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