GOTY Isabelle 18 inch or Mini Doll?

Thank you to living A Doll's Life for this photo!

Well as many of you know already the new GOTY from American Girl is named Isabelle. American Girl has gone all out this year offering a doll with Pink Hair Extensions! Though I have only seen photos that were leaked on the internet and google, my first impression was "Pink hair?" Wow!

I am very excited to see what this year and her story will bring but I am most excited with the 6 inch mini doll release. I ordered her on Christmas Eve from The Book Depository, sight unseen. I am really excited to see that American Girl is releasing her as a 6 inch doll like they did for Saige!
I did not get a Saige Mini doll this year, though I still hope too.I am very much looking forward to having Mini Isabelle and her arrival! I wonder how they will work her Pink Hair into the Mini doll!

You can pre order your own mini doll on the Book Depository by clicking here like I did,
Or Barns&Noble by clicking here

I would love to head your thoughts on the 2014 Girl of the year so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Now That Christmas Is Over Time To Get Ready To "Bling In The New Year!" With Darice's Rhinestone Setter Hot-Fix Applicator! Tutorial and Product Review

 

Well the coolest new tool in my craft box is the Darice Rhinestone Setter from consumercrafts.com 

This little tool is going to help me "Bling in the New Year" with Today's T-Shirt Craft

 

To make your own 2014 Blinged out T-Shirt you will need:
-Darice Rhinestone Setter Hot-Fix Applicator from Consumer Crafts. Com
-Hot-Fix Glass Rhinestones 
-Doll T-shirt
-Cardboard
-A Sewing needle
-A Pencil or Pencil crayon

 

Step 1-  Assemble all your supplies. Select the 5mm tip from your Rhinestone Setter and screw it in to the tip of the applicator. Turn on your Rhinestone Setter and wait 2 minutes for it to heat up.

Step 2- Slide a piece of cardboard into your doll shirt.

Step 3- Use a pencil or pencil crayon to write the year 2014

Step 4- Use the tip of the Rhinestone Setter to pick up one of the hot fix rhinestones. Shiny side up! Press it on to the t shirt where you made the marks. Press into the shirt gently for 5 seconds and pull the setter back, the gem should stay in place. If the gem is stuck use a sewing needle and insert it between the slit in the applicator tip. This should loosen the glue. Repeat with more rhinestones until your "2014" is covered in Rhinestones!

Step 5- Turn off your applicator and let it cool completely before you put it away. Put the shirt on your doll and she will be ready to Bling In the New Year!

I hope you enjoyed today's Tutorial. My review of this product is that it is outstanding! I highly recommend adding this very useful tool to your collection. I know this tool is going to get so much use this year!

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

Make Your Own Holiday Crowns For Your Dolls Using Felties Rick Rack and Pom-Poms from Darice!

Well it is Christmas Day and soon the gifts will all be open and the Turkey in the oven. If you have some time to craft today why not make some holiday crowns for your dolls to wear to dinner tonight?
To create your own Holiday Crowns You will need:
-Darice Felties Rick Rack I got mine from consumercrafts.com
-A Ruler
-Pom-Poms
-A Glue Gun and Glue or Glue Dots
-Scissors

Step 1- Unravel 12 inches of felt Rick Rack from your cardboard, make a cut.
Step 2- Add a dab of glue to one short edge and line up your ends over lapping so that there is no overhang on your crown.
Step 3- Add a dab of glue to the points of the top of your crown and attach a pom-pom I used yellow and purple but you can use any color you wish!
Step 4- Let dry and place on your dolls head so she is ready for Christmas Dinner!

I hope you enjoyed your Christmas and that you have enjoyed today's craft! I look forward to sharing more doll crafts with you in the coming days!
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

Madelon's Visit To American Girl. Photos Of The Store Exclusive Dress & Store Decked Out For The Holidays!

Earlier this month Madelon shared with me some of her photos from a recent trip she took to the American Girl Store near her. I was not able to make it into the store this holiday season so I loved seeing the store exclusive through Madelon's Lens.

 

This exclusive dress was priced at $70+ 

 

Beautifully displayed and boxed. I wonder how many people will find this set under their tree this year? The dress reminds me of a Cinderella type ball gown and I do love the wrap.

If you received this dress for Christmas please feel free to send me a photograph and your thoughts about the dress to karenmowen@gmail.com 

Madelon also sent in this beautiful photo of Rebecca!

Saige waves good bye!

Treats in the Bistro!

All the dolls holiday outfits! I love this photo Madelon!

I

I love the snow play photo!

