The Flickr Girloftheyear2006Jess Image Generatr

APPROXIMATE RELEASE DATE: 2024-

***This outfit is modeled on Girl of the Year 2006 Jess McConnell

PERSONAL FUN FACT: I'm a sucker for Americana themed AG clothes. One of my favorite ensembles ever for Truly Me doll is the Star Spangled Fan Gear. This fashion looks fantastic on display next to the Star Spangled Fan Gear! I admit I hadn't paid this getup much mind until it qualified for a sale. I was actually admiring the Navy Dress Set in the clothing section of the website. It was March 2025--Colleen had received an email from American Girl about a special rewards member sale. Since we are Berry members, that meant we qualified for 20% off our entire purchase. It was too great a bargain to turn down, especially since Colleen had been wanting Isabel's Tennis Outfit. Sadly, Disney Princess Belle and GOTY Summer's clothes were excluded (these were things we specifically wanted). But there were lots of other goodies to add to the cart. I figured it was an opportune time to snag a few Truly Me fashions. I was torn between this Team AG Sweater and Skirt Set and the Navy Dress Set. Colleen noted that the Navy Dress Set didn't qualify for the sale for some reason. American Girl can be super strange when it comes to the exclusions. So that was the deciding factor, and how I ended up with this Sweater and Skirt Set for 20% off. I knew it would look AMAZING on Namaari, who is my duplicated Girl of the Year Jess (she was a thoughtful gift). Funnily enough, Jess was sporting the aforementioned Star Spangled Fan Gear on display already. They looked absolutely darling sitting next to each other in their red, white, and blue garments! I was very impressed with the quality of this outfit. Sometimes the $45 fashions aren't any nicer than the cheaper ones (I didn't pay $45 obviously since this was on sale). But I have to say that this was one of the nicest items we purchased on that particular sale (although I adored them all).

The last vlog of 2024!

Video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibW0JBN6uwg

This year we caught another early holiday sale on American Girl. We combined those savings with a rewards coupon too. I hope you enjoy seeing what we picked out this year!

Dolls & outfits in photo (from left to right):
-Julie Albright Julie's Summer Skating Outfit
-Bitty Baby "Ming Mei" in Bitty Baby's Party-Pink Birthday Outfit
-Nicki Hoffman in Nicki's Red Vinyl Jumper Outfit
-Girl of the Year 2006 Jess McConnell (aka Namaari) in Truly Me World Traveler in England
-Josefina Montoya in Josefina's Birthday Outfit

Video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7IU6G3Ext0

APPROXIMATE RELEASE DATE: 2020-

***This outfit is modeled on Girl of the Year 2006 Jess McConnell.

PERSONAL FUN FACT: I admit I underestimated this outfit. I've admired the World Traveler fashions since they first debuted in 2020. Once some made it to the Last Chance Outlet on American Girl's website, I was able to buy a couple. That unleashed a desire to have as many of them as possible. So I would wait until AG ran site wide sales, and I would strategically pick off one ensemble at a time. When I placed an order in June 2024, I debated between this and the France getup. Even though this fashion was more unique, I thought that the France one would be more flattering on my dolls (especially Miss Grace). I wasn't sure if this would be cute on many of my girls, so I put off getting it. Fast forward to Halloween 2024. American Girl was already pushing holiday sales. There was an offer to save $31 if you spent a certain amount (which equated to about 20% off). On top of that, we had a rewards coupon for $20 that would expire at the end of November. This was the opportune time to make our annual Christmas order. I originally had two Bitty Baby outfits in the cart, in order to hit free shipping. But I was still $2 shy...how frustrating. So I opted to swap out one of the Bitty Baby fashions for a slightly more expensive Truly Me one. I came to the conclusion that this England ensemble would be a smart pick. I have to say that I was blown away by it when it arrived in the mail. It is ADORABLE...and so precious on my gals. I automatically pictured this on either Joynomi or Jess. They were both all set on Flickr photos, but Miss Namaari, my duplicated gifted Jess, was not. She is cute as a button in this, but she's not the only one. Miss Noelle is also beautiful in it. I think even Grace could pull it off. I really appreciate how unique it is!

