Make your doll's pet some adorable Dog biscuits!

One of my nieces Cadence, told me today that it is her dog Whopsie's Birthday. Actually ever since she got the dog at Target a few weeks ago it has been Whopsies Birthday, he is a Fur Real pet dog. She asked me to make Whopsie some dog biscuits as his birthday present. Cadence and her sisters live about 3,000 miles from me so I have made and sent them to her along with a birthday card for Whopsie. Here is how I made them, you can make the smaller version for any American Girl doll dog or make the larger ones or any other larger stuffed dogs you may have. I have put the measurements for both sizes of dog bone.
I used some tan or light brown felt, some brown thread and the trimmings from the felt bone to "stuff the bone with" I drew by hand the pattern and have photographed it and posted below.

I made 6 of the larger dog biscuits to send her so she can share with her twin sister  Hannah and older sister Trinity. I also made the smaller one to show with an American Girl doll dog.

Trace your pattern on to paper and then cut out. Trace your pattern on the felt and cut out two . Thread your needle and begin sewing, I started to sew at the middle and worked my way around, stuffing the bone with cut up scraps of the felt. then finished sewing all the way around. Knotting the thread when I was done. These are a very fast hand sewing craft, and it is easy to make a few out of dollar store felt.
I can not wait to see her on Skype when she gets the envelope of Dog biscuits.
Happy Birthday Whopsie!
As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so please leave a comment below or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Make your doll a glass of milk to enjoy with her cookies!

Well why not give your doll a glass of milk to go with her cookies you made with yesterdays post? This is an easy and inexpensive craft that you can make with simple white craft glue and plastic cups from the dollar store. The best deal here is that I got 30 cups in one package of "shooter size" cups at the dollar store so I can make lots of drinks for the dolls and the extra cups will come in handy for doll parties and these make great birthday party loot bag treats for doll lovers.

All you need to do is fill the cup with the white craft glue and let it dry. It make take up to three days or more for it to dry. If you wanted to add a doll straw, you can pick up very thin straws at the dollar store, cut them to size as well and add them when you have poured the glue in the cup Make sure to wipe any extra glue from the rim of the cup and place in a safe place to let it dry. When it is dry serve your doll a glass of milk and some chocolate chip cookies! Also if you are lactose intolerant and your doll is too, you can always call this soy milk and if you want this to be chocolate milk mix in some brown paint until you get the color you were hoping for! Let dry completely before playing with!
As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

How to make your doll Chocolate Chip Cookies

The very first food item I made for my dolls and my nieces was Chocolate chip cookies. I love Chocolate Chip cookies. These are so easy to make. You need two colors of oven bake polymer clay which you can get at any craft store.  Almost of the time I get mine at Micheal's the craft store where I live when it goes on sale for $1.29. For the cookies get a dark brown and a light brown. Out of the clay brick you will get about 12 cookies that are the same size as a quarter.Always work over wax paper. You will need only a tiny amount of the dark brown, which you can save to make brownies or chocolate bars for your doll later! First work the dough which is quite thick when you begin, then make 12 of the same size light brown balls (you can make your cookies bigger  then a quarter but you will not get 12). Next flatten the cookies with your fingers until they are quite thin. If you do not like your thumb print on the dough you can use a small piece of wax paper between your thumb and the dough ball. Next roll very tiny balls of the dark chocolate to make the chocolate chips, you can make bigger ones as chunks or small specks for chips. Lightly press them to the flattened "cookie round" and then bake them in the oven according to the directions on the clay. Let them cool and keep them away from small siblings who may want to put them in their mouth!
 Then let your doll enjoy! As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so please leave a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Embellishing your dolls outits with artifical flowers

 

Another great dollar store craft find are Glue guns, refill glue sticks and artificial flowers.

Only use a glue gun if you are an adult or have an adult assisting you. 

Craft glue will work but you will have faster  and stronger results with a glue gun. 

