The Crew

This page is for the girls who stuck. Some of them have old or meaningful origins stories. Some just dug their heels in during restoration and made a permanent place in my home. Things can and do change, but at least for now you can see who’s home. Each girl also is a tag on the page, if you want to take a peek at their (often strange) timeline.

How many dolls do I have? A lot. I’m aware. I’ll skip the defensive disclaimer and just say that for me, dolls are an avenue for exploring history, fantasy, and diversity. Dolls have seen me through stress and heartbreak and happiness. They are a source of comfort and curiosity and reward for me, and I’m grateful that my life has enabled this hobby for me.

Ok, enough of the sappy. Onto the dolls!

Aduke “Addy” Walker
Birthday: April 9, 1855
Philadelphia, 1860s
Family: Mama, Poppa, Sam, Esther
Interests: reading, sewing, crafting
Origin: Addy was a Christmas present from my mom the first Christmas I began collecting again. I’ve found I love her far more than I’d expected. Her collection is incredible, she has some of the best clothes, and she’s a beautiful doll. She taught my to love the Addy mold!

Beatrix “Bea” Green
Birthday: June 6th
Memphis, TN late 1930s-early 1940s
Family: mother, father, grandparents, Uncle, 3 young siblings
Interests: cars, planes,
Origin: I’m still learning about Bea, but this is one of the cutest dolls AG has ever put out, and 1940s Americana clothing looks so precious on her that I have little choice, even though it means I’ll eventually have four 1940s dolls! What I know about Bea so far is that her father is one of the Tuskegee Airmen, and that before he enlisted, she spent a lot of time working on cars with him. She loves cars and planes, and is a regular Miss Fix-It around the house.

Caroline Abbott
Birthday: October 22, 1802
Sackets Harbor, NY, 1810s
Family: Mother, Father, Grandmother
Interests: Boating, embroidery
Origin: I resisted Caroline being Caroline. It never felt right to me. She’s a beautiful doll, but I never got over my disappointment that Caroline was brunette or red head, and wanted a different Regency girl and thought this doll was better in a different time period. But finally I’ve come around and finally Caroline feels at home.

Delaney Margaret Olivia Hawke
Birthday: July 4 DA 12
Fereldan, DA 20s
Family: Mother, Father, Ariane, Bethany, and Carver
Interests: Botany, chemistry, healing & medicine
Origin: Delaney, youngest of four, is a sweet, selfless girl obsessed with plants and healing. She’s in the same world as Evelyn and Tinuviel, but might as well be worlds away as her family are (at least on the surface) simple farming folk. Delaney is a Saige with a #55 wig.

Eirlys
Birthday: TBD
Orlais, DA 10s
Family: father, stepmother, 2 brothers, 1 stepbrother, 1 stepsister
Interests: music, dancing, reading, drawing
Origin: I’m not sure how long Eirlys will stay in this form. Right now she’s a muse for my writing, and sort of a combination character of two story characters. She’s certainly gorgeous and so maybe she’s found her true self after all!

 

Emily Bennett
Birthday: September 29, 1933
London – Illinois, 1940s
Family: Dad, Grandmum, Grandy, Aunt Primrose, (Mum deceased)
Interests: math, gardening
Origin: Emily was a purchase encouraged by my enabling husband when her archival was announced, largely because she’s the doll that looks most like me. I don’t think the doll “looks” like the book character, but found that this simple sweetheart grew on me. I’d like to elaborate on her story more myself.

Evelyn MacTir
Birthday: February 20, DA 15
Fereldan, 20s
Family: Papa, Cecelia, Graham, Anora (Mother deceased)
Interests: Horses, drawing, collecting seaglass, dancing
Origin: Evelyn lives in the same world and country and Delaney and is also the youngest of four, but could not be more different. The petted daughter of a high-ranking military commander, she is simultaneously spoiled and sharply confined. Hers is a story surrounded by politics and instability which help prepare her for her future as the queen.

Felicity Merriman
Birthday: April 21, 1765
Virginia, 1770s
Family: Mother, Father, Nan, William, Polly, Grandfather
Interests: Horses, guitar, nature and outdoors,
Origin: Felicity was the doll that brought it all back; a friend mentioning she’d been retired sent us spiraling into an eBay frenzy to buy her and Kirsten. She was the doll I wished I was as a little girl, and though it took a couple Felicity’s to find the “right” one, I love this pudgy girl who never quite looks at you. Also we all agree she winds up married to Ben, right??

