I was really sad to hear that American Girl is retiring their 1812 historical girl, Caroline Abbott, in order to make room for new historical characters coming soon. My daughter listened to the American Girl books, but she didn't get interested in the dolls until Caroline came out. She almost chose Caroline as her first AG doll but decided to go with modern girl Saige instead. Now it looks like we probably won't add Caroline to our home, but we did invite her (along with her owner and another Saige doll) to a tea party about a year ago. Doesn't she look so cute with Saige?

American Girl has officially released pics of the new mini Josefina coming this fall. (You can link to more info on the AG Publishing Site. 

I won't be getting this mini since I just purchased the classic mini doll when it went on sale, but I do like the new meet outfit. I think it's a little more bright and cheery than the old one. I would love to have either of her meet outfits (or both!) for my new Latina Divah doll. I hope AG adds a little more to her collection with her new book release. Right now you can pre-order the new mini from Walmart for only $15!!

Summer always brings warmth, cheer, and plenty of outdoor fun! It also brings more opportunities for doll play, and these cute mini finds from Rite Aid will help get your dolls ready for summer. Many seasonal items are already on sale, and prices will drop even more at the end of the season, so you can stock up for next year. 

This small birdbath and mini cherub garden statues would add an elegant touch to a fancy vintage garden scene. They are both on sale for under $10.

It's fiesta time! Abrielle poses with her mini Josefina doll and a wooden maraca for Cinco de Mayo. She is wearing an AG dress from Josefina's collection. The mini flags come from Josefina's paper doll set, which I highly recommend. Right now you can purchase it online for only $3! Abrielle is from the Positively Perfect Divah Collection.

I saw this cute mini pinata at Target the other day for $4. It's the perfect size for 18 inch dolls and would be perfect for Cinco de Mayo play. That's not a bad price (especially if you don't break it so you can use it again) but I wanted to see if I could find some DIY versions. Here's what I found:

Campfire Chic has a template and tutorial for making a mini burro just like the one above. 
This Evite website has a similar tutorial with lots of great pictures. 
Here's an easier version from Love + Cupcakes using toilet paper roll tubes.

I shared some of these pics last year on Star Wars Day, but I wanted to post them again for those who are new to the blog. Saige loves a good Star Wars cos-play, whether she's dressing up as tough Princess Leia or posing with a couple of colorful characters at Comic Con. The force is strong in the doll world today, and here are a few Star Wars themed crafts I found:

Make your dolls a diminutive light saber with this tutorial from Doll Diaries. 
Make a Star Wars Day t-shirt for your doll with these tips from Karen Mom of Three

Happy Star Wars Day!!