Dolls in photo (from left to right):
-Nicki Hoffman
-Girl of the Year 2006 Jess McConnell

The pair on the left is made to go with Nicki's Red Vinyl Jumper Outfit. I've already made two pairs of earrings for my two original versions of this ensemble (Angela and Valerie's "meet" get ups). Back when I made Angie and Val's earrings, I had a much more limited selection of beads to choose from. It was fun having more options for Nicki's ensemble. These red pom poms jumped out to me straight away. They are a nice deep red, like her jumper. I don't have a wide variety of beads in this particular shade. I got these pom poms via Amazon Vine (I got them for free in exchange for leaving a review). The smaller black and green beads I've had forever...some of my first jewelry supplies from Walmart. The only downside with these pom poms is that they use gold hardware. Nicki's zippers and snaps are silver for this outfit. So I had to mix metals here, but I think it looks okay.

The fashion on Namaari, aka Jess, is the Truly Me World Traveler in England outfit. I was tempted to use pom poms for this one too, but I didn't have any black ones. I wasn't feeling red for them...I thought that might be a bit much. I had recently acquired a bunch of charms via Amazon Vine. So this was the perfect opportunity to use some. There were 200 charms for just $7...what deal (for the same price you get 50 at Walmart...mine were free of course). I thought these large keys would suit, and the gold matched the hardware on her outfit. This ensemble has gold buttons and a belt. Using the same red beads and similar black ones, as I did for Nicki's earrings, I completed the pair.

Dolls in photo (from left to right):
-Tenney Grant X2
-Girl of the Year 2006 Jess McConnell X2

I know it looks like Tenney and Jess modeled two things in these photos each. However, they are actually different dolls. Thus why I have two unique hair pieces for Jess's "meet" getup. Let's start with Tenney on the far left. This bow was made to go with her Picnic Outfit. The shorts that go to this ensemble are lacy. That's why I went with a lace bow, which I sewed in place, and slid a clip through. I also added a resin center (comprised of three different baubles), with a few polymer clay flowers. I thought this added detail made it feel a bit more festive. The polymer clay flowers were from Michael's. I got them on sale in a pack of random shapes years ago.

Emma, the Tenney doll second from the right, got her own "meet" outfit. It is actually in stellar condition compared to the one that came on my first Tenney. Anyways, Emma has a very thick wig that still is curly. I wanted to make her a special hair clip to pin back some of her tresses (as for Tenney, her wig is much tamer and I use butterfly clips). I didn't have any resin shapes that were super Tenney in vibe. But I thought this leaf shaped one looked kind of like bird wing when I turned it backside up. These little sequins were from Walmart. I bought them for Kira, but I use them all the time. The various colors compliment the shades of Tenney's "meet" ensemble.

I originally used a flower clip from a kid's set for Miss Jess's "meet" look. But Josefina stole it, since it worked so well with her wardrobe. Since I decided to update Jess's earrings at one point, I opted to make her a clip too. I have this very over sized butterfly mold that came with a Project MC2 doll. Jess's collection has some butterfly elements, so this was perfect. I used this same mold for Chrissa's "meet" hair clip. But for Jess's, I opted to use orange glitter and some sequins (the same ones from Emma's "meet" clip). I attached the large butterfly to a clip using the UV resin.

Funnily enough, not all that long after I redesigned Jess's hair clip, I was given another Jess! I named her Namaari--she is the gal on the far right. I actually had a spare "meet" outfit in storage for her (I got the pieces for a dollar each at the flea market two years prior). Of course Namaari needed her own accessories. I didn't feel like making identical ones as Jess's. I decided to paint some fabric flowers in an orange and pink hue. I then cut and glued the original center down. I thought that the shade of yellow it was complimented the outfit. I attached it all to the clip using UV resin. I like that this clip is a fabric flower, like the one I used to use for Jess. But it's been specially modified to match this outfit (so Josefina cannot steal it for herself).

APPROXIMATE RELEASE DATE: 2021
MANUFACTURER: Maison Battat Inc.
MISSING ITEMS: 2 hair ties

***This outfit is modeled on Girl of the Year 2006 Jess McConnell.

PERSONAL FUN FACT written by my sister: We got this ADORABLE Our Generation fashion on our second Jess, who we call Namaari. She was a gift, one of many beautiful dolls sent to us as a present in July 2024 in two boxes that we call "The Barbies and Biggies" lot. My first thought when I saw this outfit on Namaari was how adorable it would look in a photo with our My Life As Movie Theater play set. I mean, whether she's chilling in Molly's Theater Seats eating the popcorn or if she's working concession, this look is perfect!

My sister and I were generously given two large boxes of dollies in July of 2024. We filmed this video after they were all cleaned up.

