Direct from the Factory

Here is a list of my un-customized but frequently repaired dolls:

Felicity
Name: Felicity Merriman
Era: 1770's 
Brand: Pleasant Company
Bio: Felicity was my very first American Girl and so started this whole thing! I got her when I was 8 years old and have had her for well over 20 years now. Personality wise she is identical to her book character. She is the grand-dame of the office/doll room and the head of the whole crew, though she almost never comes out of her time. She's been my nearest and dearest possession and friend since I was little and will always be first in my heart!


Addy
Name: Aduke Walker
Era: 1860's
Brand: American Girl
Bio: Addy was given to me as kind of a wedding gift by my best friend. Little did she know what a monster in me she would create! Addy inspired me to get poor Felicity out of storage and here we are. Addy is second in command and if she had a best friend here it would be Felicity. Her personality and history are just like in her books. My historicals stay historicals with a few rare exceptions! Addy is very special to me and probably the most spoiled! I think she has the most dresses out of the whole bunch. She's a solid and steady presence in the doll room.

Samantha
Name: Samantha Mary Parkington
Era: 1900's
Brand: Pleasant Company
Bio: When I was little and had saved up for my first AG doll I was torn between Felicity and Sam. Obviously Felicity won but Samantha was always a favorite and so as an adult I snatched one up as soon as I started collecting again. Sam is very much like her book personality. She prefers trees to ruffles and luckily I have an abundance of both for her. She's also hoping we get her best friend Nellie sometime soon!


Kirsten
Name: Kirsten Larson
Era: 1850's
Brand: Pleasant Company/American Girl
Bio: I found Kirsten at a church rummage sale and snatched her up for $5! She was in fairly good shape but her hair was disintegrating. Now I would probably just try to get her a new wig but I wasn't quite as confident in my doll wrangling skills then and eventually I just sent her to the doll hospital for a new head. Now she's perfect! She is just like her book counterpart. She is friendly but a bit headstrong. Her best friends are Marta (custom tab) and my best friend's Lissie. She is hoping that one day she'll get to have her friend Singing Bird around too but we will see.


Josefina
Name: Maria Josefina Montoya
Era: 1820's
Brand: American Girl
Bio: Josefina was a bit of a surprise to me. I was getting ready to leave Kansas to go to New Orleans on vacation and on a whim I decided to bid on her. She was very beat up and therefore very inexpensive. I never thought I would actually win her but a few days later I was paying for her over my phone on a street corner in the French Quarter! The poor girl was missing part of her nose so she was the very first doll I sent to the hospital and she came back gorgeous. Josefina is quiet and a bit shy though she's also very kind and patient. She's not the doll that commands the most attention in my room but she's definitely very loved.


Marie-Grace
Name: Marie-Grace Rousseau Gardener
Era: 1850's
Brand: American Girl
Bio: Marie-Grace was birthday gift from my best friend in 2012. She is very special to me because she's very special to my friend. A Marie-Grace was her first doll and so she gave me one like I gave her a Felicity. Marie-Grace is quiet and shy but brave in her own way. Her best friend is, of course, Cece! Those two are inseparable and usually insist on being changed at the same time.

Cécile
Name: Cécile Amélie Rey
Era: 1850's
Brand: American Girl
Bio: The same year I got Marie-Grace AG had a wonderful sale on her and Cecile that I was happy to take advantage of. Cece was a gift to myself and I've never regretted it. She is a spectacularly beautiful doll and unique. She is confident and very talented with a flair for drama! She loves her friend Marie-Grace and enjoys their time together.

Matilda
Name: Matilda Marchmont
Era:1540's
Brand: A Girl for all Time
Bio: Matilda was a gift from my mom in 2012. I love history and am obsessed with the Tudor Era and so this doll was right up my alley! I've been in love with her from the moment I saw her picture and I swear I shrieked when I found out that my mom got her for me!

