To All the Dolls I've Loved Before: Every American Girl Doll I NO LONGER Own

[@buffmontana4203]

awww People have all sorts of reasons to sell stuff and it's right for them. I had an AG, don't remember her #. I had made her a wig from a wig of very tiny dreadlocks. I think it came out great. I sold her and boy do I regret it. Thankfully (I hope) I still have the rest of the wig and I can make another one. Tiny dreadlocks are hard to find, at least in my experience.

[@agtakesover]

You're so right - people DO have all sorts of reasons behind why the sell what they sell. I just know some people in the AG community have a hard time understanding that or they make assumptions, so I thought it was a good topic to cover. Also, it's a fun stroll down memory lane and a way to tip my hat to all the dolls we used to own :) I hope you are able to make another loc wig - it does sound unique

[@Kelly_Molly_Sarah]

So funny about your “Miss Ball” Nanea because I had a childhood friend with that last name and we both loved American girls and both had Molly. She moved away while we were in school, I wonder if she got an Nanea and marked it ❤😂

[@agtakesover]

That would be a hilarious coincidence!

[@bethbacarella]

I love this video! This is so interesting. I have 8 dolls, soon to be 9, and I've sold 6 dolls, so our ratios are very, very similar. :) And that does not include any of my daughter's dolls, as she sold them all. Love the picture of Tenney as Luna with the Quibbler in her purse. :) I completely understand what you're saying about Caroline looking like her soul has been sucked from her body (Dementor's kiss??), as I had a Marisol that looked "dead" to me. I've never heard anyone describe a doll that way, but that's exactly how I felt about this Marisol. She was only in my collection for a year and I NEVER took a picture of her, which I think is crazy. I love that you harvested eyes. :) I also love your idea of turning Ivy into that gorgeous redhead. Thanks for sharing all of this!

[@agtakesover]

I saw your "soon to be 9" doll on AGIG yesterday. You already know I'm a fan. And yeah, I know you have parted with your dolls readily if you feel it's time or one is no longer a good fit. I know it's not an approach everyone wants to take, but it works for you and that's what matters.

[@bethbacarella]

@@agtakesover Glad to hear you're a fan of my "soon to be" Claudie custom. :) If you could go back in time after realizing that you're going to collect something, you could plan on who you would buy first, second, third. But you can't go back in time, so you make the best decisions that you can at the time. And even going back in time wouldn't necessarily work, as some dolls hadn't even come out yet. I just thought our percentages / ratios were a hoot. :)

[@agtakesover]

And would you WANT to go back in time and change it? Some of the dolls we no longer have, I'm VERY grateful we had and they aren't "not special" just because they've moved on :)

[@bethbacarella]

@@agtakesover Very good point! I know if I could go back and not buy Marisol, I would, but I would have bought the rest. I may not have sent Kanani to the doll hospital after all, but it was nice having her brand new wig for the time that I had her.

[@Divadoll9000]

Thank you for a great video to listen to in the background while I diamond paint. Your love and care really came through when talking about the dolls you parted with. I love that you can still appreciate dolls that you know aren't right for your collection. It's warm and cozy here at your channel. Virtual hugs to you and your family from Sydney Australia.

[@agtakesover]

Thank you so much - for watching, but also for taking the time to write such a kind comment. I'm grateful that the love for them does come through, even with the dolls I haven't kept. And I'm REALLY grateful it feels warm and cozy. I hope the diamond painting's going well!

[@americangirlfilms]

Such a well rounded idea to go with your all my dolls video! I love hearing the stories!! “I can’t believe you’d charge anything… for anything!” 🤣 get ‘em!

[@agtakesover]

Aw, thank you for watching, Bailey! I'm glad you enjoyed it. I liked the stroll down memory lane while I was making it :)

[@AgDollsDownUnder]

I have 2 dolls with Caroline eyes but no Caroline as she is. I think the eyes look best on red heads or dark haired dolls. As for colouring on Sonali I think I’ve noticed that she just has very subtle colouring in general, mine is very softly painted

[@agtakesover]

I think you're right and that Sonali is just generally more subtly colored, but next to my Gabriela she looked a bit bland.

[@naugrimmellon]

That 21 really did have scary eyes 🤣🤣🤣

[@agtakesover]

Right?!? I knew I couldn't be the only one to see it. It's so odd that I didn't see it initially, but once I did, I couldn't unsee it.

[@Christiania21AG]

I totally relate to this concept, I’m very picky about the dolls that are right for my collection!

[@agtakesover]

Nothing wrong with that!!

[@melangellperry5984]

I’m so envious of your ability to sell your dolls. I have a couple that honestly, I wouldn’t mind parting with. They had a place in my collection, but now I’ve moved on. I just don’t know how to go about pricing them and don’t know where to sell them. I’m also scared that there will be an issue and most platforms favor the buyer. I don’t want to get stuck with a bad deal.

