Hopscotch Hill Dolls

       Hopscotch Hill School was released by American Girl in 2003. The dolls were 16-inches tall, came with jointed limbs and painted eyes, and had a slimmer overall body shape. They, along with the stories which came with the dolls written by Valerie Tripp, were aimed at elementary-age girls from four to six years old, and were sold until 2006.

• To see playsets and outfits that came with the dolls visit American Girl Fandom
• The author of Hopscotch Hill School books is Valerie Tripp

Left Logan doll. Center, Gwen and Skylar. Right, Hallie doll as these appear in Mattel's
2003 and 2004 doll catalogues.

The four dolls in the hopscotch hill series were named:

1. Logan -  Facial Features: fair skin, straight blond hair and blue eyes - 2003 first doll
2. Skylar - Facial Features: medium brown skin tones, wavy brown hair and brown eyes, dimples - second doll
3. Hallie - Facial Features: brown freckled skin, auburn wavy hair and green eyes - third doll released
4. Gwen - Facial Features: fair skin, brown straight hair braided and blue eyes fourth doll came out in 2004

The Characteristic Features That All Four Dolls Share In Common:

• Each doll is 16 inches tall.
• All dolls are female.
• Every doll has nine points of articulation.
• Each girl doll has painted eyes and lips.
• Every doll has a rooted wig.
• These dolls are intended to represent early elementary aged school children.

The Accessories/Playsets Created for The Doll Line Included:

• A Castle Carrying Case
• Rainbow Activity Board: dry erase board and letter magnets 
• Classroom Pet: Razzi  the Rabbit with a tree stump cage
• Picture Day Outfits
• Doll Stands
• A Dress-Up Trunk: butterfly wings, bunny nose and ears, mermaid tail, cowboy hat, construction hard hat, bandanna, construction worker's vest reversible into a cowboy vest, seashell headband
• Flowerpot Desk 
• A Keepsake Pillow shaped like a flower
• Gym Class Outfits
• Recess Play Set: jump rope, playground mat, carrying case, hula hoop, batting tee, ball, bat, eraser
• Team Spirit Outfits
• Soccer Uniforms and ball
• A Duckling Incubator Set
• Art Class smock with paint pallet brush and jeans, top, sweater etc...
• A Watering Can Hair Care Kit: brush, mirror, hair ties and combs
• Teacher Play Kit for The Doll's Classroom
• Field Trip Outfits

The books that were written to accompany the dolls and describe their adventures:

• Thank You, Logan!
• Hallie's Horrible Handwriting
• Teasing Trouble
• The Fair-Share Pair
• You Can Do It! Job Chart
• Hopscotch Hill School Story Time Fun Pack
• Lindy's Happy Ending
• The One and Only Delaney
• Good Sport Gwen
• Bright, Shiny Skylar

Doll Reviews for Hopscotch Hill Dolls:

• American Girl Hopscotch Hill Logan Doll Review
• Introducing the long retired Hopscotch Hill Collection - video by My AG Dollhouse Cottage

Hopscotch Hill Doll Clothing:

• Knitted Dungarees for Hopscotch Hill Dolls and panties for these dolls 

  Return to the Doll Guide Index Page 

Build a butterfly net and bug house for 14 inch dolls...

        If you have Wellie Wisher dolls, Hearts 4 Hearts dolls here is a special summertime craft you can make for these 14inch dolls to enjoy. Gather the following supplies: a sheet of butterfly stickers, light weight cardboard like an empty cereal box, a bit of recycled plastic from a grocery container, some decorative paper, and white school glue. You will also need one tiny brad for the door of the bug house.

This butterfly house for a doll is made with a sticker, simple cardboard cut-outs and a 
recycled piece of plastic sheeting cut from a grocery-store cake container. The
butterfly is glued to a stick from our garden. 

