doll Archives - Dad of Divas

American Girl’s Girl of the Year Makes You Think Deeply About Important Topics

January 27, 2019 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

American Girl’s newest Girl of the Year^™, Blaire Wilson^™launched on January 1. Blaire Wilson is a young chef-in-training who loves bringing people together—joins American Girl’s family of characters and timeless stories designed to help girls think about their own character and who they want to be. A natural people person, Blaire excels at gathering people around the dinner table but needs help finding balance between the digital world and the real world—like many people today. Through Blaire, girls will learn the importance of staying connected to the people they care about and that this means more than clicking and swiping—it means truly being there.

“We’re proud to introduce fans to our 2019 Girl of the Year, Blaire Wilson—an everyday girl who thrives on using her many talents to make meaningful connections with others,” says Julia Prohaska, Vice President of Marketing for American Girl. “Building and maintaining supportive relationships with family and friends is central to Blaire’s story—a message we think is important to champion among girls today. In an age where families are often striving for quality time together, we hope Blaire inspires everyone to make a New Year’s resolution to connect more regularly with the important people in their lives and make their time together this year really count.”

Blaire’s story unfolds in a chapter book series written by Jennifer Castle and published by Scholastic. In the two books, available now, Blaire loves to put her cooking and decorating talents to good use on her family’s sustainable farm and bed-and-breakfast in upstate New York. When the opportunity to plan the farm’s first wedding arises, Blaire jumps in with gusto. However, between overextending herself to create the perfect farm-fancy event and a newly diagnosed food sensitivity that makes her self-conscious, Blaire finds herself more engaged on her devices than at real-life gatherings with others. Ultimately, through the help of her family and friends, Blaire finds a healthy balance and learns the value of being fully present at every occasion.

Blaire comes to life for girls via a beautiful 18-inch doll, featuring bright green eyes and curly red hair. Blaire’s world features an array of outfits, accessories, and products that reflect her life on Pleasant View Farm, including a sweet lamb and piglet, festive party decor, and Blaire’s Family Farm Restaurant, with everything needed to play out a show stopping farm-to-table celebration.

Fans can learn more about Blaire at the following 2019 events and activities:

Blaire Online Play: Girls can visit http://play.americangirl.com/play/girl-of-the-year/blaire for book excerpts, games and activities, and Blaire’s Life at Pleasant View Farm Vlog posts from her family’s sustainable farm, featuring delicious recipes, gardening tips, cooking and craft videos, and more.

Blaire’s Family Dinner Series: To promote mealtime togetherness, families are invited to attend a Blaire-inspired dinner series at select American Girl retail restaurants across the country in 2019. Parents can visit com/stores to learn more or make a reservation.

The Blaire collection is available at americangirl.com and at all American Girl retail locations nationwide.

Below is a video with my thought on this great new American Girl Girl of the Year!

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Luciana Vega: American Girl’s 2018 Girl of the Year

January 18, 2018 by dadofdivas 1 Comment

3…2…1…It’s time to blast off with American Girl’s 2018 Girl of the Year^™, Luciana Vega^™! Luciana Vega is the latest in American Girl’s long line of inspiring characters that encourage girls to think about who they want to be and how they want to make their mark in the world—no matter the challenges they may face. In Luciana, girls will meet a creative, confident 11-year-old girl and aspiring astronaut who dreams of being the first person to go to Mars. And, while she has the skills and smarts to achieve her goals, she also learns that being a good leader and team player right here on Earth is the best first step.

“We’re proud to introduce fans to American Girl’s 2018 Girl of the Year, Luciana Vega—a champion of STEM and a natural-born leader who puts her whole heart into making her dreams a reality,” says Katy Dickson, president of American Girl. “Luciana is a role model for today’s girls—empowering them to defy stereotypes, and embrace risks that will teach them about failure and success as they chart their own course in life—whatever the goal. For us, it’s all about building girls of strong character, and it’s why we’re continuing to encourage girls to lead change and embrace #charactercounts.”

Luciana’s world comes to life via a beautiful 18-inch Luciana^™ doll, featuring warm brown eyes, medium skin, and dark brown hair with a distinctive purple streak to show off her creative side. Other STEM-inspired outfits, accessories, and products that reflect her Space Camp^® experience include Luciana’s Flight Suit and Space Suit, her Maker Station, and a Mars Habitat loaded with science and research essentials for hours of pretend play. And—for the first time—girls can further engage in Luciana’s world by downloading the American Girl app and scanning her catalogue pages and products to unlock exclusive content, including augmented reality, trailers and videos, space simulations, quizzes and challenges, and much more.

Additionally, Luciana’s story is chronicled in a chapter book series written by Erin Teagan and published by Scholastic. The first two books, available now, introduce readers to Luciana, a young girl of Chilean descent with a serious science streak, who loves the idea of exploring new territories in space. After winning a scholarship to Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, Luciana is thrilled to launch her dream of landing on Mars. But as she ascends from Space Camp kid to youth astronaut trainee, she faces many challenges that test her competitive spirit and self-confidence, and she must find the courage to embrace the unknown with bravery, curiosity, and wonder.

