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[dollyparsnip]

Sofia Sanchez at the Barbie movie premiere [👡] Barbie Fashionista 208 (2023)

[dollyparsnip]

My Great Big List of Gray-Market American Girl Goodies!

If you're trying to build your American Girl doll's collection of clothes and accessories, and if you're also intimidated by the high prices of secondhand stuff, this post is for you! I've compiled here a list of things for sale from the gray market.

What "gray market" means is that some factories in China that previously made products for American Girl brand, continue making them for a while after American Girl stops ordering them. The factory workers then sell these things on eBay, at a huge discount.

I've bought gray market stuff before, and I've seen no difference in the quality or similarity to the stuff I've gotten from AG. It does take a little longer to arrive from China, but I've not yet had anything lost in the mail. So keep that in mind that there is a small risk of not receiving anything.

Items also come and go in availability. So something could be available for a few weeks and then stop production, and you've lost your chance to buy it, so definitely don't delay too long if you find something you like.

This is by no means a complete list. What I do recommend doing, if you're looking for something specific, is to go to the seller's profile and see what other American Girl products they're selling. There's a lot more out there than what I tracked down.

Felicity's BeForever straw hat, fichu, mob cap, necklace Caring for Baby set's 8-inch baby only Hearing aids Various foods Josefina's Navidad dress Kaya's bead necklace Courtney's bangle bracelets Kit's photographer outfit Marie-Grace's fan Blaire's tote bag and tablet Coffee shop cups Gabriela's bag and snacks Courtney's lunchbox and partial lunch foods Courtney's lunchbox only Bitty Baby's bottles Samantha's painting set Luciana's wig, meet boots, and star necklace Nanea's meet accesories Birthday celebration set Joss wig Molly's BeForever red beret and red purse Melody's stuffed elephant (set of 3) Chrissa and Nellie wigs

And this listing here has a huge list of items available:

[dollyparsnip]

this user collects dolls

[dollyparsnip]

Hi! Thank you so much for your response. I’m sorry for just now getting back to you. For anyone interested, here are some pictures of the little bonneted gal.

And here are some pictures pictures of the bonnet construction.

I don’t want to hijack this post to try and make a sale, but if anyone is interested in buying her, please message me! I realized it was silly of me to buy her when I don’t collect Samantha’s collection. (But I had to rescue her from that thrift store!)

Hello! I found Samatha’s Doll today at a thrift store. She’s wearing a cloth bonnet though and I don’t see any versions like this mentioned in the Wiki but she has a Pleasant Company sticker on her so I know she’s legitimate. Other than the bonnet, everything else is the same down to her little nutcracker. Any insight on this? Thanks! :)

Ooooh, good find! So I looked into this, and I found no evidence of Samantha's doll Clara ever including a bonnet. Since she isn't illustrated wearing one in Samantha's Surprise, that makes sense. What I did find out is that there were many, many variations in Clara, almost to the point that no two of them look exactly alike. But that seems to be pretty common for clothes and accessories introduced in the early Pleasant Company days, as they figured out what works best in manufacturing and selling. Even Samantha herself was constantly being revised in the first few years after her release. What I think happened with yours is that her previous owner must have borrowed a bonnet from another doll and put it on Clara. I'm sure it's adorable.

And before anyone else shows up in the notes to ask this question, I am certain you're not mistaking Nellie's doll Lydia (who does have a bonnet) for Samantha's Nutcracker doll, since Lydia was released long after the Pleasant Company days and wouldn't have that sticker on her.

[dollyparsnip]

Like FULL full collection??

WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING WITH KIT

SHE'S COMING BACK!!!! FULL COLLECTION!!! ORIGINAL OUTFIT!! ! HAPPY 100TH BIRTHDAY BABYE

[dollyparsnip]

My sweet Courtney. I’ve had her since spring (but I’ve been horrible about posting) when I got her from the AG Place in Chicago. I picked her up when AG was having the “buy a doll, get their accessories free” sale, which was perfect because I have loved her Walkman since she came out. She is the first doll I ever bought from an actual store, my first new doll since my childhood Molly, and very special to me because I love the ‘80s & have bonded over that with my dad. Someday, when I finically can, I would love to get more of her collection!

