Doll Diaries » madame alexander http://dolldiaries.com News, photos, reviews and more about dolls of all kinds including American Girl, MyTwinn, Barbie, Groovy Girl and many more. Mon, 26 Jul 2010 19:12:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Madame Alexander Dolls – Museum, Parties, Doll Club http://dolldiaries.com/madame-alexander-dolls-museum-parties-doll-club/ http://dolldiaries.com/madame-alexander-dolls-museum-parties-doll-club/#comments Tue, 22 Jun 2010 00:42:44 +0000 Char http://dolldiaries.com/?p=2056 Madame Alexander DollsDid you know that the Madame Alexander doll headquarters is still in Harlem, NY and you can take a tour of the 600 doll Heritage Gallery (also referred to as the museum), have a birthday party there , view their design process, and visit the company store??? I wish I would have known about this when we visited New York a few years ago. And, it will definitely be on my itinerary the next time we are in New York.

Just in time for its 87th birthday, the Madame Alexander website has just be re-launched. It is not only a great resource for collectors, but it has an online store and contains all the information you need for booking a tour, birthday party or getting the latest company news.

Some interesting Madame Alexander doll facts:

  • Beatrice Alexander Behrman founded the Alexander Doll Co. out of her kitchen in 1923.
  • Her father, Maurice, founded what is believed to be America’s first doll hospital on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.
  • The Madame Alexander doll partnerships with Fifth Avenue toy retailer FAO Schwarz began in 1923  and it’s partnership with Walt Disney started in 1933.
  • In 1940s, Madame Alexander dolls were the first dolls with “sleep” eyes that open and close.
  • Over 6,500+ Madame Alexander dolls have been produced with only a few different face molds – the dolls originality lies in the various costumes.

Sources: The Making of a Madame Alexander Doll,  MadameAlexander.com, Doll Reference

Some of my favorite Madame Alexander dolls that are available now are:

]]> http://dolldiaries.com/madame-alexander-dolls-museum-parties-doll-club/feed/ 103 The Dolls Take The Wheel http://dolldiaries.com/the-dolls-take-the-wheel/ http://dolldiaries.com/the-dolls-take-the-wheel/#comments Sun, 20 Dec 2009 23:24:11 +0000 Char http://dolldiaries.com/?p=1764 So, we are snowed in which is fine as far as my kids are concerned. My daughter has been playing with her dolls just about all day.

She just came “driving” through my office with Chrissa and her latest addition to the dolly family – Ashley the Madame Alexander Favorite Friends doll in the Build-a-Bear’s little red sports car! (We ordered the Madame Alexander Favorite Friends doll from Emily Rose on the 15th and she arrived Friday – now that was fast!!)

Ashley, her Madame Alexander doll is too cute! She absolutely loves her and has toted her around all weekend. Here is another picture of Ashley and Chrissa.

The Madame Alexander Favorite Friends dolls are supposedly 18″ dolls, but as you can see, Ashley is bigger than Chrissa. The face molds are cute but very different than the American Girl ones. The Favorite Friends dolls have soft bodies but they are different than the American Girl bodies – the harder vinyl portion goes down to about her armpits. They have very brushable hair and the American Girl doll clothes do fit (depending on the outfit).

 

]]> http://dolldiaries.com/the-dolls-take-the-wheel/feed/ 22 Madame Alexander 18″ Favorite Friends Dolls http://dolldiaries.com/madame-alexander-18-favorite-friend/ http://dolldiaries.com/madame-alexander-18-favorite-friend/#comments Wed, 16 Dec 2009 01:13:14 +0000 Char http://dolldiaries.com/?p=1742 Madame Alexander has released a line of 18″ dolls that are very similar in size and stature to American Girl Dolls. The dolls have rooted, styleable hair, and are articulated at the neck, shoulders and hips so they can be posed. They are also soft-bodied dolls. The Madame Alexander Favorite Friends are also very affordable at about $40 each.

You can also find the Madame Alexander Favorite Friends dolls at Emily Rose and Amazon.

My daughter had a really hard time deciding which one she would pick – but seems very partial to the one wearing the pink boots! How about you?

]]> http://dolldiaries.com/madame-alexander-18-favorite-friend/feed/ 12 Keepsake Graduation Dolls http://dolldiaries.com/keepsake-graduation-dolls/ http://dolldiaries.com/keepsake-graduation-dolls/#comments Tue, 28 Apr 2009 11:20:20 +0000 Char http://dolldiaries.com/?p=1021 It’s that time of year and what a fun memento for a doll loving graduate than one of these dolls!

