Advice about Dolls

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Archived Q&A and Reviews

Questions

Where can I find a biracial doll?

May 2010

Hello fellow BPN folks, My 19-month-old recently welcomed a new cousin and has become VERY obsessed with babies. She has a doll that was given to her by her grandmother, which I was hoping to replace before my daughter developed an interest in dolls. Unfortunately, the new cousin threw a wrench into the original plans. Since her current doll is White/Caucasian, and my daughter is Asian/White, I want her to have a doll that looks more like her. Having grown up playing with only White dolls, I know firsthand how that affects a child's self-image. Does anyone know where I could buy a biracial/hapa doll? Thanks much in advance. mom of biracial child

I just bought a Corrolle doll (The Darling) for my half Indian daughter. There's also a Japanese doll (but she doesn't really look biracial). Here's the link: http://www.corolle.com/us/catalogue/premier.php5 M

I have a 12yo so I haven't looked for dolls for a couple years (there may be newer cooler ones now) but a few years back we ended up getting her an American Girl doll because she had been asking for a couple years and they came out with one that looked like her. Not sure if there is anywhere local to purchase either of these items but if you're willing to order online I'd check out American Girl (they have 'babies' too) and Karito Kids. http://store.americangirl.com/agshop/html/ProductPage.jsf/itemId/140653/itemType/TOY/webTemplateId/3/uniqueId/95/saleGroupId/129 http://karitokids.com/start.php Breanna

American Girls dolls are pricey but worth investigating. They have a number of character dolls, but they also have dolls with somewhat customizable features. http://store.americangirl.com/html/magconfigurator/config.html play around with this and see if they have what you need. If this feature can't help you get exactly what you want, you may be able to tweak the specifications if you call or email them. They do seem to care about customer service. ... ours has green eyes

Well, they are mighty expensive, but you could look into American Girl dolls--they have a line called 'just like me' or something like that, where you get to pick out each feature: eye shape, skin color, hair texture, etc. You can also get your daughter some Asian dolls--they don't have to be exactly her same mix. My daughter is biracial black/white, and she has lots of African American dolls (as well as a blond Barbie--oh well!).

My daughter has a biracial Asian doll by Corolle and by Kathie Kruse.

Take a look at Only Hearts Club Dolls (http://www.onlyheartsclub.com/). They are cool, hip teen-aged girls, but they are NOT Barbie! They have a biracial, an African-American, and an Asian doll, as well as blondes, a redhead, and more. Their bodies and clothes are those of real girls. My 3.5 year old granddaughter loves them. Oma

Bratz Doll received by 5 year old on birthday

Dec 2006

Well, my new wife and I had already discussed the Bratz Dolls, both feeling that they were not good role models for our young daughters. We even shared our thoughts with our daughters and the reasons for them, this was over a year ago.(Do a search and look and read about them if you are not familiar). Unfortunately when my daughter recently turned 5, a woman whom we had used as a babysitter before came over to wish her a happy birthday and give her a present. She was so excited to open it and see it was a BRATZ DOLL. It made my skin crawl to see it had invaded my home and my daughter was so excited about it. It came with a poster of a girl wearing makeup and a skirt barely covering her thighs. In this age where kids are growing up way too fast and dont have a chance to just be kids it is very frustrating that companies market toys that are not helpful in instiling good values or morals. Now what do we do? Talk to our daughter sure, but she wont want to give the doll away. If we just take it, then it becomes forbidden fruit that she will just want and hope to play with if any of her friends happen to have them at their house. Maybe some kind of compromise? Any idea? Anyone else dealth with the Bratz Dolls?? Thanks Mike

I don't have an answer for you, but I sympathize! I hate Barbie dolls and the whole Disney princess thing, but our 3-year-old *loves* them and I never even tried to put up a fight. But I think I might have to draw the line at Bratz dolls. I'll be interested to see what kind of advice you get on this one! We're not there yet, but it might be that like everything else, it'll just be a stage? Anti-Bratz Mom

I have a four year old too, similar situation, except this was Christian videos for kids from Grandma. They make my skin crawl too, teach kids to believe and have faith. I want my kids to be smart, ask questions, think for themselves, use common sense and not just believe. Then I realized, my daughter is only 4, they are just intertainment for her. I'm the one imposing my adult values on a 4 year old. I would give her the doll and let he play with it. She'll get tired of it and move on. If not, you still have years to shape and form her. Or you could teach her to sew and make a burkas with her for the doll Anon