Instructions for The Bug House:

1. Now cut a rectangle from the scrap cardboard in the size you would like the bug house to be. Round off the top corners making the rectangle into an arched shape. Place this cut-out on top of a second piece of cardboard and trace around it with a pencil. Cut the second shape out to match the first. These two pieces will be the walls of the bug house. 
2. Paste on some decorative paper to cover the walls.
3. Use a hole punch to make a door for the butterflies on one end. 
4. Cut a small roundish door to cover the hole punched into the side of the bug house. Attach it using a tiny brad.
5. Cut a third rectangle from the cardboard to make the floor of the house. Also cut and paste a decorative covering for the floor of the construction.
6. Position the walls at either end of the floor and tape these in place. 
7. Cut long half inch stripes of cardboard to attach on the inside edges of the walls and floor of the bug house; see photograph. 
8. Before taping a window to bend up and over the arched walls, glue inside of the house a twig from outside and glue onto that stick a butterfly sticker. 
9. Now cut and bend on the plastic sheet to make a window for the butterfly home. You can use a clear Scotch brand tape to hold this window in place. 

       In order to make the butterfly net, collect a clean net bag from your parent's groceries. Often times garlic is sold in the small white bags. This is where our version came from. You will also need masking tape, a wooden skewer and a hot glue gun for this craft. Adults need to help young children use a hot glue gun, however.

Use recycled netting that comes from the store. This 
netting once cradled a pear; not it has new imaginary
 life in a clever child's toy.

Instructions for The Butterfly Net:

1. Carefully cut off one end of the white net.
2. Gather this new opening up using sticky masking tape. 
3. Fold over the tape to seal the ends of the netting inside. 
4. Use more tape to stick a wire onto the ends so that these may be bent into a circle. 
5. Glue together the ends. 
6. Cut a skewer the length your dolls would prefer and then hot glue it to the opening of the net. Just do this for one place on the wire. You can pinch the end of the skewer between two edges of the  wire with a bit of hot glue. Ask an adult for help if you are too young to use hot glue.
7. Paint the masking tape edges and wooden skewer if you like to match the decorative paper used on the butterfly house. 

More Backyard Fun for Dolls:

• Make a simple doll tent using very basic materials...
• Each of your dolls will need their own sleeping bags to keep cozy and warm when sleeping in their backyard!

The "Madeline" Costume

This 14" Glitter Girl wears the costume of a former Madeline rag doll. She is a little sister to
our larger 18" dolls.

       Some dolls that we have can wear the costumes of other dolls... Above you can see that this little 14" Glitter Girl doll is wearing a Madeline felt coat and yellow hat. She looks just like a sweet little French school girl! We didn't even need to craft her costume because it fit her well enough for trick-or-treating.

       We also dressed another one of our family dolls like a fireman here, in much the same way. So if you find costumes of former dolls at resale or even have some tucked away in a toy trunk at home, these may also be recycled into new costumes for different dolls at Halloween.

• A quick and easy skeleton costume recycled from old plush
• This Madeline costume, her trunks and the doll herself will be given to a godchild for Christmas...
  

Make Fruity Felt Hand Pies for Dolls

       Make these easy little felt hand pies for your dolls. Stuff them with colorful pom-poms to mimic all kinds of fruits: purple = grapes, red = cherries and yellow = lemon curd. This simple sewing project will help your young chef to stuff all those doll sized lunch boxes or picnic baskets with something adorable to play pretend with this summer. 

Left, doll sized hand pies made using felt and pom-poms. Right, our Wellie Wisher,
Willa, can't wait to feast on these faux, fruity bakery treats!

Supply List:

• brown or tan felt scraps
• a few colorful pom-poms: red, yellow and purple
• needle and embroidery floss
• small scissors for cutting slashes in the felt tops
• you may use hot glue instead of sewing (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Cut small shapes from the felt for your hand pie crusts. These shapes may look like a pie, half pie, or a rectangle.
2. Make sure that you always of two of each shape. Now take one of the two and cut tiny holes in it; this will be the upper crust of your hand pie.
3. Using a needle and embroidery floss, sew around the outer edges of two shapes that are alike, leaving a small hole to stuff the insides of the tiny hand pies.
4. Gingerly stuff each tiny pocket with colored pom-poms, to act as the berry or jelly filling.
5. Sew the holes on the sides shut. But, leave the openings on the top crust to give away the flavor stuffed within.
6. You can make this craft with the careful placement of hot glue. Have adult supervision if you decide to use this craft supply because hot glue guns can be dangerous!
7. Now that you've made hand pies for a doll, ask Mom or Dad to help you bake one or two or three for yourself in the kitchen.

