Have Mini will Travel

There are places that we go that I would rather my girls not take their dolls with them.  They are either just too distracting or just too large to tote along with all their accessories.  Enter: The Minis.  There are several lines of play dolls that fit into this category.  Some of our favorites are Madeline, approximately 8 inches, starring character from the much-loved line of children's books and, of course, the American Girl doll minis which stand at approximately 6.5 inches.  We currently own AG mini Kit Kittredge but are on the hunt for more!  She is made very similarly to the 18 inch version of herself, complete with soft cloth body, jointed vinyl limbs and tie string at the neck.  One negative is that her eyes are painted and I would have preferred sleep eyes on her.  To me, this lends to a facial appearance that is not nearly as sweet as the 18 inch American Girl doll.  Madeline is fully vinyl, has a great head of rooted red hair and comes complete with an adorable little scar at the bottom of her softly rounded tummy as a reminder of her famous appendectomy.  Madeline feels just right in little hands.  Her hair is easy to style and does not seem to become too ratted or disheveled with regular play.  One downside is keeping up with those tiny little shoes!  If you find yourself needing to replace them as I do, the American Girl mini dolls wear size 25mm.  These are readily available on the web.  Dolls of this size are also easy to create fun furniture and accessories for.  My girls and I have had a lot of fun creating pretty things together for the minis.  We then pack it all up in a tidy little tote and take it along wherever we go.
Speaking of accessories, let me tell you about a treasure trove of them.  These are scaled for the 18" dolls such as American Girl and really are fun play items to keep your girls busy with their dolls for hours at a time!  If you see something cute used as a photo prop in my Etsy shop it probably came from here.  I'm in love with lovvbugg and I bet if you spend any time at all looking around their store, you will be too.  Now go play with your dolls!
-Whimsy

Baby Millie Travels in Style

A few weeks back I posted pics of our adorable Melissa and Doug 12" Brianna doll.  She is known to us as Baby Millie and I am bursting with pride to show you her little car seat.  This is just a thrift store find that I brought home and fancied up.
Baby Millie's car seat's humble beginnings:

I cut apart the pieces of her original car seat cover at the seams.  Then I used my embroidery machine to quilt the fabric that I would use to create the new cover.

Then using the contrasting fabric panels I had quilted, I cut out the new pattern pieces for the car seat cover from the old pieces I had cut apart.  I stitched the new seams together and put the cover on.  It was a great fit so I reassembled the seat with all the straps and buckles.  How cute!!

Let me know if you decide to try this on your own fabulous thrift store find.  I'd be glad to help you.  Now go play with your dolls!
-Whimsy!

**If you need a coupon code for my shop use: SewThankful2011 for FREE Shipping!!**

My Baby's First Doll Baby

My third daughter turned two this month.  She is very interested in playing dollies and is ready to graduate from the average store-type dolly to something nicer.  She is not ready yet for the really nice dolls either, so I have been on a quest to find just the right baby for her.  Part of the reason I am looking is that she wants a baby with hair to brush.  I want to find her a doll with hair that won't get ratty and dry from my toddler's daily use and care.  The other reason is that I want her to have a baby of her own that she can hold while I am caring for her new sister that should be arriving next month.  Here is the solution that we found.  Meet Brianna, now called Baby Millie at our place.

The Melissa and Doug company carries this vanilla-scented, thumb-sucking beauty that is just right for our girl.  Her hair is rooted but full for styling and surprisingly soft.  She gets carried around by her pigtails daily and they have always brushed out nice and smooth for us so far.  It's not too long either.  Her face is of average cuteness but I must say she looks better with her thumb or pacifier in rather than out.  Her clothes are sturdy and wash clean for us.  Her body is soft and sleep-friendly.  If you are in the market for a new baby doll for your little girl who is not quite ready for her first real dolly, then consider Brianna by Melissa and Doug.  At just $15 on Amazon, she is a real bargain.  Here she is after a month at home with us.