Dolls in photo, top row (from left to right)
-Girl of the Year 2006 Jess McConnell
-Tenney Grant
-Bitty Twins
-Wellie Wishers Willa
-Mini Maryellen
-1996 Shannon (by Gotz)
-1980-1982 The Little People "Brigitte"
-1985 Wykoosa Valley Cat Koosa "Tabby"
-1985 Cabbage Patch Kids "Noah"

Middle row:
-1984 Cabbage Patch Kids "Dorothy"
-1986 Cabbage Patch Cornsilk Kids "Winnie"
-1986 Cabbage Patch Circus Kids "Lenore"
-1983 Cabbage Patch Kids "Delilah"
-1985 Cabbage Patch Kids "Penelope"
-1985 Cabbage Patch Kids "Poppy"
-1985 Cabbage Patch Kids World Traveler Spain "Sarita"

Bottom row:
-1986 Barbie and the Rockers
-1989 Wedding Fantasy Barbie
-1989 Barbie and the All Stars
-1991 Rappin' Rockin' Barbie
-1992 Secret Hearts Barbie
-1992 My First Barbie
-1993 Dress 'N Fun Barbie
-1995 Skating Star Barbie
-1997 Movin' Groovin' Barbie
-1998 Happenin' Hair Barbie
-1998 Butterfly Art Barbie
-1999 XXXOOO Barbie
-1999 Pretty Flowers Barbie
-2001 Jello Fun Barbie
-2003 Princess Palace Barbie
-2009 I Can Be Ballerina Barbie (brunette)
-2009 I Can Be Ballerina Barbie (blonde)
-2014 Endless Curls Barbie
-2000 Surf City Midge
-2001 Salon Surprise Teresa

Video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=m75_E0dom4o

Pajamas/nightwear are usually one of the last things I collect from an American Girl's collection. Mostly this is because they are typically affordable to get on sites like Mercari/eBay (regardless of the character in question), and I prefer to display my dollies in day wear. But now that all my Girl of the Year dolls have their pajama/nightie sets, it's extra exciting seeing them on display together. Granted, poor Lindsey and Marisol aren't included in this photo. Being two of the oldest GOTY dollies, they never had pajamas produced. In fact, Lindsey never got any spare clothes at all...just an accessory set! If they had pajamas, be assured I would have tracked theirs down too. Girl of the Year 2007 Nicki Fleming was also never made a pair of pjs...weird considering Jess has a set. I do have Mia's, but I don't currently own the doll (maybe one day).

I think it was very clever marketing on American Girl's part to introduce pajamas/nightwear into the Girl of the Year dolls' collections. Kids love having matching sleep sets with their dolls. Even the historical characters' pajama sets sell well! All of the outfits shown in this photo came from eBay/Mercari, with the exception of Isabelle's and Kanani's. I got Izzy's directly from American Girl on Cyber Monday 2014 (they weren't on sale or anything). This was my first pair of Girl of the Year pjs, but obviously not the last. I never had the opportunity to get the other dolls' stuff brand new, since I had gotten them when they had already retired. Kanani's pair I found the local flea market for just $2 (sans slippers--those were from eBay). I actually had them for a few months before finding the dolly herself at the same flea market.

I think it's super cute that McKenna, Chrissa, Saige, and Isabelle are all donning some shade of purple. Kanani and Jess's sets both resemble one another too, since they are blue (Grace's pjs shown in part 2 resemble Jess's pair even more). Poor Lanie is the oddball because she's the lone doll in a nightie, and wearing such a dark color. But honestly, her nightie is one of my faves--it's definitely something I would have worn as a little girl. Plus, she was lucky enough to have this stuffed Orangutan marketed with her nightgown...none of the other dolls have plushies with theirs! Even though these dolls and their outfits span from 2006 to 2014, you wouldn't know it to look at them standing together in this photo. It's amazing how as much as American Girls change, they somehow always stay the same!

Fashions & dolls in photo from left to right:
-Girl of the Year 2006 Jess McConnell in Pjs
-Girl of the Year 2009 Chrissa Maxwell in Pajamas
-Girl of the Year 2010 Lanie Holland in Nightgown and Orangutan
-Girl of the Year 2011 Kanani Akina in Pajamas
-Girl of the Year 2012 McKenna Brooks in Pajamas
-Girl of the Year 2013 Saige Copeland in Pajamas
-Girl of the Year 2014 Isabelle Palmer in Pajamas

As an adult collector, I fell hard for the Girl of the Year collection. I absolutely adore each and every girl I have, and I hope you enjoy meeting them all. Also included in this video are my contemporary character dollies, and all the outfits/accessories I have for them.

Video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0cs3FUgzAc

In this video, I make earrings and hair accessories for Lea Clark and some other American Girl outfits!