This is an outfit I have made for my doll clothes swap partner Susie, on Swap-bot for our American girl doll Easter outfit swap. I had a great time making the dress and shoes. I have embellished a

 ready made doll hat with the same small flower blossoms from the dollar store. To add flowers to dress up any outfits, first plug in your glue gun. While it is heating up, separate the flower bloom from the wire stems. Leaving the small plastic on the back for now and set aside the ones you are going to use. When you are ready, carefully peel back the green plastic from the back of the flower and trim the plastic that holds the center of the flower, almost to the back of the flower petal. Add the glue to the area on the item you are embellishing then carefully press the flower bloom onto the the blob of glue and hold it in place for a few seconds. Careful not to burn your fingers! 

 

You can also sew artificial flowers to clothes by removing the center part of the flower and replacing the center with a button as I have done in the photo above, it gives a slightly more permanent attachment and if you are unhappy with the way it looks it is easier to remove.

All in all I was really happy with this outfit and I hope my partner is as well.

As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Make felt tea bags for your next tea party

I saw some great tea bags on Etsy and Google Images of tea bags for tea parties and thought I would like to try making my own for dolls tea parties.

Here is how I made mine with scrap felt and yarn. These are hand sewn and easy to make. To make a tea bag you need to have white, tan or cream felt peices cut 4 1/2 inches long and one inch wide, and two pieces of colored felt for the "tea tag" cut in one inch squares. I also used a red heart that I cut out free hand but you can use what ever your want. you also need 3 inches of yarn, a needle and thread. Cut a point at the top of the white strip of felt that will become the tea bag. Next fold the tea bag and stitch all the way around. then through the top of the felt sew the Yarn into place. Next make the tea tag, attach the heart shape if you want one to one piece of the colored felt, then sew the felt together all the way around when complete ad and tie off the yarn and your tea bag is ready to play with.
As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Up Cycle some Starbucks tea cups for your next tea party and let your doll have the Starbucks Experience

More Dollar store Gems! CAMERAS!

 

Such a great deal! I found 12 working (clocking) cameras at our dollar store in Park Royal Mall West Vancouver for $4.00. Such a great addition to any loot bag, the best part the dolls can hold them and you can add your own string or elastic so that the dolls can wear them on their wrists or around their necks. I just love them! I have been looking everywhere for them and am thrilled to have them on hand. Pick these up for your doll or your next birthday party they make great party favors!

As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com 

Make your own Hair Clip and one for your doll!

Make your own hair clip and one for your doll with the left over flowers from the doll sized Lei's from yesterdays craft post. You will need two flowers, one button and a hair clip. I used a hot glue gun but the flower came off so I recommend a stronger glue like a "crazy glue" . Simply glue the flowers to each other and add a dab of glue in the center of the flowers and add the button. next glue the flower to the hair clip. Let dry and it's ready to go! This would make a great loot bag gift or party craft. As with all my blog posts I would love to hear from you so leave a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Make your own Doll sized Lei's from this dollar store Gem!

 

I am so excited to share with you this craft! I bought a Lei at the dollar store and made two doll sized lei's for under $1.50. Simply dived the Lei in half and cut it  in two places, Creating two separate Lei's.Next remove 2 flowers from each. Then tie the string from the Lei into a knot and repeat on the other one and there you have two doll sized Lei's! These would make great party favors or even a great party craft!

As with all my blog posts I would love to hear from you so leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Another Dollar store Gem An Art Easel and Paint set

Another Great Dollar Store Gem, I found this Doll Sized Art easel at my dollar store for $1.25 and a package of paints and doll sized brush in the party favor section you get 4 in a package! Such a good deal. Just another dollar store gem to share with you today! These would make great additions to any doll party loot bag! As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so leave me a comment or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Wee Animal Worlds Review From American Girl Magazine

I am so thrilled with this months issue from American Girl Magazine, such a great craft in the Doll fun section. I made mine for under $4. I got the box from Micheal's the craft store or under $2 and the strip of stickers at my dollar store for $1.25. I used small beads I had on hand as the gravel and made the craft in under 5 minutes. I bought two boxes so I can make a frog one as well. I love the Aquarium so much, it really works well in my doll room. I think it would be a great addition to any doll enthusiasts room and at such a low cost is not allowance blowing either! Pick up your copy of American Girl Magazine today or better yet get a subscription!
As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so leave a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