Cuddled up with her Mama

Now go play with your dolls!
-Whimsy

My Cuddly Surprise

Hooray, the big day is here!  It's a good thing too because I was about to burst.  Happy Birthday to my second daughter today.  She is still in the midst of playing with baby dolls, not just having dolls as friends, so I am excited to share with you this great find that we have for her.  Remember all that sewing I did last month?  Well it was especially for this tiny, sweet doll.  Meet Madelyn, a My Twinn Cuddly Sister.  Isn't she just adorable in her petite little way?  At just 14" in length we are having a time finding clothes to fit her.  Lucky for my girl her Mama can sew!

What a head of hair she has too!  These braids are long and silky.  Could you imagine a real baby with hair this long? This doll is made with the same high-quality materials that the rest of the My Twinn doll line is.  This includes a premium wig that is soft and full for styling, gorgeous eyes full of sparkle, a full set of premium eyelashes, artist brows and face, and a snuggly-soft bean body that just calls for a little mommy to hold it.  This fabulous eBay find came with 3 pairs of shoes, 3 outfits, and her ribbon hair ties.  My sweet little girl is in love with this Cuddly cutie.

  Now go play with your dolls!
-Whimsy

Shh! Can You Keep a Secret?

We will be celebrating a special little girl's birthday around here next month.  In preparation for her big day I have been keeping my sewing machine humming as I crank out goodies for her.  I don't want to brag, but isn't this precious?  I found this tiny doll carseat/carrier at a local thrift store and paid almost nothing for it.  Since I know what she is getting for her birthday next month I'm certain this will go along perfectly.  When I brought it home I also realized just how plain it was.  Off to my fabric stash I flew to find the perfect pairings.

Car Seat Lining - I made a paper pattern for the inside lining and marked where the cutouts would need to be for the safety harness.  Then I sewed the two right sides facing, turned it out, used the button-holer for the strap holes, and voila!  Instant liner to keep baby sitting pretty.
Canopy/Cover - this is just a big rectangle.  Again I sewed the two right sides together, turned it out, and top stitched around.  Next I made two tabs from fabric remnants and sewed on ribbons to function as straps that tie.
Diapers - I eyeballed these with a paper towel pattern until I got the size just right.  I then cut the three diapers from craft felt, sewed on some carefully placed hook and  loop tape.  Presto! Chango!
Burp Cloth - Have you seen those contoured burp cloths?  Well me too.  I loved them so much that I bought an in-the-hoop pattern from Digistitches for my embroidery machine so that I can make as many of them as I want and give them away as shower gifts.The stitches are accurate and  clean with no loops or jumps.  Jennilee is one of the better digitizers around and I have enjoyed using several of  her designs.  Stop by her site when you are ready to buy some amazing machine embroidery designs.
Doll Carrier/Sling - another giant rectangle turned out and sewn together to form a big loop.  Gather again at the shoulder with another simple fabric tube.
Covered Wipes Case - this took a little time.  The hot glue gun and plenty of patience is key to success in this project.  I covered a travel-sized soap case with batting and fabric and attached the ribbon trim around the edges.  Felt squares serve as "wipes."  Needless to say, I can't wait to give this away.  Now go play with your dollies!
-Whimsy

Dolly Diaper Bag

I decided to get a head start on my Christmas sewing this year since girlie number four is due in early December.  All the sewing I've done in preparation for our real baby has inspired me to do some sewing for doll babies too.  Just like real mamas, little mamas need a place to put all their baby's stuff.  I found a great tutorial here for a lovely faux quilted diaper bag for little girls.  This tutorial was very clearly written with excellent pictures and detailed instructions.  I hope you'll give it a try when you are in need of somewhere to keep all your doll baby's goodies.

Fully lined and "sew" sturdy!

Here is how ours turned out along with a few shots of what I'll be placing inside for a special little girl's Christmas gift.






Don't wait until it's too late this year.  Now go play with your dolls!
-Whimsy

Contents: A rolled-up changing pad, a contoured burp cloth, a dolly-sized diaper.  It's hard to see the diaper as it is the same fabric as the diaper bag's flap.  The royal blue straps you see are the two front Velcro closures on the diaper.
 

