our yard. Right now it is only a little bit taller than she is, but by the time it is ready to bloom, it will be over 6 feet tall!We were really excited to discover these hydrangea buds forming! We've had very little luck getting these shrubs to bloom very well. Maybe, if we are very lucky, we will get to see an abundance of flowers this summer!

Emily's Victory Garden

2010-05-08T09:02:00.002-04:00

Today it is windy, overcast and threatening to thunderstorm! So I thought I would share with you a picture of Emily's "Victory Garden." We took these pictures a few weeks ago, but have been too busy to post them. This little patch of ground is about all we can find that will get enough sunshine to grow vegetables, without putting it out in our front yard in full view of everyone who might come along and help themselves, since our backyard is wooded. We hope these 2 baby tomato plants will grow to produce some yummy tomatoes for salads, sandwiches and hamburgers this summer! We can't wait!

Emily is pretty excited about it and will be reminding us to post our gardening progress this summer!

A Doll A Week 18/52: Susie

2010-05-02T13:35:00.003-04:00

Susie is Emma and Sophie's cousin. She is half-elf. She has a sister who lives in New York named Lucy. They are pen pals. Susie is really excited to have her cousins here! She waited for almost 5 months for them to arrive. She is glad that they got here in time for summer! Summer is Susie's favorite time of the year. Even though it is still Spring, it feels like summer this weekend because we are getting near-record high temperatures - over 90 degrees!

Jen says she isn't ready for summer to get here quite yet!

- Samantha

A Doll A Week 17/52: Sophie

2010-05-02T13:27:00.004-04:00

Last week, you met this little girl. This week, she told us that her name is Emma, and she wanted a softer hairstyle. We were able to help her find the look she wanted, and now she is really happy with her new look - even if it is easily windblown.

This is "the other twin." Her name is Sophie.

We featured Sophie in our "A Doll A Week" photo pool contribution today for the week that ended yesterday. We are a day late because yesterday, Jen, her husband and daughter finally went to see The Last Song at the movie theater and then did some shopping. For some reason, the doll companions are not allowed on the computer when no one is home. We think it might have to do with inviting friends and relatives to come stay with us, but we really don't see why anyone would have a problem with that. Do you think that it's wrong to do that?

- Samantha

A Doll A Week 16/52: The New Kid

2010-04-23T18:21:00.003-04:00

This little girl is the newest kid here. She is a cousin of Susie. We don't know her name yet. We are waiting for her to tell us what it is! She has a twin sister, who came with her. When they arrived, they were quite pale, but they've gotten a bit of color and are slowly recovering from their trip. We'll introduce her sister next week - and maybe we'll know their names!

editor's notes: She is Custom House Petite r.Ai Jenniel.

Lilacs

2010-04-18T19:01:00.003-04:00

I wanted to share a picture of our lilacs with you. We have planted a hedge of them along one side of our front yard. It smells delicious when you come to or leave our house! I wish they would bloom all summer, but we'll just have to enjoy them while we can!

- Ruthie

Rainy Day Fun

2010-04-13T19:41:00.005-04:00

Kit, Emily and Ruthie were stuck inside today because of the rain. They really wanted to be able to go out and play when they got home from school, but it was just too wet.

They decided to get out Kit's typewriter and set it up on her new desk and pretend that they were newspaper writers and editors!

Kit said that she'd be the copywriter and type all the stories. I think she just likes to sit at her new desk! Ruthie and Emily were a bit down because they were out of story ideas and could only come up with a weather report!

Then they decided that the would take turns typing the stories, because that's what friends do.

It is a lot easier to come up with good stories when you are having a good time with your friends!

Catherine's New Look

2010-04-13T19:32:00.004-04:00

My big sister, Catherine, has let her hair grow out! Do you remember her when she read the Christmas story to the kids here? It was shorter then.

She went and got her hair styled last night. She is in love with her hair! What do you think?

She really likes her new softer look. Next thing you know, she's going to want to change her eyelashes and get a different color for her contacts!