To help ensure the accuracy of Luciana’s story and product line, American Girl worked with the following four-member Advisory Board who were integral to Luciana’s development: Dr. Ellen Stofan, former NASA Chief Scientist; Dr. Deborah Barnhart, CEO and Executive Director of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center; Dr. Megan McArthur Behnken, NASA Astronaut; and Maureen O’Brien, Manager of Strategic Alliances at NASA. In addition, a team of American Girl editors and product designers visited Space Camp and NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to gain insight into a day in the life of a Space Camp trainee—from putting on space suits and learning about the “right” way to eat in space to conducting a mission in micro-gravity. American Girl’s partnership with NASA was developed through the Space Act Agreement to inform and inspire the wider public (and especially young girls) about the excitement of space and STEM careers.

To engage girls and boys with Luciana’s message, American Girl—in partnerships with Scholastic, NASA, and Space Camp—has funded Blast Off to Discovery, an educational program to help third though fifth-grade students explore the wonder of space through Luciana-inspired content, including STEM-based lesson plans and classroom activities, videos, a game, and more. The program will be available on www.scholastic.com starting January 31, 2018. In addition, American Girl and Scholastic will host a Mission to Mars Sweepstakes where families can go on a series of weekly missions for a chance to win several prizes, including a grand prize trip to Space Camp valued at over $2,000.

Other Luciana-related initiatives being held throughout the year include the following:

Luciana Online Play: Girls can visit americangirl.com/play/girl-of-the-year/luciana/ to read excerpts from the Luciana books and enjoy fun space-inspired activities.
American Girl WorldApp: Fans can step into the worlds of Luciana and their other favorite American Girl characters and experience their stories in a whole new way. The app is available to download later in January through the Apple App Store, Google Play, and Amazon Kindle.
Luciana-Themed Space Camp: Girls and their families can train just like astronauts—including taking a tumble spin in the Multi-Axis Trainer and designing a robot—at a special Girl of the Year experience created in partnership with Space Camp starting in summer 2018. American Girl is also sponsoring 20 scholarships to attend Space Camp. To learn more, visit com/meetluciana.

The Luciana collection is available on January 1, 2018, through American Girl’s catalogue; at americangirl.com; at all American Girl retail locations nationwide; and at American Girl specialty boutiques at select Indigo^™ and Chapters^™ locations in Canada and online at Indigo.ca. The Luciana books can also be purchased through retail and online booksellers, and select Luciana products will also be available at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center gift shop. To request a free catalogue, call 1-800-845-0005; to join the company’s loyalty program, AG Rewards, go to americangirl.com/REWARDS.

My Take on Luciana Vega

This year’s the brand new American Girl doll of the year is Luciana Vega. This new doll is amazing and I love the story behind the doll itself. Luciana Vega has Big Dreams and she’s working hard to try to realize her dreams I was going into space. Also, this is the first doll that in my opinion, as some Flair. Has you open the Dahl you see the purple streak through her hair and you can tell that she is a vibrant personality. No matter if your kids already have a flare of their own or not, Luciana Vega, as a doll, encourage them to live their dreams and to explore, through creativity and Imagination, a future that they might not even consider at first.

As I have explained in the past, I have had the opportunity to explore different American Girl dolls over the years. Every year I am continuously impressed by the quality of these dolls and the love that is put into the creation of each doll. As you look at the Quality and workmanship of the Dolls themselves you can tell that they are painstakingly created to allow all children should be able to have a quality experience with the doll itself.

With Luciana Vega, I am also really impressed with all of the additional accessories that come with her this year. Not only are there different clothes, but there is also a astronaut uniform and more. While these cost more money they do extend and allow for additional creative Outlets to occur if a child so chooses.

All in all, Luciana Vega is a great addition to the American Girl doll line, and whether your daughter already has an American Girl doll for herself or not, this is a great doll to add to your collection.

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Gabriela McBride Shares A Passion For the Arts & Creativity To All

January 21, 2017 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

American Girl is ringing in the New Year with the debut of Gabriela McBride^™, the company’s new 2017 Girl of the Year^™! Gabriela McBride is a true creative talent who uses the power of poetry to help her break down barriers and overcome a personal challenge with stuttering. Gabriela comes to life for girls via a beautiful 18-inch Gabriela^™ doll featuring curly dark-brown hair and warm brown eyes, an exclusive outfit that reflects her creative side, and a book chronicling her story. Gabriela also comes with several performance-inspired outfits and accessories, including a dance barre, rehearsal and dance outfits, plus pretend headphones and a microphone. Additional Gabriela products and books will be available starting in spring 2017, and—for the first time—the new Girl of the Year collection will be available for a full 12 months and beyond.

Gabriela McBride’s story will be told in a series of three books published by Scholastic and written by Teresa E. Harris. The first book Gabriela, hits shelves in January and tells the story of a quiet and creative girl growing up in a family of artists. Gabriela inherited a love of the arts from her parents, especially her mother, but spoken word poetry is becoming her own passion. Although Gabriela often finds herself in a battle with her own words because of her stuttering, she discovers that her poetry, filled with wit and honesty, helps her speech flow more easily and gives her the confidence to find her voice to help save her beloved community arts center from being torn down.

To connect both boys and girls with Gabriela McBride’s inspiring message, American Girl is partnering with Scholastic, the world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books and leader in comprehensive educational materials, to create and distribute Express Yourself, a custom curriculum program that teaches 3^rd-5^th grade students how to use poetry as a tool for self-expression. The free materials will be available on www.scholastic.com starting March 1, 2017, and include teacher lessons and corresponding classroom activities, a poetry poster, plus parent tips and learning ideas to do at home. In addition, to celebrate National Poetry Month, the program also features a poetry contest for students that will run throughout the month of April. The Express Yourself program will encourage all students to find their creative voices and share their own personal stories, while building confidence along the way.