A Busy New Site for Doll Goods

I wanted to write a quick post to let you know about a new site for doll enthusiasts.  Where can you find a last-minute swimsuit for your dolls trip to the beach next week?  Where can you find a deal on a mint condition, very hard to find, now retired Felicity?  Well, Dollabee, of course!  Cinnamon from Liberty Jane has created a new site for all things doll.  Dollabee is now up and running and is intended to function"like Craigslist, but for dolls."  I am eager to spread the word in hopes of seeing more and more of you posting and purchasing dolls and doll goodies you find on Dollabee.  I hope to see you there soon!
-Whimsy

Dolly Diy: Farmhouse Bed

Do you have a crafty brother or a handy daddy around your house?  If not there is no need to worry.  Thanks to the lovely ladies at Ana White you can build anything you need to outfit your home.  This includes fashioning furniture for your dolls as well.  This post will feature her lovely Farmhouse Bed project.

 I will have to say that our doll bed was not completed by me alone.  This was a well-written starter project for my Scout to help out with.  The instructions are clear and require only a basic understanding of tools and woodworking.  This really doesn't require any special carpentry skill.  This bed was completed in two full afternoons working after lunch until 5:30 each time.  We sanded and stained ours rather than giving it a coat of paint.  We put the finish on the following morning.  We had most of the scrap wood here in the garage and had to purchase only a few pieces for this gorgeous bed from the local home big box store.  All in all, we spent closer to 10 hours on this in stead of the 6 hours the project estimate suggests.  Ours was made and given as a gift.  It was much-loved and shown off by its recipient.  Since we have multiple dollies here, we will be attempting a bunk or trundle bed to keep next time.  With so many dolls around here, we should stay busy for quite some time.  Now go play with your dolls!
-Whimsy

Dolly Travels

Once you have a few friends in your collection you will want to bring them along with you when you go places.  Proper dolly care does not allow for dolls placed on the floorboard of your car or strewn about carelessly.  Here I have sewn a Dolly Take Along Tote using McCall's Pattern M5019.  This pattern was easily cut out and constructed fairly quickly.  The pattern markings and terms were clear.  I would rate this an intermediate project since you are working with interfacing and turning requires proper strap and lining placement.  A girl could sew this with much assistance.

 Here I've taken my embroidery machine and embellished the pocket with a wand applique, some ribbon, and her name.  As you can see, once constructed the tote is huge!  Both Samantha and Fancy Nancy are standing up inside with plenty of room to spare.  My model girly is 7 and the tote is about as big as it could possibly be for her to carry around.  This would be great for a slumber party or a play date with friends.  Let me know if you try this pattern and need any help along the way.  I'd love to help.

Now go play with your dolls!
-Whimsy

Getting Fancy with Nancy

Ask almost any 5-7 year old girl what "bonjour" means and thanks to "Fancy Nancy" she'll be able to tell you.  Nancy is the loveable, round bellied doll that the younger set adores.  With her books and outlandish fashions how could any little girl resist her charm?  You can find Fancy Nancy and her wares adorning the toy aisles at your local T@rget.  Wait for her to go on sale or pick one up secondhand on eBay.  She will be a hit when you introduce her to her new dolly friends. 
For some reason, this doll manufacturer thought Nancy needed purple hair highlights.  My 6 year old thinks they are "yuck," but thankfully has not yet tried to cut them out!  Nancy's hair is of some concern for another reason too.  Her wig is curly.  As cute and lively as it makes for a children's storybook character, it is never as carefree in real life.  Curly doll wigs are difficult for young dolly lovers to care for as it is hard for them to resist brushing it.  Soon the pincurls and ringlets are all askew and frazzled.  If you decide to bring Nancy home to your little gal, consider yourself warned.  Take some time to visit my Dolly Hair page and pick up all the tools and tips you'll need to make life with a curly-haired doll a success.
Also note that Nancy's hair is rooted, not a wig and her body is all-vinyl.  Many girls prefer a soft-bodied doll for cuddling but Nancy is so loveable your dolly lover may not be able to resist offering her a squeeze anyway!  Her eyes are a vibrant green and are full of twinkle and charm.  At bedtime Nancy will need a sleep mask since she does not come with sleep eyes.  You will be able to trade clothes with some other 18" dolls just be careful as Nancy's hard plastic tummy is a bit round.  Shoe fit will be hit or miss as well.  All in all, the Fancy Nancy doll is a great find for the fanciful little girl in your life.  Now go play with your dolls!
-Whimsy 

