Marilyn sent me this picture of Estes Colorado, taken with a camera that had no filter on it. I’m not sure how far it is from where Marilyn lives, but “someone” is living in those houses you see. Please pray for Colorado…
I also received a link from Joy to the Memorial for Dianna Effner… it’s about 14 minutes long, filled with songs and music, if you want to come back and watch it after you read my post… Dianna was a lovely woman who had a wonderful life and left a remarkable legacy.
I had a fever the other day… it wasn’t bad, and it left quickly… as quickly as a click of a button on my computer… You see, it wasn’t a “real” fever, it was a dolly fever… Do you ever get it? I did see where Charlotte had a touch of fever the other day… and she got cured as quickly as I did.
If you’re new in the dolly world, we call “dolly fever” what we get when we have a strong desire (or hankering) for a new doll. I wasn’t really looking…but a pretty Julie doll went by on Ebay and I took a second look at her. She had very pretty hair and was one of the earlier edition dolls. But I moved on and looked at hundreds more… but something about her stuck in my head… so I put a “watch” on her and thought I’d go to bed and see if I still liked her looks the next morning. Well, I did… and the seller sent me an offer, then I sent her a counter offer and SHE accepted… I was happy but wondered what I had really done.
I do have lots of ideas for the 70’s era and have several pattern books that were from the 70’s as well. I was in high school in the 70’s and started college in the 70’s. So I know a thing or two about the fashions of that time first hand.
I’m trying to decide what I want to make her first. My week has been super busy and I haven’t even had a chance to get in my sewing room and see what I could make for her.
Oh well, for now, I’ll just show you the doll… This Julie is my second Julie… I sold my first one to Marilyn a few years ago…but somehow got the bug for her a few weeks ago…
Here she is… you know how scary it is to open up a doll that is used and you’re not “really” sure what you might find…
Well, after I unwrapped her, I was pretty happy. Her hair was slightly tangled but it brushed out fairly easily.
When I took my pictures, I didn’t notice that little spot by her right eye… so a few of my pictures show it… when I DID notice it, it wiped right off…
She comes wearing “part” of her meet outfit, but her sandals have been replaced with some purple boots with heels on them…
So, does anyone on her have a Julie? (except Marilyn)
I’ll see what you all think about her first outfit and see you Monday morning.
Blessings, Jeanne
How great you’ll be sewing for Julie. I remember the 70’s. And of course I have Julie. Greetings.
Thanks for the link to Dianna’s memorial; I’ll watch it shortly.
Congrats on your new Julie! She really is a pretty one. I never got her–I really preferred the “older” era dolls (I have Molly, Kirsten and Felicity), and some of the contemporary ones (I have two, the first Asian girl and a blond from about 5 years ago, I think). When Julie first came out, my friend Marika and I looked at her in the AG store, and decided, no, we lived thru that era as adults, it just wasn’t “us”!! LOL
I’m going to have to wait a little while for my “dolly fever” to be cured–my new Leeann will be shipped mid-November.
By the way, in reading yesterday’s comments, I saw that Barbara asked how tall the Leeann dolls are. Most are about 11″ tall, and are slim-bodied (three of them are a little taller). You can find a measurement chart here: https://adcleeann.com/dolls-measurement-chart.html Hope that helps!
Thanks, Charlotte. With the exception of two 18″ MA dolls, I try to keep my dolls around 14″ and under. Space consideration. The Leeann dolls are a perfect size. I have several in that size range.
You’re so welcome, Barbara!! Yes, Leeann is really quite a nice size, and so well made, too. I think you’ll like her!
Just watched the tribute to Dianna–very nice! Thanks for posting the link. Towards the end are some pictures of some of the dolls she’s sculpted.
The picture that Marilyn sent is quite frightening! I hope they get the promised snow and cooler temps this weekend. It cannot come too. soon! My son lives in Denver, and they are having air quality issues there.
I just watched the Dianna Effner memorial video, and it was a beautiful tribute! She wasn’t that much younger than I am, and the early pictures are like I remember things when I was small. I felt that I got to know her much better just watching the video. Thank you,Jeanne for linking us to it.
Your Julie is just beautiful! That hair! So shiny and bright! She has a beautiful face and such pretty eyes! You will have fun sewing for her, I am sure! I don’t have a Julie, but bought one for my granddaughter, who was obsessed with her!
My daughter lives in Loveland, CO. Their air quality has been terrible for awhile now. Such a shame because it’s such a beautiful place. I just keep praying for all the people in the areas of these fires. They are relentless.
Hi Jeanne, I have a Julie doll. She looks just like high school and college me. My sweet husband, also my high school sweetheart, got her for me as a Christmas present quite some time ago. I don’t have any AG purchased outfits for her, just the velvet Christmas outfit.
I have been accumulating many vintage and thrift store fabrics for her clothing styles but have yet to venture in the 70’s with my sewing. I will be interested to see what you style for her. Having her has inspired me to sew AG clothes and costumes for my 4 granddaughters, my self, and my 89 year old MOM who has Felicity and a recently purchased Kit doll.