Other Gabby-related initiatives being held throughout the year include the following:

Gabriela Online Play: Girls can visit the Gabby-dedicated site at Americangirl.com/girloftheyear for free book excerpts, videos, activities, wallpaper and e-cards, and much more.

Gabriela Retail Events: On January 1, American Girl stores are hosting Gabriela’s Debut Event, where girls will get a first look at her full product collection, plus enjoy in-store activities, colorful crafts, giveaways, and a fun photo opportunity. For more details on the in-store events, visit com/stores.

The Gabriela McBride collection became available on January 1, 2017, through American Girl’s catalog; at americangirl.com; at all American Girl retail locations nationwide; at American Girl specialty boutiques at select Indigo^™ and Chapters^™ in Canada and El Palacio de Hierro locations in Mexico City; and at Toys “R” Us stores starting in March. The Gabriela books can also be purchased through retail and online booksellers.

My Take on the American Girl Doll

As you may remember I have had the chance to experience a number of American Girl Dolls in the past including, Lea, Melody, and Maryellen Larkin, so as you can probably guess my daughters are always excited about the new American Girl Doll of the Year that comes out in January. What they always love is the fact that there are always such great stories and backgrounds these dolls and Gabriela is no different in this regard. One of the things that my daughters loves about Gabriela McBride was that she loves the arts and creativity both things that my girls are excited about as well. I loved that she had her own microphone as a part of the accessories that were available, talk about giving her a voice! The Gabriela McBride doll was very well made and you can tell from the first moment that you open the American Girl Box to the interactive and creative play that these dolls inspire that these dolls will last for many years. If you are looking for a great doll that your child will be able to love for years to come the Gabriela McBride doll is just that doll!

To learn more about Gabriela and the Girl of the Year^™ line, go to americangirl.com, Facebook at facebook.com/americangirl, Twitter at twitter.com/american_girl, Pinterest at pinterest.com/agofficial, and American Girl’s Instagram page at instagram.com/americangirlbrand. To request an American Girl catalogue, call 1-800-845-0005.

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Wellie Wishers from American Girl Bring A New Friend To Your Daughter

June 25, 2016 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

Wellie Wishers from American Girl Bring A New Friend To Your Daughter

My family has been a big fan of American Girl for a long time. We have dolls, have watched all of the movies, visited the American Girl store in New York City and Chicago and more, so whenever we hear of new and exciting things from American Girl we are ecstatic.

This was the case recently when we heard about the new line of Wellie Wisher dolls that American Girl was releasing. As a parent I was excited for other parents as these are being made for younger girls and are giving these families the opportunities to get into high quality American Girls for a lower price point than the original American Girl dolls.

When American Girl sent me one of the new dolls to review, we all were excited to see and experience the very nice quality of the doll itself. The first thing you will notice on these dolls is that they are smaller than other American Girl dolls. The skin of the dolls feels a bit different too. You will see the same quality though in the hair of the dolls and in the craftsmanship in the clothes that are provided.

One of the things that we loved about these dolls are the Wellie boots that they came with. We actually selected this specific doll not only because of how she looked but also because of the boots as our oldest daughter had these same boots when she was younger.

These are very nice dolls and for the price and for the quality these are definitely worth it. These are dolls that if taken care of they will last for years and years and could even become heirloom pieces!

Find out more about American Girl on any of the following channels:

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Meet Lea, American Girl’s 2016 Girl of the Year!

January 21, 2016 by dadofdivas 2 Comments

Lea, the American Girl 2016 Girl of the Year, is a talented photographer with an adventurous spirit. In her story, Lea discovers a wide world of possibilities when she embarks on a faraway adventure to Brazil. The 18”Lea doll has warm hazel eyes, medium skin, and long wavy hair. Lea arrives in a colorful dress with braided trim, underwear, and sandals with crisscrossed laces. Also included are her colorful canvas messenger bag, a pretend compass necklace, and the Lea Dives In paperback book by Lisa Yee.

The Lea collection is available through American Girl’s catalog; at americangirl.com; at all American Girl retail locations nationwide; and at American Girl specialty boutiques at select Indigo^™ and Chapters^™ in Canada and El Palacio de Hierro locations in Mexico City. The Lea books can also be purchased through retail and online booksellers.

Lea is a beautiful doll and definitely one that any doll lover will appreciate. My girls love Lea’s story and just seeing her in person you will notice how much time, effort and care goes into the creation of the dolls. American Girl continues to show the quality of the dolls that they create and provide for kids. The investment in an American Girl doll is one that will last a lifetime as the doll is timeless!

I shared Lea with all of you in the below video. I hope you enjoy meeting her!

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American Girl Maryellen Larkin Doll Encourages Girls Through Imaginative Play

September 13, 2015 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

Creative play is something that I am always working to encourage within my girls. Whether it be through coloring, crafts or construction, our home is always a bustling place that allows them to have fun and fine their own place.

This expands beyond the creation of items into imaginative play too. One of the things that my girs have always been drawn too is playing with dolls. While this might be cliché, I never quashed it, and instead I let them create the worlds that they wanted with the dolls that they had.