Flora
Birthday: January 22
France – Boston, modern
Family: Only child but being raised by aunt and uncle, four cousins, not close with Father
Interests: Ballet/dance, ice skating, first language is French
Origin: I lasted four years, but the modern dolls came for me and now here I am with several. Flora is the most developed one! Ballet is the thread connecting Flora to her late mother, who was a successful French ballerina, but it’s figure skating that Flora discovers is her true passion. (Hello living vicariously through dolls!)

Grace Fianna Templin-McLeskey
Birthday: November 3, 1839
Ireland – Boston, 1840s-50s
Family: in Boston, parents and 2 grown brothers; before that, large extended family, five siblings (3 brothers, 2 sisters)
Interests: piano, reading, lacework, languages
Origin: Grace is from famine-wrecked Ireland in the late 1840s; after most of her family passes away, she is adopted by a wealthy Boston family. I began writing her story for NaNoWriMo one year and plan to continue it. She was the first custom doll I ever began and sometimes it feels like she will always be in progress. She’s also gone through a couple name changes to find just the right fit. At this point she’s named after one of my favorite books, Gracelin O’Malley.

Ivy Ling
Birthday: February 28, 1966
San Francisco, 1970s
Family: Mother, father, Andrew, Missy, Grandparents Gung Gung and Po Po, Uncle Lee, Aunt Hannah
Interests: gymnastics,
Origin: Though personally I have a hard time really committing to a 1970s collection, Ivy is important in my collection as the only Asian historical doll from AG. I think the doll is cuter than I gave her credit for and should have been the primary doll, not that Julie character.

Jemima “Jemma”
Birthday: October 11
England, 1810s
Family: TBD
Interests: TBD
Origin: The doll that was too pretty to take apart! Though she didn’t fit the character originally intended for, I found she demanded to remain and looks fantastic as a Regency girl. A nice little friend for Caroline! I still need to learn anything at all about her, but in the meantime it’s fun just looking at her.

Josefina Montoya
Birthday: March 19, 1815
New Mexico, 1820s
Family: Father, Ana, Francisca, Clara, Nephews Antonio and Juan, Grandparents, Stepmother/Aunt Dolores, (mother deceased)
Interests: piano, sewing, dancing, healing, caring for flowers
Origin: Josefina was my second childhood AG; my mother says I was very clear that I wanted her. I remember letting Samantha and another doll sit up so they could tell Santa I wanted Josefina and Christmas morning, there she was! Her collection is one of my favorites from AG; all the southwestern themes makes me nostalgic for my childhood in Texas. She’s also easily one of my favorite book characters. And she definitely grows up to marry Patrick.

Kanani Akina
Birthday: June 15
Hawaii – Boston, modern
Family: father, mother, stepfather, stepbrother, stepsister, half brother
Interests: body-boarding, photography, environmentalism, dancing,
Origin: Kanani was my holy grail doll until my husband hunted her down for me as a Christmas 2014 surprise. She’s got chubby little cheeks and a massive head tilt and is just perfect. She’s one of my husband’s favorites because he spent a summer in Hawaii and loved it there. We argue over whether she should be dressed for Hawaii year-round, but I decided that in my world her parents divorce (sorry, parents!) and her mother remarries a man in Boston so she splits her time and gains some step-siblings. Because despite what my husband says, she’s my doll and I can do what I want.

Kaya’aton’my
Birthday: 1755
Northwest, 1760s
Family: Toe-ta, Eetsa, Brown Deer, Wing Feather, Sparrow, Singing Rain, Grandparents
Interests: Horses, animals, swimming,
Origin: Though I bought Kaya for myself, she’s my husband’s favorite doll and most of her collection I think has been gifts from him. I love her character in the books, a girl who believably makes mistakes and is trying so hard to learn from them as she grows. Despite that most of her wardrobe is modern, I love that she’s such a unique doll and would love to see more natives from AG.

Kestrel
Birthday: June 26
Rivain, DA 20s
Family: TBD
Interests: astronomy/navigation, sword-fighting,
Origin: I didn’t want another K name but Kestrel gave me no choice. As soon as this wig went on her head, she established herself loud and clear as a pirate fantasy character. In our world, I think she’d be from Barbados. I’m still learning even just the basics about her.

Kirsten Larson
Birthday: June 8, 1845
Minnesota, 1850s
Family: mother, father, Lars, Peter, Britta, Aunt Inger, Uncle Olav, Lisbeth, Anna
Interests: outdoors, exploring, sewing
Origin: It took me a while to find my perfect Kirsten, until I saw a soft, well-loved white body Kirsten on eBay. It took me a while to restore her (she was missing fingers; snake bite, obviously!; needed new hair; had no face paint) but now she’s made her home as one of sweetest girls. I feel like she often gets overlooked because her stuff so damn expensive on the second market and because I don’t collect her furniture and her clothing in general is non-fussy. But I was obsessed with pioneers as a girl and love this little chubby girl. I will also never forget she burned her house down.