- Little Sister - Samantha

A Doll A Week 15/52: Maggie

2010-04-11T16:29:00.002-04:00

This is Maggie. She is Erica's best friend and another doll by Goetz/Sissel B. Skille. She arrived on October 7, 2005. She loves to read and watch old movies. Her favorite movie is the Wizard of Oz. She also loves to do crafts and make stuffies. Of course, her most favorite thing to do is play with Erica.

A Doll A Week 14/52: Erica

2010-04-10T17:42:00.001-04:00

This is Erica. She is a Goetz Stefka by Sissel B. Skille. She came to live with us on July 18th, 2005. She is one of our family's travelers. She has gone with the humans to Florida several times, visiting St. Augustine, Gainesville and Walt Disney World! She once tried a new hairdo, hoping to find something that wasn't as high maintenance as her blond mohair, but she realized she was very attached to her hair as it was. She doesn't mind the wind blown look - it looks natural to her. She loves nature, traveling and discovering new things.

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T14:31:00.003-04:00

I hope that all of my friends have a blessed Easter day today!

We enjoyed joyous voices singing, our church's pipe organ and brass group (with M. on the trumpet) playing songs full of Alleluia's, sunshine, fresh air, delicious danishes and teas for breakfast and the companionship of family.
We are thankful for all of these things, but most of all, we are thankful for God's gift of his son, Jesus, who died to redeem us for our sins so that we can enjoy eternal life in Heaven.

Happy Easter!

- Samantha

A Doll A Week 13/52: Kit

2010-04-02T22:28:00.003-04:00

As a quilter, I always loved the 1930's reproduction prints - my daughter's first twin size quilt was made using those fabrics. When American Girl came out with Kit, I was really smitten by her. I loved her clothes, furniture, accessories, and thought she was just great! My daughter got Kit a long time ago, and she's been well loved. Her nice, soft eyelashes (pre-Mattel) sometimes slide back into her eyes (lately we see little of her eyelashes), but M. would never send her back for repairs.

With American Girl offering free shipping last month, and a bonus from work, I had to have my own American Girl Kit. She's been here a week now, and I'm glad to have her. All the girls are trying to wear dresses and skirts to be pretty for Easter, but I am looking forward to trying on other outfits, too.

Maybe she should come up with her own name, so that there's less confusion with 2 girls living her with the same name!

A Doll A Week 12/52: Alley

2010-03-28T20:32:00.005-04:00

This is Alley. Her birthday is August 25th. She came to Maryland from a West Coast doll adoption agency that is no longer practicing. Surprisingly, she is a very proper British young lady! She loves mystery novels, warm tea with sugar and cream, and shortbread cookies. She also loves getting a bit of fresh air with a stroll in the garden.

We are a day late in making week 12, but we hope our readership will forgive us for our tardiness.

A Doll A Week 11/52: Scottish

2010-03-14T19:09:00.002-04:00

This Madame Alexander doll was given to me when I was very young. I don't remember how old I was, but she was a "collectible" doll, not one to play with. She seemed like a great doll to collect for a girl whose family name could be traced back to the Scottish isle of Iona. She was packed away for a number of years, but now she is out of the box and on a shelf with some other companion dolls. The poor girl lost her shoes somewhere along our life journey together, and has a little dirt shows her age, but she is still a special treasure.

A Doll A Week 10/52: Sarah Strawberry

2010-03-07T18:15:00.006-05:00

This is Sarah Strawberry. She arrived for my birthday in July of 2008. She is a tiny little elf of the Sylph tribe from Elfdoll. She loves the outdoors and was so happy to see the sun shining and the temperatures warming this weekend! The snow is almost gone from our yard - there are only a few little mounds that were once huge piles of snow. The daffodils were a few inches tall before we got so much snow last month. Sarah had to check on them to see how they were doing today. It was so nice to go outside without a heavy coat. Soon the daffodils will be taller than her!

Sarah is a practical, no-nonsense kind of elf on minute, and a pretty little princess the next. She loves wildflowers, talking to the animals, and singing with the birds.

A Doll A Week 9/52: Alvina

2010-03-04T21:28:00.003-05:00

Please meet Alvina. She is a Goetz Natterer who kept her original name despite our best efforts to find another name. It means "elf friend," which seems to fit her personality just fine. She came here from across the seas on May 4, 2006. She lived in the United Kingdom before coming to the US, so she has a unique German/British accent that's quite unlike anything I've ever heard before! She loves to sew, quilt and do embroidery. She's great at deciphering directions and helping other people figure out how to finish challenging projects! We are really glad to have her here. She is eagerly looking forward to Spring and can't wait to see the yard embroidered with flowers.