So obsessed with her little high tops!

[dollyparsnip]

You know what really grinds my gears, but isn’t necessarily applicable to everyone? If they wouldn’t have given Nicki the dyed money piece, with a quick eye-swap, she would have been my lookalike doll.

I’ve been wanting to make a doll that looks like I did when i was a kid and I’ve been planning out a Joss mold with that exact color of hair & a middle part. All I’d have to do is give her grey eyes!! Damn.

I almost wonder if I could dye it somehow………. 👀👀

[dollyparsnip]

Update: all I got correct was the face mold, RIP. Ngl and maybe I’m biased but I like my girls instead

Haven’t posted in awhile. But I’m breaking the silence by posting my Nicki & Isabel prediction:

We already know they will be Jewish, based on their last name, but I also think they will be Latina or Hispanic. Isabel is a very common name in Spanish speaking countries, and I’m theorizing that Nicki is short for Veronica for the same reason. I’m guessing that their dad is Jewish, and their mom is Hispanic, probably from Colombia (my guess for Colombia is only coming from Encanto & it being on kids’ radars now. Also, the fact that Mexico has already been featured a few times already, so I could see them branching out).

There was a large increase in the Hispanic population in the US in the ‘90s, as well, so there is a lot of relevant history that can be brought up in their books. With this, where Hispanic Americans lived geographically drastically shifted, with more and more moving to the Midwest. I would love for this to be Wisconsin’s time to shine. With Pleasant Company starting in Wisconsin, it only feels right that we have a historical character (or two) reside there. And not to mention I was born in the ‘90s in WI….. but shhhh…. In addition to the Hispanic population in WI, there is also a prevalent Jewish population, primarily in Milwaukee, with it being the 42nd most populous Jewish community in the US. In 1997, actually, the Milwaukee Jewish Film Festival began! I doubt they’d set their story so late in the ‘90s, but it’s a neat tidbit nonetheless.

Here’s to hoping. 🤞 I’d love to hear people’s thoughts!!

[dollyparsnip]

Just got this email about the Benefit Sale! I feel bad for people outside of WI.

[dollyparsnip]

I ordered a doll on Mercari and she was delivered today. I’m out of town for a week 🥲🥲🥲🥲

[dollyparsnip]

I know it’s a long shot but does anyone have any idea where I can find a wig like in Maryellen’s prototype photos? I love her bangs here and can’t seem to find anything like it, only pie bangs or really thick bangs. I want Maryellen but I don’t love the side bangs on her, personally.

If anyone has any ideas, I’d appreciate it!

[dollyparsnip]

I went to a thrift store today and saw a wonderful Samantha with an extra outfit, her original meet accessories, and a handful of her books for $165. If I had money, I probably would have nabbed her!

[dollyparsnip]

I recently had a revelation about my dolls too! Whatever makes us love them more is all that matters 💗

Big Blog Announcement!

Ok so I have an announcement for y’all. I have decided to cancel my World Beyond boarding school au. As much as I love the show, it is not something that I wish to continue with my dolls.

Huck, Iris, and Hope’s doll profiles will be deleted and replaced later on. I feel that Huck and Hope’s dolls fit more as historical characters and Iris’s doll would be a modern character. I am going to be changing their names as well since they won’t be taking on personas of tv characters. I am going to be changing Hope to be a girl living in the 1640s as a descendant from the Pilgrims in Massachusetts (Her parents were children coming over on the Mayflower) and I haven’t quite locked down an era for Huck but I’m really focusing on the 70s for some reason but we’ll see.

I am also bringing my Kendall Wellie Wisher into the future and while she will still play Addy’s sister Esther from time to time, she will also play Kendall.

Lastly, I’ve taken inspiration from @desertdollranch and the Dusty Mountain Dollies sisters and have decided that Callie, Amaya, Iris, and Kendall will all be sisters, set in the modern times. I’ll post more about this family after I get the collections posts and Alicia’s final story complete.