My husband needs to help me redo a doll bed with the canopy posts. I really want to create her 70’s bedroom scene. Have many ideas and supplies to get it going!!
Can’t wait to see your ideas. I love everything you post and have learned so much from your tips and tricks.
Doreen in Arkansas
Thinking of Marilyn and Colorado burning. Just awful. Believe it or not, we had another fire yesterday close to the same area that burned in Napa County just recently. They had air tankers on it right away, and hopefully, they got it out last night. Pretty scary for us as the next few days are extreme weather conditions yet again here in northern CA. High winds in the hills etc. Power will be shut off early tomorrow to a huge amount of people here. So far we’re not on the list for that. Everyone is out already getting ice and gas. Not looking forward to this at all as it is so similar to the Tubbs Fire of 2017, when we lost 5,000 homes in one horrible night. Without power, most will also be without home heating and it has been getting pretty cold at night. Hoping there will be a weather change, but it looks pretty definite.
We have a Julie here. I have no idea of her age, and I’m not sure if she came with her meet outfit or not. I’ll have to do a search as time allows. She’s wearing a blue pleated skirt and top right now. She may be one of the ones where I was trying to pick up all of the missing outfit parts. Can’t remember. I’m thinking that that free a-line dress pattern from Wren Feathers with a slight enlargement would be cute on her. Loved those dresses and so easy to make too. 🙂
Have a nice dolly weekend. 🙂
You’re always on my prayer list. Hopefully this will end soon. I hope you don’t lose your power on top of everything else.
Please stay safe, Joy. Hopefully, you won’t have to lose power as well. So much weird weather and dangerous things. .We had a tornado warning the next county over the other night, but it then moved away from us.
I got the email about that Wren Feathers pattern and it did look cute.
Julie was my first AG. She started it all and my collection is quite big now. I was born in 1975, so I had to have her as my first. I think you got a beautiful Julie. 😀
I have a Julie. I bought her to make a custom. Her wig had been cut so she was very reasonably priced. When I got her, I trimmed up her wig and it looked pretty good. She looks like Eleanor Shellstrop on “The Good Place”. I still removed her wig so she could become a boy. I got 3 short boy wigs and then that project kinda stalled out. My sister in law got a Julie for her 50th birthday. I made her a very 70s outfit. Flowered flairs and a white eyelet top with ruffled layers.
Those poor people in Colorado. Praying they get snow or rain soon.
My daughter has Julie and she a Classic one also that came in that outfit, she was the last
doll she requested. I’m guessing the boots are an AGOT or GOTY item as I can’t place them to any historical. I checked AGWiki real fast https://americangirl.fandom.com/wiki/Jumper_and_Boots_Set If they have green stitching, they are probably these. I prefer the older eras as well (Felicity, Caroline and Marie- Grace are different characters and live in Civil War, Samantha, and my custom Nellie who covers a few eras with the 1930’s the most modern. She will be steeping into a few 1980’s mostly preppy fashions when I make them as teenage nostalgia is kicking in since Courtney debuted. On the other hand, Julie is a bit older than I was at the time, so only some of her things ring a bell. It’s great that you can cure your dolly fever so quickly. Even when I bought my dolls, I search for quite awhile to find just the right one and I was buying NRFB. Can’t wait to see what you picked out for her to model first.
I have a mini Julie. Does that count? Your Julie was a great find! She is very sweet looking. I graduated from high school in 1965 and mix up the styles between the 60s and 70s a bit because I sewed during both of them and that was a long time ago. That was more my younger sisters’ era and I was married and out of the house by the 70s and I didn’t pay much attention to what they wore. The British fashion craze was the late 60s because I remember making myself a dress with the white collar and cuffs that were so in fashion. I don’t remember how long that lasted. But one thing I do remember about the 70s is that whatever dress you make Julie, it has to be short. I always pretty much made my clothes, but a friend who always bought hers said that each time she bought a new dress it was shorter than the last one she bought. I knew her after I moved to Texas so that would have been in the early 70s. I do remember A-line dresses being “in” because I made a lot of them. The Wren Feathers pattern Joy mentioned would be good. It reminds me of a pattern I had.
I will be watching the Dianna Effner Memorial so I’ll thank you in advance for posting it. I thought she was much younger than I am, but she was a couple years older. I’m convinced playing with dolls keeps us young at heart. So very sad to lose her.
I am thinking of all the people living near the fire(s) in Colorado. Hope these fires get under control. So many disasters in our country.
Jeanne, I have a Julie and I purchased a pretty pink print polka dot dress from you for her. I’ve had her from the time she came out. Even though I have a few outfits from her era, I’ve made her more of the one or two modern era girls.
I’m sure you’ll enjoy your new dolly and yes, it is so exciting to get the “dollfever.”
Hi Paula, Did you see my reply to you yesterday?
Thank you Joy for sending the link to the video of Dianna Effner . Thank you Jeanne for posting it! It was a lovely tribute and although her dolls were a big part of her life it shows her family was her heart.
I’m so glad I invested in my Little Darlings. She sure could capture the best of little children’s faces and expressions.