Corinne and Gwynn Tan Two Asian Sister Dolls

       Corinne Tan is the twentieth Girl of the Year and was released on January 1, 2022. She is the fourth Asian doll in the line after Sonali Matthews, Jess McConnell, and Kanani Akina, and the first one to not be white-biracial. She struggles to process her parents divorce while being harassed due to her heritage. She uses a new mold, the Corinne mold. She lives in Aspen, Colorado.

• Corinne Books by Wendy Wan-Long Shang and The Author Behind the 'Girl of the Year'
• Look up the meaning of the name Corinne and Gwynn
• Corinne comes with a companion doll of her little sister, Gwynn Tan. Gwynne uses the Emerson mold from the WellieWishers line.

Our Artifacts for the American Girl Doll, Corinne Tan: coming soon...

• The Bride of The Dragon King - an ancient Chinese fairy tale...
• The Feast of Dolls: Hinamatsuri or Doll's Day
• O'Kissme San; a doll from Japan mini-book

Research Themes Found in Corinne's Story Online:

• Aspen Colorado Walking Tour by Trips, Trails and MORE... - Springtime
• Aspen at Christmas Time by Cinematic Walking Tours
• Skiing Aspen - Ski School Snowmass
• How Young Olympians Train for the Winter Olympics by Teen Vogue
• Blippi's Winter Olympics Sports 2022 Special
• The Baby Winter Games
• What These Asian American Families Love About Their Culture
• The History of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
• Asian - How You See Me
• Tru Kids 1 - Chairlift Interview with Ski Patrol Dog
• Rescue Dogs Inspire Kids
• The Avalanche Dogs of Big Sky Resort
• Search and Rescue Dog: Bailey Superpower Dogs

Fan Videos About Corinne and Gwynn Tan:

• Lara's Totally RAD Dolls Reviews Corinne Tan Doll
• Review of Corinne Tan by AllycatlovesAG
• American Girl Corinne and Gwynn Tan Unboxing by BiggestAGFanEVER
• Meeting Corinne Tan at American Girl Place Chicago by Moon Dolls
• American Girl Place San Francisco Meet-Up! by AGprimrose
• Celebrate the Lunar New Year with Corinne Doll

American Girl introduced Corinne Tan Doll.

More Related Reading:

• Corinne Tan is great, but American girls need stories about Asian Americana living in the past too! - listing of more books to read

How to sew doll swimsuits using socks...

This Wellie Wisher doll, Kendall, wears a
cute purple and pink striped swimsuit made
from a sock. There are straps for the suit 
that tie around the neck to hold it in place.

       Young girls can design cut and fashion small socks into swim wear. Pictured here is one of our Wellie Wishers and a Best Friends Club Doll, Addison, modeling different variations of this simple sewing craft.
       The swimsuits when made of socks need to have their raw edges sewn down tightly or these will unravel. Sewers may also use a glue made especially to prevent this called No Fray, Dritz Fray or Sit n Sew as an alternative.
       I chose pastel striped socks for our dolls to wear but socks come in so many different, colorful designs these days, it's difficult to choose which print to try for this simple craft.
       I cut the sock straight across where the leg and heal come together. Then I slip this tube onto the doll's body to measure where the leg openings should be and the top of the bathing suit should end.
       Next I sew a small seam between the legs and finish all of the openings with seams both at the bottom and top of the sock tube.
       Finally, I sew on ribbon or straps to hold the swimsuits on the dolls body.

More Ideas for Crafting Doll Swimwear:

• How to make swimwear and bikini for Barbie without sewing by Ideas Barbie DIY
• How to make really cute swimsuits for your doll using socks by Americangirl Land

Day At The Pool for Dolls:

• Take a Brain Break at The Pool! by mixiepixie7 and Sophie Clair's Pool Party Plan
• DIY Pool Floats for Your Doll

Our Addison doll wears a bathing suit made from a green and white striped sock. It is trimmed 
at the top with calico print, cotton ribbon and has a snap in the back to tighten and close the 
swimming suit snug against her body.

