A wonderful Etsy shop so close to home!

Imagine my happy surprise to find an Etsy shop operated by a wonderful lady one hour from my house. There are very few Canadian Shops offering reasonably priced and beautifully made items for American Girl dolls. Whoa it's me is a great Etsy shop offering some fantastic deals for 18 inch dolls.

 Trudy of Whoa it's me creates some truly beautiful coats and her mother makes the Knit items and sweaters for 18 inch dolls
I love the colors and textures of their work.

These coats are REVERSIBLE! Twice the fun and a great addition to any doll play wardrobe! Her coats are more then reasonably priced at only  $14.00!

 

Whoa it's me offers complete doll outfits as well.

This set includes a knit sweater, hat and pants for $16.00

Other knit items such as these dresses ($12-$15)

or sewn outfits such as the twirl skirt and peasant top's ($9.00)

are offered at great prices making this shop a great bargain for multiple item purchasing as well as great additions to your dolls wardrobe. There are also many other wonderful items in this shop worth taking a look at!

Here is the wonderful interview I did with Whoa it's me

How did you get started sewing?

My Mom, who both knits and sews beautifully, got me started and I couldn’t have asked for a better teacher!  She really got me hooked when I received a sewing basket with satin lining for Christmas one year. I still have it! Then there were all of those years in home ec. (I haven’t made a welted pocket since).  I made lots of Barbie clothes for my younger sister, and did a lot of sewing for my kids when they were younger – including doll clothes, of course.  As they got older and I got busier, I neglected the sewing machine for a few years.  About the time my interest was renewed, I discovered Etsy (thanks sis!) and I decided to open my shop.  I have made a number of items for WhoaItsMe, but doll clothes has been my focus.  I’ve even gotten my Mom interested in creating for Etsy – all of the cute knit items in my shop are made by her.

What are your best sellers?

I like to add a bit of trim or lace or a little applique to many of my items, and that has been very popular. Along with my fabric obsession is an obsession with pretty trims and lace.  I have big stash of fabric and a smaller stash of trims that are perfect for doll clothes. I almost never make the same thing twice – even if I use the same fabric, the trim will be different.  Visitors to WhoaItsMe will find a lot of one-of-a-kind items.  Even dolls like to be a different from the crowd!  There is no mass production in my shop, and I enjoy making everything from pjs to dresses to winter coats, to give shoppers a wide selection.

 

How many dolls do you have and which ones?

About the time I started looking for an American Girl doll, I learned of a girl who was willing to part with two of hers.  I jumped at the chance before she could change her mind!  So it was more coincidence that I found Elizabeth and Ruthie. They couldn’t be more different. Elizabeth loves to read and write stories while Ruthie is out climbing trees. Ruthie loves to be in front of the camera, so you will see her frequently in my shop photos (well, that and the fact that her shorter hair makes it easier to photograph the back view!).  Elizabeth is more reserved and also likes to model my fashions as long as they are conservative.

 

How did you start with an American Girl doll as a Canadian? Why you chose American Girl over Maplelea Canada's doll? (if this was even an option)

It was a few years ago that I started looking for an 18 inch doll, and the Canadian Maplelea dolls weren’t in production yet. I wanted a top quality doll with a lot of personality, and the American Girl dolls are well known to have both.  Since I acquired Elizabeth and Ruthie, I have become familiar with other beautiful 18 inch dolls, including the Maplelea dolls.  I think the Maplelea manufacturer has done a terrific job of capturing the spirit of the Canadian girl, and it’s great that the dolls represent the various geographic regions of the country.  I especially like Saila, who represents the Inuit heritage, and both the modern and traditional aspects of the Canadian north. Maybe you will see a Maplelea doll modelling WhoaItsMe fashions some day!

 

What motivates you to keep creating for the dolls?

I try to make clothes that are cute, unique and reasonably priced.  I know what it’s like to be a Mom with a budget.  I like to think of a young girl who might be using her allowance or savings to purchase from my shop, and that motivates me to keep my prices low and my quality high.  All seams on my doll clothes are serged or otherwise finished. My clothes are made for the way girls play with their dolls. 

What item you like to make the most?

What I really like most is variety.  Recently, I’ve been having fun making some reversible jackets.  Following that was Christmas dresses, then pajamas (everyone needs new sleepwear for Christmas!).  Next, who knows? But whatever it is, I’ll be trying to incorporate a bit of trim into it

somewhere!

 

I’d like to add that I live close to the Canada / U.S. border.  So from now to Christmas, I am happy to take any orders from my American customers to the U.S. to mail to ensure that they aren’t held up in customs. 

ENTER TO WIN THIS OUTFIT,

Kindly made and donated by Whoa It's me! This give away includes the most beautifully made coat, shirt and pants. This contest will run from today to December 23rd. The prize will be mailed to the winner December 30th. To enter you must first have your parents permission. Visit Whoa It's Me 's Etsy shop  and in your email to me at karenmowen@gmail.com let me know what you liked best about this fun shop! A winner will be drawn on December 23 and I will let the winner know by email. 

Good luck!

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