Friday Reads

This Friday's #fridayreads is the American Girl Discover Science book! I found this one on The Book Depository for $11.97 US! 

More than 50 exciting science project ideas! Explore the fascinating world of science and technology with your favorite American Girl(R) characters. What are the bubbles in your bathtub made of? Why are lemons sour? What makes guitars twang and cymbals clang? Join the girls as they show us how science can explain the wonders of the everyday world around us. Many of the things that today's girls enjoy, from camping to cooking, or singing to stargazing, can be used as a starting point to delve into science. Themed pages covering nature, chemistry, physics, astronomy, and much more, are packed with images of the American Girl dolls and their accessories, as well as clear photos and explanations of real-life science. This book contains more than 50 inspiring ideas that can be developed as science fair projects-or just for fun at home! With American Girl(R) as inspiration, science has never been more fun!


You can find it on The Book Depository with free worldwide shipping by clicking here. 
Thank you for joining us here today we would love to hear from you so please leave us a comment here or email us at karenmowen@gmail.com

Friday Reads Doll Celebrations...

I have a weakness for the American Girl Publishing Book kids and have purchased over the years almost all of them. Doll Celebrations is an updated and fun way to add reading, doll play DIY and crafts to your doll lovers life. This book and kit has tips, tricks and crafts for your doll lover to help keep her entertained and enhance her creative doll play.  This book kit is on sale at The Book Depository and one I can highly recommend for this weeks #fridayreads find it on The Book Depository with free shipping by clicking here.
Thank you for joining us here for this weeks #fridayreads. We would love to hear from you so please leave us a comment here or email us at karenmowen@gmail.com

#Fridayreads Lottie Stargazer

I love the Lottie Line of dolls and I was thrilled to see this sticker dress up book. I still love paper dolls and activity books like this one. With more than 400 stickers your Lottie lover will have hours of fun with this read.

I love astronomy and this book is a lovely way to add some love of science to your doll play conversations. Dress Lottie up for adventures and fill the sky with planets and stars in this space-themed sticker dolly dressing book! With 16 pages of stickers and astronomy facts on every spread, this sticker book will inspire little stargazers everywhere.From the empowering doll brand, Lottie Dolls. 
You can find this book on The Book Depository Website by clicking here. 

Thank you for joining us today for this weeks #fridayreads post. We would love to hear from you so please leave us a comment here or email us at karenmowen@gmail.com 

#FRIDAYREADS Edward's Crochet Doll Emporium

Can you wield the hook? Love dolls like we do? Check out this very cool book on how to create your own dolls and creating a huge variety of clothing for them. This would be an amazing project to undertake for a holiday gift for a young doll lover in your life, or even an adult one. This book is offered on the Book Depository and just came out in November! You can find it by clicking here. 

Design your own dolls with this amazing book of mix-and-match crochet patterns.Building up from the basic body, add hairstyles, hats, outfits and accessories to capture your family, friends and favourite people in crochet form. The flippable pages make it easy to follow the patterns in any combination. You could make a countless number of different dolls, or you could make one doll with an extraordinary wardrobe.The book has two flip sections:First choose who you want to make with the top `head' flip - you could make your mum, grandad, sister, best friend, favourite actor or pop star - or even yourself!Next choose what they are going to be with the bottom `outfit' flip - with costumes for an astronaut and a princess, a ballerina and a footballer, a mermaid and a pirate, a surgeon, a punk and more.With step-by-step instructions for all the basic crochet techniques that are needed, this is perfect for beginners. In addition to the flip pattern pages, there are 12 pages of colour photography showing how easy it is to combine the different flip costumes with the additional hats, clothing and hairstyles to make impressive modifications such as a wizard or a bride and groom. With tips on choosing the right skin tones, styling hair and adding facial features, the only limit is your imagination!

Thank you for joining us today we would love to hear from you so please leave us a comment here or email us at karenmowen@gmail.com

Anna Allen's Upcoming New Pattern and Sewing Book called My Doll, My Style!

