8 Years of ADU - Blogiversary Photo Shoot

 

Hello everyone! Hope you're all doing well, that Fall is bringing lovely weather your way and that you have some delicious candy corn to snack on (and if you think candy corn tastes like crayons, first of all how could you betray me like this, but second I hope you have a snack you like better instead. How about pumpkin cookies? That's Fall-ish, right?).

September is a very special month around here, as it's All Doll'd Up's blogiversary! And this particular one marks 8 years in our little corner of the internet. Can you believe that?! 8 YEARS?! CHOCOLATE SPRINKLE CUPCAKES HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE?!

Now usually I do a bigger post than this, usually a lyric photo shoot or something along those lines, and I did originally have something else planned. But I'm going to be 100% real with you guys, with all the chaos going on in my life right now and traveling for doctors' appointments and trying to squeeze as much Villain Takeover prep as I can during the few days a week that I'm home, I just completely ran out of time. I really wanted to still do something though because 8 years is a HUGE milestone to me. I know it's nowhere near as big or crazy as my blogiversary posts usually are, but it quite literally took everything I had to make it happen, and to top it off it immediately started getting windy as soon as I started taking pictures lol!! XD So I hope you still enjoy this little celebration photo shoot! Without further ado, let's get to it!

(Also, because I always manage to spook people with these posts lol, I just wanted to clarify that this is NOT a goodbye post! Y'all can't get rid of me that easily I'm staying as long as I can XD)

------------------------------------------- 

Only feels right to start with Molly, she was my first AG doll and growing up was my very best dollie friend!

Molly has been my favorite American Girl doll/character for as long as I can remember, and she's basically been on every trip I've gone on since I was 9 years old. She has been across the country and back and done everything from going into an underground cavern to falling off a dinosaur. She definitely looks a little rough nowadays, but I honestly wouldn't have her any other way. To be loved is to be changed, and Molly's worn and loved appearance is proof of that and is a testimony to a childhood well spent, and a doll well loved.

It's kinda wild seeing all the dolls in their original meet outfits after all this time, especially Molly's because hers is struggling at this point lol!! XD I didn't really have 18" doll clothes for the first 8-ish months of having Molly, so she basically lived in her meet outfit while 9 year old me brought her basically everywhere, next to never put her down, slept with her, etc... yeah, it's DEFINITELY seen better days 'XD Also I definitely gave up putting her hat on in a way that it looked right it's literally just sitting on top of her head XD

Molly <3

Emily has also been a part of many adventures with Molly and me, but not until sometime later, sailing into the doll family right before her and Molly were retired by American Girl.

I worked really hard to save up for Emily, (though I ended up receiving her for Christmas instead that year) I even made doll hats and brought them to sell at the first craft show I ever did with my mom. I made some really cool friends at that show, they practically watched me grow up and I still run into them at craft shows to this day :)

I was absolutely heartbroken about Molly and Emily being retired, so receiving Emily for Christmas was a huge deal to me. I'm really grateful to have them both and all the memories of playing with her and Molly together as a kid. Though she's not a main character in most of my posts, her sweet personality and friendship with Molly will always hold such a special place in my heart because those parts of this blog's story are far older than the blog itself, they were created by child me's imagination and still carry on to this day. Forever love this girly!

Emily <3

Ah, Maryellen. I will genuinely never get over how pretty she is lol!!

We can all blame Maryellen for getting me back into collecting AG dolls lol!! XD I had no plans to buy any more dolls from American Girl after Emily, those were the two I had my heart most set on (well, them and Saige, but she got retired at the same time as Emily and I couldn't save up for both so... yeah 'XD) and I was good. Then completely out of left field several years later, my parents gifted me Maryellen for Christmas. I was FLOORED! And my mom made her a bunch of 50's era clothes and everything! She put them all in an old 1950s-ish makeup case that I still keep them in to this day.

Though I thought Maryellen was really pretty when she first came out, she was never a doll I considered getting. But goodness I can't imagine not having her on the blog or in my collection. She is truly so special to me, she was such a huge surprise, and I adore her character so very much, I'm really grateful to have her :)

Maryellen <3

Kit Kittridge, a girly my dolls knew in a way long before she entered my doll family, as my best friend growing up also had Kit. Man, the adventures her Kit and my Molly went on through the years... we were best friends, so obviously our dolls were best friends too.

My Kit's story (and to clarify real quick, she is not supposed to be my friend's Kit and is in no way connected to her as a character) started after the Christmas I received Maryellen. I was talking with my mom about what I'd buy with the Christmas money my grandfather had given me, during which I made the joke that I could buy another American girl doll since I was basically halfway there money-wise anyway (I was in fact, NOT halfway there. At all. But, you know, girl math XD). I laughed about this at the time, then before I knew it I was actually serious about it LOL. Just flat-out Uno reversed myself on that one for real XD But it worked out well in the end I think, plus now I have a funny story to tell so win-win!

