I got Yarn... and a Sheep?!?

Another awesome present I got this year was this: more yarn. 

I love crocheting, so more yarn is always a good gift idea. These are just the right size, too! They're called Bon Bons, and I'd been eyeing them at the store for months - it was so fun to get them as a present!

Yep, our Christmas Tree is still up. We celebrate Christmas until January 7th. There's so much to do before Christmas, so we like enjoying it (and our presents) for a while afterwards. We'll be saying goodbye until next year tomorrow night, I think. 

Lion Brand makes the yarn. I got the sparkly ones, but there were lots of different kinds and colors.

Anyway, I got some other awesome presents that kind of go with my yarn, too.

I got a SHEEP!

Ok, it's not really my sheep to keep. I've always wanted one, but it would be hard to keep a sheep here in the city! The sheep ornament is for me, and the real sheep is going to go help other people. Then they'll be able to use the sheep's wool to make their own yarn, year after year.

I love that my family thought of things I like to do, and gave me cool presents that would help share that with other people, too!

 I also got a goat, which is cool because I love goat cheese. My cousin has a REAL goat, and I've always been jealous. My family also thought it was funny when I wanted to learn to make cheese myself. It uses just cow's milk and lemon juice (and a stove, so little kids should have help!), and it's almost like magic watching the cheese form! 

Plus, I got a ANOTHER one that is a donation to help kids who are in the hospital. 

The ornaments are fun to get, and I love that they also help other people, too!

I wonder if I'll get another animal next year.

Opening GOTY 2014 - Mini Isabelle Review Time

It's a cold, windy snow day. And, I got Mini Isabelle from Target as a present yesterday.

After shovelling some snow, my sister Anna and I changed to our warmest, most cuddly jammies. We made tea, got our dolls out, and put a movie on. (The Nutcracker!)

Here I am with Julie.

Here's Anna with Molly.

Finally, it was time to open my Mini Isabelle!!!

Isabelle came in a box that looks like a big AG box. She's standing behind a plastic holder for her book, just like the big dolls do. Just like Mini Saige last year, her book is paperback instead of hardback. But, we usually get paperback GOTY books anyway, so that makes her mini book more like the big ones.

Her book looks fun. I like the illustration inside, too, of her at the ballet barre.

I think Isabelle looks nice enough, and I bet a lot of kids will like her. She's blonde (again!) but I don't have a blonde doll with eyes that are her color. Her lips are a very light pink. It's kind of weird, but her character's a dancer, so maybe it's stage makeup? The pink in her hair is one of the coolest parts of her look. I think her pink hair would have looked super cool on a doll with darker hair or skin, too, though. 

Its' blurry, but here's an idea of how they did Mini Isabelle's dip dye. There's a whole hot pink layer of hair near her neck.

You can see the pink better in this picture. I wish there was a little bit more pink, because it's harder to see on my Mini. Colored hair is really popular here, and I can buy clip-ins in almost any color I want at our local hair supply shop. (I have electric blue and hot pink!) So, I wish Isabelle's were a little easier to see. Otherwise, she looks like just another blonde doll.

I love the see-through sleeves on Isabelle's shirt, and the ballerina graphic. But, I wanted to figure out why Isabelle's shirt looks kind of bulky. I mean, it looks HUGE on her compared to the outfits I've put together for my other AG Minis.

They really worked on the neckline. There's a teeny tiny facing there, so the neckline is finished and lays flat. That's also what makes her look kinda like she's wearing shoulder pads.

Argh! I wish I could get a better close-up of that ballerina graphic. I love it!

The pants kind of have a weird gathered elastic waist. It makes her front wrinkly, but I know the gathers also help get the pants on the doll. Her shirt mostly covers that up anyway. She also has real pink undies under the silver sparkly pants. I think that's awesome. On a doll this tiny, that also adds a LOT of thickness to the doll, though. So, that explains part of all that bulk.

I think the biggest bit that makes her shirt look so bulky is the GIGANTIC double tag that is sewn into the shirt. Look how huge that is! One tag just has a number on it, the other has the American Girl logo and "Made in China." My doll herself also has two more even BIGGER tags at her waist, too. One is almost 2 inches long! 

I'd take points away on my review for the huge tags right at her waist. But, I think the law says they have to be there so AG can sell the doll. If they annoy you, it'd be pretty easy to cut them off after you buy her.

I do have a lot of blonde AG dolls already - Julie, Kit, and Kirsten. Then there's also GOTY Kailey, Nicki, Gwen, Lanie, and even McKenna, who also have lighter hair.  I was wondering if Isabelle would look too much like my Julie or Kit. Her face is the same as Kit's, but her eyes and lips are definitely different colors. And her face looks really different than Julie's.

Julie and Isabelle's hair look almost exactly the same. Isabelle's is a little bit shorter, and pulled into a half ponytail on either side. 

Here's my Julie and Isabelle together.

Overall, I recommend getting Mini Isabelle. There have already been a lot of blonde GOTY dolls, but Mini Isabelle is the first blonde mini GOTY so far.  I admit that I sure do have a lot of blonde AG dolls now, and I do hope for a Girl of the Year who's a little different next - I live in a big city, and there are just so many more girls' looks to pick from and so many colors that make for especially awesome outfits on girls with darker skin that all these light-skinned dolls are getting kind of silly!