One of the companies that my girls have been drawn to in the past has always been drawn to has been American Girl. While some might think that this is because of the commercial nature of the company, I think instead they are drawn to the quality of the doll itself, as well as the story that goes behind so many of the dolls that they have for girls like my own. On top of this, the company is all about girls and is a large proponent for building the self-esteem and self-worth of girls everywhere, which, as a father of girls, is exactly what I want a company to stand for.

A perfect example of the story behind the doll is the new historical doll, . Maryellen Larkin is a doll about a girl from the 1950’s.

Maryellen Larkin was introduced to American Girl customers on August 27, 2015. Maryellen Larkin is an optimistic, energetic girl growing up in Daytona Beach, Florida, in 1954. The Maryellen product line includes the 18-inch Maryellen doll and two-book series, several 1950s-era doll outfits and cool new accessories that combine iconic ’50s aesthetics with innovative features that extend the play experience for girls, including a TV console that works with a girl’s iPad, and a jukebox that plays ’50s-style songs and connects to electronic music players.

As the author of the Maryellen Larkin book says:

“At first glance, Maryellen’s circumstances appear determinedly normal,” says American Girl author Valerie Tripp. “I did this deliberately, so that I could show that the extraordinary exists with the extra-ordinary, and it is Maryellen’s own sparky pizzazz that makes the difference.”

While this is the story American Girl goes so much further, offering a movie that delves even deeper and makes the story come alive, and offers additional accessories that are beautifully made and so intricate.

To celebrate Maryellen’s debut, American Girl retail stores will be bustling with Maryellen excitement with free and paid events, including giveaways, crafts, and in-store activities. And girls can explore the era with Maryellen’s Nifty ’50s Scrapbook. The online digital scrapbook—told from Maryellen’s point of view—will include photos, illustrations, video clips, games, and activities. For parents and teachers, a free downloadable Maryellen Learning Guide, available at americangirl.com, explores themes and issues from the 1950s.

American Girl is also going to be having Maryellen Retail Events (http://www.americangirl.com/retailinfo/events) starting on August 27 at American Girl retail stores, girls across the country can explore the fabulous ’50s with free Maryellen-inspired events geared for girls ages 8 and up that include a free craft, a retro photo experience, and free gift.

The Maryellen doll and related products will be available on August 27, 2015 at americangirl.com; at all American Girl retail locations nationwide; through American Girl’s catalogue; at American Girl specialty boutiques at select Indigo™ and Chapters™ locations in Canada; and at El Palacio de Hierro in Mexico City. The Maryellen books can also be purchased through retail and online booksellers. To learn more about Maryellen and the BeForever line of historical characters, go to americangirl.com or visit American Girl’s social channels. To request a free American Girl catalog, call 1-800-845-0005.

In receiving the Maryellen Larkin doll itself, she was beautifully constructed. The Maryellen Larkin doll has intricate design and with the detail that you get, it is worth every bit of money that is spent on it.

In talking to my own daughters about why they love American Girl, they said “ I love how pretty the dolls are, their hair, their clothes, everything “

I love that my daughters have the imagination that they have and love to encourage the play and the worlds that they create with the American Girl dolls that they have. If you have never checked out American Girl dolls before, Maryellen or any of their dolls including the Just Like You or Bitty Baby Dolls are great for all ages and are dolls that are built to last and be passed on from generation to generation.

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Lottie Dolls Encourage Girls to Be bold, be brave, be you! @Lottie_dolls #dadchat

October 29, 2014 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

Lottie’s message for young girls… Be bold, be brave, be you!

Launched in August 2012, Lottie™ is a new, innovative doll for children aged 3- 9. A wholesome antidote to other leading doll brands, Lottie has been purposefully designed under expert guidance, to both look and dress as a regular child – a childlike body shape, no make-up, jewelry or high-heels. Lottie also has the ability to stand on her own two feet, in both a very literal and metaphorical sense. Lottie is fun and educational; an affordable, aspirational ‘pro girl’ doll.

Since her debut, Lottie has won 19 awards in the USA, Canada and UK, including 5 Oppenheim Portfolio Platinum Awards, generated international press coverage and been the beneficiary of positive parent and blogger reviews.

For more about Lottie Dolls: http://www.lottie.com/about/

Watch the new video of Lottie and her friends on their adventures on Branksea Island!

For more information, product line and fun activities visit: http://www.lottie.com/

My Take on the Lottie Dolls

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Nenuco Dolls are so Lifelike! #dadchat

August 1, 2014 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

Bringing home a little sister or brother can be daunting for little girls. They don’t just know how to be a big sister. It all starts with imaginative play by caring for a favorite doll. Nenuco, one of Europe’s most prestigious doll makers, has crafted a line of soft-body baby dolls so that young children everywhere can practice feeding, bathing, dressing and all-around nurturing in preparation for when mommy brings home a new sibling. With a Nenuco doll and the best role model they could hope for (thanks mom), they’ll be prepared to be the best big sister ever.

The Nenuco brand hails from parent company Famosa, a Spanish toy company that has crafted high-quality dolls with engaging & unique features for the past 50 years. New this summer is My Little Nenuco which features that sweet new baby smell (yes, smell!) My First Nenuco Kisses will give you a sweet peck when you bring this baby doll close to your face. Last but not least, Nenuco & Her Little Sister feature matching jumper outfits that are sure to please. All of the above feature an array of high quality accessories that are perfect for imaginative play. From onesies and pacifiers to Pajamas and footsies, Nenuco has it all.