A great doll hair Make over that is reversable and Fun

http://myworld.ebay.ca/shopoholican/?_trksid=p4340.l2559

I ordered the most fun wig from Etsy last December, the seller I used is not selling on etsy anymore but the above link is the one to her ebay account. I found out about her wigs for American Girl dolls from the wonderful people at www.LibertyJane.com they have used her wigs in their doll photos and I just fell in love with it. I wrote and asked how they did it and they highly recommended this seller. It is so fun to change your dolls hair with out Cutting, Coloring and with out damaging her hair. For under $25 and in under 2 minutes you can really have fun changing up the color of your dolls hair. These wigs are designed for the Blythe dolls but work really well on the American Girl dolls as well, I understand that they work better on shorter haired American Girl dolls. I just wanted to share with you this information with you. As with all my posts please feel free to leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

another seller on etsy is

http://www.etsy.com/people/goodyblythe?ref=ls_profile

Making an emergancy Kit for your family

 

http://www.banff.ca/activities-events/event-calendar/emergency-prepared-080509.htm

I know this is not a craft for a doll but with all the recent events in the world I think it is important to always be prepared. Where I live we have been told for years to get ready for a big earth quake. The last earth quake I remember feeling was in 2001 after my oldest son was born. I was upstairs in our apartment getting something from the fridge, while my husband and son were down stairs waiting in the car. It was a frightening experience, especially as a new mom. My cell phone did not work immediately. That was a very small earth quake, and in time I quickly forgot about it. With the events in New Zea land and Japan it has become clear that being more prepared for a natural disaster of any kind is a good idea. Building an emergency kit can be expensive especially if you buy on ready made. Building your own is a great idea. I heard on my local news that if you are building one to add something to it every Sunday until you kit is ready.This seems less stressful and a smart idea. The most important thing to remember is that this is a safety kit you hopefully will not need, but you do need to remember to include items that you will need for at least 3 days.

Here is a list of items that are recommended for the kit
Bottled Water
A crescent wrench to turn off the gas in your house
A can openner (non electric)
A first aid kit that includes anitbiotic cream and 3 days worth of any medications you may need
Three complete changes of clothes for each member of your family including a second pair of shoes
Non perishable food for three days
Flash lights and extra batteries
A radio
Blankets
dust masks for every member of your family
A list of medications, phone numbers and copies of birth certificates and pasports
Money as debit and credit cards will likely not work
A camping stove
Candles
Matches or lighter
A pen, paper and crayons
DUCT TAPE
A tarp/tent

There are many more things you can add to your kit these are just a few examples of items to have on hand. It is recommended that you place all items in a large plastic container and keep it in a safe place that is easy to access.  I truly hope that none of us will need one soon but better safe then sorry. As with all posts I would love to hear from you so please feel free to leave a comment or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Make your doll a great Easter Bunny Costume

  http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/bunny-disguise-675238/

This is a great craft I have made I found on www.familyfun.com. I made mine out of fun foam instead of felt as I used items I had on hand. Also because I am an impatient crafter I used my glue gun  so that the craft would be ready in a few minutes instead of the two hours of drying .

For 18 inch dolls you need to make the elastic 10 inches long this will work well for making  the mask and the ears go one easily. Follow the above link to make this fun and easy craft for your doll for Easter or for Halloween.
As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so leave a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Make your doll a great travel pillow!

In less then a month I am going to be flying to Montreal to see my nieces and do their doll birthday party and My sister Bre-Anne mentioned I should try making a doll travel pillow, like the ones used by travelers on Air Planes. So at her suggestion I made my own pattern and used my sewing machine to create these really easy to sew and stuff travel pillows perfect for 18 inch dolls. I made mine out of scraps of flannel that I had. After measuring and cutting the fabric on the fold and cutting out 2 so I would have a front and back I placed right sided together and machine stitched from the inside edge all the way around until I was about 2 inches from my first stitch, then I turned it inside out and stuffed it with cotton balls but you can use fiberfill, tissues, or anything you might have on hand to stuff the pillow. Then I slip stitched it by hand closed and it is ready for my trip! I am very excited to travel to see my nieces and excited to share this pattern with you. Just copy mine by using the measurements I have written on the pattern and draw your own.

As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so email me at karenmowen@gmail.com or leave a comment here!

2 1/2 inches at the bottom wide, 5 3/4 inches long and at the fold 1 1/2 inches wide

Photo Contest My first give away contest!

