Things to do when you don't have money to spend on AG

Maybe in May I will take some of my old shirts and make doll sized trow pillows and blankets for my "girls".

Another thing some people could do is if they have a doll with them and they are in school, then at home they play school with their doll while doing their homework. It could make doing homework more fun.

This is not technically free, but last weekend we got out Kirsten's Cook Book and made the Swedish Pancakes. Taffy Cheerful inspired me by saying that the recipe was pretty easy. Anyway, they were fabulous. It got us reading that book again after having it sit on a shelf for a long time. The historical craft and cookbooks are really pretty interesting and fun.

Once again Melissa, an excellent post! [img]wink.gif[/img] I think making items for the dolls is so much fun. We make all types of things with just items in my stash of stuff. I have been sewing and crafting for years, so I do have quite a bit for DD to work with at this point! Today DD had a friend over, and the girls played/crafted in the basement most day. They made sleeping bags, necklaces, and food items with things I had in my stash already. It was so quiet down there, I had to go and check on them several times...they very "into" their creations! [img]cool.gif[/img] DD's friend just called to thank me for having her over and that she had the best time ever at a friends house....I didn't do a thing but provide them with a few simple items, they did the rest. I am sure it will be a day they will both remember for quite some time.

At this stage in my life, it is very easy to just buy DD stuff. She could have a million more things bought for her, but it isn't nearly as gratifying as when I help her make something, or she comes up with ideas on her own. It is far more interesting and rewarding to create somthing yourself. I remember the days well when I couldn't afford to do a thing, I ate mac and cheese several times a week, because that is all I could afford, those where some of the most creative times of my life so far and I wouldn't trade those memories for anything.

I am so glad you posted this! [img]wink.gif[/img]

Shelly

1- Draw pictures of your american girls

2- Make AG stationery

3- Make an pretend doll catalog using your dolls. Take pictures, paste them into paper, and write a description for each outfit!

4- Make and imagestation album

--Seconding all the "make outfits" people. I love to make Addy clothes. I'll add that you can research outfits that would have been worn at that time and toys. I've found tons of Civil War Reenactment sites for ideas for outfits to make for Addy.

--Play Salon. Set up all your dolls and give them all new pretty hairstyles. Addy is about to have soft pretty curls again.

--Take your dolly on a walk and take pictures. I loved taking Addy on a walk around my apartments. As the weather gets warmer I'll probably be taking her to the parks around here and taking pics there.

--Reorganize your stuff. This is probably for messy people like me, who dig around and muck everything up time and time again, but last night I sorted through all the Addy stuff I have (not a lot, lol) and loved folding it up and making sure everything was neat and clean.

--Design scrapbooks for those that don't have them. I'm not sure how big scrabooks were in the time before Samantha, but I would love to see an Addy Adventure.

--Make toys/items for your dolls. This especially helps if you're looking at some of the more expensive or retired stuff on Ebay. Who says it needs to be authentic PC/AG stuff? I'm going to make Addy a kite, and I'm working on her bandbox with some neat purple paper. Once I have a wheel to throw on (I've done it once and liked it), I'm going to undertake ambition and make a bowl for her to mix up sweet potato pudding in.

--If you can draw, draw up pics of your dolls. And if you can't--well, there's no harm in doing it anyways!

That's just all I can think of right now. Back to knitting a sock. Once I'm good enough I'm going to get some fine wool and knit Addy up some stockings.

I have played on the "Fun for Girls" section of the AG website a few times, and I must say that I love "A Doll's Journey" section. I want to print all of the travel journals and do all of the little activities, which mostly involve cutting and pasting pictures, drawing, and coloring.

I have a new Jess doll and I am making up a story for her. Her book only covers a week in Belize, which is just enough to establish her character, but plenty of room to make up my own story for her. I decided that the doll featured in the travel journals could be a fictional pen pal for Jess.

Making a story for Jess has made her so much more interesting. I have been blending pieces of my life with what would be likely to happen in her life. This is something that I have never really done with my other dolls, Molly and Josefina, because their stories are so well established. Creating stories for Jess has opened up a whole new creative outlet for my doll collection.

Dianna Christine-- I love the Doll's Journey diaries too! I've decided that my Elizabeth doll (who is a modern girl) is the traveler of the group and writer of those diaries. They're very cute.

5- Create miniature stories for your doll. i.e. "where the red fern grows" for samantha.

6- Create stories ABOUT your doll. i.e. "Samantha learns to swim"

7- Play boarding school with your dolls.

8- Make furniture out of boxes. Paint your creations!

9- Draw pictures of items you wish there were. Like apples for penny, or a bed for nellie....

10- Give each doll a plant. Laminate a picture of each doll... hotglue it to a popsicle stick.... then stick it in the plant. Each day, help your doll(s) water their plants. Have each doll write about their plants daily in a "doll plant diary".

11- Completely clean your doll. Wash her hair, scrub her limbs, and make her squeaky clean!