Matilda is the cousin of Catherine Howard and goes to court to help her cousin win and hopefully keep the affections of the king. I haven't gotten to read her book yet but my Matilda is very calm and responsible. She's also very concerned with her "daughters." (Amelia, Clementine, and Lydia) She is one of my very favorites!
Lilly

Name: Lillian May Gale
Era: Modern
Brand: American Girl (JLY #4)
Bio: Lilly is a shy and thoughtful person but very opinionated! She refuses to wear pants much to the annoyance of her best friend Jade. While she would prefer to be curled up with her favorite book (The Wizard of OZ) she does enjoy playing tennis and getting into trouble with Jade. She can have a bit of a temper (especially if you interrupt her in the middle of a page) but usually she's cheerful and very kind. Her other favorite book series is Harry Potter and meeting J.K. Rowling is one of her biggest dreams! She identifies with Hermione the most. She wants to be an author someday and is always working hard on a story! Her favorite color is blue.


Jade
Name: Charity Jade Wagner
Era: Modern
Brand: American Girl (JLY # 25)
Bio: Charity Jade is the daughter of a geologist and a jewelry designer and so of course is named after a rock. She's never figured out which of her parents came up with Jade but it's a much better name than Charity, in her opinion, so that's what she prefers to go by. Jade is loud and dramatic. She's also athletic and very active. Her parents are pretty sure she doesn't even stay still in her sleep! Her favorite sport is soccer though she's not opposed to anything with a ball. She loves comics and is a HUGE X-Men fan. Her favorite character is Dazzler! Her favorite color is purple and she hardly ever leaves home without her purple streak in her hair. Though if she does it's because she has a different streak in!

Her best friend and partner in crime is her next door neighbor Lilly. Some would say that Jade is the brawn and Lilly the brains but they don't know the girls all that well. Jade is just as smart as her bestie, she just doesn't have the patience! She swears she prefers the movies to books which horrifies her friend. I'm not sure if it's really true though. She loves to get a rise out of people and spends hours planning fun and silly pranks to play on others.

Amelia
Name: Amelia Elliot
Era: Victorian Era
Brand: A Girl for all Time
Bio: A few months after I got Matilda for Christmas I bought Amelia from Amazon using gift cards that I remembered I had. Amelia is strong and steady in her beliefs. She rarely gives up hope! She spends most of her time with her great (just compressing all those greats into one) grandmother Matilda and is looking forward to having Clementine and Lydia with us someday.

Kit
Name: Margaret Mildred Kittredge
Era: 1930's
Brand: American Girl
Bio: Kit was a late Christmas gift from my husband in 2012. I had never gone to a store and picked out a doll before and he wanted to take me but we had to wait till he got a break from training in OKC (I was living with his parents in Kansas at the time!) Kit is a historical and so in my house just like her book character! She's often the harshest critic of my photography skills ;)

Kanani
Name: Kanani Akina
Era: Modern (2011)
Brand: American Girl
Bio: I didn't start collecting again till 2012 and so was too late to get Kanani direct from AG. I had to save up a bit but I had to have her and finally I found an affordable Kanani in good shape and snapped her up,  Kanani is an adventurous girl who steals all the mermaid stuff we get! Her favorite one is a rag doll mermaid she named Ondine. She likes jeans and dresses equally but usually leans a bit towards the girly side. She's good friends with all the modern girls but really likes Kohanna and Mia Wren the most.

Kaya

Name: Kaya'aton'my
Era: 1760's
Brand: American Girl
Bio: Poor Kaya was a bit of a mess when I got my hands on her. She actually broke two hair brushes. I finally got her hair under control and now she's herself again! Kaya is resourceful and adventurous though sometimes a bit reckless and brash. She's just like she is in the books! I'm so happy to have her in my collection!

Molly
Name: Molly Jean McIntire
Era: 1940's
Brand: Pleasant Company
Bio: Molly is my only white-bodied doll. She's about 23 years old and when I got her she was in pretty rough shape. You can read about her restoration starting here. It was quite a challenge and to be honest I'm still not 100% happy with her. I still need to fix her face! Molly is just like her book counterpart. As the physically eldest doll she get s bit of special treatment. If she had a friend here it would be Felicity since they are both the old ladies of the group. She's still feisty and full of big dreams though!

