American Girl 2015 Girl of the Year Grace Thomas

As most of you know, my mom and I tend to buy used dolls, especially when it comes to the American Girl line.  Neither of us has the type of budget to buy brand new AG dolls every time we add one to our collection.  However, there are times when we get to splurge.  My mom had some extra play money and decided that this year, she really wanted to get Grace Thomas, the new Girl of the Year for 2015.  It was the best of both worlds for me.  I got to hold her and take pictures, but I didn't have to buy her or find a place to put her. ;)  

So the other day, when I went over to my mom's before she took my daughters to Awana, I did a little photo shoot of Grace.  I know it's late enough that most of you have probably already seen plenty of photos of her, but hopefully you'll still find this post enjoyable. ;)

Here she is!  I can't state enough how gorgeous this doll is.  I love her coloring. :)   

She has the Josefina face mold, dark brown hair with lighter brown streaks and side bangs, and what appears to be the regular blue eyes (not the really dark blue ones like Kit's).

She also has a unique eyebrow design and a brand new freckle pattern.  Her lips are the brighter, pinker color of other newer AG dolls. 

Here's a look at the variation of color in her hair. 

Her hair should be pretty nice for play.  It has just enough wave to hold a style but isn't so curly that it will take a lot of upkeep.  

She does have the braid in the front that will probably get messy after some normal play, and her side bangs might end up getting mixed in with the longer hairs if the braid is taken out.  But other than that, I think her hair should be rather low maintenance.  There are a lot of styles you can do with the braid in, so even though her hair is partially styled, there's still a lot of play that could happen here.

Grace has a white Paris-themed shirt with sparkly decals and Velcro closure in the back (sorry I didn't get a picture of the back of her clothing!). 

She has a little charm bracelet that is super cute.  According to my mom, it was really hard to get on because the fit was so tight, so it probably wouldn't be something you'd want your kiddos taking on and off all the time.

Her skirt is made of a soft, pink material.  If I remember correctly, it just slides off and does not have Velcro.

Her slouchy, grey boots are adorable.

They have cute little bows on the sides. 

Since Chrissa (the Girl of the Year from 2009) has similar coloring to Grace, my mom wanted to see them together.  She dressed her in Grace's Baking Outfit for the photo shoot.  

As you can see, the two dolls are very similar but unique enough that having both in one's collection wouldn't feel like having two of the same doll.  I think they would make great sisters, don't you? :)

Since I was already taking pictures, I figured I'd take some of the Baking Outfit itself, too. 

We'll start from the top and work our way down. ;)  The Baking Outfit comes with a cute, pink ribbon headband.  I'm assuming it's stretchy, although it was already on the doll when I arrived and I forgot to check. :} 

A brief detour here. ;)  This necklace was not a part of the Baking Outfit, but was a bracelet my mom found on clearance at Claire's a week or so ago.  We thought it would work well as a chunky necklace for the dolls.  It even has a little Eiffel Tower to go with Grace's Paris theme! ;) 

Okay, moving on. ;)  The rest of the outfit consists of a light blue shirt with cupcake motifs, a black and pink apron...

...and pink leggings.  I didn't get a picture of it, but the leggings have a little tag that says "Grace, American Girl" on them.

The outfit also includes these adorable blue flats with little black bows. :) 

Here is a look at the apron from the back.

The straps attach with Velcro at the top of the "skirt" (which is actually part of the apron), making the apron easy to remove. 

While we were doing the Grace photo shoot, we thought it would be fun to include some pictures of Nellie as well.  She has the same Josefina face mold as Chrissa and Grace.  Nellie also has the typical American Girl freckle pattern, so you can see the differences.

Nellie looks a bit taller than Grace in these photos, but I believe it's primarily because she has slight heels on her shoes.  

Here are all three girls together.  Mom's thinking about making all three of them sisters. ;) 

As you can see, Nellie got into the baking theme with Chrissa.  She's wearing an apron from the "My Life As" line from Walmart.

Here's a closer look at all three girls.  It's really hard to tell from these pictures (I'm not used to the lighting at Mom's), but Nellie's eyes, which are the same darker blue as Kit's, are slightly darker than Grace and Chrissa's.

Nellie 

Grace (sorry this one's a bit out of focus!)

Chrissa 

My mom and I both have the Grace Mini Doll which was released along with Grace. 

Mini Grace has soft, silky hair.  Her outfit is all one piece.  She also has the new, all-vinyl body they've started using for the mini dolls.

I'm not going to rate Grace.  I've done enough American Girl doll reviews that you guys know I'm a fan. ;)  I do love her coloring and think she'd be a great addition to any American Girl fan's doll family. ;)  My mom is very happy with her, and my girls think she's gorgeous. ;)  I think she's adorable too, but I'm completely maxed out on space for any more 18" dolls, and I have other things I'm saving for instead.  And to be honest, if I were to get a new AG doll, I think I'd go for #61 instead since I already have so many brunette girls.  I still love her, though, and I'm glad my mom got her so I can enjoy her too. ;)

How about you guys?  Are any of you tempted to add Grace to your doll collection?

