American Girl Personal Shoppers

What is a personal shopper? A personal shopper is a free service by American Girl at their stores. I have never had the experience with one so maybe one of my fans can write something up for me to post here hmmm please *wink*

Chicago:

Tracy Stewart

tracy.stewart@americangirl.com

312-288-2801, fax 312-288-2808

Ingrid Argueta

312-288-2816

ingrid.argueta@americangirl.com

Boston:

David - 508.810.3507

persshopbos@americangirl.com

Carol Miller

508-810-3507

Carol.Miller@americangirl.com

Atlanta:

Kay

770-625-5211

Cindy Wells

Cindy.Wells@AmericanGirl.com

770-625-5211

Columbus Store :

Suzy Owen

614-904-3935

Sue.Owen@americangirl.com

Karla Rodriguez

Karla.Rodriguez2@AmericanGirl.com

614-904-3936

Denver :

Jeannette Monical

303-305-5550

jeannette.monical@americangirl.com

Mall of America:

Kathy Weisensel

kathy.weisensel@americangirl.com

952-852-7450

Mary Halvorson

mary.halvorson@americangirl.com

952-852-7432.

LA :

LA Karina

Karina.Lemus@AmericanGirl.com

Kay Rodriguez

karina.rodriguez2@americangirl.com

323-602-5970 or 323-602-5864

NY :

Robyn

212-401-6592

Christie Iacovella

(212) 401-6466

Christie.Iacovella@AmericanGirl.com

Seattle :

Jessica Murfin

jessica.murfin@americangirl.com

425.412.2938

Anne Musquiz

anne.musquiz@americangirl.com

425.412.2938

St Louis :

Mandy Hard

mandy.hard@americangirl.com

636-534-4870

Dollhouse Options for our 18 inch girls.

My Girls Doll House www.mygirlsdollhouse.com

Our Generation (Target) Doll House http://www.target.com/p/our-generation-wooden-dollhouse/-/A-14665034

Kidkraft 18 inch doll house http://www.walmart.com/ip/KidKraft-Elegant-Manor-Dollhouse-Cooking-with-Calphalon-5-Quart-Hard-Anodized-Nonstick-Chili-Pot-with-Lid/27158878

This Etsy store 

https://www.etsy.com/people/itzPurple

American Doll Room

https://www.americandollroom.com//viewCategories.cfm?categoryID=2

Enchanted Cottage Doll House http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPtWANSVmBQ (If you have a website please post the info)

Buy plans from Etsy.com and make yourself

Ikea Cubes that are at least 2 Feet tall

Target Bookshelves customized....

Lanie or OG Camper. Kits Treehouse or a knock off.

Fashion Angels Soho Loft http://www.amazon.com/LOFTY-FASHION-ANGELS-LIVING-LARGE/dp/B000069BE8

Grahams Attic Dollhouse https://www.facebook.com/pages/Grahams-Attic-Dollhouses/512780602171582

Get wood and make yourself as many of us have...

More options https://www.flickr.com/photos/130731950@N02/sets/72157650281038196/

Mo

My dream Christmas gift as a child

Most little girls dream of horses... My grandfather owned a farm so I had a horse..
There was a year I asked for an electronic diary... I didn't get it till I was like 16.. way out grown of it at that point sadly...

What I dreamed of getting and never stopped wishing for was an American Girl doll. Yes you've heard me talk about it before but I am serious... I wanted the doll. My Guardian wouldn't spend the money on the doll but fed my love to read these doll's stories and they had several other things you could buy as well. I had it all.. Samantha's stories, Kirsten, Molly, and Addy... I had their books and like stationary and diary.... I never had that moment to own Samantha or Kirsten (my favorites) and their worlds... beds, dolls, clothing galore... As another blogger said even in the 80's and 90's it was easily someone's 401K. In the 80's and 90's it was mainly only available by catalog order that could have also played a role... My grandmother did get me a nice doll but it wasn't Samantha and Kirsten. When my daughters friend introduced her to the dolls I was ecstatic and she got her first one for her birthday.. I got it locally through another mother though. At least I made her dreams come true.. oh and one year a few years ago... my husband surprised me on my birthday finally with Samantha...

(Skylar's first American Girl doll)

(McKenna her doll she got for Christmas)

and finally my Samantha from my handsome husband

Our Boys love AG too

William my five year old tends to copy his sister. I got to thinking maybe I would get him a boy doll. Well American Girl doesn't make boy dolls. A couple of lucky circumstances landed me with a TLC doll and a wig... Given advice from my AG friends and watched a youtube video.. I gathered supplies (non acetone fingernail polish remover, eye dropper, spoon, and E600 glue) and after a few hours of working on the wig I got it off and now for what I thought was the scary part... putting the wig on. My friends had me shaking in my boots. But it was easy... at least for a boy wig... and then came out Lil Will...

Sure enough William LOVES him.. He doesn't always get play but I am happy for it. William knows there is a doll there if he wants one and its ALL him.

Then I overheard Skylar say I want a blonde boy... I thought she wanted a boy doll too. She always would torture one of her dolls and pull back their hair and dress them in the worst outfit and she would say oh she is homeless or she is the boy. :x

+Beth Applegate  had a doll made for her son and then her son changed her mind so I jumped on the deal! Skylar ended up with the blonde boy -- except she meant a baby boy oops. Oh well Will is happy to have Carlo too! Carlo is a custom doll made by a friend named Tara.. look on the FAQ post for the link to her Facebook page. Oh and Skylar did end up getting a baby boy sooner or later haha.