We went through just this issue with Barbie dolls when my daughter was just the same age. We ended up letting her have them (not wanting to make forbidden fruit appealing) and I don't think it had any impact on her: she played with them for a couple of years, lost interest, and now at 10 doesn't seem to have any inclination to look or dress like Barbie. If she did, it wouldn't be because of Barbie. I've seen the Bratz dolls and don't like them either, for the same reasons, but I'd do the same thing. I made fun of her Barbie dolls (''gee, I wouldn't want to look like that, would you''?) -- with the Bratz doll I might say I thought she must be cold in a skirt that short, and that she'd look better without makeup -- just as a way of making my feelings clear. But frankly I don't think having a doll like that at 5 is going to make your child want to be like that when she gets older, so I'd let her play with it, and just not worry. don't like the toy companies either

We have reluctantly been through phases of both BRATZ and Barbies, and to be honest, our daughter completely lost interest around age 7, and is now a grounded 12 year old with a positive body image. I think it has more to do with the clear messages you and your family send out and live by on a daily basis. So, keep talking and using real-life positive role models and try not to worry too much about it, right now at least. P.S. My daughter cut her Barbie's hair short, to match her's, when she was 5 Mom of daughter who now admires Jane Goodall !

I am the mother of two elementary school girls in Lafayette. Take the Bratz doll away. No apologies.

Your daughter needs to understand that you believe images like that will undermine her ideas about herself, her body and her human potential. Of course, all of that said in terms that a 5- year-old can understand. When my daughters were around 5 years old, I began talking with them about such things. When we would see some scantily clad woman on a billboard or on TV, I'd say, ''That poor woman. She thinks that all she has to offer the world are her body parts. She must not think she's smart or funny or talented or lovable.''

Music videos, Abercrombie & Fitch t-shirts that say things like, ''If you looked like this, would you study?'', song lyrics, sitcoms, the list goes on. Young girls are bombarded with images that suggest that how they look is primary and how they think/feel is secondary.

It's your job to counterbalance all that negative stuff with a healthier view of who your daughter is and who she can be. She will respect you for taking a stand and respect herself for being worth the trouble. Lecture over! Good luck! - Got to Take a Stand

Seriously, give human girls some credit for having brains; they really do know Bratz and Barbies are just dolls, not role models. Although I didn't play with dolls and these dolls would not be my choices for my daughter (she has received several as presents), she and her friends love them and play with them for hours in all kinds of creative, detailed role-play scenarios. Sure, the scenarios could, and sometimes are, played out with stuffed animals and less-skimpy dolls, but the creative process is the same. -- a mom

Don't obsess about something like this. It's not worth it - and your child will grow out of this phase in a couple of years with no damage done. I don't like Bratz either, or Barbie for that matter, but my kids loved them from about ages 5 through 8. Now they are older and are completely over these dolls. I have a bin of Bratz dolls and clothes that hasn't been opened in 2 years. You could try and deflect her with different dolls, like Groovy Girls or American Girl dolls, but I promise you that playing with Bratz dolls will not warp your child's mind. They're just toys Mom with two daughters

My mother used to make my brother leave toy guns he'd received as gifts outside on the porch and play with them outdoors only. Maybe you could do something like that: say it needs to live in the car and she can play with it when you're driving, or it's for vacation only, or whatever.

Incidentally, my mom was also against Barbie (sexist, too adult, etc.), but she let me keep the couple I was given without restriction, and she never stopped me from playing with my best friend's Barbies. Somehow, though, the disapproval sunk in. Barbie was kind of like sugar cereal or soda for me -- something I was delighted but also secretly a little scornful to find in another kid's house. I never became obsessed and grew to understand my mom's discomfort with a busty, stiletto- heeled, halter-topped, boa-wearing, disco-frequenting (this was the 70s!) adult doll with a boyfriend. anon

I am a tutor and know the Bratz dolls and other yucky toys -- an endless variety. I also have a child of my own and feel your pain! No right answer but if it were me, I'd let her keep it and tell her very clearly why you don't like it. ''Here's why we don't like the Bratz -- blah blah -- but we know it looks like a fun toy and it's a gift, so it's okay to have some fun with it and enjoy it. But we don't want the poster up because this is our whole family's house and the Bratz aren't what our family is about.'' In other words, let her have some fun without guilt if you can possibly spin it that way, while stil passing on the values. Aferall, having one is not too different from exposure to it at other homes and at school. What you want is to teach her the values, afterall, to sustain her for life, now and through a lifetime of exposure to offensive stuff and life's bigger cruelties as well Good luck!