I love that they're making Mini GOTY dolls now. It makes me want to learn more about her, even if I know I can't meet *big* Isabelle any time soon. It turns out that I really like a lot of her collection, and am starting to want some of her things for me and my Mini Isabelle. And, of course, I want to read ALL of her books!

I really like the idea of her story because Isabelle is also interested in what goes on behind the scenes in performing, just like I am. She loves making costumes! I can't wait to start making some costumes for her, too! 

Isabelle's collection is also really cool - I dream of getting her sewing machine, craft closet, and dress form for myself! Maybe I'll have to start saving up for it now.

There are mix-and-match outfits that have some neat pieces, even though I'm not a serious ballet dancer. I take Ukrainian dance lessons, which use some ballet, and I know I'd especially like some of her practice things for when I practice, if I didn't already have Marisol's practice set. But, I have some friends who REALLY love ballet, and I know her things will be popular with them

Mia's coral sweater looks especially comfy as something cuddly to wear after dance class, or even to school.

Have you seen her pjs, though?

I think her pjs remind me of Mia's - they have a "faux wrap" design just like hers. Only Isabelle's are on the pants, like this: http://store.americangirl.com/images/F7331_main_2.jpg

And Mia's looked like this: http://americangirl.wikia.com/wiki/Mia%27s_PJ%27s_Set

Which do you like better - the Purple ones or the Periwinkle ones? I can't decide which is my favorite!

Anyway, I'll be back later with more reviews. 

Have a great day from me, Anna, and some of our Minis!

Making Christmas Goody Bags with AG Crafts Stamps

Yesterday, I gave out Christmas goody bags at Sunday School. I made them last week, during the big ice storm. I was so upset that it wasn't possible to go out and buy decorated Christmas bags and more things to put inside. I thought and thought, and then I remembered my mom using plain brown lunch bags to wrap things in sometimes. I could have bags decorated for Christmas, even if the ice storm kept me inside!

Here's how I made them:

I used plain brown lunch bags.

A Christmas stamp set.

The AG Crafts Gift tag set. This came from Michael's, and I'm not sure if they make it anymore.

Crayola Washable Markers

Crayola Colored Pencils

...And Pipe Cleaners

First, I set up stamps I liked, and picked the color crayons and colored pencils I wanted to use.

I started with the snowman stamp from the Christmas set, with the word "From" on it from the AG set.

It still looked really plain with just those, so I made another stamp with the fancy stars from the AG set.

Before: 

And, with the fancy stars:

I also drew a fancy squiggle under the stamped design, and colored in the snowman and stars.

Then, I got together the treats to give out:

There's stickers, jelly bracelets, pop pencils, candy canes, and Tastycakes.

I couldn't find the bouncy balls I picked out, but I hope everybody likes these things.

I couldn't go out and buy ribbon to tie the bags, either. 

I looked for something else, and found sparkly pipe cleaners in with my craft things. 

To do what I did, you need to fold over the top of the bag and punch two holes near the top. Next, use the pipe cleaners to close the bags like I you're using a twist tie, then curl the ends around a pencil. The ends will look springy like a fancy curled ribbon, but they'll stay that way without getting as tangled!

 I was so excited with how the goody bags sparkle!

So, yesterday I gave out the goody bags, and even got my own! There were two little presents, so I knew I needed to share with my sister, Anna.

 This bag is huge! 

 Anna dove right into the bag, to find the first present.

We got a pink flower... 

 ... and a blue flower!

 Our flowers are solar powered, and dance when they're in sunlight.

We love nature, and this is such a fun way to remind us of the outdoors when it's too cold to grow things!

P.S. I was asked, so I want to mention it... I wasn't given any products for this post. I mentioned things I really use - Crayola products are some of my favorite kids' art supplies. I like using washable markers with stamps because I can change the colors a lot, but washable markers won't work if you think your project will get wet. And, I use that AG Crafts Tag Making kit a lot!

Toys for Tots!

Good morning!

Boy, did we get a lot of ice last night!

Before Anna and I head to church - if we can make it, with all this ice - we want to remind you that, if you got a present for Toys for Tots, today's the last day to drop it off! (At least here in our city!)

We took some photos last night to show off our favorite new gifts we got from St. Nicholas last week, and two awesome new winter-themed mugs.

Anna's favorite gift is her new stuffed polar bear...

...and mine is the chocolate!

Here are the toys we picked out: I picked a Webkinz Cocker Spaniel, just like my mini one here. Anna got a Pillow Pet just like her mini. 

We actually are picked the Pillow Pet especially for an Angel Tree kid who asked for one, but here are our other things for Toys for Tots, and a few things our big friends picked out, too. We hope some kids think these are as awesome as we do - the doll baby is so cute!

It's not too late to drop yours off, too - a big person can help you find your closest drop-off for Toys for Tots, and its hours, with a quick Google search. We hope to drop ours off before we try to go see a special Christmas display today. Wish us luck that the ice melts!