A wonderful new book that is coming out this summer by Anna Allen, some of you may already know about this book but I wanted to share a link to it here. I found it on the Book Depository and they offer FREE worldwide shipping. Which when you live in Canada is wonderful often shipping is as much as the cost of the book itself. It is available for pre order now and one on all doll clothes makers lists for sure!
 Here is more about the book....
Style trends trickle down to girls' clothes, infusing their day-to-day wardrobes with edgy, fashion-forward pieces combined with age-appropriate styling. It's that line of thinking that inspires this new doll clothes collection, resulting in a must-have project book with up-to-date silhouettes and fabrics that kids gravitate towards (and infused with thumbs-up sensibility from mom.)12+ designs with accessories ranging from fancy to out-and-about cool following today's fashion-savvy girl through a busy week!Great for all skill levels with information on sewing basics and tips on using contemporary fabrics including metallic transfers, sewing with knits, and more.My Doll, My Style is authored Anna Allen is the owner and designer of Doll It Up, a popular website dedicated to 18-doll clothes patterns and accessories. Doll It Up has established its brand, focusing on well-fitting doll clothes, simple designs for beginner/intermediate sewing, styles inspired by current fashion, and beautiful photography.

You can pre order or take a look at the book by clicking here.
Thank you for joining us here today we would love to hear from you so please leave us a comment here or email us at karenmowen@gmail.com 

Friday Reads... Sewing Clothes for Barbie & I CAN MAKE

I am so excited for the new release of Sewing Clothes for Barbie! This book has 24 outfits for Barbies and is on top of my wish list! You can adapt the patterns to the sizes of all the Barbie's as well! This book just came out last week as well. I can not wait to see what you make with yours I am ordering mine right now! 

Sew Barbie this cute wardrobe of 24 stylish outfits. Sew clothes for every day: jeans and a tie-waist shirt for a picnic in the country, a fleecy jumper and trousers for skiing, a bikini, towel and sunhat for the beach or dungarees for DIY. Or create outfits for special occasions, such as a floral cocktail dress, A-line wedding dress or a formal lacy dress for the theatre. And why not dip into the dressing-up box with fairy, mermaid and superwoman costumes? The detailed explanations are accompanied by step-by-step diagrams and real-size patterns, which can be adapted for petite, curvy, tall or original Barbie. The techniques used are simple and the outfits can be sewn by hand or on the machine. These are ideal projects for upcycling old clothes or making use of scraps of fabric from your stash.

You can order it with FREE shipping from The Book Depository by clicking here.

I have wanted this book called I CAN MAKE DOLLS CLOTHES for a while now and it is currently offered on The Book Depository Website and on Sale! I loved Barbies growing up and I love that now you can find Barbies in all shapes and sizes. Learning to sew Barbie clothes was something I always wanted as a child and I was constantly stealing J-Cloths from my mom so I could make no sew doll clothes for my dolls. As a grown up this is the type of book I wish I had as a child. You can find it on sale now at The Book Depository with free shipping worldwide by clicking here. 
This book teaches children of 7+ how to make fashionably cool mix-and-match clothes for a standard 30 cm (12 in) plastic doll. Its approach is simple, quick and fun, and the results are extremely stylish. At the beginning of the book, children are encouraged to be creative and adapt the patterns to make their own designs. The main section of the book includes patterns for nine garments, each with an actual-size pattern on the page to use as a template, along with super-clear instructions and illustrations of each step. Helpful tips and inspirational photographs of the dolls modelling the finished clothes run throughout the book, and a section at the back sets out the basics of sewing, including how to thread a needle, do a running stitch and sew on poppers and buttons.

Thank you for joining us here today for this week's Friday Reads. We would love to hear from you so please leave us a comment here or email us at karenmowen@gmail.com 

Hitting the books with Karen- The Doll Shop Downstairs...

If you happen to follow my other daily publishing blog at A Cup of Tea and a Cozy Mystery.com you may already know how much I love reading, and that I would love a tea/book/doll shop of my own. I came across this book called The Doll Shop Downstairs and knew I wanted to share it with all of you on this our last Hitting The Books with Karen post of the Summer. Just take a look and see if this is a book you may also wish to read....

Nine year old Anna and her sisters like helping out in their parents' doll repair shop, because once their chores are done, the fun can begin. The girls are allowed to play carefully with the dolls until they're fixed and ready to be returned to their owners. But when World War I begins, and an embargo on German-made goods threatens to put the shop out of business, it's up to Anna to come up with an idea to save the day.

Doesn't this sound like a wonderful book? Click here to order your own from The Book Depository....
Personally I hope you have enjoyed this segment of our summer series and I would love to hear from you so please, I invite you to leave me a comment or email us at karenmowen@gmail.com 

Hitting the books with Karen The Adventures of Two Dutch Dolls and a "Golliwogg"

Today I have a book for our older readers ages 12-17 (or 100+), actually there is just something so wonderful in a doll book that is more than 100 years old.