We Welcome a Boy to our 18" Collection

I don't know why but it seems that dolls of the male variety are steeper in price than female dolls are.  Perhaps their scarcity leads to their premium price.  I don't know.  We had looked online for an 18" male doll to add to our adventures but were dissatisfied with the sparse offerings.  Providentially, a trip through our local junque store led to a remedy for this situation.  There in a booth, amidst other treasures and trinkets of varied description sat Jack.  Jack is the no-longer-in production Our Generation boy doll.  He is collected far and wide by doll enthusiasts looking to add a little male influence to their cadre.
He is definitely a play doll.  At the risk of giving him an inferiority complex I will have to compare him gently to the others.  The adequate sandy blonde wig is no real disappointment, as boys tend to make fewer trips to the hair salon anyway.  His vinyl limbs and soft-bodied trunk are not nearly the quality of My Twinn or Karito Kids dolls, but it is adequate for our purposes.  He has brought much inspiration and adventure to our play as boys tend to do.  With proper training and discipline I am sure he will fit in quite well here for years to come.  Now go play with your dolls!
-Whimsy

Another Karito Kid Deal

Since my last Karito Kids post I am happy to report that I have been able to track down another $29 Kid.  This time I wanted Zoe, from the USA and I had to visit two different stores to find her.  I was told that some of the more popular dolls are a little more scarce.  The Karito Kids line of dolls is experiencing a resurgence in popularity.  Their site has been relaunched and several of the dolls outfits have been refashioned.  You can view their current line here as well as many of their outfits.  They are also readily available on Amazon as of this posting.  Be prepared to pay a little more than I did for the first-issue dolls that are now on the secondary market.  The Gia doll that we own has been given a new outfit that still reveals just as much of her tremendously long legs as the former outfit.  Additionally, Karito Kids size clothing patterns and fashions are readily available for purchase online.
I would highly encourage you to add one of these unique dolls to your collection.  I believe that Ling from China has become a favorite among doll enthusiasts.  There is not an ugly girl in the entire line.  Each doll and outfit represents their country of origin beautifully.  You may not wish to have all of them but I am certain that when you hold one of these well-made dolls in your hand you will see what I mean.  They feel great, look amazing, and come with a great head of hair for styling.  Collect or play with these Karito Kids dolls, you will not be disappointed.  Now go play with your dolls!
-Whimsy

Meet Our Life of Faith Doll Elsie

As a young girl I would say that I played with dolls a lot.  As a Mama, I am hoping the same time will be spent by my little girls enjoying their playtime with their beloved dolls as well.  When my eldest daughter was still too young for her first real doll, I couldn't help myself when I saw this beauty.  I met Elsie Dinsmore while combing the aisles of a favorite Christian bookstore.  There she stood quietly in her box waiting to go home with some girl and help her find her way through the struggles of life.  Elsie came home with me and stayed in her box until my daughters 6th birthday.  She was allowed out, but only to be displayed.  Finally after much cajoling I gave in to allowing her to be handled and carried about the house.  Today her lovely curls are a bit displaced but mostly intact as is the rest of her outfit.  Elsie sits on her couch in all her loveliness awaiting her bedtime prayers each night.
My now 10 year old daughter would say that she is still the prettiest doll she has ever seen.  These dolls are no longer in production but can be obtained via eBay and collector sell-offs.  Some of the harder to find dolls from the Life of Faith collection sell in excess of $325 in New In Box condition.  Their clothing detail is exquisite and historically accurate for the period they are set in.  Their skin is a lovely tone and has been given life-like detail by blushing on the tops of the hands and knees.  Elsie's curls make her hair a no-no for play and styling.  I would have to say she is best left in her original clothing and hairstyle in order to preserve her beauty.  She is all-vinyl therefore not too cuddly for sleeping and hugging.  Perhaps this is the reason that this gorgeous doll line is no longer in production.
We benefited greatly from Elsie's book series as a read aloud.  It was captivating and historically rich.  She is now reading through it on her own as well.  We are even in the process of collecting the entire series from the original author just to enjoy the beautiful vocabulary.  Through their website your daughter may enjoy, as mine does, an interesting forum for growth and encouragement as a young lady of faith.  I am not certain how long they will keep this resource available so go visit while you still can!
-Whimsy

American Girl Doll for FREE, yes FREE!!

