AmericanGirlFan

From A Friend Friday: June 16th!

Happy Friday! Let's take a look at all of the cute & creative doll pictures sent in this week...

From Pauline--Here are pictures of Jenny Anne (Maryellen) and Scooter with their snow cones.

A nice cool treat for a hot Summer day! 

From Elizabeth--I wanted to share with you a project that has been about 2 years in the making although the planning for it goes back about 6 years! Here are some pictures of my AG "Doll House" it's more of a tall wooden shelves big enough for AG rooms.

The picture above of the brown stacked rooms with Kaya's Teepee on top was my first attempt. I'd like to share with other AG fans how easy it can be to make really nice AG rooms at a reasonable price. They are actually bookshelves turned on it's side with one shelve taken out. Two rooms are two selves placed together, so two rooms side by side cost about $60. I got them at Big Lots.

As for the other bigger wooden rooms of the "doll house" it was a custom made project, but you can make a really great elegant "doll house" at a reasonable price!

From Susan--Tenney and Logan take time out from band practice to give Waylon a bath!

From Chloe--Caroline is enjoying a window seat on the plane to New York City!

She met up with her Fiancé at a diner and had some good food!

They went swimming at the hotel pool too!

They just recently got engaged!!! Get the whole story at littledollsontheprairie.com!

From Melissa--Just wanted to show you what Isabelle's been up to for Flag Day. There are more pictures on my blog at An American Girl Mom. Happy Flag Day!

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Thank you for sharing with us! I just love to see what you and your dolls are up to. Would you like to join in on From A Friend Friday next week? Here's how you can:

-Send your doll picture to [email protected] (It must be a picture you or a friend/family member has taken. Limit to 4 pictures per person. If you decide to send in a craft/photostory limit to 10 pictures.)

-Put "From A Friend Friday" as the subject (Since I get a lot of email, this would make sure yours gets here!)

-Be sure to include your name (or nickname) and the names of the doll(s) in your picture. You can also include a description for your picture if you would like to.

I hope you enjoy your weekend! :)

Doll Hairstyle: Wraparound Braided Bun!

Bun + Braid = my kind of hairstyle! Addy is so pretty with the Wraparound Braided Bun, a style that's nice for hot Summer days. It works for all hair types and I love how it looks! 

Here's how you can do it too:

1. Gather your doll's hair like you would a ponytail, but leave a small section right in front of your doll's ear. 2. Make a high bun and secure with a hair tie or bobbypins. 3. Braid the remaining section of hair. 4. Lift the braid and wrap it around the back of the bun towards the front. 5. Secure the end with a few bobby pins and you're done!!

Now your doll has a unique new hairstyle! :)

Doesn't Addy look amazing in her Sunday Best Dress? Purple is definitely her color! 

It's a great day for exploring!! ;)

If you try out this hairstyle, I'd love to see it! You can send me a picture to [email protected] or tag me on Instagram @CreativeDollCrafts

Have fun & happy styling! :)

Doll Photography Tips: How I Use A Reflector!

Last time when we talked about photo locations, I was asked about how a reflector works and how to get good lighting with it. I've been using a Neweer Reflector I bought on Amazon and I LOVE it! Before that I used a white foamboard which is also a good alternative. Not until I started using it more frequently did I realize the difference in my photos! Here's a side by side look at Grace above. The one on the left is with the reflector and the right one is without. Both look nice, but as you can see Grace's face is lit and her eyes shine with the reflector. It adds a little more to the photo! :)

Here's what the reflector looks like folded up. It can be used four different ways which is awesome. There is a white side and gold side, but you can unzip it and take off the cover. When you flip the cover inside out, there are two more sides, silver and black; plus the translucent disc inside. I've only experimented with the white and gold so far. The white side gives off a more cool tone and is the trick behind the reflective look in doll eyes. The gold gives off a warm tone that is so pretty during sunset! (I took these photos around 7-8 PM EST, which is the best golden sunlight for me during the Summer.)

To prop up the reflector, I use a plastic outdoor side table and position it based on if I'm taking close-ups or faraway photos. I also sometimes lay it on the ground and prop it up a little with my knee while sitting.

I typically tilt it a bit to the right side to help bounce the light evenly. You just have to play around with it. :)

Grace again with the reflector...

...and without! Can you see the difference?

It takes practice to get the reflector just the way you like it, but it is an inexpensive and fun way to advance your photography. 

Grace is looking oh-so-stylish today! (And, I can't believe she went to the store without me. haha!)

I hope this was helpful to you. I'm constantly learning new things about photography, which is a big reason why I love it so much! I can't wait to do more with my reflector.

If you have a photography question or anything else you'd like me to answer, let me know in a comment or send to [email protected]. I'd be happy to talk about it! :)