This is The Adventures of Two Dutch Dolls and a Golliwogg....

Florence Kate Upton (1873-1922) was an American-born English cartoonist and author most famous for her Golliwogg series of children's books. At the age of 16 she obtained work as a professional illustrator. Numerous publications existed at this time, mainly as vehicles for advertising and light fiction of varying merit. Some of the same authors whose stories appeared in the magazines went on to employ Florence to illustrate their novels or books of short stories. In 1893 she began to sketch out ideas for a children's book, using 'penny wooden' dolls as her models. The first Golliwogg story was produced in 1894. The Adventures of Two Dutch Dolls and a 'Golliwogg' was published for Christmas 1895. Through the years Florence and Bertha, her mother, collaborated on a total of thirteen Golliwogg adventures, the series ending as, over the years, cultural drift caused interest in the series to wane and Florence sought a career as a professional artist. The last of the Golliwogg books was published in 1909.

Thank you so much for joining us today! We would love to hear what you think! You can find this book on The Book Depository by clicking here! 
Please leave us a comment here or email us at karenmowen@gmail.com

Hitting the books with Karen- The Little Girl and the Tiny Doll

I am really excited to share todays book with you all! 

The Little Girl and the Tiny Doll is a book I think you will find very charming!

There was once a tiny doll who belonged to a girl who did not care for dolls. One day when the little girl was shopping in the supermarket with her mother, she threw the tiny doll into a deep freeze. So the tiny doll had to stay there, cold and lonely, and frightened by people shuffling all the food round her. But someone came along who felt sorry for her, and thought of ways to make her happier, so the tiny doll began to smile again.


You can find this book on The Book Depository by clicking here, this book is recommended for children ages 5 and up.
We hope you enjoyed todays selection and we are looking forward to hearing from you so please feel free to leave us a comment here or email us at karenmowen@gmail.com

Hitting the books with Karen- Mary DOwning Hahn's The Doll in The Garden a Ghost Story

This week I wanted to share another ghost story book for 9-12 year olds

The Doll in the Garden A Ghost Story by Mary Downing Hahn, is a book I have put on my wish list! A really good mystery and ghost story is just what I crave this week and I hope you will enjoy this one too!
 When Ashley discovers a turn-of-the-century doll it is just the first of several puzzling events that lead her through the hedge and into a twilight past where she meets Louise, an ailing child whose beloved doll has mysteriously disappeared.

You can find this book on The Book Depository with free worldwide shipping by Clicking here.

Thank you for joining us this week for another Hitting the books post! We would love to hear from you so please leave us a comment here or email us at karenmowen@gmail.com

Hitting the books with Karen- Doll Bones by Holly Black

This weeks selection is Holly Black's Doll Bones...

It is August 1st and time for a slightly different Doll book, Summer is a time for ghost stories around the campfire and this book Doll Bones by Holly Black may be just what your camper needs to read this summer!
My name is Eleanor Kerchner. You can call me the Queen. I died in 1895. Now it's time to play. It is a chilling ghost story by the bestselling author of The Spiderwick Chronicles, Holly Black. Recipient of a Newbery Honor Award. It is an ALA Notable Book. It is a Kirkus Reviews Best Book. It is a School Library Journal Best Book. It is a Booklist Editor's Choice Books for Youth. It is a publishers Weekly Best Children's Book. It is a 2013 Goodreads Choice award nominee. It is a People Magazine 'Best New Kids Book'.

You can find this book on The Book Depository with free worldwide shipping by clicking here.
Thank you for joining us here today we would love to hear from you so please leave us a comment here or email us at karenmowen@gmail.com 

Hitting the books with Karen-The Racketty-Packetty House

This weeks selection I hope you will enjoy! It is The Racketty-Packetty House by Frances Hodgson Burnett and illustrated by Wendy Anderson Halperin.