Sew a Disney Princess Salon Apron

Left, our little Wellie Wisher, Ashlyn, is ready for a trim. Center, she models our Disney Princess
apron from the salon chair. Right, the apron neatly fits both 14" and 18" dolls because it is
made from a knit fabric.

       Sew or no-sew, this simple little apron can be made for any size doll, even if you're sewing skills are minimal! Cut it from a no fray fabric or a soft knit or even a plastic table cloth from the dollar store if you prefer. You will also need some ribbon and a needle and thread or hot glue alternatively for a no-sew version.

Left, the apron on top of the ironing board. Center, up-close look at the Disney Princess print in
pinks and pastel colors. Right, detail of ribbon collar. 

       I used a large serving plate to draft a pattern for our doll salon aprons. You will only need half a plate's size for the apron pattern. Fold the cut fabric in half and cut a small 'moon' shaped collar next. If you are making a no-sew version of this salon apron type, you will not need to finish the edges of the doll's apron. I made the sewn version so the edges were turned under and stitched down with pink embroidery floss on the sides. I then turned the hem and whip stitched this to finish the bottom of my salon doll's aprons. Attach ribbons on the collar and also in two places on the back with sewing or hot glue.

Left, see the ribbons tied on the back of the apron to secure it to the doll. Right, here is a
My Generation Doll wearing the exact same apron that fits both 14" and 18" dolls.

 More Salon Aprons for Dolls:

• Chelly Wood demonstrates how to sew a hairdresser salon apron...
• How to make a no-sew kitchen apron from americangirlfan

The Fancy Nancy Doll

Fancy Nancy doll displayed in the box. Right, her face up close.

       Fancy Nancy comes with rooted, brilliant red curly hair. Her facial features are painted. Her eyes are bright green. She has freckles, just as most red headed children do. Her mouth is open showing smile with suggested teeth. 

       This doll's body type is that of a kindergartener through first and second grade. Her limbs are just a bit on the chunky side. Her pale green tights are painted on permanently. 

       Fancy Nancy stands nine inches tall and she has five points of articulation those being: at the neck, at the shoulders and at the waist. Her knees do not bend. 

       Her body is made of a harder plastic vinyl than her head. She has a headband, waist bow and shoes all made of the same soft, pink plastic but in a variety of pinks. 

       Nancy's dress is sewn with shimmery green and pink synthetic fabrics that include velcro closures. This costume may be washed but do not iron it! It may melt.

Additional play items include molded plastic flats and sticky paper ribbon for children to make their own jewelry for play.

The doll from four different angles, plus one photo showing her undressed with painted tights.

       Our Fancy Nancy doll is built for rough handling. Her joints are relatively durable. Her expression is sweet and loving and her costume would appeal to any young child.  Nancy also has very flat feet so it is easy to make her stand on her own. 

       There are other variations of this same doll with a closed mouth and alternative fashions as well as some that come in much larger sizes.

• Amy Shand reviews Fancy Nancy doll. (18")
• Sallyheartsjack80 reviews the Parisian Style doll version
• The Fancy Nancy and Best Friend Bri, life-sized dolls! reviewed by Rubyred Worldofdolls
• Reviewing the Talking Fancy Nancy Doll + Her jewelry lights up! She also speaks two languages, English and French by TTPM Toy Reviews

Above is our Fancy Nancy doll, when she was new in the box.

More About Fancy Nancy's Books: Fancy Nancy is the main character in a 2005 children's picture book written by Jane O'Connor and illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser. The book spent nearly 100 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list, launching a series that now numbers upwards of 80 books, selling 43 million volumes. Fancy Nancy has been on Publishers Weekly's bestseller list for picture books, was a Children's Book-of-the-Month Club selection and a Junior Library Guild Selection. It also won a "Borders 2006 Original Voices" award and has been translated into 20 languages, including Hungarian and Hebrew. In April 2012, Nancy was featured in her first chapter book, Nancy Clancy: Super Sleuth. Books in the Fancy Nancy series have now spent 330 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list, and in the fall of 2012, Fancy Nancy the Musical was produced by Vital Theatre Company in New York City. 

