Hello Fellow AG Lovers

Hi I am so happy to be a part of your board. American Girl Dolls have been a passion of mine since that 1st catalog in 1986. (I wish that I still had it!).
I was teaching a phonics program called Super Kids to my Kindergarten class. I found out that it was developed and written by Pleasant Rowland.
I would pour over the catalogs, until finally my neice grew old enough for an AG Doll. She wanted Kirsten and I sent it to her for Christmas in 1990.
I ordered the Mini dolls for myself and kept them on a shelf. When the Hopscotch Hill Doll Collection was introduced, I just had to have it. After all, it is about 4 Kindergarten Kids and their adventures in Kindergarten! I shared the dolls with my Reading tutoring students and let them take a doll home, for an overnight.
I retired from teaching Kindergarten and Reading, two years ago. From fostering litters of kittens for the local SPCA, my interests took me to volunteering at their SPCA Thrift Store. That is where I found my 1st AG Dolls: PM Samantha, PM Kirsten, and PM Molly. WHAT A FIND! $25 EACH!!!! I offered to sell them on line for the store, but they just wanted someone to buy them, and I obliged.
I called AG for some accessories, but found that kind of pricey. That led me to Ebay, and the rest is History. My addiction began!!!
My favorite activity has become giving American Girl Parties for the neighbors and girls from my school. I began last October with a Molly Mystery Party. Of course, the teacher in me came out, and we had to add some historical activities. Then, in December, we had a Samantha Mystery Party.
Those were such a success and so much fun, that I volunteered to put on a Felicity Tea Party as a silent auction item in the school fundraiser. The school made $550 dollars and 11 girls came to the party.
My good friend, Mrs.C., who shares my joy of these dolls, has graciously helped me load some imagestation photos of the Felicity Party. Enjoy!
I will try to add photos of my doll collection when I get the hang of loading my photos.
This is so much fun. I love all of your threads and albums.

Welcome! We [img]graemlins/heart.gif[/img] Mrs. C, and I know that any friend of hers is welcome here. [img]biggrin.gif[/img]

My mom, who is also a teacher, found Pleasant's phonics program, too, and as far as I know, she loves it.

By the way, I love your avatar. Your kitty looks like he/she enjoys Felicity's bed! [img]graemlins/cat.gif[/img] [img]biggrin.gif[/img]

Welcome to the board! You're going to love it here! [img]biggrin.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]

Welcome to the board! [img]graemlins/heart.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/rose.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

Thanks for the wonderful Welcomes!!!
I am going to try to load one of the imagestation albums. Wish me luck!

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2101325292

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2101325740

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2101325453

[img]graemlins/rainbow.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/rainbow.gif[/img] Welcome to the board!!! [img]graemlins/rainbow.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/rainbow.gif[/img]

Welcome to the board!! [img]biggrin.gif[/img] Imagestation is pretty easy to use once you get the hang of it. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Wow that was a lovely Felicity party wish I could have come!! You did a wonderful job.

Thank you for the lovely compliment!

What a fun party! AG parties for neighborhood girls are great, aren't they?!!!

(By the way, your home looks so wonderfully inviting! [img]smile.gif[/img] )

Now this is where I am suppose to say....
"Welcome to the board." But I know you've been hanging around for a long, long time....

Come out, Come out, Come out... and play,
We are very glad you joined us today.
The pictures turn out A...O...kay
Once you're here, you'll want to stay.

Very nice job on the albums. Knew you could do it. BIG HUG!! [img]graemlins/heart.gif[/img] ^j^ Mrs.C.

<font color="green">Because there is an Irish Imp in me....and I know this new board member is floating on a cloud....</font>

Quote:

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By the way, your home looks so wonderfully inviting!

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Jeanette,

4PAWS4AG really had to work hard to make everything look authentic

Did you notice how original The Tea Party pictures were.... I believe I see some of that colonial dust. [img]biggrin.gif[/img] [img]biggrin.gif[/img]

I [img]graemlins/heart.gif[/img] U, girl.. ^j^ Mrs.C.