Acclaimed illustrator Wendy Anderson Halperin celebrates Frances Hodgson Burnett's classic, a tale of two dollhouses, just in time for its 100th anniversary. When Tidy Castle arrives, brand-new and grand in every way, the Racketty-Packetty House has never looked shabbier, and it is shoved in the corner of Cynthia's nursery. But the Racketty family still dances, sings, and laughs louder than all the fancy dolls combined. When a real-life princess visits the nursery, the Rackettys learn that the humans are planning to destroy their house. Only a miracle -- or some very unusual magic -- can save them now! Since its publication in 1906, the story of how Queen Crosspatch and her band of fairies rescued the Racketty-Packetty House has inspired dreamers and readers of all ages in the tradition of The Secret Garden and A Little Princess. Now Wendy Anderson Halperin's illustrations, brimming with whimsy and wonder, unlock the magic of two dollhouses -- one posh and one proud -- to a whole new generation of readers.

You can find this week's selection on The Book Depository with free worldwide shipping by clicking here. 

Thank you for joining us here today we would love to hear from you so please leave us a comment here or email us at karenmowen@gmail.com 

Hitting the books with Karen

This week I have found a book I think you will love! Pearlie and The Big Doll! 

Wendy Harmer has a book that takes a few of my favorite things and makes a great story out of them! Pearlie the Fairy has discovered a very large and sad dolly, she has to do her best to help the Doll find her girl!  In Pearlie and the Big Doll a great adventure and glittering time had by all! Check it out on The Book Depository now by clicking here.
This book is recommended for doll lovers aged 9-12 but I think some of our younger doll lovers would love to have it read to them by the adult doll lover in their lives!
Thank you for joining us here today for our Tuesday Hitting the books with Karen. I can not wait to share more with you about doll themed books next week!
We would love to hear from you so please leave us a comment here or email us at karenmowen@gmail.com

Hitting the books with Karen- This week's featured book is The Doll People!

It can not be summer without sharing one of the best Doll books ever written, best series for that matter. The Doll People by  Ann Mathews Martin and Laura Godwin is one of the best books you will ever read. I don't care if you are 6-100 this book is one you will be thrilled you read. Best part is there are 5 books in the series and each one is filled with Dolly adventure, mystery and so much more.  I have personally read this book to my nieces and my nieces have re read them on their own. They are well worth the price, however if you can you may want to borrow and binge read them from your local library. If you are like me and books like this, books that stay with you you, you will want to own a copy to hold in your very own hands!  This way you never have to end your adventure with these lovely dolls!
You can find your copy of The Doll People from The Book Depository With FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING by clicking here. 

You can view the series on The Book Depository by clicking here. 
Thank you for joining me for this weeks Hitting the books suggestions. I would love to hear from you so please leave us a comment here or email us at karenmowen@gmail.com

American Girl Truly Me Book Doll Scrapbook Is On Sale At The Book Depository!

 Books and More books today on Karen Mom of Three's Craft blog, I love the Truly Me Craft book series and I think you will too. Living in Canada as I do I love having The Book Depository to order books from as the shipping is always free. Right now The Truly Me book kits are on sale and 30% off is a great savings! Doll Scrapbook is currently offered at $22.33 CND! Click here to view it on The Book Depository Site! 

Doll Celebrations is now on sale as well offered at $25.65 and no shipping fees makes this another wonderful set to purchase and put away for the up coming rainy days or even the holidays!
Click here for the listing on the book depository!

Thank you for joining us today! As with all our posts we would love to hear from you so please leave us a comment here or email us at karenmowen@gmail.com

Three Books For Doll Lovers To Love From The Book Depository

I grew up on Barbie and Cabbage Patch Dolls and I still lover them. I found this book for sewing for 12 inch dolls on The Book Depository and this is a book I think that you may love as well. Some of these patterns could easily work with the 6 inch mini AG dolls or the Lori dolls too. This book is perfect for beginning sewers and recommend for ages 7 and up. Click here to learn more about I CAN MAKE DOLL'S CLOTHES You can make 9 outfits with the patterns provided in this book.

Growing up I remember my mother who hated to sew, took a class and made me one of these dolls. I loved it so much. She took this class for a few weeks and at the end brought me one of these hand made dolls. I wish it had survived and that I still had it. This book however is about how to use doll play to explore feelings and explain culture. Click here to learn more.

I ordered this book for my niece last year from the book depository and she loved it. She is looming her way on to bigger projects each day! Click here to learn about this fun and easy craft where you can create for the 18 inch dolls and the mini dolls too! 

Thank you for joining us today! As with all our posts we would love to hear from you so please leave us a comment here or email us at karenmowen@gmail.com

Looking For An Easy Sew Pattern Book? Check Out Sleepover Party!