Margaret “Kit” Mildred Kittredge
Birthday: May 19, 1923
Ohio, 1930s
Family: Mom, Dad, Charlie, Uncle Hendrick, Aunt Millie
Interests: journalism, outdoors, adventure, baseball
Origin: Kit was the last of my childhood dolls; I received her as a Christmas present when I was 15. I love her in the stories, and like to remind everyone that she’s the only doll who’s been to JAIL. I love that she’s into journalism and a bit of a tomboy. I am undecided if I think she will someday cross paths with Will again.

Lenore
Birthday: December 12
Boston, modern
Family: only child, Mom, Dad
Interests: volleyball, volunteering, science
Origin: Lenore is still pretty new and I’ve got a lot of getting to know her to do still. I thought she wanted to be a lawyer, but after reading about Dr. Hadiyah-Nicole Green who has made groundbreaking working in the curing of cancer, I’m inspired and I think Lenore is going to be my doctor doll, who is determined to cure cancer (if Dr. Green doesn’t beat her to it.)

Leyla
Birthday: August 4
Boston -modern
Family: TBD
Interests: TBD
Origin: Leyla doesn’t have too exciting of a story yet since she’s new and still finding herself. So far I know she’s Arabic, Egyptian in origin, and very pretty!

Margo
Birthday: November 17
Boston, modern
Family: Mom, Dad, younger brother Jason, deceased older sister
Interests: Hm… still figuring her out
Origin: Margo and her brother are half-Japanese; her mom teaches cooking lessons and immigrated from Japan after marrying her father, a software engineer. I’ve debated having her interested in inventing, math, medicine… I think I just haven’t quite gotten to know her enough yet to say for sure!

Maryellen Larkin
Birthday: May 7, 1945
Florida, 1950s
Family: Mom, Dad, Joan, Carolyn, Beverly, Tom, Mikey
Interests: sketching and art, roller-skating, ice skating, TV and movie stars, science (particularly rocket science and medicine), geography, history, languages, Girl Scouts, adventures (she has the most interests of anyone, I think!)
Origin: A Christmas gift in 2016 from my husband and mom! Maryellen looks remarkably like my mom did as a little girl, though she was born a bit later in the ’50s and had much brighter red hair. I don’t have any deep fascination with the ’50s in general, but I really love Maryellen’s character in the books.

Melody Elizabeth Ellison
Birthday: January 1, 1954
Michigan, 1960s
Family: Mom, Dad, Yvonne, Dwayne, Lila, Grandparents, Aunt Tish, Uncle Charles, Cousin Valerie
Interests: music, gardening, activism, leadership and community
Origin: I looked forward to this girl for so long and wasted no time adding her to my collection. I was excited for her story but it doesn’t hurt that she’s cute as a button. I also think she’s just precious in the books. (Also this is clearly the prettiest of the school photos.)

Molly Jean McEntire
Birthday: April 22, 1934
Illinois, 1940s
Family: Mom, Dad, Jill, Ricky, Brad, Aunt Eleanor
Interests: tap dance, daydreaming
Origin: Despite my deep study of WWII, I’d had little interest ever in Molly, and am in the camp that doesn’t like her much in the books (though I will conceded that she does get better over the series). However, when I saw pictures of this WB Molly I knew she was the one to change my mind. I purchased her for myself as a reward for getting my SCUBA certification (facing a HUGE fear of mine; ironic since Molly also hates swimming underwater!). The doll feels a bit more like the book with her new wig, and I love her dweebiness. Welcome to the club, Molly!

Nellie O’Malley
Birthday: October 15, 1895
New York, 1900s
Family: Father, Mother, Bridget, Jenny, Ma and Pa deceased
Interests: repairing/tinkering, volunteering, singing, speaks a little German and Italian,
Origin: Nellie joined the family as a bridal shower gift from one of my bridesmaids (who is also into dolls). Purely coincidental, Nellie has “L.P.” written on the back of her neck in permie which are the initials of the friend who gave her to me. As a little girl I very much wanted a Nellie doll! Great little character and adorable doll.

