finding 2 rare american girl dolls + chatting about collection goals / projects • adult collector

sorry i didn’t post last week, but i am back with two amazing new dolls! girl of today 2 and 4 💚
i also wanted to chat a bit about who i want to add to my collection, as well as a fun little side quest i’m embarking on. it’s a bit on the chatty side, but i hope you enjoy 🫶🏽
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#americangirl #americangirldoll #dollcollector #dolls #pleasantcompany #agtube #dollunboxing #toys #haul #ag #trulyme #justlikeyou #girloftoday #dollcollection #bratz

[@user-gd8kv6nv3y]

Wow girl doll right now okay with that onTwo 💞

[@CherishedDollFriends]

Hi Eric. Happy belated Birthday! Congrats on your new dolls. How nice of another collector to sell you a number 4 at a reasonable price. Best of luck on your sewing endeavours. You have inspired me to get busy and learn how to use my sewing machine. Love the butterfly top!

[@illuminuxe]

thank you!! and yes, i feel so lucky. sewing has been so fun to learn, and i’m sure you’ll get the hang of it quickly. can’t wait to see what you come up with 🌟

[@starlightagstudios]

I got a girl of today 2 for a dollar at a swampmeet but she’s in busted condition. Her limbs are loose and one of her arms sticking is coming off. But she’s so underrated, I never see anyone talk or own her

[@illuminuxe]

what a deal! do you plan to restore her? i have a video tutorial if you aren’t sure how to 😊 and yes, i totally think more people should talk about her!!!

[@agtakesover]

I'd had this video in my Watch Later for a while and finally got to it this morning (and subscribed :) You *should* be proud of what you've sewn. How great to pick up a skill that will help you enjoy your dolls even more. Since you asked, I don't collect Bratz. But I'm happy to subscribe to channels that feature multiple doll lines and just watch the AG content ;)

[@illuminuxe]

ahhh i haven’t been actively posting but i have tried to keep up with my favorite channels, and yours is one that i have loved listening to as i pack for my move! thanks for subscribing and enjoying the video 💚

[@americangirlfilms]

Your new dolls are so pretty!! #4 is such an icon and that’s awesome you didn’t pay too much!! I think the only difference between Addy and #1 is that Addy has pierced ears! I just found a #2 at an antique mall! I got so excited to see you had one as well!! She’s so cute! ❤️

[@illuminuxe]

ahh! thanks for letting me know 🫶🏽 and ugh yes i’m glad i didn’t have to go all out for her or really do much tlc. and yay #2 is such an underrated girly 💚 so glad you found her too!

[@strangelyliteral]

The other difference between 1 and addy is that 1 has darker brown eyes, but that can be hard to see in photos. But just like with your number 2 she can sometimes be found listed as an addy for a cheaper price than #1!

[@AGPinkCouture-11]

Happy belated birthday ❤ and i am so happy you got these two girlies, they are so beautiful

[@illuminuxe]

ahhh thank you friend!!!

[@AmericanBoyCollectAmericanGirl]

The top is from the Twilight Blue limited edition Christmas/Holiday outfit. My #92 is currently wearing most of it. 😊

[@illuminuxe]

yes yes, it’s one of my favorite outfits!! i really need to start memorizing what they’re all called haha

[@AmericanBoyCollectAmericanGirl]

I don't have them all memorized!! Just was looking for that outfit for a while, and I've now typed it's name in so many times that I only have to type "Tw" and it automatically brings up "twilight". Crazy thing, I didn't really care for it when it was out, but when I was thinking about getting #92 with the blue highlights, I thought about this outfit. It's actually a lot better in person vs the stock photos. Oh, and you were born around the time we started collecting. Sometime between the debut of the Girl of Today line and Josefina coming out. 😊

[@illuminuxe]

@@AmericanBoyCollectAmericanGirl it’s so cool to have been collecting in the pleasant company days!! i’m very biased towards girl of today 💚

[@AllycatlovesAG]

Also- I sewed a denim butterfly top for myself for the Twice concert (I assume you made it for K-Pop purposes haha), and won 2nd for best costume at a K-Pop halloween event. My version has ties. Now I want to make a miniature version haha

[@illuminuxe]

that’s amazing!! i wanna make a full size top similar to it, but the star shape version to wear for myself haha

[@AmericanBoyCollectAmericanGirl]

I wasn't aware #2 was similar to Samantha...I know #16 is as when I got her in a lot last March, I thought she was Samantha, but when I got her back from the doll hospital, the certificate said she was #16...I even called and questioned them on it, and they said a way to tell the difference between a Girl of Today look a like and actual Samantha, was to look at the eyes. AGOT's have solid brown eyes and Samantha has brown and black flecks in her eyes.

[@illuminuxe]

16 definitely is a lot more like samantha! to a non-ag person, i could see how they could mistake them though!

[@laurainthesky3765]

What a nice story about your #4 😊. Are you using patterns? The butterfly halter is really creative. I also collect rainbow/shadow high. Sadly those lines are at a dead end, so I just enjoy what I have.