I know changing our dolls stories and eras aren’t really something that happens a lot on here but I feel like I’ll be more connected with my dolls if I do this and I’ll get to explore more areas of history that I might not have focused on before.

[dollyparsnip]

I had to steal these from a d*ily m*il article but AG has released a book promoting body diversity and love, which includes parts supporting trans kids!

Conservatives are ofc throwing a fit rn– so over here in our trans-inclusive space, let’s show overwhelming support for this book! Esp with the recent h*rry p*tter collab, let’s show AG that we want them to continue supporting ALL women!

[dollyparsnip]

I kept seeing people finding dolls at Marshalls and Home Goods, but never had any luck myself.

Until today!

I saw a beautiful 67 all by herself at the second store I stopped at. She was $79.99. If she was on my wishlist, I definitely would have brought her home!

[dollyparsnip]

And here is my tentative guess as to what they’d look like. Nicki is on the left and Isabel is on the right. I could see them using the Joss mold since it hasn’t been introduced to the historical like yet, and I think they will have different hair, beauty marks, and eyes. I could also see one of them having a colorful stripe in their hair because vibrant colors started to come into fashion in the late ‘80s/early ‘90s, and we know that they’re a big selling point right now for AG.

Haven’t posted in awhile. But I’m breaking the silence by posting my Nicki & Isabel prediction:

We already know they will be Jewish, based on their last name, but I also think they will be Latina or Hispanic. Isabel is a very common name in Spanish speaking countries, and I’m theorizing that Nicki is short for Veronica for the same reason. I’m guessing that their dad is Jewish, and their mom is Hispanic, probably from Colombia (my guess for Colombia is only coming from Encanto & it being on kids’ radars now. Also, the fact that Mexico has already been featured a few times already, so I could see them branching out).

There was a large increase in the Hispanic population in the US in the ‘90s, as well, so there is a lot of relevant history that can be brought up in their books. With this, where Hispanic Americans lived geographically drastically shifted, with more and more moving to the Midwest. I would love for this to be Wisconsin’s time to shine. With Pleasant Company starting in Wisconsin, it only feels right that we have a historical character (or two) reside there. And not to mention I was born in the ‘90s in WI….. but shhhh…. In addition to the Hispanic population in WI, there is also a prevalent Jewish population, primarily in Milwaukee, with it being the 42nd most populous Jewish community in the US. In 1997, actually, the Milwaukee Jewish Film Festival began! I doubt they’d set their story so late in the ‘90s, but it’s a neat tidbit nonetheless.

Here’s to hoping. 🤞 I’d love to hear people’s thoughts!!

[dollyparsnip]

Haven’t posted in awhile. But I’m breaking the silence by posting my Nicki & Isabel prediction:

We already know they will be Jewish, based on their last name, but I also think they will be Latina or Hispanic. Isabel is a very common name in Spanish speaking countries, and I’m theorizing that Nicki is short for Veronica for the same reason. I’m guessing that their dad is Jewish, and their mom is Hispanic, probably from Colombia (my guess for Colombia is only coming from Encanto & it being on kids’ radars now. Also, the fact that Mexico has already been featured a few times already, so I could see them branching out).

There was a large increase in the Hispanic population in the US in the ‘90s, as well, so there is a lot of relevant history that can be brought up in their books. With this, where Hispanic Americans lived geographically drastically shifted, with more and more moving to the Midwest. I would love for this to be Wisconsin’s time to shine. With Pleasant Company starting in Wisconsin, it only feels right that we have a historical character (or two) reside there. And not to mention I was born in the ‘90s in WI….. but shhhh…. In addition to the Hispanic population in WI, there is also a prevalent Jewish population, primarily in Milwaukee, with it being the 42nd most populous Jewish community in the US. In 1997, actually, the Milwaukee Jewish Film Festival began! I doubt they’d set their story so late in the ‘90s, but it’s a neat tidbit nonetheless.

Here’s to hoping. 🤞 I’d love to hear people’s thoughts!!