Antonina “Nina” Anaya
Birthday: September 7, 1946
Florida, 1950s
Family:
Interests: science and math, inventing, cooking
Origin: I was one of those crossing their fingers and toes for a Cuban 1950s dolls. When we got MaryEllen instead, I decided to make my own out of this adorable Marisol. It took a couple wigs to finally find the perfect look for her, but I’m obsessed with Nina now. She’s my math and science girl, destined to be an engineer or inventor in a male-dominated industry. She feels a little bit older and a little bit more focused than my other girls. Agh, I just love her!

Odette Martin
Birthday: November 13, 1914
New York, 1920s
Family:
Interests: playwrighting, music, reading
Origin: Odette’s story is still being figured out as I learn more, but I’d known for a while I wanted to do a 1920s doll that explored the Harlem Renaissance. Such an oft-mentioned period in history that I actually know very little about! So I’m in the process of learning, and then I’ll update Odette’s little story. But how convenient that that American Girl finally put out a GOTY of color and she looks perfect for the Odette I envisioned! I bought her on day one.

Parisa
Birthday: September 2
Boston, MA
Family: mother, father, older brother, older sister, extended family in Iran where they go to visit
Interests: fashion, costume design, historical fashions, classical art, classical music, period movies
Origin: Parisa was completely unexpected and unplanned. I’d started to be a bit interest in the uniqueness of #49, then impulse bought one from a board member and she immediately stole my heart. She’s my sewing buddy, my historical movie and book partner. She wants to be a costumer when she grows up and completely gets me when I watch a terrible movie just for the clothing. Also she’s Iranian-American and has been a nice vehicle to learn more about Iranian culture and history.

Rebecca Rubin
Birthday: April 4, 1905
New York, 1910s
Family: Papa, Mama, Sadie, Sophie, Victor, Rubin, Bubbie, Grandpa/Zayde
Interests: theater and playwriting, music, movies, crochet, speaks Yiddish
Origin: I anticipated bringing Rebecca home for years. What a gorgeous girl! My husband gave her to me as a Christmas gift in 2015. Her wig drives me bonkers but despite that, she’s stunning. And she looks so beautiful in just about any time period, but I’ll keep her true to her roots. But seriously, someone teach me how to make her hair as beautiful as it is in everyone else’s photos.

Rosemary “Rosie” Annabelle MacKenzie
Birthday: May 1, 1722
France – Scotland, 1730s
Family:
Interests: politics, music, plays harp, riding, speaks French, Latin, German, Italian, but only a little Gaelic, sword-fighting and archery, Chess, reading
Origin: This doll feels like she’s been in the making for years! Rosie is my vaguely-Outlander-related doll, a Scottish girl raised French. I have so much still to learn about her, but already know she is simultaneously as wild as her hair and as poised as the educated lady her parents want her to be.

Samantha Mary Parkington
Birthday: May 26, 1895
New York, 1900s
Family: Parents deceased, raised by Grandmary, Uncle Gard
Interests: reading, painting, public speaking
Origin: Samantha is the doll that started it all! I received her as a present for my 7th birthday and she was my constant childhood companion. As a teenager and not knowing her better, I had her head replaced. Damn! This doll has been through a lot but is still very dear to me.

Sorah

Birthday: July 27th
Boston – modern
Family: just her and mom
Interests: art, Miyazaki, Japanese RPGs, cooking
Origin: Sorah was a planned doll for years before I actually got her. She’s sort of a fusion of me, my mom, and my husband. For ages my husband wanted to get her for me but ultimately I got impatient and bought her myself, also so I wouldn’t feel guilty ripping her wig off so I can keep changing it until I find just the right one. I still need to hunt hearing aids down for her, too. She’s a little like a Korean Luna Lovegood.

Tinuviel Nahara
Birthday: February 12, DA 17
The Tirashan, DA 20s
Family:
Interests:
Origin: Tinuviel (also Tinu, Tinouk, and Tinka to her father) is a fairy princess because I’m a little girl at heart. She’s beautiful but don’t let that fool you; she’s a stinker who’s constantly talking her way out of trouble. Her story is one I’ve been working on for ages, and it’s great fun to have a doll to keep close as inspiration. This was basically my dream doll and I made her JUST before they announced #61, but this girl has those cute freckles!

Vivienne Devereux
Birthday: December 21, 1782
Louisiana, 1790s
Family:
Interests:
Origin: I need to find all my notes I’d written on this girl, but her life as Cecile Ray was short-lived before she became Vivienne, a Haitian girl whose family left shortly before the Revolution because of complicated political ties. Her family is very well off, a fact which rankles her brother who ran off and became a pirate. I’ve had a lot of fun researching her, and even more fun working on her magnificent wardrobe! Truly one of the prettiest dolls AG has ever released.