Barbie

Barbie (Barbie Graduation Doll 2009 (Caucasian) Pink Cap & Gown) and her friend Nikki (Barbie Graduation Doll Nikki 2009 (AA) Pink Cap & Gown) are graduating this year in pink!  They are sold as keepsake dolls and have a pink cap and gown, sash and  brush.

High School Musical

Perfect for the drama club member or just a big High School Musical fan, all the main HSM characters are available in graduation garb.

It looks like these are also being sold in sets as well.

Madame Alexander

These 8″ cuties truly are keepsakes! Available in a variety of hair colors and skin tones, too.

Kewpie

Vintage dolls never go out of style! Kewpie is ready to celebrate graduation in either a white gown (Kewpie Graduation in White) or a black one (Kewpie Graduation in Black).

Which one is your favorite?

]]> http://dolldiaries.com/keepsake-graduation-dolls/feed/ 9 Best Dolls for Girls Ages 3-6 http://dolldiaries.com/best-dolls-for-girls-ages-3-6/ http://dolldiaries.com/best-dolls-for-girls-ages-3-6/#comments Sat, 29 Nov 2008 15:17:37 +0000 Char http://dolldiaries.com/?p=637

Little girls, ages 3-6 love dolls. They are old enough to start role playing and have fun being “mommy” and caring for their dolls. My daughter has always loved playing with her dolls, pretending to take them to the mall, caring for them when they are sick, and setting up birthday parties for them.

One of the most important things to keep in mind when buying a doll for play is its durability. Dolls are meant to be played with and sometimes the more basic dolls are the ones that get the most play.

My recommendations for the best dolls for girls ages 3-6 are:

Bitty Baby by American Girl

Bitty Baby is a girls’ first best friend (see photo above). My daughter got her Bitty at age 3 from Santa and the two of them have been best pals since. Even now, as she is about to turn 7, Bitty Baby is still her favorite and she has been all over the world. Bitty Baby is 15″ tall, starts at $42 and can be ordered directly from American Girl.

Bitty Twins by American Girl

The toddler version of Bitty Baby, the Bitty Twins have longer hair that girls can brush and style. That is part of their appeal. The Bitty Twin accessories are also geared more toward the Preschool/Kindergarten age and include a bed, kitchen, potty training set, and more. The Twins are exactly the same size as Bitty Baby – 15″. You can order the Bitty Twins (who come in a variety of skin color combinations and there is also a boy twin) directly from American Girl.

My Twinn Baby

The My Twinn Baby doll is 15″ long and comes in different combinations of skin/eye color. When you order the My Twinn Baby doll you can name it and they will personalize baby’s bib with its name.

Penelope Peapod

Penelope Peapod (shown Penelope Peapod Picnics in the Park Doll with Basket) is just the cutest thing! Her bassinet quickly turns into a purse making Penelope Peapod easy to take EVERYWHERE. She is available in a variety of colors and oh so cute. Her design is based on an old-fashioned, grandmother-made design and she is an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Medal Winner.

Corolle dolls


Corolle is definitely one of my favorite doll manufacturers! They have a huge selection of dolls for girls of all ages. We have a few that we have had since my 10 year old was 3 and 4 that were vanilla scented. They still have their scent and my daughter has such fond memories of Baby Judy and her friend. The Corolle Tidoo Bright Doll shown here is completely water tight and lightweight which makes her a bath safe doll. Actually the entire Tidoo line are crafted specifically so they can be taken in the tub and dry quickly. See a large selection of Corolle dolls.

Madame Alexander Baby

The Madame Alexander Baby Cuddles series are 14″ cuddly baby dolls that are available in a variety of sets. You can get her feeding set, windy day set, and others. She is just so cute though!

And even more great choices for the best dolls for girls ages 3-6:

]]> http://dolldiaries.com/best-dolls-for-girls-ages-3-6/feed/ 5 Fancy Nancy http://dolldiaries.com/fancy-nancy/ http://dolldiaries.com/fancy-nancy/#comments Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:35:46 +0000 Char http://dolldiaries.com/?p=628 Talk to any girly, girl 4-7 year old these days and chances are she can tell you all about Fancy Nancy – a character in a book series by Jane O’Connor. Fancy Nancy is a precocious little girl who loves dressing up, pink, and everything over the top. On my printables site, the Fancy Nancy printables page is one of the most popular pages and every time we go to the book store my daughter is looking to see if there is anything new in the Fancy Nancy collection.

When it comes to reading, my daughter’s favorite Fancy Nancy books are:


Fancy Nancy is also one of the most popular birthday party themes for little girls right now! Favors include tiaras, boas, and lots of fun and funky pink! Use the printables we listed above, some great Fancy Nancy party supplies and your imagination for a party all the girls will love.

We have scoured the web for the cutest Fancy Nancy party supplies, dolls, games, books and activities – just for you!

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