This is my first give away photo contest. I am so happy to have so many wonderful readers and followers. This is going to be a photo contest. Please email me your photo of your doll or dolls and I will select a winner from all the entries drawn. I will award the winner a wrap dress and hair band for an 18 inch doll (that I make the style is featured in many of my photos) and will have to mail it to you if you do not live on the North Shore of Vancouver BC. Please email your photo to karenmowen@gmail.com before April 20, 2011. I will announce the winner on May 1st here on my blog.YOUR DOLL CAN BE an American girl doll, or Mapelela doll, Springfield doll or Our Generation doll as long as the doll is an 18 inch doll so that the prize will fit.
  In the email subject line write PHOTO CONTEST. You must have your parents permission to enter this contest if you are under the age of 18 and if you are selected the winner you must send me an address to mail your prize too if you are under 18 and your parents would prefer me to mail the outfit to them at work that is also okay. Please also note that any photos you send me may end up on my blog in future posts! So send me your photos! Good luck!
There will be one grand prize of a wrap dress that I make. The fabric pattern will likely be different as I will make the dress for the winner specifically when the contest ends.

 As with all my blog posts I would love to hear from you so email me at karenmowen@gmail.com or leave a comment here.

Happy St. Patrick's Day! A day early for you to enjoy!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/66084205/american-girl-waldorf-doll-clothes-st

Happy St. Patrick's Day a day early for you to enjoy! Today I am featuring a great outfit from La Sweet Belle Boutique Collection on Etsy. I love this outfit and wanted to share with you. Etsy has some really great doll items that are hand crafted and lovingly made. The people who make these outfits make them with love and make next to nothing for their work. I really like the variety of outfits available on Etsy and hope that you will check out Etsy and see the different vendors and items you can find that are just perfect for the doll in your life. Visit the above shop at the link provided or visit their shop profile at
http://www.etsy.com/shop/jsgavgab?ref=seller_info



Today is a two part posting. Every year on St. Patrick's day I make Irish Soda Bread and I thought I would share with you this great recipe, I will also be making stew to go with it. Enjoy!
You can find photos of this recipe at 
http://lowfatcooking.about.com/od/bakedgoods/r/sodabread.htm

Irish Soda Bread requires only a few simple ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt and buttermilk. Throw in a cup of raisins if you like, and some orange zest, too. Traditional Irish Soda Bread is made without these, however, as it was made as a daily bread to accompany meals. Enjoy the original version warm with a little low fat spread with some tea, or as an accompaniment to a lean beef stew.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups low fat buttermilk

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, stir dry ingredients together with a whisk. Make a well in the center and add 1 cup of the buttermilk, reserving 1/2 cup. Combine dry ingredients and buttermilk with a fork, gradually adding more of the remaining liquid until a soft dough is formed.
Knead the dough lightly on a floured surface for 1 minute. Form into a slightly flattened circle. Place on a parchment lined (or silicone baking mat) cookie sheet. Mark a large 1/2-inch deep X with a sharp knife and bake soda bread for 40-45 minutes. The bread is ready when it is golden and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Yield 1 round loaf (8-10 wedges or slices).
Per Serving: Calories 148, Calories from Fat 6, Total Fat 0.7g (sat 0.4g), Cholesterol 1 mg, Sodium 582mg, Carbohydrate 30.5g, Fiber 1g, Protein 5g

Make a no sew pet bed for your dolls pet

I love all the pets that American girl offers, I do not yet have any (though the new dog Chocolate Chip is absolutely on my American Girl Doll wish list) I borrowed Maggie's dog Pepper so I could share this easy and fun craft with you.This is a great pet bed for your Webkinz too!This is a great craft you can do with out sewing, all you need is a doll pet, which can be any pet stuffy really, two pieces of fabric, A dinner plate and a pair of scissors. If you want a plump stuffed pet bed you will need some fiber fill or shredded paper. 

To make the pet bed, trace a large dinner plate on your fabric and cut out. Repeat on the second piece of fabric. Place both pieces of fabric with right sided facing out and use your scissors to cut two inch snip strips all the way around the circle. Once you have cut all the way around, start to tie back to front in knots.When you have about 5 left to tie, if you wish to stuff do it here and finish knotting, and your pet bed is done. Simple, easy, inexpensive and fun. As with all my posts I would love to hear what you think, please leave a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Make a Hospital Gown and casts to make her doll feel better

 

Make a Hospital Gown and Casts for your doll. 