If I believed in luck, I would say my six year old is lucky.  Put her in a random drawing of any sort and she wins many times.  This time was no different.  I entered all three of the girls, even the baby, in a drawing for a Just Like You doll that the bookstore, Borders, was having.  I filled out the entry forms, looked at what we had stopped there for, and left.  At the end of the week my phone rang and the caller ID displayed Borders.  I looked at my daughter and said, " I bet you won that American Girl Doll."  I was right.  We went down there to sign a few release papers, bring home our newest dolly family member, and were dazzled!  This was our first experience with and brand new, fresh-from-the-box American Girl doll.  I believe she is known as G1940 (how cold) but we call her Maeve.  Her soft body is just right for hugging and holding, her blue eyes sparkle when she's awake and close when she's asleep.  We will spend many hours combing and styling her soft, shiny hair.  She will be right at home in this doll-loving place.  Now go play with your dolls!
-Whimsy

A Doll for Mama

Isn't she cute?  I play dolls with my girls alot.  Usually I am asked to be the hair-stylist but many times they just want me to play family or act out a favorite story from Little House on the Prairie with them.  Thanks to eBay I now have my own vintage American Girl doll to use when we play together.  Isn't she spunky?  This is a Pleasant Company Lindsey and she is perfect.  In fact, I can't believe how tight her limbs are for her age.  We usually buy from the historical line but Lindsey is not from that genre.  She is special because she is the first American Girl of Today doll they issued and is known as Lindsey Bergman.  I like her just because she is cute and full of spunk.  Just look at that unruly hair and the sprinkling of freckles across her tiny upturned nose.  What a doll!  No more time to post, I've got to go play!!
-Whimsy

My Twinn Collection Grows Again

I have a son.  Yes, he is outnumbered 3 girls to 1 boy.  My children are encouraged to play together and to develop friendships with each other.  Many, many times my Boy Scouting, baseball-playing, gun-toting son is asked to play dolls by his sisters.  He can't be the dad or the son without a boy doll so he often declines...until now. 
The My Twinn company is well knows for its ability to create a custom doll with a striking likeness to your child.  I decided to try my own hand at this.  I began to check the files of the My Twinn group I belong to in search of a face that I thought resembled my son.  I found such a face in the Catherine facemold.  I was thrilled to find a Denver era Catherine for sale in the group.  Alas, she was a very Dorothy-esque pony-tailed brunette, a la the Wizard of Oz, and not a boy.  This was an easy remedy with a quick re-wigging.  I now have an adorable boy Twinn with a splash of freckles and fair skin that bears an uncanny likeness to my own freckle-kissed son.  I will enjoy this doll for many years to come.  Now go play with your dolls!
-Whimsy

Our American Girl Doll Family is Growing

Until today we owned just one American Girl doll.  My 6 year old has been asking for one too so I began looking at what was available.  Because she's six and we love vintage, I will not be buying brand new.  She decided that she would like a Pleasant Company Samantha so that is what we got.  A Craigslist poster had several available so off we went to check them out.  We ended up getting this adorable PC Samantha with this cute bob and her complete meet outfit for a GREAT price.  We also purchased several pairs of shoes and clothes from this seller just for fun.  Since Samantha is in no need of repair or rehabilitation we really have nothing more to say.  Now go play dolls!
-Whimsy