Video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVw8vVQBlfM

Dolls in photo (from left to right):
-Wellie Wishers Emerson
-Girl of the Year 2006 Jess McConnell
-Bitty Baby (brown hair, brown eyes)

PERSONAL FUN FACT written by my sister: Wrapped in Roses is right! They truly look adorned in the red flowers. These dresses are so beautiful! They are festive enough for the holiday, but could also work nicely for spring because of the flowers. The way the roses are arranged, they look as though they are gently falling, like rain, down the dresses. I also love the velvety feel of the shoes, the waistbands, and, in the case of the 18 inch dress, the purse! We were lucky enough to get all three holiday dresses this year! Together, these ladies look ready for a holiday card. I love to collect the different holiday dresses because, every year, we dress up some of our girls and take a photo with our gingerbread house for the holidays. It's nice having options year after year. We acquired so many American Girls in 2022 and kicked off 2023 with more additions to the family, so we decided to prioritize buying outfits so that the girls could all stay stylish. We used our February rewards points and the monthly offer to get (among other things) the Bitty and Wellie dresses pictured here. Because the 18 inch doll fashion for Truly Me dolls was more expensive, we waited until our March rewards certificate and another offer were available. It was worth the effort of stalking these in the sale section--these are truly stunning and are simply perfection on the trio pictured here!

I was so excited to design jewelry for my American Girl Kira. This is a glimpse into the process of how I created accessories for my beloved dolly!

Video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2YTsZDJnfU

I just couldn't help myself when this doll popped up for a bargain! I hope you enjoy meeting the newest member of my American Girl clan!

Video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJGHH5L77LM

APPROXIMATE RELEASE DATE: 2018-2019

***This outfit is modeled on Girl of the Year 2006 Jess McConnell.

PERSONAL FUN FACT: I knew the moment I spotted this Star Spangled Fan Gear on American Girl's website, that it was an Isabelle Palmer ensemble. I also could envision my Girl of the Year Jess doll in it too. Having not been able to afford to buy any American Girl items since the late summer of 2017, I actually had no idea this outfit existed. I always am more inclined towards historical themed outfits to begin with. So I'm not the kind of person who keeps up with every Truly Me outfit that is produced. But on top of that, I really wasn't even on the American GIrl website all that much in 2018, when this outfit first came out. But my heart melted when I finally saw this ensemble for the first time in the spring of 2019. I had decided to treat myself to an American Girl order, since the Beforever Samantha and Addy nighties I coveted were finally on sale. I would have bought all historical outfits, but I just HAD to get my hands on this Star Spangled Fan Gear. It looks even more adorable on Izzy than I imagined. Plus all the pieces are versatile, especially the shoes. The vast majority of my Truly Me outfits were purchased on some kind of sale, this one was no exception. But knowing how much I love it now, I'd definitely buy it for full price!

I've gotten several requests to show myself in the process of reorganizing doll stuff. Since I needed to sort out my two 18" doll clothes trunks, I figured I would make this video. This is generally the method I use when I tackle reorganization. I hope you enjoy!

Video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsGsv9dqd9g&feature=youtu.be

I was most excited when I discovered that American Girl was running a sale this month! While I've been trying to be more frugal when it comes to ordering stuff for my dolls online (it is so very addictive), I just couldn't say no to Julie's Tunic Outfit. I've been wanting it FOREVER, and last time it went on sale, I had just ordered my Addy doll, aka Aduke, so I couldn't buy anything else. But the wait was well worth while, because I also got two of Lea's outfits--there was another one I really liked, but it had already sold out. I just can't resist getting beach themed Girl of the Year items for my darling Jess--plus who knows, one day I might get Lea, and it would be handy to already have some of her things! And to top it off, Grace's mini doll was marked down to $11 WITH her three books. Okay, so I already had purchased her other two books last year at Barnes and Nobles, but it was still such a great deal for just the mini doll. I've gotten really interested in mini dolls since diving back into AG collecting fully in 2014. I think it is so amazing that the Girl of the Year dolls now have mini versions of themselves--as a kid, I totally would have died if Marisol had a mini doll! While I was checking out, I noticed that American Girl was also doing a "purchase with purchase" and since it was traveling themed, I had to get it (Miss Grace needed it). All in all, I am so pleased with these items. While I was sad that there weren't more historical items in the sale section, since they are my favorite American Girl thing to collect, I am grateful to have gotten these beautiful items as a little birthday treat to myself!