Kohanna
Name: Himura Kohanna
Era: Modern
Brand: Carpatina
Bio: Kohanna is a patient and kind girl. She loves to dress up in costumes and so spends a lot of time with Grace! She also enjoys hanging out with Kanani. Kohanna loves to read but she's not really into fantasy. She loves her history books! She's fascinated with all things to do with the Edo Period of Japanese history. 


Grace
Name: Grace Elizabeth McGillicuddy
Era: Modern
Brand: Extra Special Dolls
Bio: Grace is a sweet and active girl. She loves to be outside! Summer is her favorite time of year and she spends most of her time laying on the grass, looking for bugs and cool flowers. She loves to play dress up and to have her hair made all pretty. Her favorite possession is her stuffed tiger which goes with her everywhere. Grace also loves jokes and will often con Kohanna into reading her book of knock knock jokes to her. She likes the say the "who's there" part ;)

Ivy

Name: Ivy Ling
Era: 1970's/Modern
Brand: American Girl
Bio: Ivy is my lone time traveler. Half of the time she's the Ivy from the books and the best friend of Julie. But the other half she stands in for Jubilee and is the sister of Ami, Laura and Daken.

Modern Ivy is both a born gymnast and fashion icon! At least in her eyes ;) She loves anything retro, leaning towards 50's fashion and occasionally rockabilly but she'll wear anything that's colorful and fun. Especially if it's a big, bold print! She's spunky, hyper and always ready for anything. She can be a bit brash and overwhelming which gets her in trouble sometimes but everyone forgives her quickly. She would do anything for her siblings and friends! Her best friend is her sister Laura though Jeb often comes in as a close second and she spends a lot of time with Melly.

Mel
Name: Melody Rose Guthrie
Era: Modern
Brand: My Twinn
Bio: Mel is the sister of Sam, Jay (see customs tab) and Jeb! She's a little budding artist who will draw all over anything that doesn't move. You should see her homework! She also loves to play games with Jebby. Mel loves all animals but horses in particular. She won't even kill spiders! Her best friends are her brother Jeb and my best friend's Saige and Daken. Though I'm not sure Daken knows that! She's usually very confident and not at all shy! She loves to wear flowing dresses with ruffles and flowers. So you could say she's a bit girly but you'll almost always find her wearing her favorite boots


Charlie
Name: Charlotte Marie Baker
Era: 1980's
Brand: American Girl (JLY #58)
Bio: Charlotte was a gift from my husband! He actually picked her out. He surprised me with a trip to the KC store while we were visiting family! We're still working on her story, wardrobe and character :)

Charlie is the youngest of three. She has an older brother and an older sister named Abigail who is her very best friend. Charlie loves fairy tales, dolls, and cartoons. She's obsessed with My Little Ponies and Care Bears. She also loves to read and tell stories and often slips into day dreams while she's supposed to be doing homework or chores. She's very kind though she can seem a bit insensitive at times when she's busy with her inner life. Charlie is a sensitive soul and is very easily hurt but she also forgives very easy and quickly goes from sad to cheerful!


Mia
Name: Mia Wren St.Clair
Era: Modern (2008)
Brand: American Girl
Bio: Mia was a birthday gift in 2014. She came just as I was seriously ill with the flu and needed the comfort. We bonded fast. The concequence of me being feverish when she came is that her personality and story were majorly influenced by fever dreams. Other than a love for skating Mia Wren doesn't have much in common with her book counterpart, including her family.

Wrennie has two younger brothers and a younger sister named Chloe (who will eventually show up here.) Her best friend is her cousin Callie (who will show up on my bff's blog!) but she's also close to Kanani. She usually answers to Wrennie or Mia Wren but has other nicknames including Birdie Girl and Redbird. Mia is a huge Batman fan. Her favorite toy in the whole world is her Batman action figure. It goes everywhere with her and yes she's at the comic store every single Wednesday. Her favorite Robin is Jason Todd! She's also a big fan of action movies and the circus. Acrobats are her very favorite! She's confident and calm but quieter than her siblings and cousins. Though she is capable of getting into just as much trouble all on her own!