• You can find Fancy Nancy video at Disney Junior YouTube
• Fancy Nancy Is Not At All What I Expected...
• Coloring pages and crafty printables for Fancy Nancy

  Return to the Doll Guide Index Page 

Hearts 4 Hearts Dolls

       Hearts 4 Hearts dolls were the little dolls with big hearts! Whenever you purchased a doll, part of those proceeds ($1.00) went to aid humanitarian programs for children around the world by World Vision. 

       These little dolls also had their own website at one time. Young students could go there and read pages from each doll's diary about their adventures, culture and inspirational relationships.

10 Heart 4 Heart Girls Dolls. (numbered and described below)

The 10 Hearts4Hearts Doll Characters and Quotes:

1. Rahel from Ethiopia - "My parents say I was born with a kind heart that reaches out to those around me!"
2. Shola from Afghanistan - "The hope I feel is not a gift for me alone, but one I must share with others."
3. Mosi represents the Native Americans - "You must look with your heart, not your eyes, to see the truth of how things are."
4. Lilian from Belarus - "if you asked me my wish, It would be to join hands with all the girls in my town and dance for joy."
5. Tipi from Laos - "Having a dream can take you many places and bring you back with many stories to tell!"
6. Nahji from India - "When you believe in yourself, when you are strong in your heart, then you can change the world around you for the better."
7. Dell from America's Appalachia - "Hiking along the forest trails, listening to the birds, singing and the creek running, makes me feel like I swallowed sunshine."
8. Lauryce from America's New Orleans - "I believe that a family is made of many hearts - and it's even better if some of them belong to animals."
9. Consuelo from Mexico - "If you really want to stop people from feeling hungry, first you must feed their hearts."
10. Zelia from Brazil - "I know if we find room in our hearts for the forest, it will give love back to us."
11. Nyesha from America's Brooklyn, New York - (not pictured in the group above) "The dream that you have when you're awake is the dream that comes from your heart."

More Heart 4 Heart Doll Reviews:

• Heart 4 Hearts Dolls "Shola" and "Mosi" By PlayMates Toys - A Guest Review!
• Where was I when the Hearts for Hearts dolls were popular?
• All Ten Hearts For Hearts Girls Dolls
• Hearts For Hearts Girls Mosi Is Here - So Cute! and Dolly Review about Rahel Relaunch
• Doll Review from MyFroggyStuff
• World Vision Heart 4 Heart Girls
• Hearts for Hearts Girls Doll Collection
• See old Hearts for Hearts Doll commercial
• Nyesha from New York City
• Hearts for Hearts Girls 
• Character Names & Descriptions 

Who is World Vision? World Vision International is an Evangelical Christian humanitarian aid, development, and advocacy organization. It prefers to present itself as interdenominational and also employs staff from non-evangelical Christian denominations. It was founded in 1950 by Robert Pierce as a service organization to meet the emergency needs of missionaries. In 1975 development work was also added to World Vision's objectives. 

World Vision International. 

  Return to the Doll Guide Index Page 

Two Rudolf Socks, Two Warm Hats!

Left, is one of our Magic Attic dolls wearing a sock hat with two pom poms.
Right is a Wellie Wisher doll sporting a sock hat with ear flaps and a braided tie.

       We've used one Christmas themed sock to make two hat designs for our Magic Attic doll and a Wellie Wisher. The version in the left photo was made by cutting the lower half of a sock, including the heal, four inches in length and then finishing the edges around the opening with a fancy embroidery stitch. The winter hat version in shown on the right was made from a four inch cut across the top of a Christmas sock. In this version I included Rudolf and his large red nose and I also cut ear muff flaps for the hat from the second sock's knit red heal. Attach the ear flaps on both the right and left sides of the knit sock hat with embroidery stitching. Then braid yarn in Christmas colors for the tie. Sew this yarn tie inside the cap with strong thread. Wrap, clip and attach a contrasting pom pom made from yarn to the top of each hat. Read how to make your own pom poms below.

Our doll's are ready for the cold weather this Christmas! 

       You can make a homemade pom pom for your doll's hat like ours. The supplies you will need include: scissors, yarn and cardboard. 