My Take on the Dolls

My daughters are girly girls… they like dolls and they like being girls. When it comes to dolls they want high quality and they want dolls that look and feel like real babies and Nenuco gives this to kids. The dolls themselves are high quality and they are well constructed. I was impressed with how much they look like real babies. They have soft skin and facial expressions that are very emotive of real people. The eyes seem to look right into you and allow you connect with the doll and with the imaginative play that as a parent I want my kids to be able to experience. All-in-all my youngest daughter loves her Nenuco dolls and if your child is anything like mine, the will LOVE these dolls too! If you are looking for high quality dolls that are reasonable priced, Nenuco offers this and allows your child to take their creative doll play to the next level! While my youngest daughter will never be a big sister, she loves being a sister and now she can act out this relationship through her dolls too, and you can see how much she loves that!

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American Girl Offers Just The Right Holiday Gift #giftguide

November 26, 2013 by dadofdivas 2 Comments

Great Gift Ideas for Girls from American Girl

My American Girl^® Doll

Price: $110

Create the doll that’s just right for you. With your My American Girl doll, you can choose her look, interests, and even her personality. Includes:

An 18” doll dressed in the True Spirit Outfit: a pink tee with tone-on-tone print, a flared skirt with a doubleibbon belt, pink underwear, and tall boots
A charm-keeper necklace to hold her collectable charms (get a charm with every My American Girl outfit.)
Codes that give you full access to online play at InnerstarU.com—a fun, enriching, safe online world created just for girls and their My American Girl dolls

Sparkle Party Dress + Charm for Dolls

Price: $36

This fancy dress is trimmed with rosettes and rhinestones, and features a bubble-mesh skirt with a sparkle print that peeks through, plus a satin sash at the waist. Includes a rhinestone-studded headband, cream tights, and sparkly red shoes, plus a “Fair” heart charm.

Price: $68

Made to match the doll-sized version, this fancy dress is trimmed with rosettes and rhinestones. It features a bubble-mesh skirt with a sparkle print that peeks through, plus a satin sash that ties in back. Sizes 6-16.

Sparkle Headband for Girls

Price: $12

Add sparkle to your holiday look with this rhinestone-studded satin headband. Cream. One size.

1. Bitty Baby Doll

Price: $80

Designed for girls ages 3 and up, Bitty Baby is a 15-inch soft-bodied doll available in 11 different combinations of skin tone, eye-, and hair-color, allowing girls to create a one-of-a-kind companion that’s just right for them. Each Bitty Baby doll comes dressed in her signature sleeper, along with a special “wishing star” keepsake toy and a beautifully illustrated Bitty Baby and Me hardcover picture book.

2. Twinkle Party Outfit for Dolls

Price: $28

Bitty Baby can twinkle in this party dress. It features a knit bodice with puff sleeves and a sweet bow, plus a bubble-mesh skirt with a sparkly holographic pattern that peeks through. Includes a satin headband, ivory tights, and shiny red shoes with bows at the toes.

Twinkle Party Dress for Little Girls

Price: $28

Twirl and twinkle in this party dress! Made to match the doll-sized version, it features a knit bodice with puff sleeves and a sweet bow, plus a bubble-mesh skirt with a sparkly holographic pattern that peeks through. Red. Sizes 3-7

3. Deluxe Layette Collection

Price: $180

This 15-piece deluxe collection comes with the Bitty Baby doll of your choice, dressed in a cloth diaper and Cuddly Star Pajamas, plus the Bitty Baby and Me hardcover picture book that brings her story to life. Includes lots of mix-and-match outfits for playtime fun: a gingham dress with embroidery and eyelet lace at the hem, a knit cardigan with scalloped trim and embroidered details, knit pants with a gingham sash and bow, white tights with sweet rows of eyelet ruffles, pink shoes with a trio of rosettes at the toe, a soft star rattle with rings for shaking, a bottle for feeding time, a soft bib with star-hearts that dangle from green ribbon, and two fabric-covered hangers to keep her clothes neat and tidy. Everything fits inside the satin suitcase, featuring an inner pocket for organizing and a handle for carrying.

4. Bitty Baby and Me Hardcover Book

Price: $14.99
In this first story, a little girl introduces her new doll, Bitty Baby, to her family, including her prickly big sister. At nap time, the little girl tells Bitty Baby a story about a magical mermaid adventure—but the best magic of all is the creative way the girl makes her wish come true and gets her older sister to play with her. Includes a “For Parents” section that focuses on the social and emotional experience of preschoolers and offers parenting tips.

5. Saige Doll & Book

Price: $110

Saige, the 2013 Girl of the Year, is a spirited and imaginative girl who loves painting and horseback riding at her grandma’s ranch in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In Saige’s story, she turns her passion into persuasion to promote the arts in her community. The Saige doll is 18” tall with light skin, freckles, long auburn-colored hair, and dark turquoise eyes. She has pierced ears with earrings, and wears a Southwestern ring on her right hand. Saige comes in an indigo knit dress with cropped sleeves, geometric embroidery, and a tiered skirt. Includes tall boots with wrap straps and blue cotton underwear, plus the Saige paperback book, written by Jessie Haas.