[@agtakesover]

If you really do want to sell some of them, you're welcome to email me and I'm happy to help with pricing and give you some ideas/tips for selling. [e-mail]

[@starryeyeschick]

Sometimes I sell a doll and miss her so much I rebuy her. Generally I’m happier with the replacement, though. With few exceptions (hard to find dolls or wanting a specific era), I find I can’t bond with secondhand JLYs. They are always first to go.

[@agtakesover]

That's interesting that there's a specific era of second-hand dolls you struggle to connect with. But it's great you know what you do and don't like :)

[@starryeyeschick]

@@agtakesover oh not really a specific era! I was using JLY as a catch all category for all of the unnamed contemporary dolls in general. Because AG can’t decide on one name to stick with. 😆 I just mean I generally prefer buying these dolls new from AG unless they are retired and I can’t.

[@agtakesover]

Gotcha. :)

[@bcn_0629]

¡Hola Kristie! What an interesting video you have here. The title got me intrigued 🙃 I enjoyed all the stories and find out more about your collection even though you don't have them in your collection. Cheers!

[@agtakesover]

Glad you enjoyed it! And I'm so glad to see you back. I hope you're doing well

[@bcn_0629]

Thank you, @@agtakesover ! I appreciate that 😉

[@bellaboo8952]

Have you done a video on fixing AG doll hair? If not you should. You do a great job fixing these poor abused dolls! Love this video!

[@agtakesover]

I have one I think is pretty good from when I got a used Kira and restored her hair. IDK if you've checked it out, but it's under a Doll Care and Restoration playlist :)

[@starryeyeschick]

Sometimes I think the lined eyebrows make a doll look mean, lol. You may not be as fond of the new thick eyebrows for that reason, but I don’t go out of my way for lined brows. Especially on bangless dolls. It’s why I’ve hesitated on Julie, why I sold #24 twice.

[@agtakesover]

VERY few of our dolls have lined eyebrows. I like Grace's and Lea's brows a LOT. AG has come out with some really good eyebrows...and a few flops, for sure.

[@starryeyeschick]

@@agtakesover Grace and Lea have top tier brows!

[@Agstar91]

I don't think I ever got around to commented even though I watched it forever ago. I love the title! Love the video! What a great idea! I loved going down memory lane of the dolls who came before! lol

[@agtakesover]

Emma @agdollies4ever also did a video like this a few days ago. I think it can be fun (and educational) to talk about why we've parted with the dolls we no longer own.

[@JoanneSag]

I am laughing what you said about Caroline's eyes, I have one I stashed away for myself after buying 2 for the GD's one year and honestly her period is ok but I am from the Niagara area so I just had to get her. Anyway long short of the story is that I am getting out all that I have purchased for myself over the years here and there while buying for the GD's (all in original boxes) and Caroline came out of her closet. I never took her out of the box as I said to my husband as I was looking at her, she reminds me of those children from the Village of the Dammed. So she went back into the closet.

[@agtakesover]

Oh, thanks for sharing - I appreciate the laugh! I do love that eye color, and I generally think they look fine. But apparently at other times...Village of the Damned lol.

[@lnp102]

What a lovely idea for a video. I often think about the dolls that are no longer in my collection and thankfully I don't regret selling any of them (yet). I'm also a bit of an eye stealer! I feel sad for my thrift store Caroline whose eyes I gave to a custom CYO (which was not my intent when I first bought her). But now I'm selling her piece by piece and soon they'll be nothing left of her but the seafoam eyes. 😥 I agree that the resale market is a bit slow right now, especially compared to when I sold stuff a year ago. I tried the "buy a lot, keep some stuff, and sell off the stuff you don't want" method and most of that stuff that I thought would sell is just sitting there, but I wanted one of the items really bad, so I guess it's still worth it. I couldn't help but notice all the classic molds in your video! 😋 I also notice the shadows in the corners of the eyes on the older classic mold dolls and it kind of makes them look scary! 😯

[@agtakesover]

Poor Caroline! I do so love that eye color though! And thank you for the validation about the eye corners on the classic mold lol. I know it's not on all of them, but when I see it it's just hard to unsee.

[@jessnawoods]

Funny when I thought about it... 2016 is when my daughter was born and Lea was the GOTY... and she's my only modern girl in my collection.

[@agtakesover]

Aw, that's perfect!

[@coolfashiondollshow]

I have three Kirsten but I used to have 6 or maybe 7 of them 😅

[@agtakesover]

Why did you part with the ones you no longer have?

[@coolfashiondollshow]

@@agtakesovermost were tlc and I just didn't feel like I needed that many as my collection grew.

[@ariaseymour9634]

If that photo of Caroline is the one where her eyes look more "alive," the other photos must be terrifying because she has definitely seen some stuff.

