New American Girl Historical Doll - Caroline Abbott

It may seem almost too early to already be releasing a new American Girl Historical Character, but American Girl just annonced on their Facebook page that the new character, Caroline Abbott is coming soon!

If you can't read above, American Girl announced that Caroline Abbott's story will take place in 1812. The doll herself and her whole story will be released in September 2012, just 3 months from now.

From many resources, I found this picture of what looks like her craft book. I believe AG or the author blurred out the picture, but I do see her flower basket.

With a good look through Amazon, Good Reads, we found all of Caroline's books. There are 6 books, all by the author, Kathleen Ernst.

And thanks to Doll Diaries, we have the names on all the books:

Meet Caroline! - Book #1

Caroline's Secret Message - Book #2

A Surprise for Caroline - Book #3

Caroline Takes a Chance - Book #4

Caroline's Battle - Book #5

Changes for Caroline - Book #6

Give me your thought and opinons on what Caroline looks like! I am thinking a crafty blonde with beautiful blue eyes and a nice pink and mint green dress will be her meet outfit.

5 American Girl Outfits You Don't Want to Spend Your Money on

Before I start this post, I'd like to note that this post is very opinionated. Some people may love these outfits and some may not. Please do not take offense over anything I say; I are just trying to give simple advice. Thank you and enjoy the post.

Today I am going to be talking about 5 different AG outfits that are rather too expensive than the actual value.

1. Pretty Party Outfit - This "set" includes a dress, necklace, shoes, and a miniature piece of paper that they call a "valentine". The total cost is $28 from American Girl rounded to $30. That's more than $7 per piece including the card. It's like paying $7 for a piece of paper shaped in a heart. You can easily make your own and for the dress, it's very easy to sew if you have the right skills to. This outfit is cute, but it should be $20 or $24 at the most.

2. Petals and Posies Dress - For this set, you receive a dress, shoes, and hair clip. The total cost is $28 rounded to $30. That's about $9 or rounded, $10 per piece. The dress is the main part so if you think about it mathematically, you are paying $10 for a doll dress, $10 for doll shoes, and $8 for a doll hair clip. The dress may be made out of nice material but pricing a doll outfit for $30 with 3 pieces ($10 each) is more than needed. The outfit should be $24 at the most.

3. Tankini and Sarong - This set comes with a bathing suit top (tankini), bottoms, a sarong, and shoes for a total of $28 rounded to $30. That means about $7-$9 per item. You're paying $7 for rubber doll shoes, $7 for a square of fabric that they label a "sarong", $7 for a doll 4 inch (estimate) bottom and $7 for a top. The sarong can easily be made of used fabric from your home. This set's real value is $20.

4. Hiking Outfit - This outfit comes with a tee shirt, shorts, socks, boots, and hair ties. The total cost is $30. That's about $5 for every piece. Even $5 for the hair ties you can get at your local drugstore for less than $2 in a pack of 50. The tee shirt isn't high quality and the boots are hard to get on. The price should have been $28 at the most.

5. Ballet Outfit - This set comes with a leotard, skirt, tight, leg warmers, hair ties, and shoes. The total cost is $30. That's about $4-$5 for each piece. Like I said before, hair ties can be purchased at your local drugstore for under $3 for over 50 in one pack. They are produced for less than 50 cents and AG is charging you over $3 for just two SMALL ones. Legwarmers can easily be made of fabric and the shoes are dainty and small. The only treasure you're getting out of this set is the skirt and leotard. The real price should have been $28 at the most.

Like I said, this post has been very opinionated and most items featured can be made at home for less than $10. I hoped I helped you and be sure to comment your least favorite and favorite AG (or non-AG!) products!

American Girl Product Review - Doll Travel Kit

The American Girl Doll Travel Kit has been purchased by one of our readers! Here's the review:

Yesterday afternoon I picked up the American Girl Doll Travel Kit from Barnes and Noble Booksellers. It was $21.95 and I have to say, it was well worth my money. The little "real" accessories it came with were two small  National Geographic Maps for London and Paris. They extend to be really big and do show a real map of each city. You also get a mini passport that has real pages. The first page is for your dolls identity where you can fill in her name and paste a small picture; the rest of the pages are to stamp her passport with destination stamps. The next item you get is a small doll-sized deck of cards. They are real cards and can easily be played with. The last real accessory is the duffle bag which is a big size and can fit alot! It's made of real fabric and has American Girl branding on it with an Airplane picture. The rest of the book contains cardstock punch out ski passes, cruise passes, a phone, camera, MP3 Player, and a paper punch out handheld GPS. You also get many postcards and posters. The posters are made of paper and the postcards are made of thin cardstock. All of these are easy to punch out. You also get a thin cardstock clock and clock stand. Other items you get are money, internation money and coins, a punch out mini-magazine like in the real magazines, amusement park wristbands for your doll made of paper, plane boarding passes, show tickets, a travel pass, debit card, ice cream cone punch out for a craft, templates to make a travel pillow and snowboard, labels for sodas and waters, a label for a canteen you have to make and a water bottle, international stickers for her passport, flag stickers that you can attach to magnet paper to make into souvenirs, and punch out luggage tags. Of course you get the book that comes with all activity kits that also gives you some advice for traveling with your dolls and how to make different crafts. This is a very nice kit and I really like it. I rate it 5 stars!