A Doll A Week 8/52: American Girl Emily

2010-02-25T21:59:00.002-05:00

A new girl has come to live here. Her name is Emily, but she might decide to change it. She loves clothes from the 1930's and 1940's. I think she is going to become a very close friend to Ruthie! Her she is on our driveway - the snow piles have shrunk a good bit since last week, and we are seeing a lot more of the yard now. BUT, there's a chance we'll get a little snow tonight and tomorrow.

Emily's adoption was arranged as an Anniversary gift for Jen from her husband. They celebrated 21 years of marriage today! Jen thinks a new doll is the best gift she could have asked for!

A Doll A Week 7/52: Ellie

2010-02-14T19:35:00.004-05:00

This is Ellie.. She came to live with us in October of 2005. She came from a country called Zwergnase and she was originally called Amandine. She is the very first doll from Sylvia Natterer that came to live here. She ventured outside for her picture today because the sun was shining and the sky was a bright, beautiful blue! You can't see much of the sky - she's standing on our driveway next to the pile of snow. She's only 13.7" tall, and the snow is that high the entire length of our driveway!

Happy Valentine's Day!

A Doll A Week 6/52: Nicole Patrice

2010-02-08T18:41:00.003-05:00

This is Nicole Patrice. Her middle name is for the wonderful lady who made her head for me (Pat N.). Nicole Patrice came to live here on June 22, 2005. Pat used the Seeley Gold mold, and I purchased a Janice Naibert body and Marie Ann dark blond human hair wig for her.

When I discovered Bleuette, I was thrilled to discover a doll who had so many years of clothing patterns published for children to make for their dollies. Patterns were published in La Semaine De Suzette between 1905 and 1957, generating more than 1,000 patterns! Nicole Patrice was selected for a February doll of the week appearance because the first issue of LSDS was published in February 1905. My first bleuette was actually a wooden Bobette by Robert Raikes, whom I pre-ordered at a Gaithersburg doll show and waited for several months to arrive. I enjoyed her a lot, but she never had the posability of Nicole Patrice, so she has moved on to a new home.

Dear, sweet Nicole is always a cheerful girl. She is fluent in French, but since no one else here speaks French, her English has greatly improved since she came here. She loves everything that reminds her of France, but is partial to the country rather than city life. When I suggested that she put on a pretty spring dress for this week's picture, she selected this dress that I made for her a long time ago. She thought it was a sweet acknowledgement of the upcoming holiday and she is hoping for an early Spring. I didn't have the heart to tell her that the weather forecast is for another foot of snow! She also hinted that she would be very happy, if only I would do a few more things for her - she would like a new dress for every month of the year, and would like to invite another bleuette to come and live here, too, because she does miss her friend, Bobette. Ah, to dream...

Bonne Nuit!

Some New Clothes

2010-02-06T10:57:00.002-05:00

I committed to doing a swap with a dear friend. I am making her some amigurumi, and she has made me some wonderful tops and bottoms for my Leeann size girls. As much as I enjoy sewing for my dolls, sewing with knits is something I feel really challenging. All the girls were so excited to have something comfy to lounge around in. While some of the clothes look more like Spring, the girls said "so crank up the heat - we aren't going to go out in that blizzard anyway!" Yes, it has been snowing since noon yesterday and isn't going to stop until around 8 or 9 tonight. We had 23" at 9 AM, so yes, we are all staying indoors anyway!

Don't all the girls look happy?

A Doll A Week: 5/52 Talia

2010-01-31T21:21:00.002-05:00

This is Talia. She is a Sylvia Natterer doll made by Gotz in 2003. She came to live here on May 15, 2006. I found her on eBay listed by a Canadian seller. She is the fifth Sylvia Natterer doll that came to live here. I will confess that I hunted for Talia for quite some time after seeing another Talia, who lives with Tracy in New Mexico. I love her brown hair and blue eyes. She has a gentle, innocent look to her. In these pictures, she is wearing her snowflake dress (not her original outfit). It was made by My Twinn for the cuddly sisters dolls. She is wearing her original espadrilles - I really need to find her some nice winter shoes!