[@agtakesover]

LMAO right?! And I do love Caroline eyes. I would maybe even add Caroline to our collection intentionally, but it would have to be a really good one. 'Cause *her* eyes...aren't it.

[@kristinaland]

You don’t need to justify or explain yourself and I’m sorry you felt the need to but I do understand. I had a childhood Samantha I was holding on to forever and when I had 4 days that seemed fine but when I got 11 dolls I realized I just didn’t care for her anymore even though I felt I should.

[@agtakesover]

It's not so much that ppl have criticized ME for selling dolls (been confused by it yes, but not been mean about it). It was more that I've seen criticisms about that sort of thing on agig and figured since I am someone who *has* sold a lot of dolls, I could share some insight about some of the many reasons ppl do. Also, it turned out to be a lovely stroll down memory lane :)

[@kristinaland]

@@agtakesover Okay good, I’m glad that people weren’t actually criticizing you 😊

[@barbarawalsh2875]

Am I watching a current or new addition of the invasion of the body snatchers? We harvested her eyes have no idea how funny that sounds. Kit is actually one that I’m considering buying. But then I’m gonna get in trouble because people are gonna think the only thing I do is buy blonde light skinned, either blue eyed or green eyed girls.

[@agtakesover]

So much of what we say about dolls sounds very concerning taken out of context lol.

[@PatriciaDesmet-d5g]

What method did you use to take the sharpie out of the cloth body? I’m jealous of your ability to find various #4’s. I’m looking for that is no more the 250 ish.

[@agtakesover]

Honestly, that Nanea body just sat in the window of my office for months so that the sun could work its magic. I probably could have sped up the process a lot by putting her outside in more direct sunlight, but then you have to pay attention to the weather and keep taking her out and bringing her back in. So I took the slower, more passive route. But yeah, just sunlight. ...I hope you find exactly the #4 you're looking for at a fantastic price :)

[@CraftyMagicDollz]

Redheaded freckled cyo Jess Mold is my custom mini me!!

[@agtakesover]

Aw, nice! What hair length/style?

[@mishti06]

Sorry to ask a dumb question...but what does 'PC' stand for? I've just never heard it before. Thank you for sharing your wonderful dolls, very enjoyable 😊

[@agtakesover]

@@mishti06 no worries - in this context it means Pleasant Company (the company that later became American Girl)

[@mishti06]

@agtakesover oh thanks soooo much. Yes of course, how did I miss that 🤦‍♀️😅. Thank you. Gosh I should know that lol.

[@coolfashiondollshow]

I have a custom ivy with blue hair she's kind of hot mess because she's one of my first customs but I still love her ❤

[@agtakesover]

Did you mess with her eyebrows? because I feel like eyebrows and lips can have the steepest learning curve for customizers.

[@josepinheiro6064]

❤️

[@agtakesover]

:)

[@coolfashiondollshow]

Do you mind if I do this video as well? ❤

[@agtakesover]

I don't mind at all. A shout out in your video and/or link to this one in the description would be lovely, but obviously not required :)

[@barbarawalsh2875]

The day that Kristen braids came out she was Allison‘s first doll. I thought I was gonna die. If it was one thing that I preached too high heaven do not take the braids out the same thing with Molly you would’ve thought from the wrath of God that rained down on my daughter for taking the brains the braids out of Kirsten would have stayed with her. No six months later there went Molly braids two out of the three. Thank God Felicity didn’t have braids. No no not Felicity Samantha I’m out I’m out of line. I swear I wouldn’t buy another doll. I wouldn’t invest that much money etc. etc. and she looked at me and figured and rightly so oh mom‘s gonna get over this and I’m gonna be able to get whatever I want which is true if you ask Allison, the only three things that she didn’t get in her life, she would tell you a pair of red boots like Kirsten’s, a swingset that’s a lie I have pictures she’s just too young to remember, and a Barbie like her friend Melissa had. Melissa‘s family had what we called old money it had mold on it it was so old, and when I bought Kirsten for Allison the next thing I know Melissa’s mom has not bought the doll but the entire collection and gives it to her and there’s no reason like it’s not a birthday and it’s not either Christmas or Hanukkah because we had a lot of families to celebrate both I couldn’t believe that someone would do that. Most of her birthday from say six until I bought her when she was 12. Those were all that we got the dolls, grandma‘s supply clothes or the gift certificates for the clothes dad built more things he really wanted to build but too bad I think I said this before the column, I thank Godthat we were at the beginning of all this because all the dolls are today she would have become very very choosy. Something Allison is not good at.

[@agtakesover]

This is a good cautionary tale to model the financial / consumption restrain we want our children to learn, but also a good lesson for parents considering dolls for their children - if it will bother the parent for the meet hairstyle to be removed then it's important to gauge the child's readiness and ability to leave the hair alone. For many children, leaving braids in and missing out on the joy of styling a doll's hair is not a realistic expectation.