Our Twinn Family is Growing

While I have yet to stumble across a fabulous My Twinn or American Girl Doll for $5 at a thrift store, I have had almost as much good fortune on Craigslist.  It seems many girls don't "get into" My Twinn like they do AG and often want to help their Twinns find new homes before the dolls are hardly in played with condition at all.  Such was the case for us when we found our newest dolly, another Kate.  She came to us blonde but we have since made her a brunette.  Her body was perfect but her former dolly Mama had not been taught how to care for dolly hair properly.  It was really too broken and dry to be salvaged for styling.  Megan Joy (as she is now known) has caused me to wonder what I can do to spread the word about this wonderful doll.  I would love to see the better-made My Twinn doll more in vogue and in more little girls hearts and homes.
There are many fine handmade fashions that can be purchased for American Girl and other similarly-sized dolls on the market today.  That is no longer the case for My Twinn clothing.  You are currently obligated to pay the higher prices for clothes from the doll manufacturer, buy outdated handmade styles online, or make your own.  The fact is, many little girls love to dress their dolls in clothing that is more like what they wear.  Due to popularity among doll collectors, most My Twinns are seen dressed in toddler clothing or other less trendy styles.  I have been inspired to begin a crusade to help My Twinn owners and lovers everywhere to be able to find high-quality handmade fashions for their Twinn dolls that are more in keeping with dress styles of today in order to encourage the popularity, ownership and play of these great dolls!  If you are an excellent source for this, please send me your link and I will put your store in our Doll Mall.  Until then, enjoy your play!
-Whimsy

Another Twinn

Since I have two girls that play with dolls so far, I felt that we needed another Twinn to keep the first one company.  So, back to eBay I go while the My Twinn company is again involved in some turnover.  Once the dust settles I'll feel comfortable buying directly from them.  The girls and I began our search through the pages of My Twinn listings, finally our eyes fell on this beautiful gal and the "oohs and aahs" began.  We waited patiently two more days for her listing to end and made her our own.  When this pretty girl arrived we were thrilled with her looks, but oh did she smell!  The girls and I do not care for cigarette odors and her wig was the main culprit.  What to do, re-wig or Downy Dunk?  Since her adorable blonde bob was the main reason we fell in love with this girl, we decided to dunk her.  Guess what?  It worked.  Just remember, since her style is short we had to try our best to keep the wig cap itself dry so that the adhesive would not be compromised.  I was especially concerned about this since she is a Denver-era My Twinn. 
Her facemold is known as kissy "Kate" because of the sweet pout her lips seem to have.  My little girl decided she looked more like a Mary Grace to her so that is what she is known as here.  A few carefully placed squirts of Fabreeze took care of any body odors she may have had.  Poor girl.  I think she spent a week at our doll salon getting made over before she was ready to play.  The girls were about to burst!  We are quite pleased with our newest dolly addition and can't wait to dress her up and show her off to all of you.  Now off to find some My Twinn sewing patterns!
-Whimsy

Welcome Home, My Karito Kid

You know that I love high-quality vinyl dolls for my girls because I want them to be beautiful and durable.  Well, this find in my latest trip through Tuesday Morning is just perfect!  Meet our Karito Kid, Mia.  She has been renamed to fit in with the rest of our dolly lineup.  She is 20-21" tall so she is right in the middle of the American Girl Doll and the My Twinn.  Her lovely body is more slender than either of the other dolls and is different in that she has a vinyl breastplate.  This should make dressing her in some fashions very nice since she has that nice neckline.  The rest of her trunk is hand-strung, soft and huggable.  She poses great, stands nicely, has a sweet expression, and her fixed, hazel eyes are of terrific lustre!  I must say she has a bit too much eye make-up for my taste, but nothing like some of the alternatives  that are available on the market today.  It is not grossly overdone, just a little grown-up.  Also, I must mention that her skirt really is too short if you are training your daughters to dress modestly.  This was an easy fix for us though.  We simply added another row of gathers to the bottom of her skirt.  The outfit she came with is also quite well made and not likely to fall apart with the use a child would put it through.  Even her boots seem sturdy and durable.  Gia (their name) comes with a great wig that is washable and styleable.  It is very good quality and manageable length.  I would have to say that for the dynamite price of $29 I will be going back in search for more Karito Kids Dolls!
-Whimsy