14 comments:

  1. I do adore customs and rescues, I have a few myself (AKA-More Than Strictly Required). Do you use AG wigs in your re-wigging? I just use any old wig I find on e-Bay ;) Also, are your customs modeled after anybody in particular? My first one wasn't, nor was the second. But I gave #2 a haircut and freckles, so she looks like me now!
    Bye- Juliet

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    1. I've done four re-wiggings now one was an AG wig and the other three were from ruby red galleria. I've had a few problems with their customer service but they seem to have the best wigs out there for 18 inch dolls.

      I typically don't do modern custom dolls. Marta was based off of the character in Meet Kirsten. Caroline is what I wish AG's Caroline had looked like and Laura was made for a friend so she was made to her specifications! I think at some point I will probably just make a random custom for the heck of it but I haven't yet!

      I LOVE to rescue and restore old dolls! Actually most of my collection are e-bay rescues! It's nice to hear from someone that feels the same!

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  2. I enjoyed reading your blog very much. I am 60 something and my husband bought me Kit. She is a bit lonely so I hope Christmas brings her a sister.

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    1. Thank you! I love hearing that people are actually enjoying this!

      I love my Kit! Who are you hoping for next?

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  3. I love your Marta! Maybe it's because her head is cocked, or the loose strands of hair, but she is very reminiscent of book Marta to me.

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    1. Thank you! I'm pretty proud of her to be honest. I'm glad other people love her too!

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  4. I came across this site and was so excited to find it. I knew there had to be others out there who love dolls, especially the AMGs!! I am in my 60's and still have a love for dolls and other toys. There use to be a group of us who were crazy about dolls, mainly sisters and close friends but while we are together in heart (not miles) most of the girls, have gone on to other exciting interests. Me? I am still a die-hard gatherer of dolls. I have a few favorite dolls from certain companies but I truly love and enjoy the American Girls the most. The AMG dolls and stories were such a fresh concept when they first came on the scene and the clothes and accessories were just too precious. I do prefer handmade AMG clothes though...they just seem to be far cuter and creative and it is fun finding these clothes online or at festivals. It is neat that some of you rescue the dolls. It's my favorite thing too. I love working on fixing the dolls up or altering them and giving them their personalities.
    PJ

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    1. Thank you for all your kind words :) I'm almost 30 and can't imagine ever wanting to stop my collection! I'm always so happy to hear that people enjoy my blog. What other companies do you like?

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  5. I enjoyed seeing your dolls at the beginning of your blog and then found other blogs of yours with other dolls. Gosh, some of the dolls you have I have never seen before. I must be slipping on all the dolls being made. All of your dolls are beautiful.
    The other doll companies I like are Tonner 18" model dolls. I am still a die-hard Barbie lover of the "older girls" but prefer the Reproduction Barbies because the dolls are versions of the old but are new and perfect and not discolored. Still my favorites are the AMGs. I have 11, I believe. It is fun when a doll company creates different hair & eye colors for diversity in dolls that look alike. I have never repainted or changed a wig before but I like to clean old dirty forgotten dolls and re-dress them. I am going to try to "customize" an AMG doll I just purchased on Ebay. This should be interesting and fun and exciting. Have a great day! Pj

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    1. Good luck with your custom! I'm sure you'll have a million ideas for new ones once you've finished your first. What are you planning on doing?

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  6. Thank you. The Ebay AMG doll who needs some freshening up has blue eyes and an almost dull light red wig that has too many stray hairs. She has potential like most used dolls but not sure what. I sit and stare at her knowing there's an idea but it just hasn't developed yet. I am loving this though. She needs a new hair color and possibly more vibrant facial coloring. Pj




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    1. Oh she sounds lovely! You'll think of the perfect thing!

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  7. Awesome blog! I love love love LOVE Marta!!! She's so pretty! I have 5 dolls, Molly, Emily, Saige, Kit, and Ruthie. Sadly Saige is currently at the doll hospital for a new torso. In your experience, how long till she should be back? It's been about a week.

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    1. I bet you get her soon! For me it's been a week or so, but it might be a little slower this time of year! It'll be worth it when she gets home :)

      And thank you! Marta has a very special place in my heart!

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