Saige’s Accessories

Price: $28

Saige adds splashes of color and style wherever she goes! Her bright canvas purse is perfect for toting art supplies on the go. She loves to mix and match her special jewelry: a pierced earring set with studs and dangles, a turquoise beaded necklace with a golden coin charm, and a red multi-strand bracelet with an adjustable closure.

6. Saige’s Painting Set

Price: $48

When Saige is feeling creative, she can bring out this art set. It includes an easel with a tray and cup for holding her supplies—it folds for easy storage when she’s done—plus five faux paint tubes and four brushes that Saige can really hold on to, a painter’s palette for blending the perfect shade, a sketch pad to plan out her paintings, a portfolio to store the finished product, and five of her paintings on real canvas.

7. Saige’s Sweater Outfit

Price: $34

When Saige paints in Grandma Mimi’s studio, she gets comfy in this artsy outfit. It includes an open-front sweater with a draped collar and a bold, geometric pattern, a printed tank top for underneath, stretch twill leggings, and faux leather sandals with a fancy fringe to finish off the look

8. Saige Book

Price: $6.95 PB

Saige’s new school year isn’t starting out well. She and her best friend, Tessa, seem to be growing apart. And because of funding cuts, Saige won’t have art—her favorite class—at school this year. Her grandma Mimi suggests that she do something about it, such as lead a “save the arts” parade and fundaiser on Mimi’s horse Picasso. Soon Saige is training Picasso for the parade, which helps take her mind off her troubles at school. Then Mimi is injured in an accident, and Saige waits and worries, wondering what she can do. Can she ride Picasso in the parade and make her grandma proud? Can she still raise money to protect art at school? Saige is determined to try.

9. Saige Paints the Sky Book

Price: $6.95 PB

After Mimi moves into rehab to heal a broken leg, Saige misses her grandma terribly. She takes comfort in riding Mimi’s youngest horse, Georgia, and painting in her art studio. But when Saige learns that Mimi may soon sell Georgia, she’s devastated. Why does everything have to change? After making an exciting discovery at the rehab center, Saige hatches a plot to restore her art afternoons with Mimi—and maybe even jump-start the new art program at school. But she still worries about losing Georgia. Can she tap into her creativity and imagination to hang on to the horse she loves?

10. Saige Paints the Sky DVD

Price: DVD $14.95

Two-Disc Bluay/DVD Combo Pack $21.95

Nine-year-old Saige Copeland is looking forward to the new school year, until she finds out that due to funding cuts, her Albuquerque school won’t have any art classes this year. Add to that, Saige’s best friend Tessa seems to be growing apart from her—and closer to a girl named Dylan. Why does everything have to change? For help, Saige turns to her Grandma Mimi, who rides her beautiful horse Picasso in the Balloon Fiesta parade every year. Mimi encourages Saige to do something to help—rally her friends to raise money for the art classes they love. But just as her ideas begin to take off, her grandma is injured in an accident. Can Saige ride Picasso in the parade and make her grandma proud? And can she still raise money for the arts? Saige will have to face stage fright—and friendship troubles—to find her voice and help save the arts at school. Stars Jane Seymour as Mimi and newcomer Sidney Fulmer as Saige. Running time: 90 minutes.

11. My American Girl Doll (see description above)

Price: $110

12. Sparkle Party Dress + Charm for Dolls (see description above)

Price: $36

13. Holiday Accessories for Dolls

Price: $28

This festive set includes a candy-cane holiday card, a silvery doll-sized bracelet inside a pretty gift box tied with a bow, and a “homemade” felt tree trimmed with sequin ornaments—it stands on a tiny thread spool. Everything fits inside the snowflake-embroidered stocking with beaded “icicles” at the top. Includes a furry shrug lined with satin for a fancy holiday look.

14. Brocade Holiday Dress + Charm for Dolls

Price: $36

This party dress is made of cream-and-gold brocade, featuring a velvet ribbon and mesh rosettes at the waist. Includes a flower-trimmed headband, cream tights, and golden shoes, plus a “Kind” heart charm.

15. Pretty Pink Coat Set + Charm for Dolls

Price: $34

This pale pink coat is trimmed in faux fur, and features a hood and a satin ribbon bow at the waist. Before heading outside, add the knee-high boots wrapped in pink ribbons to match. Includes a “Fair” round charm for the doll’s charm-keeper necklace.

16. Chestnut Horse

Price: $75

This beautiful horse is sure to be a true friend. She has a velvety chestnut coat, and her brown mane and tail can be brushed and styled. She comes with a maroon saddle blanket, a faux-leather saddle with adjustable stirrups, and a bridle for leading her.

17. Stable and Supplies

Price: $110

This rustic set comes with plenty of supplies to keep American Girl horses happy and healthy, including stable with doors that swing open, faux bolt details, and an attached horseshoe that doubles as a hook, four fence pieces snap together to create a cozy corral, a plaid blanket and a lead rope for the horses, a pretend water trough and two faux hay bales for mealtime, and a stable fork to keep things tidy.

18. Molly Doll & Accessories

Price: $129

Molly McIntire, one of American Girl’s three original historical dolls, is a lovable, patriotic girl growing up on the home front during World War Two. The Molly doll is 18″ tall with soft gray eyes behind silver glasses and long, golden-brown hair. She arrives in an authentic 1940s outfit with the Meet Molly paperback book by Valerie Tripp. Her accessories include a red shoulder-bag purse with a snap closure, a navy blue beret, a metal, heart-shaped locket that really opens and can hold a photo, a red-trimmed hankie embroidered with her name, and a metal reproduction of a 1943 steel penny.