Video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoUwcswapao&feature=youtu.be

Dolls in photo (from left to right):
-Girl of the Year 2016 Lea Clark
-Girl of the Year 2006 Jess McConnell

These two outfits would have been super duper fun to use specialized charms on. The ones on the left are made to go with Lea's Pajamas, which have the most amazing tropical bird print. It would have been really great if I had some kind of tropical themed charms to use for this pair. Isabelle's earrings are made to go with my Holiday Penguin Pjs set--it would have been super awesome to have had penguin/snow themed charms to use for her earrings. Sometimes, for situations like these two outfits, I will opt to make my own charms out of polymer clay. But that can be rather time consuming, and I'll admit, I'm not the best with clay. I really like how these earrings I made match the outfits perfectly, but not in a literal charm kind of way. Lea's earrings are extremely simple. Each one only uses three beads. The two green beads are the same, but come in different sizes. I love how all three of these beads are textured looking--it gives these earrings a more three dimensional, visually appealing look. Plus, it makes them look busier, like the print of Lea's Pajamas. Despite the simplicity of this pair, I think they look just as playful as Lea's jammies do.

What inspired me to make the pair on the right was actually the white beads with the red stripes. I spotted them in my bead kit, and they reminded me of the stripes on the shirt of the Holiday Penguin Pjs. I've had these beads for years--I got them in a dollar baggie at Wal-Mart with other red/white candy like beads. From there, I chose other beads that matched the colors/feel of these pajamas. The glittery blue ball beads are the exact same color as the pajama bottoms to this set. Plus, the fact that they are glittery gives them an icy/winter vibe (which suits these jammies very much). Originally, I was going to use white, ice chip like beads instead of the pink ones shown here. But I didn't feel like those beads gave the earrings the same flow as these pink ones. The light pink beads I ended up deciding to use are the perfect shade of pink. Sometimes it's not about taking a literal approach when making doll earrings--it can be just as much fun thinking about the shape and feel of the beads, and how they compliment the outfit they are made to go with.

APPROXIMATE RELEASE DATE: 2006
MISSING ITEMS: Anklet

PERSONAL FUN FACT: Not only do I find these pajamas to be the most aesthetically pleasing American Girl pjs in my collection, but they are also impeccably well made. They are super duper soft--I wish I had a pair of pajamas that were this comfy! The slippers are very plush, and they stay on Jess's teeny feet perfectly. Additionally, they have small embroidered details on the straps, complete with tiny rhinestones (both of my slippers still have the rhinestones). Like Jess's other outfits in her collections, these pajamas have a floral and butterfly print on them. However, unlike the warm tones of her "Meet" ensemble or her 2-in-1 Kayaking Outfit, these pajamas are a cool blue color. I love the vibrant shade of aqua chosen for these jammies, and how the pink butterfly designs pop out against it! Jess's pajama pants are my favorite piece to this outfit. They have so many brilliant, colorful designs, that they keep my eyes busy for ages. I love how the lace trim on the cuffs of these pants coordinates with the lace trim on the tank top. The tank top does expose a lot of Jess's cloth torso, but it is so cute on my doll, that I really do not mind!

APPROXIMATE RELEASE DATE: 2006

PERSONAL FUN FACT: Jess has one of the more simple Girl of the Year outfits that I have seen. But that being said, it has so much personality and charm! My favorite part about this outfit has always been that it is a vibrant, eye catching orange color! I remember that this outfit jumped out at me the very first time I saw Jess in catalogues back in 2006. It is one of the more iconic, memorable ensembles that I know of on a Girl of the Year doll. The materials of this outfit are fairly light weight, and are somewhat stiff. The embroidery work on Jess's halter top is very impressive, and it adds a little extra pizazz to this simple ensemble. The skirt is tie dye, with alternating shades of bright orange, hot pink, and a light tan color. I really love how the tropical theme of Jess's collection is captured in this outfit. I do find the placement of the seams on Jess's halter top to be a bit odd--it almost gives the illusion that she is wearing an asymmetrical shirt, or that it isn't sitting on her torso properly. Jess's shoes are very well made. They are actually quite soft. I love that they are woven! However, they do not stay on my doll whatsoever. Even with the plastic straps (which tend to fall of and break with age), these flip flops simply do not stay on my doll. The foot thong doesn't remain in between Jess's toes--it tends to slide around, which eventually causes the shoes to fall off her feet. That being said, these flip flops are very plain and versatile, and would match a wide variety of my Girl of Today/Truly Me clothes. I am sure that despite their inability to stay on well, that they will get lots of use on my dollies (and of course on Jess, who will wear them with this get up).