The New Girl

Meet No name. I'll save proper introductions until her Birthday Mother names her.

A birthday Mother who, incidentally, is waiting VERY patiently for her presents until Papa comes home. Being much more patient than I, as a matter of fact.

Ever since I got back from our trip two Sunday's ago, I have been up to my eyeballs in details.

Garden details.

Laundry details.

Picture details.

Birthday details.

Sewing Details.

One of the most intricate of details (but one with the most value) was that I wanted to make Corynn a new dress for her birthday. The kind with a built in apron. The kind that can be worn in summer/winter/spring or fall. Because~if I am going to sew it, it better be WELL used.

Then, I thought how she would adore a matching dress for her dolly. I planned on a different doll and a friend even helped me with a pattern~but living four hours away and not seeing a particular doll in person (or being inside my brain as far as dress details) can sometimes make things clear as mud. Long story short: pattern didn't work. Neither did the doll.

MEANWHILE:

I had envisioned her "purchased gift" being a tin tea set in a wicker picnic basket. I've seen them at Target before. You know, girls in dresses certainly need to celebrate with tea! But, a week before her birthday I went searching for it and WHO KNEW!? Target revamped their kid department and no longer carried the NEAT toys. Just more plastic junk. grrrr.

No time for mail order or internet. I had to find SOMETHING to give her along with the dresses.

(Well. In MY mind anyway. I know a dress/doll dress ought to {and would have} suffice but still. I wanted to give her one boughten gift.)

I got disgusted with all the blase, el cheapo toys on the market as I went from store to store searching for something actually WORTHY of my money (and the space in our house.) Nothing.

Then I saw this doll and I glanced then walked away because Corynn needs another doll like she needs a hole in the head.

She has two baby dolls and Andrew has a doll and we have a waterbaby. How many dolls does one household need I ask thee?

But she WAS pretty. And she had lovely long hair (and since Corynn learned to braid she is all ABOUT long hair!) and she fits 18 inch doll clothes (some things Corynn already has) AND she is more of a girl and not a baby; a girl to drink tea with instead of feed. ;-)

Eventually I decided to get her. And all the way home I felt remorseful for taking the whole "give a girl a doll" standby.

I sewed Corynn's dress using fabric bought LONG ago, before we even moved and a borrowed pattern with several major modifications. But no problems.

THEN, I had to somehow create my own (matching) pattern for this doll. After my eyes went cross-eyed a few times and I got over the staring at the machine fearing I would ruin the last of the fabric remnants~ I got to work and wonder of wonders! I had no problems, no re-do's, no stitches to pull out.

The apron is attached, a waistband wraps around and the back has a snap enclosure. It matches PERFECTLY the big girl version (which you will see ON the big girl...when she actually wears the thing!)

I decided to put the dress ON No name so I got her out of the box and gasped. What a BEAUTY she is and what QUALITY.

Here is my unsolicited review of the Madame Alexander 18 inch dolls sold at Walmart:

They are gorgeous and so wonderfully well made.

Unlike American Girl Dolls: their upper torso is made of hard plastic so tanktops are more realistic. Their heads, arms and legs are all attached with ball sockets so they are fully (and realistically) poseable. American Girl arms and legs move only up and down-not out and their heads move only side to side- not around. They are also $25.00 as opposed to....a lot more for AG.

Not to mention: Madame Alexander dolls have gorgeous quality, soft and untangly hair and wholesome features. (Although the red head, I found to have an interesting pinkish hue mixed in with the red.)

In short: if a doll is what your girl needs, BUY THIS ONE!

Here ends advertisement.

Then, just because, I made matching flower headbands. You know the ones, with the brazenly large flowers? Yep. That's them.

I just know Corynn is going to shoot over the moon when the paper gets to ripping. Oh my, I can hardly wait!

Edited to Add:

a ridiculously long post that could be summed up in a few short words:

I made Corynn's birthday present and she is gonna like it. Here it is.

WHY, oh WHY must I be SO wordy?!?!?!