My friends daughter is going in for surgery in the next few weeks and I wanted to make her doll something special. My friends daughter will be having both legs in casts post surgery so I have made her two casts and a hospital gown, which I am thrilled to say I made with out a pattern and totally on my own. To make the pattern for the hospital gown I hand drew the pattern, it measured 10 1/2 inches long and 6 3/4 inches at the sleeve. I then cut it out an placed it on folded fabric. I cut two out on the fold. Making one as the front and one for the back. For the back I cut along the folded line. Next I lined up my cut pieces with right sides together and stitched the shoulder parts from top to neck on both sides. then I sewed a  finishing seam for the sleeves. Next I attached double sided bias tape to the neck line. Leaving 10 inches on each side for the ties and sew bias tape to neck line. Next sew the side seams back seams and finish the bottom. You can also add some velcro at the back to keep the gown closed.

For the casts I used white craft felt and sewed long socks for the doll and cut out the toe area.

 

I really hope my friends daughter has a speedy recovery and that she likes the outfit I have made for her doll.

As with all my comments please leave me a comment here or email your questions to karenmowen@gmail.com

Make these adorable Cup Cakes for your doll

 

Make these adorable Cup Cakes for your doll with oven bake polymer clay. I have made these for my twin Nieces birthday party in April. I am going to fly to Montreal  to do their doll birthday party. These will be part of the decoration and the loot bags at the end of the party. These are so easy to make and you can make 4 for under $5. I bought Polymer clay on sale at Micheals the craft store when it was on sale for $1.49 but it is usually $2.29 for a small square, you need one square of white for the icing and one color for the base of the cup cake. You will also need a tooth pick to make the indents in the side of the clay. This makes the bottoms look like wrappers. You should always work on wax paper.   To start with you need to portion your clay both color and white in to four equal pieces. You will need to work the clay pieces in your hand as polymer clay is quite stiff. If you work it for a few minutes in your hands the clay becomes much easier to work with. You will start with shaping the bottom, Make a ball then squish the ball between your fingers and thumb making a wheel shape. it should be 3/4 of an inch high. To get it the same way all the way around  roll the sides on wax paper.Then hold the clay between your thumb and your index finger and use the toothpick to make the indents around the cup cake by pushing the toothpick lengthwise against the side of the cup cake base. Next wash your hands as the color will transfer to your hands. Next take the white and roll each piece into long thin snakes. once you have it to the thickness you like you can wrap it around the top of the cup cake base and wind it to the top of the cupcake, see the photo if you are confused. I added "sprinkles" made with left over clay colors I had, you can add some or leave it plain. Bake them according to the manufactures directions and let them cool completely. I can not wait to show these to the girls in person, they have only seen them over skype and in photos!

As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so email me at karenmowen@gmail.com or leave a comment here. 

Why not Crochet for your doll, or if you are like me find some one who can!

I can not crochet, I wish I could but I am lucky enough to have met this amazing woman on Swap-bot who also has an Etsy store and creates the most amazing items for dolls and children. Her Name is Krista and her swap bot store is  www.Krista311.etsy.com. 
This is an outfit she made for my niece Trinity's doll, it is a skirt, hair band, tank top and sweater coat that I just love and can not wait to give to Trinity on my trip next month.
In a previous swap Krista had sent me a Shrug and Berret which I  loved so much and you can see why below. The colors she uses really make the outfits and items in her store outstanding. This is not your great grandmothers crochet! Take a look at the shrug and berret she made me!

 Krista also sent me the most amazing Crochet tea set which is also available in her etsy store, see below

 

I love that she chose blue for this set and the cookies are amazing, in the cup my son placed a plastic bag so we could make it look like whip cream, (remember he is only 3). I am so thrilled to have this . I would love to know how to crochet, and knit more then a square but if you can Knit or Crochet there are some fantastic online patterns you can choose from.If you are like me and you can not crochet I recommend shopping on line for some amazing crochet items on Etsy like the ones featured here. 