just r e l a x. I am a dad with 2 girls, and I too banned Bratz from the house and was horrified that my girls may start dressing like that because of this toy. In the end the Bratz became just another doll in the basket, they got them as gifts as well. I now believe that they should get a taste of everything so nothing is a mystery. Also, if you are repulsed by it, they will be more curious about it and possibly openly show interest in it just to get your goat. I would skip the ''talk'' about the doll, just play with your kid and the doll and dress it up so the thighs are not showing. In the middle of the night you could even sew a little Bratz Birka then play extreme Bratz where they change from miniskirt to birka and back over and over. Relax, and play dolls with your kids. Make the Bratz doll a professor of Anthropology on safari documenting the wild animals (stuffies). I would definately not take it away, heck get her another one! They sell some with pants. Then get a My Scene Barbie, and some other used Barbies & clothes from here and there and presto! A confusing mix of dolls that can sort-of share cloths, fun for hours! anon

Take away the doll! I just read a long article in a recent New Yorker about those dolls and they sound and are as awful as it appears. I really think they make Barbie seem more and more okay. It won't be 'forbidden fruit' because the girls won't understand the problem. I'd just say you think it's an ugly toy and makes you feel bad looking at it. I'd buy a replacement doll and leave it at that. I completely agree with you too about the sexualizing of our children. It's very yucky! I don't have a tv and don't expose my daughter to a lot of the 'realities' of our society. She is going to be 8 soon and is still very innocent and protected. I don't think it's necessary to explain to her about homelessness, kidnapping, murders, robberies etc. If she ever asks, I'll explain but the way I look at it- she will have her whole life to know about social ills and crime and violence- and observe the variety of ways women represent themselves. I don't have to introduce her to more than I want to right now. Best to you and your wife's impulses! Gala

It might not be so bad. Out kids had lots of Barbie dolls (ten years ago) for reasons similar to those you describe. In our experience, if you explain and live your values and then don't make a big deal out of it things work out ok. It sounds like you have very strong values so I would be surprised if this makes a bit of difference in the long run. You're probably keeping 98% of the crud out there away from your daughter. The small bit that gets in is unlikely to overwhelm her experience of her parents and family hate 'em too

We are about to enter the same realm with our nearly 7 year old. She has been eyeing the Bratz since she was 4 or 5, and really wanting one for the past year or so. We have had many a conversation as to why they are called ''Bratz'', and the way they dress, the makeup, etc. She is not to be dissuaded. She still wants one, even though there's no way she'll ever dress like that while she's living under our roof. Our neighbor is going to give her one for the holidays, and we are giving in. It's like the whole Barbie issue--with lots of parental guidance, explanation, and discussion, kids understand that these dolls are not real. They're playthings, and don't necessarily represent the way real people are or should be. Our kids are in public school, they watch TV, and they're smart. I'm picking my battles. I think Bratz are nasty, but our daughter doesn't. I'm dreading the day my son wants a toy gun...oy vey heidilee

what about saying you'll keep it for her until she's 18 or 21 thus not throwing it away? OR making doll clothes for it that are appropriate and just getting rid of the doll's current garb? my daughter is only 9 months old so i know i haven't dealt with this stuff yet but i do support you in trying to stick to your guns about female role models. good luck and i'll be interested as to what more seasoned parents have to say anon

As a female who grew up with Barbie (I'm now 43), I didn't suffer any long term damage from playing with them. I never thought I should look like them, nor did my mom give a hoot either way. Eventually, I traded them in for Hotwheels.

They're dolls, for goodness sake. My advice is to chill. I have three bratz dolls in my office (nature of my work), and I guess I think all this discussion about dolls (which everyone equates with them being role models) is much ado about nothing. First, if you don't make a big deal, she'll grow out of them like every other child who has ever had one. Second, at least these BRATZ girls have a sassiness about them, are independent, have big lips, etc. ( more ethnically diverse, too). Would you rather have her play with lily-white Barbie, tinted appropriately, but still anorexic?

Why is the following so upsetting to people: Girls like dolls -- that's how many of us are wired. Finally, girls do not emulate inaminate objects as they will the real live females in their lives; surround her with (non-militant thinking, non-judgmental, non-leftamentalist) women and THEY will be her role models. == -- Tsan (softball-playing, telemark skiing, sassy, tomboy-lawyer brat)

Just for the record; I don't like Bratz dolls at all. They promote a slutty image and we prefer that our 5-yr old daughter doesn't play with them either. But then I think back to when I was a little girl. I played for hours with barbies! My sister and I would get up early on Saturday mornings and have an amazing time with them. That was a phase, though. The next phase was toy cars. Every single free minute we would build cities out of sand and play with our cars in it. My next phase was fishing. Boy, did I love that. My girlfriends thought I was weird, but I didn't care. I sat for hours by the canal trying to catch a fish and digging in the dirt for worms.