You can see Grace and all of her clothing and accessories HERE on American Girl's website.

Happy New Year and the New AG Girl of the Year :)

Happy New Year, everyone!  I can't believe it's already 2015! :)  I hope this year is full of God's best for all of you. :)

Most of you who are into American Girl dolls are probably already aware of this, but I just thought I'd mention that the new Girl of the Year, Grace Thomas, is officially up on the American Girl website.  You can see her whole collection HERE.

I think she's a cutie, but as I'm running out of room for dolls, I don't think she'll be joining my doll family.  I think she'd make a great sister for my mom's Chrissa doll, though. ;)  I really like a lot of her outfits and accessories.  Here are the things I would love to add to my collection:

Grace's City Outfit 

(original image HERE)

This outfit is sweet and has great mix and match possibilities.  I especially love the sweater. :)  It's selling for $34, which is pretty typical for new AG outfits.  A little more than I'd like to spend, but if we ended up at an AG Place this year, I wouldn't mind getting this as a souvenir. ;)  

Grace's Travel Coat

(original image HERE)

I really love the color and style of this coat.  It's $28, and the coat is all you get (the boots pictured are her meet boots).  Again, a little more than I'd like to spend, but super cute. :)

Grace's Travel Set

(original image HERE)

This set has so many fun details, and I really like the color scheme of everything.  I think I'd have a hard time spending the $44 on this set when I could get a pretty nice Our Generation Travel set (of comparable quality) for half that cost.  I can dream though, right? ;)

And speaking of dreaming, if I had the funds AND the space, these two things would be pretty cool:

Grace's Pastry Cart

(original image HERE)

Check out all the amazing detail and all of the cute goodies on this thing!  My daughters and I would have loads of fun setting this up and playing. ;)  It's $150, though, which is a bit out of our price range at the moment.  Plus, I'm not sure where we'd put it.  Apparently a lot of people really like this set, because it's already on backorder! 

Grace's French Bakery

(original image HERE)

And while we're dreaming, I might as well share a picture of this incredible bakery.  This thing is HUGE and has over 60 accessories.  I have no clue where we would put it, but it would sure be fun. ;)  This one retails for $500.  Again, not really in our price range at the moment. ;)

What are your favorite releases from Grace's collection?  Will Grace or any of her things be joining your doll families?

Happy 2014!! :)

Wow, I can't believe that 2014 is here already.  Where has the time gone? :}  On to a brand new year, full of unknown adventures and challenges.

I decided this might be a good time to check on the thirteen things I wanted to work on in 2013.  Then I wished I hadn't.  I pretty much bombed on all thirteen!!   Part of that was me being too clever.  Thirteen goals can be a bit overwhelming, especially for a non-organized perfectionist like me. ;)

So, since I didn't want to spend the day huddled in a corner going over all of my failings, I thought I'd review some of the things I did accomplish this year. :)  Hopefully I won't sound too conceited here...you can let me know if I do. ;)

1.  I gave my blog a completely new look, making it less cluttered and (hopefully) a bit easier to navigate.

2.  I added Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube to my social media accounts.  I tried Twitter, too, but that didn't work out so well for me, so I dropped it.

3.  I hit 300 followers and then passed it by. (310?  Seriously?) :D  I reached over 734,000 page views.  Incredible.  I had no clue I would come so far in this blogging journey.  You guys are amazing. :)

4.  This year marked the first time a toy company contacted me and offered me a product to review for free.  (Ahhh Products' "Lil Me" Bean bag chair for dolls and Moose Toys' "The Zelfs") :)

5.  I did do a pretty good job with family devotions this summer.  Every morning, the girls and I read a chapter from the book of John, a chapter from the Bible Knowledge Commentary about the same chapter in John, and then watched the corresponding chapter in "The Gospel of John".  (Although the translation used in this version is not my favorite, I appreciate the fact that they dramatize the story using the text of the Bible only, so there's a lot less room for odd creative license.)  It was a really wonderful experience for all of us, and we had some great discussions. :)

6.  I started teaching an art class.  It's been a unique experience...a little crazy, but rewarding. :)

7.  I joined my local doll club and had the opportunity to be the special speaker at least three times. I'm so thankful for the friendships I've made there.

8.  I exercised and ate right for several stints.  This year, I hope to make it a little more regular. :}

9.  All three of my daughters attended school this year, so I've had a bit more free time, though not nearly as much as I'd envisioned. :}

I'm probably missing something huge and significant, but that's all that's coming to mind at this point. ;)


So this year, I thought I'd be a little less clever and post five things I'd like to focus on in 2014. ;)

1.  Devotions, devotions, devotions.  One of my friends gave me a devotional book that I'm looking forward to using.  It helps you read through the entire Bible in a year.  I'd love to accomplish that this year, and to grow in my relationship with the Lord.