1. Cut a piece of cardboard to wrap the yarn around. Mine was 2"x4" in the photo below.
2. Position a short clipping of yarn across the length of the cardboard.This short yarn clipping will be used to tie the yarn pom pom together later.  
3. Wrap the yarn around the cardboard's length many times trapping the yarn clipping beneath the wraps at the same time. The more you wrap the yarn around the cardboard, the thicker your pom pom will turn out.
4. Now slip the lops off of the cardboard carefully.
5. Tie the two ends of the yarn clipping beneath together in a tight knot.
6. Cut the loops open.
7. Trim and fluff the pom pom.
8. Attach it to the top of your doll's cap with strong thread and a needle.

Left, Position a short clipping of yarn across the length of the cardboard.
The cardboard should be a light weight variety so that the yarn will slip off of it
when you are ready to make the pom pom. Center, Wrap the yarn around the
cardboard's length many times trapping the yarn clipping beneath the wraps at the
same time. Right, If your yarn is in several pieces, just knot them together as you
wrap them around the cardboard.

 

Left, Wrap the yarn around the cardboard at least 100 times in order to get a very
 puffy pom pom. Center, Now slip the yarn off of the cardboard carefully.
Right, I'm holding on to the short length of yarn so that I can tie all of
 the loops together at once.

Left, the loops are tied firmly together. Center, you can see the scissors cutting
the loops apart. Right, I have trimmed and fluffed out the yarn to
make a finished pom pom.

Craft More Warm Winter Hats for Dolls:

1. How to make a fleece doll hat
2. DIY Doll Mini Wool Hat for Barbie
3. Make a stocking hat for your American Girl Doll with a long pointed end!

Wellie Wishers by American Girl Doll Company

14" American Girl Dolls called Wellie Wishers

       The Wellie Wishers are a group of young elementary age girls who meet and play together at Aunt Miranda's backyard garden. As the name implies, dolls from the line wear Wellington boots, and have a body design distinct from the classic, Götz-derived American Girl dolls. The line was released on June 23, 2016.

       Coinciding with the characters' launch is a mobile game for iOS consisting a series of minigames centering on the WellieWishers girls and their adventures, and an animated web series scheduled to be released in Fall 2016.

The Wellie Wisher Girls, Left to Right: Ashlyn, Camille, Emerson, Kendall and Willa.

• Ashlyn -Ashlyn is the group's party planner, and the most socially-active among the girls. She is described as throwing the best parties and loves to make her friends happy—and has a "princess"/very feminine side to her, wearing a predominantly pink outfit with a tiara, blouse, a tulle skirt and pink boots with gold and lace designs.
• Camille - A caring young girl and a good listener, Camille also has an affinity for the ocean and aquatic interests, including pretending she's a mermaid. She is depicted as a Caucasian girl with shoulder length blonde hair similar to Kit Kittredge, blue eyes, and light skin, and a mole or freckle under her left eye. Her interests are reflected in an outfit consisting of a blue T-shirt with a ruched ribbon, a multi-colored tulle skirt, and fish-themed boots with fins on the sides.
• Emerson - Emerson is the theatrically-inclined member of the group, enjoying the stage and performing in front of her friends through her poems and songs to which she writes herself. She is depicted as an East Asian girl with black hair worn in two twisted buns, light skin and dark brown eyes. Her outfit reflects this with a wrap ballet style top, star-spangled tulle skirt, and ballet shoe styled wellies. She also wears two pink tulle-trimmed ponytail holders in her hair.
• Kendall - Kendall serves as the group's artist and designer, having a gift for arts, crafts and recycling old or discarded things. She appears as a black girl with dark skin, textured black hair worn in two high ponytail puffs and brown eyes. She also shows her diplomatic side at times, settling arguments and disputes when the need arises.
• Willa - A tree-climber and nature lover, Willa has an interest in the outdoors, making friends with animals and being fluent in "rabbit language". Willa is depicted as a strawberry blonde styled in pigtails and a sweet set of bunny ears with beautiful hazel eyes and soft freckles. She wears a hedgehog face print tee shirt with a green, as American girl calls it, hedgehog print skirt and adorable red ladybug wellies.