I just came across a fun sewing book for 18 inch dolls on The Book Depository!Written by Nadeen Ward,  check out Annie's Sewing Sleepover Party Sleepwear for 18 inch dolls. This book offeres 12 EASY TO SEW Pj's and swim suits. Perfect for those of you just starting out sewing for your dolls.
Join Nadeen Ward as she shows you how easy it is to sew pajamas, nightgowns and swimwear for your 18" dolls. Nadeen has taught sewing since 1980 and enjoys designing patterns that mimic current clothing trends for girls. In this book, she takes you step-by-step through the sewing process with patterns and tips that will help you create amazing sleepwear. So join our sleepover! Pick your favorite pattern and fabric and let's get sewing!

Summer is the perfect time to get sewing for your dolls. Check out this pattern book by clicking here.
Thank you for joining us today! As with all our posts we would love ot hear from you so please leave us a comment here or email us at karenmowen@gmail.com

Summer Fun With Lea, A New Summer Release Craft Kit!

Out this June by Emily Osborn is the new Explore with Lea craft book! We are so looking forward to seeing all the fun things you make with this set.
Girls can craft their way through Brazil with Lea as their guide! From creating a Queen of the Sea festival outfit to organizing a nature expedition, girls will have everything they need to explore the rich culture of Brazil (and maybe even learn a few words of Portuguese!). This book includes supplies for a wish bracelet, a telescope and jungle hammock activity, and more. 32 pages. Kit. Author: Emily Osborn.

For those of you like me living in Canada you can have the book shipped to you for Free using The Book Depository, which has it currently listed at $29.25 CND or $22.36 US. 
We think this would be a really fun summer craft activity book and love the idea of discovering the world of travel series through creative doll play.
To order your own copy of the book from The Book Depository please click here.
Amazon please click here.
As with all our posts we would love to hear from you so please leave us a comment here or email us at karenmowen@gmail.com

Got A Lea Fan At Home? Try Channing O'Banning And The Rain-forest Rescue!

I was sent this fun story to review called Channing O'banning and the Rainforest Rescue. If you have a GOTY Lea fan this is a great story to add to your summer reading program! This is a fun story about the importance of friendship and has some truly lovely moments.
What Happens When Your Least Favorite Person Is Your Only Hope for Rescue? When Channing O'Banning's BFF goes gaga over new boy Marco, Channing wishes she could send him back to where he came from. Her wish turns into her worst nightmare when Marco tags along on her family's dream trip to Marco's home country of Costa Rica. With her secret sketchbook in tow, a colored pencil stuck in her ponytail, and adorable pot-bellied pig, Teeny, by her side, Channing embarks on a high-flying adventure through the Costa Rican rainforest. But when the feisty fourth-grade artist makes a few wrong turns and gets lost in the jungle, she discovers that maybe Marco isn't so bad after all. Through her wild escapades, Channing learns just how important it is to keep the earth-and friendships-healthy.

You can find your own copy of Angela Spady's book, illustrated by Tammie Lyon in stores now and on line with free shipping from the book depository by clicking here.
As with all our posts we would love to hear from you so please leave us a comment here or email us at karenmowen@gmail.com

The Book Depository Has Doll Tees, Stamps & Stencils On Sale Now!

I was so excited to see this book on sale at The Book Depository. The Book Depository if you do not know offers FREE SHIPPING ON ALL ITS ITEMS ALL THE TIME. For Canadians like myself, this is a huge relief. With our current Canadian Dollar being worth less then the US dollar shopping on line may make you think twice when you factor the shipping costs but you don't have to worry with The Book Depository.
Fashion design takes a super-fun direction with this clever kit, filled with unique ideas for creating adorable tees and tanks for your doll! Discover really neat techniques for making fun patterns and shapes using only paint and stencils. And follow step-by-step instructions for making stamps from household items, too. Then, use your newly created stamps to make even more designs! Kit includes: 1 short-sleeved doll-sized T-shirt, 1 doll-sized tank top, 5 stencil sheets, design templates, and a 32-page how-to book.
Doll Tees Stamps & Stencils is the perfect party gift to give a doll lover. This craft set comes with a tank top and t-shirt for your dolls to create a fun look for their dolls. Currently this book is priced at $26.21 Canadian, $20.93 US.  (Currently on line at Indigo this book is more then $30 on sale!!!!!)
Click here to learn more about The Book Depository and this Book!
Thank you for joining us today as with all our posts we would love to hear from you so please leave us a comment here or email us at karenmowen@gmail.com