2.  Writing.  I'd really like to focus on getting a regular writing schedule in, both for my blogging and my novels.  My novels will never be finished if I don't treat my writing time like a regular job.

3.  Health.  I'd love to be better at eating right and exercise this year, so I can be more energetic and accomplish the things I need to do.

4.  Time Management.  This goes for house cleaning, vocal workout, time spent with family, writing, and everything.  I'd really like to be a better steward of my time.

5.  No fear.  This year, I don't want my fear of failure or whatever else to stop me from doing what God wants me to do.  By His grace and through His power, I want to do the things He has planned for me this year.  This also means I need to be open to changes in the plans I've set up for myself. :}  Sometimes, He has different things in mind for me, but what He has prepared for me is always for my good.

Not sure how well I'll do on these, but I'd like to try. :)

Before I go (and head up to my sister-in-law and brother-in-law's house for the day), I'd like to leave you with a few bits of news.

First, Disneystore.com is offering free shipping today only when you purchase any of their new arrivals (in celebration of the new year).  Use the code SHIPNEW.

Secondly, there are new Zelfs on the way!!  I'm so excited! :D  They aren't up on the official Zelf site yet, but you can see a few pics on their Facebook page (some of the photos were posted by fans who have already found them).  I can't wait until everything is officially released. :)

For those of you who don't know already (but I'm sure you do), Isabelle, the new Girl of the Year from American Girl, is up on the site.  Be sure to check out her collection.  She's really cute, but probably not a doll I'll be adding to my 18 inch girls. :)

Also, there are new posts up on Tess and Maggie's blog and Belle's Bulletins, for those of you who are interested (click the names to see them).  Belle's post is her VERY LAST POST EVER.  It's been a great three-year run, but she's ready to move on and focus on her family. :)  Be sure to stop by and wish her well, if you like.

I have a lot of fun review posts coming up for the month of January, so stay tuned!  In the meantime, I hope you all have a wonderful New Year's Day. :)

American Girl Saige and My AG #55 Comparison (a Few Pics with Felicity, too) ;)

My mom recently had the opportunity to purchase an American Girl Saige doll secondhand from an AGPlaythings member.  For those of you who don't know, Saige is the Girl of the Year for 2013.  

Because she was purchased secondhand, Mom didn't get Saige's meet outfit or accessories, so for these pictures she is wearing Gwen's sundress (Gwen was one of the GOTY dolls from 2009, along with Chrissa and Sonali).  

Here's Saige!  Such a cutie.

I have to admit, when Saige was first released, I thought she was cute, but not really distinct enough from my other dolls to make me interested in her.  I figured she would be too similar to Hayden, my #55, to make it worth getting her. 

I was wrong.  For one thing, pictures just do not to this gal justice.  I mean, sure, she's another freckled classic mold with blueish eyes and reddish-brown, curly hair.  But the shades of her hair and her eyes are both stunning.  Her hair is a deep, coppery red, quite similar to Felicity's. Her eyes are amazing, too!  They're a beautiful blue that almost looks like aqua. 

 I thought I'd start with a few pics of Saige and both of our Felicitys (one Pre-Mattel and one Mattel):

Here's a Pre-Mattel Felicity, Saige, and a Mattel Felicity.

As you can see, there are just slight variances between their hair.  

Pre-Mattel Felicity's hair is a bit lighter...

...but Saige's is just slightly lighter than Mattel Felicity's.  It's such a slight difference that sometimes it's hard to even see it. 

So here is Saige next to Hayden, my #55, and as you can see, my fears that they would be too similar were unfounded.  I love the way Saige stands out next to Hayden.  Wouldn't they make great sisters or cousins or something?  Similar, but unique enough to be complimentary.  I wouldn't object to having a Saige in my collection, except for the fact that there are other dolls I want more.  Besides, now that my mom has her, I can enjoy her every time I visit but not have to worry about finding space for another doll. ;) 

Here's a full-length shot of both dolls.  Fun fact: Mom and I had Hayden and Saige both dressed in Gwen's sundress without even realizing it.  I thought it was fun for the pictures, though. :)

And here they are from the back.  As you can see, Saige's hair has a lot more red to it and is also much longer.  Her hair is very similar to Hayden's though, more wavy than curly.  I've had great success with Hayden's hair, so I'd imagine that Saige's would be the same.  It might be slightly more high-maintenance since it's longer. 

Two cuties. :)

I also thought I'd mention that I read the first Saige book and thoroughly enjoyed it.  Some of the friendship issues Saige was dealing with were similar to the issues Oldest Gal is having right now, so it was a very good discussion starter for us. :)  I haven't read the second book yet, but I'm looking forward to doing so.

Do any of you have Saige?  What do you think of her?