melissaclaudine

[melissaclaudine]

You are so creative! This is too adorable.

Camp AG, Day 1: Welcome to camp!

The bus arrived on Sunday afternoon and dropped everyone off at camp. Now two weeks of fun and learning begin at Camp American Girl!

Each year, Camp AG has a themed project for the 24 campers to carry out. This year, they’ll be working together to make a small-scale mock national park, doing all the things that park rangers do to create and maintain a park. They’ll be learning to plan hiking trails and recreation areas, care for wildlife, identify plants, follow maps and coordinates, navigate rugged terrain, and preserve natural resources. They will work hands-on to understand the science behind preserving the natural beauty of the land. 

It’s not all just work, though–there will be plenty of time for relaxing, making new friends, and outdoor play! 

Camp AG is nestled in the far southern Rocky Mountains, at an elevation of about 8500 feet. It sits on the shore of a beautiful alpine lake fed by melted snow. The forest is populated by oak, spruce, fir, pine, and aspen trees. Deer, mountain lions, bald eagles, and elk share the space. There are no big cities nearby, so the night sky is dark and resplendent with stars. 

There’s a main lodge containing a cafeteria, a classroom, a laboratory, a game room, and a common area. Behind the lodge are smaller cabins where the campers will sleep (look closely through the trees and you’ll see them). There’s a boathouse on the lake, and walking trails encircling the water.

Keep reading

[melissaclaudine]

New doll!

Again haha

Her name is Nova and she loves stars if you couldn’t tell

[melissaclaudine]

fly high, birdie 🐦

[melissaclaudine]

🌷💐Barbie Flower Shop set, 2000. It had a refillable water pump in the back you could press to pump water through the fountain⛲️!💐🌷

[melissaclaudine]

Hey, I adore your posts and I always get super inspired buy your customs! I really want to start posting my own dolls and be apart of the community, but I'm scared. How did you start? (If I can ask!) Thank you!

You just need to start honestly. There’s no right or wrong way of doing things, it’s just posting images of things you love, and the more you do it the easier it gets.

Honestly I am soooooo full of anxiety and doubts that I can often get analysis paralysis so I try not to overthink what I’m posting, which is why I tend to post 5763763576765 disjointed images a day rather than trying to curate and make pretty images once a month.

Just go for it.

[melissaclaudine]

Emmeline put on her new bonnet 💖

[melissaclaudine]

DIY Felicity’s accessories

I’ve had my Felicity doll since I was about nine years old, and by now I have most of her dress collection. But one thing I never got around to buying for her was her accessories set. 

The original accessories included a round-eared cap trimmed with a red ribbon, a purse, a set of garters, a handkerchief, a necklace, and a triangle-shaped coin called a bit. It changed a little in the early 2000s by replacing the red ribbon with a purple ribbon, and switching out the necklace with a purple flower choker. Now that Felicity and all of her collection are retired, a complete accessory set is difficult to find and not cheap. So, as I often do when I can’t afford to pay scalper prices, I just made my own, with the exception of two things.

One of the things I did buy was her purse. I found it for under $10 total. It’s the Pleasant Company version that has a slightly different pattern on each side of the purse. I figured I’d spend just as much on some pretty brocade, if I even managed to find something suitable. 

It’s a very cute purse. It has a drawstring with a burgundy ribbon. It holds her money as well as her handkerchief, which I made from scraps of white cotton and lace. Very easy, no pattern needed. 

The other thing I did not make was her set of garters. I got them years ago when I bought Felicity’s shoes, socks, and garters set. It came with a duplicate pair of white stockings, a pair of embroidered blue stockings, a pair of white shoes with snap-on interchangeable blue and red ribbons, and these garters. They have a message from Mother, “wove with love for Lissie 1774″ on them. 

Inside her purse is her coin.  

I found a listing on eBay that had some good quality up-close pictures of both sides of the bit. I had these printed at a print shop as small as I could get them, then glued both images to a piece of foam core that I flattened just a bit by pressing on it. I wrapped a thin strip of rigid aluminum around the perimeter to cover the foam core.

In 1774, the colonies didn’t have standardized currency as we know it now. The U.S. didn’t begin to make its own money until 1792. Before then, coins from all over the world were used, with the bit being the most popular coin in Virginia. It was made by cutting a Spanish dollare into eight pieces, so a bit was one eighth of a dollare, or 12.5 cents.  

Her coral necklace was easy to make, too.