19. Meet Molly Book

Price: $6.95 Paperback

For Molly McIntire, life seems full of change. It’s 1944 and the world is at war. Her father is far away caring for wounded soldiers. Her mother is busy working for the Red Cross. And everyone in America is so serious and practical that glamorous Halloween costumes are hard to get. Molly’s special hula skirt is a huge success—until Ricky, her pesty big brother, plays a mean trick. Molly and her friends are determined to get back at him. One mean trick leads to another until the fighting goes too far.

20. Emily Doll & Accessories

Price: $129

The story of Emily, Molly’s English friend, comes alive in this special collection. The Emily doll is 18″ tall, with deep blue eyes and gingeryed hair, and she arrives in an authentic outfit from the 1940s and the Brave Emily paperback book by Valerie Tripp. Her accessories include a cardigan sweater, her grandfather’s World War One dog tags, a pretend English three-pence coin and a ration book, and her scrapbook with a note from Mum, showing pictures of her family and the English princesses.

21. Molly’s Floral PJ’s for Dolls

Price: $24

When it’s time for bed, Molly unbraids her hair and wears these pretty PJ’s. They feature a soft cotton top with sweet flutter sleeves and patch pockets, matching pajama pants trimmed in blue ribbon, and sling-back slippers with dainty heels for a fancy touch.

22. Molly’s Floral PJ’s for Girls

Price: $42

These sweet pajamas inspired by the 1940s includes a lattice-print pajama top with flutter sleeves and patch pockets, and matching pull-on pants with an elastic waist for comfort. Print. Sizes XS (6), S (7-8), M (10-12), L (14-16).

23. Molly’s Bed & Bedding

Price: $94

A cheerful way for girls to perk up Molly and Emily’s bedroom, this set includes a bright-yellow bed that features turned-wood spindles, a style popular in 1944, a pretty yellow bedspread with a dainty lattice print, and a soft pillow and a plush mattress.

24. Bitty Twins Dolls

Price: $115

With the on-the-go Bitty Twins, you choose skin tone, hair color, and gender to create your favorite pair. Your twins arrive in adorable argyle outfits. The 15-inch bodies feature posable arms and hair for styling. Includes the Bitty Twins Learn to Share book.

25. Fair Isle Skirt Set for Dolls

Price: $24

Your Bitty Twins doll can stay cozy in this magenta sweater with a pretty Fair Isle pattern. Add a gathered purple skirt, plus ballet-flat shoes and a rosette headband, all made of corduroy to match. Includes The Bitty Twins Bake Cookies book.

26. Fair Isle Play Set for Dolls

Price: $24

Your Bitty Twins doll can play on wintry days in this evergreen sweater with a buttoned collar and Fair Isle pattern. Includes gray corduroy pants with embroidery at the cuff, plus matching loafer-style shoes, and The Bitty Twins Bake Cookies book.

27. Cookie Baking Set for Dolls

Price: $38

Cook up some holiday fun with the Bitty Twins. The cookie sheet is double-sided—one is filled with sugar cookie “dough” cut into six wintry shapes. Take the “cookies” out and place them on the other side to the sheet to bake. Includes a fabric chef’s hat and apron, a rolling pin, and a mixing bowl with scalloped edges.

28. The Care & Keeping of You 2 Book

Price: $12.99

This thoughtful advice book will guide girls through the next steps of growing up. Written by Dr. Cara Natterson for girls 10 and up, The Care & Keeping of You 2 follows up the original bestseller with even more in-depth details about the physical and emotional changes girls are going through. With illustrations and expert contributors, this book covers new questions about periods, her growing body, peer pressure, personal care, and more.

29. The Care & Keeping of You 2 Journal

Price: $8.99

This new journal is especially made for girls 10 and older, and is the companion title to our newest book: The Care & Keeping of You 2. Older girls now have the perfect place to write about and understand the changes that are happening to their mind, body, and emotions. Girls will also find tips for building a positive self-image, and ways to avoid the influences of media. There is a helpful section on how to talk with parents, too, about these tough topics. Designed with quizzes, questions, checklists, and drawing assignments, this new journal will help keep girls on the path to feeling their best.

30. Day at American Girl Store

American Girl stores celebrate girls’ interests with engaging products and experiences designed just for them. Located at fifteen premier shopping and entertainment destinations nationwide, American Girl stores have been praised as leading models for experiential retail and provide a special place for girls to make lasting memories with their families and friends. For more information, call 877-247-5223 or visit americangirl.com

31. Personality Patterns Quiz Book

Price: $9.99

Filled with creative and unique quizzes like nothing girls have seen or done before. They’ll color in grids to find out how independent they can be. Draw a dog to show if they’re silly or serious at heart. A word scramble search will reveal inner secret emotions. This is a quiz book that follows its own pattern, and lets girls create one of their own.

32. Go with the Flow Quiz Book

Price: $9.99

Girls have never seen a quiz book quite like this before. They can fold out the pages to reveal fun-filled flowcharts to follow along. As girls answer the questions, they’ll discover a path that is unique to each of them. Instead of typical personality quizzes that have girls choosing and counting up As, Bs, and Cs, the answers in this book will take them on all kinds of twists and turns.