A Doll A Week 4/52: Hitty Grace Sycamore Brown

2010-01-24T20:09:00.002-05:00

This is Hitty Grace Sycamore Brown. She decided to move here when she met Jen at the March 5, 2005 Gaithersburg Doll Show. Jen was so excited to meet Judy Brown that day. Hitty Grace had to go home with Judy to pack her bags, but was quick to arrive on March 19th, 2005. As you can probably tell from her name, she is carved from sycamore. She's the spokesperson for the Chesapeake Bay Hittys and the leader of Hittys that live here.

Hitty Grace thought that a Hitty must be featured this weekend in our Doll-A-Week project because all of the Hittygirls celebrated Ancestor Hitty's birthday this weekend.

Here are some links to learn more about Hitty:

http://hittypreble.com/first100.html

http://www.hittygirls.com/research/hittyresearch.htm

http://www.scribd.com/doc/5079919/hitty

Sharing Clothes

2010-01-17T18:50:00.003-05:00

Ruthie: Oh, Kirsten! This is so much better. It was rather raw and chilly in my dress.

Kirsten: No problem, Ruthie! That's what friends are for. Besides, I can only wear one outfit at a time, right?!Ruthie: Of course. I just wish I had something to lend you!

Kirsten: Let's ask Jen if we can use her laptop to do some shopping. That would be fun.

Ruthie: Yeah! We could both pick something out!

Jen: Good idea - you pick some things out, and I'll help you add them to our wish list!

A Doll A Week 3/52: Samantha!

2010-01-17T18:39:00.003-05:00

Samantha insisted that I not wait any longer - it was her turn to be featured as the doll of the week. Samantha has lived here for almost 3 years. She's a lot of fun and has the biggest wardrobe of all my dolls, yet I've only sewn for her a few times! Her wardrobe is mostly from Build A Bear's Friends 2 B Made line (lucky Sam to get those while she could!). Today she is wearing a wonderful hand knit sweater and slacks from a dear friend, Connie. We had a swap and Samantha made out really well.

Samantha has her bunny with her a lot these days. He's quite cuddly and comforting, and they enjoy each other's company. They love to follow Gage. Samantha hopes that 2010 will bring her more opportunities to get out and have adventures in the big wide world - but today we are stuck inside - it has rained ALL DAY!

A Doll A Week 2/52: AG Ruthie

2010-01-10T18:27:00.000-05:00

Since I posted a picture of AG Kirsten for week 1, it seemed appropriate to post a photo of AG Ruthie for week 2. Ruthie's adoption fees were paid using some money I received as a Christmas gift. She arrived on Thursday, and has been stuck indoors ever since! It is way too cold for her to go outside in her little cotton dress. I'm afraid that I haven't even had time to change her clothes into something warmer - we spent all weekend painting the kitchen and doing chores around the house! I'm afraid that this little post is all I have to offer this weekend.

Daisy Doesn't Care...

2010-01-06T18:49:00.000-05:00

...that her boots don't match her outfit - it might snow!

A Doll a Week 1/52: AG Kirsten

2010-01-03T12:25:00.001-05:00

All of the doll companions got together and decided we'd give it our best try. We joined the "A Doll A Week" group on Flickr. That means we are going to try to post one doll photo every week that we share with that group. We also decided that we could post more about the picture on our blog, so that you'll hear from us at least once each week this year.

Here is week one!

This is American Girl Kirsten. Sometime in the 1980's, when Jen came from from college to visit her family, her mother had a wonderful catalog from a company called The Pleasant Company. She studied that catalog for a long time and wished that she was a little girl again so that she could have such a wonderful doll and all of the dolls clothes and accessories. She loved them all and couldn't imagine which one she would pick, but it didn't matter, because she was "too old for dolls." Still, the pictures from that catalog stayed in her mind.