[@illuminuxe]

i’ve heard that about rainbow and shadow high 🥲 they are super pretty dolls! and for this outfit i actually didn’t use any patterns, though for the tank top for my boy doll i did! the butterfly halter is based off a top that i’ve seen kpop idols wearing, but you can totally google butterfly top and find my inspo! i’m gonna be working with patterns going forward, but for this first look, i definitely wanted to play around with more simple pieces 💚

[@Summerrainfalling]

Happy birthday! 💜

[@illuminuxe]

thank you 🫶🏽

[@DollianaBoots]

My main lines I collect are AG, Bratz, and Barbie. I was really deep in the Rainbow High trenches a while back, but that faded recently lol That butterfly top is so cute! Excited to see the whole collection😄

[@illuminuxe]

thanks so much! i actually may have just bought my first bratz doll on ebay just now 🙊

[@kelseypeterson5172]

Congratulations on starting your sewing journey! Its so fun making your own clothes for the dolls! I make all my dolls clothing myself, as it's cheaper to find the dolls naked and just make them some clothing. Also no ag wasn’t trying to copy bratz with the first 4 girls, pleasant company introduced their "american girl of today" line in 1995, and bratz didn’t come out until 2001.

[@illuminuxe]

you know what’s funny is that i’m pretty well versed in the timelines of early ag as well as knowing bratz from when i was growing up, so i’m giggling at myself that i even questioned if there was an inspiration there 😭🤣 okay so bratz obviously copied girl of today 🤪 jkjk but what a fun coincidence!

[@illuminuxe]

and thanks so much!! i’m excited to see what skills i can pick up by sewing different pieces! do you have any recs for patterns?

[@kelseypeterson5172]

@@illuminuxe I tried replying with my pattern recommendations but for some reason my comment isn't showing up at all? So idk if you got it or not. If not I'll try again. It might be because I mentioned where to find some of the patterns I was recommending and apparently the KZbin masters hate that kind of thing🤷‍♀️ so I might have to word it differently

[@illuminuxe]

@@kelseypeterson5172 i didn’t see it, but if you wanna message me on insta if you have it, you can!

[@kelseypeterson5172]

@@illuminuxe no I don't have Instagram. Or anything other than KZbin. So I'll try to word it differently and maybe KZbin will allow it to stay this time.

[@AllycatlovesAG]

Just found your channel... and you're also a K-Pop stan? We love the overlap! What group is your 4's name from... I don't recognize it

[@illuminuxe]

It’s Yoon from Stayc’s full name!

[@illuminuxe]

Stayc is my ult girl group along with Loona/ARTMS/Loosemble

[@AllycatlovesAG]

@@illuminuxe Vivi is my ult bias and Loossemble is one of my ult groups

[@illuminuxe]

@AllycatlovesAG omg!! my biases are haseul choerry and hyeju!

[@AllycatlovesAG]

@@illuminuxe Will you be going to ARTMS’s tours

[@faith4858]

Hiii :) I’m moving out of my home into a smaller home, and as a result, I’m unable to take my American girl collection with me, it was gifted to me by my godmother, and I’m not sure what to do with them :( I have a lot of strong emotion held with them and I want them to go to a good home. any recommendations? I have almost everything from the original Samantha,several things from the original Kristen ( as well as both of the original dolls) and about eight other dolls and a bunch of sets. I’m just so attached to them that I’ve been struggling to find a place that feels fit to sell them :(

[@illuminuxe]

this might not be the most helpful advice, or the advice you wanna hear, but if you have any sort of attachment to them, then i would say to keep them until you absolutely cannot anymore. i know so many collectors (including myself) that have parted with things with sentimental value and end up regretting it down the line. if you can potentially downsize and part ways with the dolls you’re not as attached to, you can sell on ebay or mercari or even through places like instagram! if you want a good evaluation on what things are worth, i’d be glad to help and ask other friends! if you absolutely can’t store some things, but want to still have them, maybe looking into a cheap storage unit? or asking a friend to hold them for you until the space is right? just some ideas! if anything, the value for american girl things is only gonna go up for the historical girlies if the condition is good! hope i kinda helped 😅

[@faith4858]

@@illuminuxe this was very helpfull thank you so much! after a several long phone calls and lots of tears (lol) I have found a few temporary homes for my collection until I have more space for them, thank you so much for your help.

[@illuminuxe]

@@faith4858 i am so happy to hear that 🥹🫶🏽

[@lemonanddolls]

omg is jly 4 named after jiyoon like ex-weeekly??

[@illuminuxe]

she’s actually named after yoon from stayc! her real name is sim ja yun (shim ja yoon) so i thought it would be a bit cuter than just naming her straight yoon 😅 but i do love jiyoon from weeekly as well!!

[@lemonanddolls]

@@illuminuxe ah i didn't know her real name but stayc are lovely