 

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

Dolly Advent 2013- Day 24

Well it is the last pocket reveal today and I have to admit I will so miss doing this each day and sharing with you. I can not wait for next year already! The last pocket contains dolly cooking utensils and my niece Thea will be over the moon to play with these in a few hours when she comes over.
I know that next years advent will be even more fun as more of out there join in the fun.
I hope you have enjoyed this years 2013 Advent Swap and I look forward to doing this again next year!
Thank you to all my wonderful partners and friends who made this possible.
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 Your Dolls A Cozy Touque & Scarf With Darice Pom-Poms From Consumer Crafts.Com

I know it is Christmas Eve and you are likely pressed for time but if you are like me you may be looking for something to keep the kids occupied until bed time! Why not Get out the Craft box and create this fun Touque & Scarf with your doll lovers this afternoon?
To create your own Cozy Set you will need:

- A Magic Glove (You can use any color, I happened to have in my craft box this Conley white glove it's mate long gone) or you can use a sock.
- A strip of Felt or Polar fleece 20 inches long
-Scissors
- Darice Glue Sticks or Glue Dots from Consumercrafts.com 
-Glue Gun
-Darice Pom-Poms I used Glitter Pom Poms from Consumercrafts.com
-A Piece of String cut to 6 inches or Yarn to tie of the glove fingers or sock top
-Your Doll 

 
Step 1- Assemble all your supplies, and plug in your glue gun if you are using a glue gun instead of glue dots.
Step 2-Gather your glove fingers and tie off and knot the glove as shown in the photo above.
Step 3- Use your Scissors to trim the fingers off the glove or the top of the sock 1-2 inches from your knot.
Step 4- Open your pom poms.

Step 5- Decide where you will place your pom poms and glue into place go all around the bottom of your hat.
Step 6- fold a piece of Felt or Polar Fleece in half so that it measures 10 inches by 2 inches and when folded in length and cut out your scarf (or cut one 20 inch by 2 inch strip).
Step 7- Use your scissors to make a fringe on the bottom of your scarf ends make  1 inch snips along your scarf short ends.
Step 8- Glue pom poms into place along the top edge of your fringe as shown in the photo above. Repeat on the other side.

Make this craft today or tuck it away for your next snow day or sleep over party. This is a fun and easy way to use Darice Pom Pom's! I could  not have created today's craft with out the wonderful people at Darice and Consumercrafts.com . I recommend keeping a well stocked craft box and Consumer Crafts.com make it easy to fill that box! Consumer Crafts. Com really does make creativity affordable!
I hope you enjoy your day!
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

It's Christmas Eve! My Third Blog Aniversary!

How the time does fly! It is Christmas Eve. How does this happen? Every year it seems we plan and anticipate, scheme and prepare and yet it sneaks up on us year after year. This is such a special time for me, for my family and my blog and I thank each and everyone of you who has followed along this season, read my blog, stumbled on to us on Facebook, Pinterest or Blogger.

Not only is it Christmas Eve but it is also my blog's Third Anniversary. I began this blog Three years ago on a whim. I started this blog at the suggestion of strangers, who would later become treasured friends, that I had met through FB about sharing my doll sewing and craft adventures. I honestly never thought anyone would read it outside my own family. I could never have imagined the way this blog would change my life.

Three years ago a life I could not have imagined for myself began to unfold and each and everyone of you is a part of that journey. I want to thank you for stopping by, for what ever lead you here. Your words, comments and emails have been so encouraging, thoughtful and kind.  It is for each one of you who took the time to let me know you were out there reading and enjoying my work that I continue to write, create and share.

A Special Thank you to Brandy, Madelon, Jessica T for the ideas, crafts and fun finds you have shared with me so that I can share with our readers.  Thank you to Deena of Deena and Beena You tube and Lauren M for your wonderful Dolly Friendship.  Thank you also to Kathryn at Daydream Doll Boutique for giving me another place to share my doll play ideas and crafts.

A Very Special thank you  to Char at Doll Diaries, Anna at Doll it Up and Laura Kelly of Laura Kelly Designs who have included me on the most fantastic and creative teams I could have every dreamed of belonging too.

Thank you to all the wonderful Etsy Shops who have let us have a behind the scenes look at their passion and their work, the pattern designers who give me sneak peeks so that I may share my true opinions of their work with all of you. Thank you to Springfield Collection and Fiber Craft for creating a line of amazing dolls and products that truly helps put doll play in the hands of those who could not previously attain  quality doll play items. Thank you to Canada's Maplelea for including us this year their in their 10 year anniversary and sending me their Set To Celebrate Party Set! 

I would also like to thank the companies of Sculpey Clay, Buttons Galore & More, Rit Dye and Rit Studio,  Coats & Clark, Red Heart Yarns, Plaid and Folk Art and Laura Kelly Designs for allowing me to share their amazing products with you and helping me to create wonderful doll play items for you, my nieces, my doll swap partners and my family. 

Today I am so very thankful for all of you and hope you will join us for more doll play in the coming days and new year.
If Christmas is a holiday you and your family celebrate then I wish you a Very Merry Christmas and look forward to sharing more with you soon!
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