None of these experiences turned me into a horrible person. They shaped me into a person who believes that it is extremely important for a child to allow their imagination to roam free in whatever way they choose to. A discarded box can be a child's imaginary castle and the Bratz doll can be a caring mother figure. Who are we, as adults, to change that into something negative? It's their form of artistic behavior and I would leave it at that JOJ

Yuk! all I can say is yuk! But then when I was little my mother would not let us have Barbies (we got trolls) and I always felt like she was not letting me be a girly girl. That said being a girly, girl is this gross culture might not be all that great. I know your daughter is only 5 and you don't want to put heavy trips on her, but I think you might want to talk to her about why you don't want her to have one of those gross dolls. Is there any empowering dolls you can replace it with? something that would make her feel great about being a girl? You will have to filter gifts more carefully. My son is not allowed any Bratz Dolls period. anon.

I'd like to weigh in on this from my memories of childhood: I played with Barbies. I LOVED Barbie. I didn't look like Barbie nor did I ever aspire to be her. It was just fun to get together with other kids and play Barbie, Ken, Big Jim, GI Joe. I ended up being a pretty tough, outstpoken, leftie feminist and I still have my Barbies displayed on my bookshelf. My FAVORITE Barbie game was to tie her to a fishing pole and toss in the lake and reel her in so she could be an Olympic swimmer. My friend has three girls who love to bury their Barbies in mock funerals. They also have a Barbie leg they've named ''Princess Leg.''

So there. Maybe Barbie turns little girls into tough, outstpoken, leftie feminists! One of my good friends is this incredibly shy, girlie girl who hates to break rules or stick up for herself. I asked her one time if she played with Barbie and she said, no, her parents wouldn't allow Barbie in the house.

So there. Keep 'em away from sharp objects and tall buildings without railings. The rest, well, it's up to them. -- tongue-in-cheek

Doll hospital for repair of 40-yr-old baby doll?

Feb 2007

I have a Madame Alexander baby doll that was my favorite when I was a kid and is now much-loved by my toddler son. Unfortunately she is showing signs of all that active love, and needs to be repaired to have her leg reattached, as well as some other preventive ''surgery.'' Any suggestions for a reliable repair service in the East Bay that specializes in old dolls? I live in San Leandro, work in Berkeley, would be happy to drive to other areas to get the job done right. - Hoping for many more years of dolly love

I just had a Madame Alexander doll repaired by Whipper Snapper (pretty sure that is the name of the store) in Lafayette. It is a small doll store owned by a woman who also does doll repair. She did a great job and only charged $12 (price varies depending upon the repair, but she seems quite reasonable). The shop is right next door to Lafayette Trader Joes on Mount Diablo Blvd. Her number is (925)962-0969. berkomax

I noticed a doll hospital on Washington Street, right near the corner of Marina, in San Leandro. No experience with them, but thought you might check them out. Good luck.

Looking for dolls for toddler boys

Jan 2005

I am looking for boy dolls for my 14 month old twin sons. I would prefer them to be genitally accurate and available in a range of skin tones. Rachel

The Ark on Fourth St. in Berkeley has baby dolls that are anatomically correct and really cute. They are all stuffed - no hard plastic face, and I've seen white and brown ones there. They may be able to order for the race you want especially if you need two similar. I also have seen Groovy Guys in a variety of skin tones that are good young child boy- dolls. sharon

Amamanta makes anatomically correct, ethnically diverse cloth dolls. It is a small, family run business that trains and employs formerly homeless women--so they're also a good cause. The website is: www.amamantafamily.com Monika

I found that groovy dolls were the best. You can google it and you will find that there are many dolls in the collection. I loved it because there were various shades, even within different ethnicities. They are cloth and the clothes can be removed. Everything is washable. My daughter recieved a finger puppet toy when she was born, over four years ago. She still has it and loves it. I since bought many in the collection. Now, After further investigation, I have found that they have a slew of girls varaitions. But only two boys: Blake and Brandon. Now there are plenty of knock offs. Many stores carry both. www.manhattantoys.com BTB