Titles of Nine Wellie Wisher Books by Valerie Tripp: ages 5-9

1. Ashlyn's Unsurprise Party 
2. The Muddily-Puddily Show
3. The Riddle of the Robin
4. Camille's Mermaid Tale
5. The Mystery of Mr. E
6. The Rainstorm Brainstorm
7. Emerson and Princess Peep
8. The Clippity-Cloppity Carnival
9. Will's Wilderness Campout   

Wellie Wishers Play Set Reviews:

• American Girl Wellie Wishers Playhouse
• Wellie Wishers Garden theater Play Set Review
• Pinboard for Wellie Wishers: doll clothes patterns and playsets

  Return to the Doll Guide Index Page 

Paint a Pumpkin Shaped Candy Dish

Our Hearts for Hearts  doll, Rahel, has had too many sweets to eat this Halloween. She's so tired,
she hasn't even changed out of her mummy costume! If your dolls go trick-or-treating, be sure to
warn them about eating too much candy all at once!

       Wouldn't your dolls love a giant bowl filled to the brim with tiny candies for Halloween? However, you must be careful not to let them get carried away with these kinds of munchies. They are sure to go to bed with sore tummies if young mothers don't set limits on candy consumption!

I painted my old Jello mold using acrylic paints and then sealed this
 hand painted surface with Mod Podge. I then painted the inside
 using yellow spray paint.

 Supply List:

• old tin, Jello mold shaped like a pumpkin or an optional plastic bowl from the dollar store.
• acrylic paints: yellow, orange, green
• Mod Podge
• white school glue
• small paint brushes
• yellow spray paint (for the interior of the mold)
• colorful foam beads purchased from dollar store
• masking tape

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. To make this craft look exactly like ours, you will need an old Jello mold. So if you have one of these, you are ready to go. Clean it with warm soapy water and then dry it off thoroughly.
2. If you don't have a mold like the one shown above, you can use an ordinary, small plastic bowl to replace the one suggested in this craft. These are available in packs at the dollar store.
3. I spray painted the inside of my mold bright yellow to mimic the inside of a carved pumpkin and let it dry til the paint hardened. This took several days.
4. Then I used three colors of acrylic to paint the outside of the mold to look like a pumpkin shell: green, orange and yellow.
5. As you can see in the photo above, I painted the cracks green, the ridges orange and then I layered a second coat of yellow on top of the orange. 
6. Take a dry, clean brush and delicately smooth the paint colors together slightly. If you make a mistake just wait for the paint to dry and repeat the process. This doesn't need to look perfect in order to look like a convincing pumpkin. Some pumpkins have all kinds of surface blemishes and modeled colors!
7. Let the paint dry and then coat a layer of Mod Podge over the outside surface for protection. Let the Mod Podge dry thoroughly.
8. Turn the faux pumpkin shell over and fill it with crushed newspaper or tissue paper. Mask off this outside surface with tape.
9. Squeeze white school glue onto the top of your crushed and masked filling. 
10. Sprinkle the colorful foam beads on top of the glue and let the filling dry overnight.
11. After you have the surface covered as you like it, brush on Mod Podge to protect the faux candy surface for play.

Left, Craft Foam Beads in rainbow colors.
Right, the crushed and masked mound newsprint inside my old Jello mold.

Make Doll Easter Bonnets from Paper Dishes!

       You don't need to spend much money to make a Easter bonnet for a doll. Look around the house and in the cupboards for a few ordinary supplies and soon you will be crafting all kinds of bonnets for Spring for every doll in your collection! We had so much fun choosing color and pattern combinations for our dolls. Below our 14" doll models a pale blue and white hat for our first hat craft version.

"Dell" our Heart For Hearts doll, models this Easter bonnet made
 from paper dishes.

  Supply List:

• paper cups and plates
• white ribbon
• white cupcake liners
• decorative scrapbook paper
• white school glue
• hot glue and hot glue gun
• masking tape
• extra cardboard 
• pinking shears (optional)
• ribbon for the tie

Step-by-Step Directions:

1. Select a paper cup by fitting it to the doll that you wish to make a hat for.
2. Then cut the paper cup down to that size minus the rim. 
3. Take the larger edge of the cup and place it in the center of your small paper plate. Trace around the circumference with a pen or pencil and cut the circle out. This will be the opening for the larger lip of the cup to fit through. 
4. Next take the smaller side of the cup and trace this opening onto a piece of cardboard and trace around it. 
5. Now cut this cardboard circle out and glue the edge of it to fit the smaller end of your cup on top. Let it dry and trim off the edges with a pair of scissors. 
6. Fit the larger opening through the paper plate's hole with the brim of the hat facing down.  Use glue and masking tape to hold the pieces of your paper hat together. 
7. When the initial hat form is dry, shred small pieces of white typing paper and glue these down to the edges where the two paper dishes meet to give them strength. Start with the inside of the hat form and work your way around to the outside of the paper hat.
8. Use a pair of pinking shears to trim off the edges of the hat's brim after all of the glue had dried.
9. Then cut the rippled edges of five or six white cupcake liners to paste to the inside of the rim of the doll's hat, this cover the areas of paper mache neatly and will gave the hat a finished look. 
10. Cut a long strip of decorative scrapbook paper to be a hat band. I cut a very wide hat band in order to cover the printed areas of the paper cup.
11. Trim the top of hat with paper cupcake liners or scrapbook paper using white glue to finish off the last layer of paper mache.
12. Now make small bows, flowers, or shapes to hot glue in place if you wish to add these. I made a small bow with ruffled edges cut from the cupcake liners. But, you may choose to decorate the band of your paper hat differently.
13. Hot glue a ribbon to either side of the hat interior to tie the hat around the chin of your doll. Each ribbon should be no shorter than eight inches if you are making the hat for either a 14" or an 18" doll.
    

(1.) Left, small paper plates and medium sized paper cups for our 14" doll's head.
(2.) Center, you can see the first circle is traced with a red marker onto the paper plates center.
I will cut this our in order to fit the altered cup inside. Right, now my paper cup hat has both a brim
 and I have also glued an additional cardboard piece to the top of the hat to close up the
second smaller hole.

(6.) Left, cut this cardboard circle out and glue the edge of it to fit the smaller end of your cup on top.
Let it dry and trim off the edges with a pair of scissors. (6.) Center. see the interior of the
 hat being glued and taped firmly in place. Right, the finished result after gluing a
plaid band with a bow in place.

Our doll Dell wears the finished Easter bonnet made from a paper plate, a paper cup and a bit of creativity.
 I think the blue plaid band flatters her eyes!

Make more paper hats for your dolls:

• DIY Captain's Caps for dolls here
• Doll sized hats...
• A paper Easter hat to trim

Our Dolls Host a Valentine's Day Party

       Our dolls are setting up a dining area for their Valentine's Day Party! There are so many things to get done before the sister's guests arrive. 

       You can play a game with the photographs once you print them out. Try to remember the order they appear in under this post. Once you can remember that information, try to remember the order of the things each doll sister says to one another, while they are busy working at preparing their party buffet table. Memory games such as these, help develop pre-reading skills in the very young.

"It is time to set up the buffet table for our Valentines Day Party! First let me straighten the wreath," said Zoe.

"Help me get the table in place, Elula," said Zoe. Elula is quick to help whenever Zoe is in charge.

"Now spread the tablecloth out neatly." Zoe can be very bossy at times because she is so much older.

"What pretty hearts,'' cooed Elula.

"This rose smells soooo sweet too! cried Elula.

"What a silly goose you are Elula; don't knock the vase over. It's too close to the edge of the table."
Zoe loves to playfully chastise her cute little sister.

"Perhaps we need to put a doily under that pitcher, just in case there is a small spill later Elula," says Zoe.

"Here is the basket of silverware," says Elula. "I think this spoon needs washing."

"My tummy is starting to ache! When can we cut this sheet cake?" cries Elula.

"Don't forget the cups, Zoe." says her little sister.

"The cupcakes and sheet cakes look scrumptious!" remarks Zoe.
 "Won't they be wonderful to eat, Elula?

"Humm, I think we're missing something, don't you little one?"
"I think it's the napkins that are missing! cried Elula.
"Oh dear," said Zoe, "Mother will need to make another quick trip to the store!"

See more Valentine Parties for Dolls:

• See a School Valentine's Day Dance Party by SunshineSprinkles
• Doll Valentines Day Party Invitations & Decorations
• Valentine's Day Doll Crafting Party