I think I am going to go learn how to Crochet now I wish Krista lived closer! As with all my posts please feel free to email me at karenmowen@gmail.com or leave a comment here.

Dollar store Tea Sets, More Dollar store gems!

 

***UPDATE February 22nd 2015 These are no longer available the store I got them from has closed.BUT DOLLAR TREE DOES CARRY SIMILAR ONES!  

Dollar store tea sets are one of my favorite purchases. Weather you are looking for plastic like Samantha and Chrissa are enjoying on the table in the photo above or if you prefer China tea sets, check your local dollar stores first before ordering on line.

I have fallen in love with little tea sets, as I child if I ever had one I know it did not last long as I was a bit of a bull in a china shop but now I have a small collection of china ones that I keep for special occasions, and wonderful plastic ones for every day use. All of which I bought at the dollar store. The purple set which I love  and is featured on the table in the above photo was $1.25 and comes with 4 plates 4 cups and a juice jug, so I think of it as an iced tea set and the doll food looks great on the plates. the best part is the dolls can easily hold the cups with out help.

It also comes in pink. If you fall in love with these and can not find them near you let me know and I can sell you a set at cost plus postage just email me and we can work something out or check out my etsy shop, link at then end of this blog post. The other sets shown in the photo I got at a dollar store in West Vancouver at the Park Royal Mall for $2.50 each they come with a tea pot, two tea cups and sauces, a sugar and a creamer. I love them but only bring them out for special occasions. There are also many other dollar store plastic tea sets available, a pink on featured below that may not look fantastic in the package as they usually have a baby-ish sticker on them but simply purchase and peel off the sticker for a great tea set. 

The best part is that at the cost of these sets you can have more then one, in fact I totally recommend picking up a few and storing them for up coming special occasions or the next rainy day. Nothing beats a great tea party!

As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so email me at karenmowen@gmail.com or leave me a comment here.

 

If you have fallen in love with any of the tea sets here and can not find them at your local dollar store let me know and I can arrange to pick one up and ship it to you for cost plus shipping.

Email me at karenmowen@gmail.com for more details or stop by my Etsy shop send me a message use the word BLOG to get the set at cost plus shipping

 As you can see this set is perfect for 18 inch dolls like Charrisa.

A stylish tea party is made complete with the perfect tea sets! 

Now available from my Etsy shop at 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Karenmomofthree 
Remember if you buy from my Etsy shop I will sell you the tea set at cost if you email me or send me a message on etsy first and use the Code word BLOG. Otherwise standard "Tea Set fee" applies.

Which would you chose? American Girl Doll or Maplelea Doll?

As some of my readers know I am Canadian, I live in Canada and am proud to be Canadian, however I also love American Girl dolls and Nascar and truth be told I can pass for either American or Canadian lets face it most of us could. But can our dolls? Our Canadian Doll that is available is from a Company Called Maplelea  has a series of 5 dolls who are almost the same size as American girl dolls and basically the same price. I personally have American Girl dolls, 4 of them actually. Which goes to show you what my preference is or was until I borrowed Jenna, the Maplelea doll from Emma, one of the girls in my neighborhood so I could complete a custom order of clothes and shoes. Here is what I love about both of these dolls.
What  I really love about the Ameircan girl doll is the soft features and girl like look, they also have each their own personality and eye shape. The only fault I can find with the American Girl doll is the cost of shipping and customs fees you have to pay in Canada.
The Maplelea dolls on the other hand are 18 inches tall  but have longer thinner feet and arms and a smile with no teeth. The hair is almost the same quality as the American Girl doll hair and each of the Maplelea dolls has the same length of  hair and almost the same look. Shipping is very reasonable and  after spending the evening with Jenna, I realized how much I really like her, I love the way Jenna has red hair and freckles I have grown quite attached to her and think I will be saving my money from my doll clothes sales to get her as my next doll not just for sizing for doll clothes orders but because I think she would make a great addition to any doll family.PS I also love that you can order Hockey equipment and a hockey Helmet for these dolls. So I guess my Canadian is showing...
As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so email me at karenmowen@gmail.com or leave me a comment here.
Please visit  both the Maplelea site to learn more about these Canadian dolls and visit the American Girl doll site to learn about the wonderful dolls they offer.
http://www.maplelea.com/
http://www.americangirl.com/