Years later, Jen had a baby girl. Wouldn't it be fun to share a love of dolls with her daughter? Perhaps when she got a Bitty Baby for her little toddler, she could indulge herself in a special doll for herself. It wasn't long until Kirsten came to our home. Jen had purchased some porcelain dolls as an adult, but this was her first "play doll." Kirsten got some additional shoes and clothing and Jen even made her a nightgown (which was given to a doll of the little toddler who is now a teenager!). Kirsten has helped Jen realize that you really are never too old to play with dolls, and for that, all the dolls here hold her in very high regard!

Abbie's New Look

2010-01-02T12:00:00.000-05:00

Abbie (Custom House Ange Ai Hani)is going for a softer look in 2010. She is the most old fashioned girl in our BJD family. She's even been known to sneak away to play with the Hittys! The color and cut of her old wig were nice, but the fit wasn't great, and the style needed a little help. We all agreed that this new look suits her quite well!

A good way to start 2010

2010-01-01T15:30:00.000-05:00

Wendy, Becky and Amy think the best way to start the new year is to spend it indoors with their friends, playing dolls together. They love their dollhouses and stuffies!

Merry Christmas

2009-12-24T18:24:00.008-05:00

Catherine continues the family tradition of reading the story of the first Christmas from Luke 2 to the children.

May the Joy of Christmas fill your heart today and always.

Merry Christmas!

December Snow

2009-12-20T17:39:00.000-05:00

It started to snow around 10 PM on Friday night. It snowed all day on Saturday and into the night. The news people's map displayed our county as pink - which means we were having blizzard conditions most of the day. Our unofficial measurement was around 22 inches, but since our yard is full of little dips and hills, maybe it was more or less. Who knows?
On Sunday morning, I had to run out and see what it was like. It was a sunny, crisp morning. The snow was really too deep for me to play in - over my head in some spots, so I just grabbed a few pics and headed back indoors! The last picture is what our house looked like before the rest of the family did some serious digging out. The little path is what had been shoveled out on Saturday night for the doggies to walk around.

- Samantha

The Two Month Rompers

2009-12-09T20:42:00.006-05:00

A long time ago, Susie (Petite Ai Raphael) and Leah (Lati Green Special Coco) each picked out fabrics to make 2 rompers - one for Fall and one for Winter. The Fall rompers were completed pretty quickly - before October was over, but it took another month to get the Winter ones done! The pattern was from the Fashion for Small Dolls book.

Here are some pictures:

Susie had an identity crisis and changed her hair to an auburn color and back to her original blond!

What to Do on A Rainy Day

2009-10-17T14:43:00.002-04:00

Friday and Saturday have been very wet, rainy days. Some of the elves decided to make some changes. Chloe went for a total makeover. Here is her before picture from July 4th:

Here is Chloe's after picture. She discovered that the wig that came last week that the companion who asked for it didn't want suited her just fine.

Sarah got her bangs trimmed. It might be hard to tell in this picture, though.Melody got into the clothes trunk and pulled out a nice sparkly dress to play dress ups. She doesn't care that it is 42 degrees outside and rainy - she is having fun!

Newest Baby Sister

2009-09-20T20:18:00.004-04:00

We began the adoption process on July 6th, but she didn't leave Korea for the USA until September 16th. She arrived on Saturday via special mail carrier (who went to both our neighbors before he figured out our long driveway!).

Her name is Becky, and she is a Lati Yellow Byurl. Her sisters loaned her a dress, a pair of shoes and some hair so that she'd be presentable for photos.

Here are the three little Lati sisters. While all are the same size, Becky seems so much more petite! She is definitely the baby of the family!

Happy Independence Day!

2009-07-04T05:00:00.001-04:00

We hope you have a safe and fun day full of Americana and patriotism!

from (L to R & F to B): Samantha (Soulkid Sweeney), Wendy (Lati Y Lami), Catherine (Souldoll Byeol), Alley (Cherishdoll Alley), Jodi (Bambicrony Roko), Abbie (CH Ange Ai Hani), Sarah (Elfdoll Sylph), Leah (Lati Green Special Coco), Melody (Lati W Pury), Lily (Bambicrony Kumi), Hannah (DIM Sweet Eileen), Daisy (AR Little Gienie Lilica), Suzie (CH Petite Ai Raphael Elf), Chloe (Bobobie Sprite), & Amy (Lati Y Lumi)