Your new Julie is a sweetie. Will be so much fun to see what her first outfit will be.
Hi. I hope the fire situation in Colorado subsides soon. I know how devastating it can be. We have had lots of wildfires here in California as well. The air quality has been awful.
I also have an American Girl doll Julie. She came used without clothes so I’ve have been working on a 70’s inspired outfit for her as well. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with for your Julie.
It’s a lovely, bright, clear day here. My sister says 15 inches of snow should arrive tomorrow. If the mountains get that much or more, he firefighters will be very happy, and the people with endangered homes or cabins will be even more thrilled.
Those of you who have been in Estes Park know that if you approach from the east, the building you can’t miss is the beautiful 110 year old Stanley Hotel, described by its owner as the biggest pile of red and white kindling in the state. Here’s the story https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rzs3F6uE4zg
I’ve been looking for Julie fashions on google. Consider cottagecore or “cottage fashion style” for sources of inspiration that combine the 70s and current looks. Coming up with something really good for Julie is harder than for the other historicals, I think, but I’m betting that by this time next week you will have done it.
Dear Marilyn, please know that you are in my prayers.
Barbara, it is church this morning so will make sure your fires are added to the Intercessory prayers. I saw the pictures on the News last night and the terrible loss of lives and homes. Fire would be my worst nightmare. We have a small pine plantation near us called Bottle Lake Forest. Although it is a working forest, it is opened up to the public with walking tracks. I saw on line yesterday that the rangers have had several fires lit deliberately that so far they have been able to control. It is still spring here but if these idiots do it in a couple of months it could threaten the houses nearby which is not so far from me. We still haven’t had any significant rain and it was 24C yesterday and expecting 28C today (approx 78F and 86F). It is supposed to rain tomorrow but since they have said that the last two weeks and it hasn’t happened I am not going to hold my breath.
Your Julie is lovely I am looking forward to seeing what outfit you make for her. My grandaughter would love her, she would see her as vintage! Lol. I am about the same age as Barbara and of course I lived in UK, until 1971 when I went to Singapore. I remember making a whole lot of dresses to take with me and joined a sewing group when I got there but really only made A line and Princess line cotton dresses and a few lightweight bell bottom pants. I made lots of dresses for my baby daughter though. The boys got some but I loved having a little girl to dress in pretty clothes. A pity she turned out to be a tomboy and as she got older didn’t want the pretty dresses any more!
Never got into the hippie era (too old). My teenage years were the late 50’s/early 60’s!! By 1971 I had three children and fashion became more about comfort but I remember the skirts getting shorter and shorter.
I did manage to get into the garden yesterday but could only manage about 2 and a half hours and that included the visit to the local hardware/plant store for supplies. I have a slightly dodgy hip which will need replacement eventually but not bad enough yet. Walking isn’t usually a problem, though it has been playing up the last few days but gardening is a bit more difficult. I have a gardener (courtesy of NZ govt) who does the grass and generally keeps the weeds down and the trees under control but I like to do the hanging baskets and pots myself. I also try to grow some vegetables so need to get those in. I usually grow cucumbers and tomatoes in pots.
I did get some hand sewing done, I really need to sell some of my sewing to pay for my addiction, I bought three more patterns from Pixie Faire yesterday! Three shoe/boot patterns which gave me a Pilgrim pattern for free. Generally my preference is for the historical outfits as well but I think I might have to make some for the children now. They are more likely to sell here.
Better get ready for Church, still have to take the dog out as well. Take care everyone.
Dear Jeanne, there are so many people for whom to pray right now. I am praying for the whole world.
Thanks to Joy for sending the link to the memorial for Dianna Effner. Thanks to Charlotte for posting it on the Little Darling ning site so the collectors could see it.
I understand what you mean by Doll Fever. I have a very similar malady. It’s known as Doll Fixation Syndrome. I can become fixated on a doll whom I have never seen before and know nothing about. She will creep into my mind and whisper “don’t forget about me,” or “take me home,” or “I love you, Mama.” Geez, then I am hooked.
I wonder if there is a cure for our ailments. Probably not. I guess we will just have to live with these disorders (laugh).
I am happy that you got your Julie.
I had been talking with my granddaughter about giving her an American Girl Doll for her 6th birthday…. she wanted Kit. But when she was staying with us, the catalog announcing Julie arrived. “Grandma, I want Julie!” It figures since she had bright colored rainbows, butterflies and pop flowers for her 4th birthday. I was disappointed because I liked the older historicals with lots of style and fabric. Of course, she got Julie, loved her and Grandma sewed for her. The hair was always a mess. Then she told me one time, “Grandma, sometimes when I can’t sleep, I get up and bring Julie to bed with me. Then I can go to sleep.” At which point, Grandma loved Julie too! Looking forward to what you will create for her.
Got to be the sweetest story ever. Thank you so much for sharing. 🙂
I understand this condition when there is a desire to buy a new doll and there are ideas for her outfits and images! Congratulations on a good purchase, Jeanne! I hope the online translator translated my words correctly. 🙂