Welcome 4PAWS!

Thank you for sharing those wonderful albums with us! Someday when my DD is old enough (she's almost 4 now, so we've got a few years to go!) to appreciate such a party, I may have to get your advice on how to give one. I love that you made it fun and educational at the same time. Just fabulous! Oh my gosh, I would love to go to a party like that--how fun!

I think you are just going to love being on HB. Based upon your pictures, this is a place you've got to be a part of! [img]smile.gif[/img]

Welcome again!

[img]smile.gif[/img] Katie

Welcome! I really enjoyed your albums. Do you have all the historicals? Which are your favorite? Can't wait to see more of your pics!

Hi Yes, I do have all of the Historicals. As for my favorite, well, it changes . I have a special attachment to all of the 4 original Historical Dolls. Maybe because they have been around for a longer time.
I am really happy with Emily!

Did you get your PM and I have to ask... Emily??
Did she arrive? ^j^ Donna

Welcome to the board again!

I so loved what you did for the Felicity Party! I have done several AG programs for Camps and School, but nothing like that! Wow! Amazing! I loved the whole schedule and details! The young ladies and their special friends looked like they enjoyed the party very much! I also love your curios and how you decorated them! What a lovely collection you have.

Thank you, so much.
I am interested in the camp and school programs that you mentioned. Can you tell me about them?

Welcome! I'm new too but I'm already hopelessly addicted [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Awww your cat Tips looks just like my cat molly when she too is lounging on Felicity's bed and resting her head on the pillow! I would love to see more pictures of your collection!

Thanks for the albums. It looks like a good time was enjoyed by all. Very well organized parties with treats, games, decorations and other historic activities.
[img]graemlins/star.gif[/img]

Hi!!!!!!!!!!!! Any friend of Mrs.C is welcome!!!!

Welcome to the board!! [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img] You'll love it here!

What a wonderful idea and thanks so much for the pictures. My DGD's school has a fund raiser in the spring. You just gave me a great idea!


Brenda

Hello Miss AG teacher. What are you learning and teaching the board members today?
I'm watching and waiting for your next surprise.
[img]smile.gif[/img] [img]smile.gif[/img] ^j^ Mrs.C.

hehehe.. Mrs C, using my old code name huh? [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Got a few things up my sleeve.. but you all will wait and see! ha!

As for the Camp programs, a few years ago I did an AG Club for Campers at the Camp I worked at. Each day had a doll/craft and a short lesson about the doll and period. For example, the first day, I introduced the campers to Samantha. I talked about Samantha's story, then did a what is different from today and Samantha's time ( did this for each doll) had two crafts, one was a cracker (one that you use to pop and surprises are inside) and the other was a fancy fan. Nellie's craft was an ornament, Kit, we recycled old steal cans into Pencil holders, this was very successful,etc..

I also used these types of ideas when I worked for Girl Scouts. Took the dolls to the programs and added a small History lesson per doll. If the kids were learning on the Revolutionary War, then Felicity would go along with me and show them how they dressed and acted during that period.

My favorite memory is when one of the little girls, picked up Kit's dress and saw bloomers for the first time and then she called out, "She got Grammy panties!!!" Of course I had to explain to them what bloomers were. Thank goodness noone asked why Felicity did not wear undies! [img]eek.gif[/img]

4Paws, if you want me lesson plans, please let me know, can write them down again for you and email them.

4PAWS4AG, I enjoyed looking through all your albums. The girls looked like they were having such a great time. It shows how much you love AG and love sharing it with others.
Thank you for sharing your photos! [img]graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

Nia [img]smile.gif[/img]

4PAWS4AG,
You can take a breather now and just read some other posts. Sit back and sip on some tea... NOT!! We want to see some more of those dollies you have.
Anymore pictures in the works??? Hee Hee Hee
[img]wink.gif[/img] [img]wink.gif[/img] ^j^ Mrs.C.