In the past the Ark toy store in Berkeley on 4th St. had some stuffed boy dolls with genitalia. When you say accurate I'm not sure how specific you want, but you can imagine a stuffed toy with male genitalia which isn't super graphic but clearly a boy's parts. These little guys came in a few different skin colors. If you call and aren't getting anywhere it may be because they seem to have a lot of new people working there. Just ask for someone who's been there awhile or for the owner then ask if they know who makes them, in the event they don't carry them anymore. And yes, there were girl dolls, too. Good Luck

I found an anatomically correct boy doll at the Toy-Go-Round in Albany. It was manufactured by Corolle. I imagine they make them in other skin tones. Perhaps Toy-Go-Round could help you contact the company and order one or two. Good luck! Grandma to dolly ''Paul''

I just recently completed the search for a doll for my son. Googling ''anatomically correct dolls'' can take you to some very interesting sites. The most appropriate I found are below.

Amananta family (http://www.amamantafamily.com) sells anatomically correct dolls in a range of skin tones. I chose to go with Raji from the Earth Friends line made by Wonambi Company (http://www.wonambi.com/theearthfrienddolls1new/). He is not anatomically correct. The toy/ eco websites that sold him were either out of stock or charging ridiculous amounts, so I contacted Wonambi directly and they sold me one. Anita

Looking for black baby doll for my son

July 2004

I'm looking for a black boy baby doll for my son. Any ideas on where to find one? Either online or in town. Thanks Jeanne

Our black son was given a great black doll from the ''groovy girls'' collection. This particular black doll looks like he has dreadlocks, but my guess is that there are others. Use Google to type in ''groovy girls dolls'' and you will find them. I've seen them around Berkeley.

Also, if you are looking for more, uh, mainstream-ish dolls, Mattel does make black barbie (brand) dolls; Ken comes in all colors. Ken is a little too ungroovy for us, but he is available for purchase.

If you are a Next Generation fan, I think you can also get a ''Jordy'' doll. I saw one on eBay. In addition, there are some ''action figures'' (men don't like to have dolls, you know) that are of African descent. I've seen them at the big superstores. Good luck. -- black mom.

If price is no object, try Magic Cabin Dolls (www.magiccabin.com). For $90-100 you can pick the skin color, hair color, etc. for the most beautiful, cuddly, all-natural hand-made doll imaginable. They also sell kits in your choice of skin/hair color at a much lower cost (about $25), if you want to sew it yourself. R.K.

Lakeshore Teacher Supply in Walnut Creek has boy and girl baby dolls in a variety of skin colors -- they also have anatomically correct baby boy dolls. The dolls are relatively expensive (in the low 30s if I recall, when we bought a boy doll) but last & are nice to hold. anon

Lakeshore Learning, www.lakeshorelearning.com, #LC4128 or #TT641. Also, I got a white boy doll (w/ penis) at Rockridge Kids, but I think I saw black dolls as well. Don't know the brand name, but ours has a ''Diana'' hospital tag on his arm. Mom of Doll-Loving Boy

Lakeshore Learning has several different kinds of black boy dolls -- newborns, cloth dolls, washable dolls, and ones that look like older babies/toddlers. Do a search for ''black doll'' at: http://www.lakeshorelearning.com I think Lakeshore has stores in the area, but I haven't been to any of them because I would probably spend next month's mortgage there. Lakeshore Fan

I have seen black baby boy/girl dolls at Lakehore Learning Store in Walnut Creek (925-944-1495), I believe you can also buy one from their website at http://www.lakeshorelearning.com. Also they have stores in San Jose and San Leandro. tatiana

Hi, My recent maternal obsession has been a doll for my 1/2 asian/latino daughter...the best i have found are on ebay (price wise). they may not have just what you want right away, but if you look every week or so you will find what you want.

Given that, here's my suggestions:

On ebay - first go to the dolls category - from there try your search - afrcn american, or black or ethnic... you will prob get different dolls each time.

I'd say if you want a better quality doll (collectable, or keepsake), that looks more ''real'' you will pay around $35-50, but no more. For just a ''play doll'' you can get a good one for $10 - as always w/ ebay, check the shipping costs! The basic choices range from soft play dolls (closer to rag dolls) to plastic/vinyl more realistic dolls and porcelain (not for playing!).

Finally, there are the waldorf dolls which i think are beautiful but expensive. they are hand made and all natural (wool/cotton). This maker does custom orders and has one with dred locks! which are adorable...http://www.joyswaldorfdolls.com/

if you are more crafty than i am, you can buy a kit from joy's waldorf and save at least half the price. good luck to you - obsessive mama

Baby doll for toddler - which one?