33. American Girl Magazine

Price: $22.95 1-Year Subscription (6 issues)

American Girl is the largest magazine in the country published exclusively for girls. The popular mom-endorsed, daughter-approved magazine is packed with fiction, games, puzzles, and party plans. American Girl magazine is a hit with readers and parents alike. Ages 8 and up.

34. Stitch and Send Book

Price: $21.99 Hardcover Kit

Girls can create personalized embroidery greeting cards with this crafty kit. Includes a step-by-step instruction book, stitch practice cards for perfecting their technique, 12 pre-punched greeting cards, 4 blank cards to let imaginations run wild, plus stickers, envelopes, and lots of other supplies to create one-of-a-kind messages.

35. Doll at Work Book

Price: $24.99 Hardcover Kit

Girls can put their dolls to work with this fun do-it-yourself kit. It includes a 32-page how-to book, plus supplies to start all kinds of businesses: doll sized posters, receipts, file folders, party invitations, T-shirt logo stickers, a 12-page business legal pad, business cards, and more. With every job from dog walking to party planning, a doll’s work is never done.

36. Design by Me: Treats Book

Price: $14.95 Paperback

Girls will love designing their own detailed desserts, sensational sweets, and complex confections. Large fold-out posters, special foil- and flock-art pages, and intricate art designs promise hours and hours of coloring fun. When girls are finished with an art piece, this book offers creative ways to make a craft from their work to decorate their bedroom or share with a friend. Includes coloring tips, display ideas, a portfolio, and a frame to help girls showcase their art.

My thoughts of these items

I had the opportunity to try out two of the above items, one for each of my daughters. The first was the matching sparkle dress for my youngest daughter and her American Girl doll. This matching dress set was beautiful and really made my daughter feel like a princess. She also thought it was so cool to be able to be dressed with her favorite friend. I love that American girl has these sets available and it allows you to let your girls feel special and share something fun with their dolls. The dresses are of high quality and are simply beautiful and for the holiday, the dresses were perfect!

My eldest daughter is completely into Saige, so I was able to get her the Saige painting set and accessories. My daughter is a painter like Saige, so she thought this was awesome! What I love about American Girl is the attention to detail that they put into the dolls and the accessories that they make for all of their dolls and these two kits were no different.

In all of my experiences with American Girl I have to say that I have been completely impressed thus far with their quality as well as the breadth and depth of their collection and their attention to detail. If you have never experienced this great company and their dolls, you definitely should!

You can get free shipping at American Girl until December 9, so act quickly and save some money!

American Girl products are available through the American Girl catalog at 1-800-845-0005, at americangirl.com, and at our American Girl retail stores.

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Announcing the 2013 American Girl Doll of the Year

December 30, 2012 by dadofdivas 4 Comments

I am excited to share some news about the new 2013 American Girl Doll of the Year – Saige!

About Saige

On January 1, 2013, girls everywhere will be inspired by Saige Copeland, American Girl’s 2013 Girl of the Year^®. Saige is a spirited and imaginative young girl who loves painting and horseback riding at her grandma’s ranch in Albuquerque, New Mexico—the hot-air balloon capital of the world. When budget cuts take away art class at school and a horse she loves might be sold, Saige draws on her talents, mobilizes others, and takes action to improve the world around her. Saige’s collection is available for one year; the character comes to life with a beautiful 18-inch Saige^™ doll featuring long auburn hair and an array of outfits and accessories, including a hot-air balloon and a posable horse. And, to extend the fun for girls, a new movie based on Saige’s stories will premiere in 2013 on DVD from Universal Studios Home Entertainment.

To support Saige’s message of preserving arts programs in U.S. schools, American Girl is sponsoring a school grant contest and partnering with Americans for the Arts, the nation’s leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education. American Girl’s “Shine On Now” charitable initiative will provide financial support to the organization’s Arts Education Program, which provides arts education professionals with the information, materials, and resources they need to enrich student experiences with the arts.

To further engage girls, American Girl is introducing the following Saigeelated initiatives:

Elevate the Arts School Grant Contest: Starting January 1, elementary art teachers can enter to win one of thirteen grants totaling $45,000 for their schools’ art programs by submitting a digital image of a hot-air-balloon-themed art project and a written essay that conveys why the arts matter in their schools. Entries must be received via the online form by May 31, 2013.
Soar with Saige Sweepstakes: Girls can share their artistic talents by downloading a hot-air balloon template from americangirl.com/girloftheyear and creating a colorful design using crayons, markers, or pencils. All balloon artwork sent to American Girl by April 1, 2013, will be uploaded to an online hot-air balloon mosaic and automatically entered to win one of ten prize packages.
Saige Learning Guide: American Girl has teamed up with Americans for the Arts to create this free, downloadable curriculum, which encourages children to draw on their imaginations and discover how creative they can be. Students in grades 3 to 6 will enjoy reading Saige’s stories and doing the fun art activities outlined in this curriculum. Activities for parents to engage in with their kids are also available via Americans for the Arts’ website: AmericansForTheArts.org/go/AmericanGirl.
Saige Retail Events: Starting on January 1, girls can take part in Saige-themed events at American Girl retail stores nationwide, including painting demonstrations, free craft activities, photo opportunities, and delicious Saige-inspired meals.

On January 1, 2013,the Saige collection will be available through American Girl’s catalogue, at americangirl.com, and at all American Girl retail locations.

My Take on the Doll

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site’s Disclaimer for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

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