These are just basic red beads from a craft store. I strung them on a thin plastic cord and added clasps to both ends. I got enough to make two necklaces in case one gets lost. I spent less than $5 on the beads, and to my eye it looks indistinguishable from the original one. 

Last is her round-eared cap.

It’s made of white muslin and burgundy satin ribbon. I used the Pleasant Company patterns to make it, but instead of hemming the ruffle like it says I just folded the fabric over so there was nothing to hem. The ribbon on mine is darker than the cinnamon-red one on the original, but by coincidence it’s a perfect match to the drawstring ribbon on her purse.

Now she looks just like her book cover!

[melissaclaudine]

New outfits for Addy and Emma

Emma just looks so good in pink, I personally don’t like the color that much, but she makes it work

[melissaclaudine]

What kind of name do you want your new doll to have? (Modern, unique, elegant, "old-timey...)

I am not so sure yet.... perhaps unique? That's what I usually go for. I'll have to surf a baby name website lol.

[melissaclaudine]

I wish she was! Alas, she's not @benbunny

After a whole year, I've finally bought my next doll! I have seen a few collectors who mainly collect black dolls. As a black collector, I was starting to notice that my doll collection didn't reflect my identity as much.... So, since I was able to grt actively back into collecting, I set a goal to mainly purchase black dolls for a while. A good friend of mine found her on Mercari for me and I was able to get her for a good price! She's in great condition (minus the pen marks on her ears where earrings would go...).

Now, for a name and outfit change.

[melissaclaudine]

After a whole year, I've finally bought my next doll! I have seen a few collectors who mainly collect black dolls. As a black collector, I was starting to notice that my doll collection didn't reflect my identity as much.... So, since I was able to grt actively back into collecting, I set a goal to mainly purchase black dolls for a while. A good friend of mine found her on Mercari for me and I was able to get her for a good price! She's in great condition (minus the pen marks on her ears where earrings would go...).

Now, for a name and outfit change.

[melissaclaudine]

Ahhhh!!! Thank you for this! So cute! 

I made Rebecca’s beforever outfit in acnh! I chose her beforever meet outfit instead of her old one because it looked more fun to make in game. This outfit is technically just a coat in game, so you can put skirts and pants on under it. I find short skirts that peek out just a little are great for mimicking old timey underclothes

[melissaclaudine]

Hey, friends! I hope you all have been doing well lately. Today, I took Luna outside! It's the first time I've done an outdoors photoshoot since December. It felt really nice. It's so gorgeous out, I decided to spend the afternoon in the backyard.

Now, I'll be doing a mini AG read-a-thon. I went to savers several weeks ago and I almost have Felicity's book collection complete. I found Lindsey's book as well. I never grabbed anything so fast. She was my first (and only) American Girl doll as a kid, so anything having to do with her makes me excited. I used to read this book all the time. Cant wait to crack it open!

[melissaclaudine]

Y’all Nanea is so gorgeous! her collection is so pretty and her face mold is so pretty!

i missed the kanani era but hawaiian ag doll’s are just sooo pretty

[melissaclaudine]

I also don't like the new dolls....

I was starting to feel like I was the only person that didn't, honestly. They're just totally not my taste.

[melissaclaudine]

Also, quick opinion on the new Truly Me dolls: meh.... Not thrilled. The positive about them is that people who aren’t interested in customizing their own dolls or children who want rainbow unicorn hair on their girls have what they want. There are plenty of people who don’t know about the customizing world. Also, this shows that AG is paying attention to what the community is up to. That I can appreciate.

For me, it just boils down to personal taste. Just a few days ago I was talking about how much I despise the colored wigs. 86 is decent. Her hair color is subdued. I’m personally so bored with the Josefina mold and I can’t say I like the decal eyes on this doll. 88 is just a flat out NO for me. I’ve also have seen complaints on Instagram that the wigs are thin? I can’t fight the feeling that there might be doll wig companies that will be hurt by this new colorful wig addition to the dolls.... which grinds my gears. Real people will lose out on money.

Long story short, it’s a hard pass for me. However, I’m very happy for those who like it and I’m happy that American Girl is taking the hint.

[melissaclaudine]

Spotted at TJ Maxx a few days ago! They were listed at $20 each. I’ve had the idea of buying a mini to carry around with me in my purse. Here’s Miss Julie and Miss Nanea. Maryellen was also available, but the guy working in the toy department was giving me a strange look, haha. 

For everything you’re getting, including a little stand, I think it’s a good deal. When I get a little money later in the week, I’m going to go ahead and pick up Nanea. 

If you have a TJ Maxx  near you, check the toy section.