Nov 2003

My 2 1/2 year old daughter has been showing interest in dolls that resemble babies. I would like to get her one that does a few things (like drink and pee) but am completely clueless as to which one to get since there are so many out there. Any advice or recommendations would be much appreciated - thank you. Ioana

My 2 year old just received a baby doll by American Girl as a gift. While not an inexpensive choice (I think they run around $40, or maybe even more?...), I was really impressed by the quality (of the doll body and clothes) and sturdiness and details. It does not do anything fancy like drink or pee, but from observing my daughter and other kids, they seem more than capable of pretending (which I guess is the idea, right?), and don't seem to need those extras. These dolls come in a variety of skin, ''hair'' (I believe it's molded) and eye color. suddenly a (pretend) grandma

She doesn't pee or drink, but our daughter (now 9) has been very attached to her American Girls Bitty Baby since she was 2. They come in every ethnicity (we have the Asian one) and they have beautiful features, nice heavy cloth bodies, and well, Bitty is just a member of the family. We have another friend who has 3 Bitties. They are expensive, but of extremely high quality and could be a real long-term friend. See www.americangirl.com for their online catalog. We Love Bitty

Baby doll to introduce toddler to new baby

April 2002

In a few weeks I will be having our second child. I would like to find a cuddly baby doll my son could ''nurse'', diaper, hold etc. to help ease the new member into the family. Most dolls I've found are hard plastic, and not very cuddly. Does anyone have any recommendations - brand of doll and store would be really helpful? Thanks! Maya

My daughter likes her Maxi-Muffin (by Goetz I think?), that we got at Hearthsong a little over a year ago. They come in several different sizes (Muffin, Mini-muffin, etc), each with different clothes etc. Some look more like babies than others. The head is plastic, but the body itself is fabric. The one warning is that they are quite expensive. I think this one was over $50 at full price (we got it on sale). Dawn

Our almost four- year-old son has had a dream baby doll which he loves. The doll is from Honeysuckle Dreams. All the dolls are handmade from organically grown cotton and feature natural color dyes. The faces are embroidered. You can choose white or brown colored bodies and can choose hair color. The dolls come wearing a set of clothes which are removeable. Honeysuckle doesn't offer more clothes in their catalog, but when our son was ready to do more dressing and undressing (around 2.5 years) I wrote to the woman who makes the dolls and asked for clothing. She made us a few outfits (shirt and long shorts), a jacket, overalls, 2 diapers, a blanket and little pillow and charged what I thought was a very reasonable amount, though I'm sorry to say I can't remember how much. The dream baby dolls are $27.00 and are 10 inches. There are larger dolls (12-18 inches) for $40-55.00). They do custom orders and when a friend was looking for a similar doll with Asian features, Honeysuckle made one for her that she loves. I'd highly recommend their dolls, quality and service. Honeysuckle Dreams: www. honeysuckledreams.com Susan

Waldorf Doll

Jan 2010

Hello, We are a mom's group who would like to make our children Waldorf Dolls. We would be interested in a class for techniques and construction. Do you recommend anyone who teaches this craft? thank you

Truth Almond is a favorite and is often hosted in the East Bay for workshops. You may have seen her and her lovely dolls at the local Waldorf School faires- and is a lovely person herself. She can be reached at (707) 573-1685. Have Fun! Danielle

Hello, I just took a wonderful Waldorf doll making class! It was a fundraiser for the Berekeley Rose School, put on by Christine Schreier, who makes beautiful dolls. www.thepuppenstube.com Her website is a little low on dolls currently, being post-holiday season and all, but said she's making more soon.

As far a the class: It was a pretty long event, maybe 6 working hours, but really fun. It is a labor intensive project, indeed. And Christine even did the first step for us! But she breaks it down well and you don't need much experience sewing or crafting, even a total beginning sewer could do it. Mindy

Dec 2001

Does anyone know where I can buy a waldorf doll in the East Bay? I want to actually look/touch one before I buy it. I saw Magic Cabin Dolls on the web, and they look great, but I'd prefer to see the doll. Thanks.

Have you tried The Ark on 4th Street in Berkeley? They are in the old Hearthsong location across from Betty's Diner. They have a nice selection behind glass -- just ask for help. We have a few well-loved Waldorf-style dolls ourselves and they have held up quite well. Good luck. Carol

Call the East Bay Waldorf School at 510-223-3570 Larry