Now I am saving money to get Tara to do another custom that looks like Mackenzie since I have look a like dolls for Skylar and William.. :)

Some of my favorite American Girl type business's

Getting married or have a special occasion? My friend Stephanie designed and made this beautiful dress for Skylar and her doll (see my header)

 

Kalli Alba Bridal Couture
https://www.facebook.com/KalliAlbaBridalCouture

My friend Laura made a Thanksgiving feast for my dolls. She is always making something creative!

https://www.facebook.com/americangirlcreations

Love Gymboree? Want your little girl and her doll to match? Check out Carols Obsession

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carolsobsession/316290805206666

 

At the NEACA craft show there was a couple of booths that made doll clothing and awesome furniture.. I went around collecting business cards to share with yall. This guy makes furniture solid wood and he is out of Hazel Green AL .. Billy and Becky Martin email them at bembam@Att.net tell them Bella from Bama Belle's Doll group sent you

Specializing in rescued American Girl and Gotz dolls, 18 inch doll clothes, accessories and repairs.

Bring Back the Magic....One Doll at a Time

https://www.facebook.com/TheDollFairy

Met this lady at NEACA craft show ...https://www.etsy.com/shop/SewingByAnnie very nice

Debra Watson Ashworth lhttps://www.facebook.com/debrawatson.ashworth… and makes doll clothing, children's jewelry and hair bows 205.365.4320 or bowlady1@hotmail.com

Candy's Collection had by far the best doll clothes for all the sizes of dolls and some would even work for the boy dolls she doesn't have much info on the card she gave me but I KNOW she had a website on another card and she gave me her email last show.. her number is 901-335-3160 she's got beautiful clothes, shoes and sleeping bags.. 901-335-3160 a lot of collegiate wear and she's not local but I have seen her at the last two shows and I keep wanting one particular dress from her but never end up having enough cash

Reborn artists
https://www.etsy.com/shop/southernthrills

Show off Thread

Hair Care and Hot Water Dunks

Hot Water Dunk

Since A Hot Water Dunk was requested....Here it is!!

Link ~~~>http://livingadollslife.blogspot.com/2014/09/hot-water-treatment-doll-hair.html

I want to add there are many ways to do it. I do many so I take the quick route but I will explain more - pictures might not show all detail.

Warning careful not to get the wig cap or eyes wet. Make sure that the wig cap is not drenched with any water or product. It can cause mold.

#1 Prepare Your Area : doll, towels, gentle shampoo of your choice or wig shampoo (some people use dawn dish soap or baby shampoo), foam rollers (dollar general) and I use John Frieda deep infusion (wig spray or braid spray works also- non oil variety)

#2 Wash Doll Hair: dust and dirt does collect on the hair, best to ensure clean fresh hair before condition and rolling.

#3 Hot Water: My tap water is hot enough, some boil and slightly cool. Dampen hair with the hot water but try not to soak wig cap with it for it will loosen the glue. Steam in the eyes can also damage eyes its best to keep them covered through the whole treatment. 

#4 towel dab hair so it is not dripping. Optional: Add conditioner/softener of your choice, comb thru hair.

#5 rollers: I purchase mine for $1. Either roll the hair for previous curl style or create your own. This will also curl straight hair. I make sure ends are in as much as possible. I poured the cooled boiled water over her hair to set the curlers then let them sit for 24 hours.

#6 Drying: This can be done many ways. Sun (if head is attached, cover body with towel so there is no fading) Air dry, or blow dryer on low heat. All work well with same results. I air/sun dry

#7 Styling: Once hair is dry, take out rollers and style the hair!

Other hints: You can let the steam from the boiling pot straighten the hair or if you have a flat iron with settings put it on the lowest setting or let it cool after being on and run through the dolls hair. Wigs are made of synthetic fibers and will burn so be careful nothing is TOO hot for the dolls.

Do not downy dunk it will cause gunk caught up in the wig cap and leaves a film like it does on your clothes. Over time it even breaks down the fibers in their hair.

Flatten bangs to the face or they will come out funky 

ALWAYS dampen when brushing with a small water bottle. ALWAYS use an American Girl brush, wig brush, a brand of brush called "Wet" brush, Boars hair brush and never use the dolls brush on your hair or your child's hair then back to using it as a doll brush. The oils and chemicals in our hair can damage their hair. 

http://www.americangirl.com/play/doll-hair-and-care/index.php

How to do Marie-Grace's Meet Style

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z-dESnBJ3o

Addy Meet Hairstyle Tutorial

http://livingadollslife.blogspot.com/2014/09/addys-beforever-meet-hairstyle.html?spref=pi&m=1

http://livingadollslife.blogspot.com/2014/06/opening-new-doll-addy-review.html

Kirsten's Braids

http://livingadollslife.blogspot.com/2014/01/how-to-do-kirstens-loop-braids.html

Modern Hair Styles and OG styles for every doll

http://livingadollslife.blogspot.com/2013/05/modern-doll-hair-styles.html

Addy's hair is not that serious

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qE4NO0in4qg

American Girl Doll Hair Studio - Part 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mg9XB2vrkvE

Original Historical Hair Styles

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/105623553736355326/

http://livingadollslife.blogspot.com/p/hair-care-styles.html

• Feel free to add your suggestions or questions in the comments so I can continiously keep this updated!!