I think I will always think of my first photo story when I see Kit in her meet outfit. I've been writing and creating stories for as long as I can remember, but that was the first story I ever showed to, well, literally anyone (I didn't even show my family my stories before my blog, they all thought I hated writing and I never corrected them because I was scared they'd want to read my work if they knew the truth lol XD). I cried pretty much that whole day before and after hitting publish, I was TERRIFIED. I don't think I would have ever considered becoming a writer if it wasn't for this blog and that first photo story. The love and encouragement you all have had for my stories made me believe I may have a chance as a writer, and I can never thank you all enough for that. You guys are amazing and I hope someday I can share not just the stories on this blog, but my books with you too <3

Kit <3

And we can blame Avery for getting me into buying dolls on eBay LOLLL!!! XD

Avery's got a very special place in my heart honestly, I was never too into Truly Me dolls growing up (you would never know it now lol, life's weird that way 'XD), but man as soon as I saw her on eBay she just kinda clicked for me. Does that make sense? I feel like that sounds weird but I can't think of any other way to put it lol! 'XD She was damaged from an unfortunate run in with a dog in her previous home, (or shark, depending on who you ask ;) ) but I never really cared. Honestly, I loved her all the more for it :)

I've had so many people over the years try to convince me to send Avery to the AG hospital, and I honestly don't think I could ever bring myself to do that. For one, that would cost way more than I paid for her in the first place lol!! XD But the bigger reason is that I've always seen it as part of Avery's story and character, you know? She wouldn't be the same without her flaws, and I like her just the way she is.

(I accidentally stood them in an ant pile and they got covered in ants so fast HELP *-*)

Avery <3

My first Pleasant Company, and the only Facebook purchase I ever plan to make LOL!! XD 

I will forever adore Kirsten, I don't know if it's because of her Pleasant Company face mold or her prairie girl style but she's just got the sweetest, kindest look about her. I absolutely love when she's in posts because I enjoy writing her character so much. She was also my first AG doll from Germany which I still to this day just think is so awesome!

Kirsten is seriously so underrated, I don't see too many people who have her or have much interest in her, but I think there's just sometime so special about her. HIGHLY recommend her to anyone who may be considering getting her, she is stunning and 100% worth it!

Kirsten <3

8 years, what an incredible way to spend it.

Many things have changed in that time period; I've lived through some of the best times of my life and the worst.

I'm not the same person I was when I started by far, but I think that's okay. God's been working in me, and I think I've grown a lot as a person and a Christan. I still have a LOT more growing to do in both areas, but I'm so grateful to be where I am today, God has brought me so far, and I'm excited for all that He has ahead for me and for all of you too.

I've come to have so many wonderful people in my life over the course of those 8 years. I remember praying when I started this blog that maybe I could make friends through it, and God has blessed me with more friends than I ever imagined. I look around at how God worked through this blog and the chain reactions that started as something so small at the time but ended up leading to so SO much more. This blog led to meeting some of my dearest irl friends and blessed me with absolutely amazing online friends too. It even led to my Lego Instagram where I made even more friends and even met people who'd end up becoming members of my charity. I'm in awe of the way God works; He is truly incredible <3

I have gotten to live such a cool life, like what an amazing way to spend 8 years! I've gotten to create stories, characters, make props, design costumes, and use my creativity to the absolute fullest. I've gotten to share so many things I love through this blog and meet others with similar interests to, like how epic is that?!

And you have gone on this journey with me, in a way I've gotten to bring you all on so many of my travels, show you my favorite parts of my family's vacations, and I get excited when I go to these places because I get to share them with you.

I also have the insanely cool honor of getting to see your adventures, travels, and creativity through your blogs as well! How cool is it that we get to be creative together? I seriously love this blogging community so much, thank you for letting me be a part of it <3

I just keep coming back to the word blessed, what an unbelievable blessing this has all been.

I'm excited for the posts, stories, and adventures ahead, and I hope you'll join us for whatever comes next for our little corner of the internet!

43 followers,

114 posts (including this one lol),

1,353 comments,

76,924 views,

8 years, of such a special part of my life.

Thank you,

Thank you for being the best part of All Doll'd Up <3

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I genuinely don't know how to put everything I want to say into words, this blog has touched my life in ways that I never imagined. I really can't believe it's already been 8 years, in that time I've made countless friends, some I'm still in contact with to this day. I even have old blogging friends who stop in every now and then, saying how much they enjoyed my blog growing up and wanted to stop by and say hi and revisit old memories. I think that will always touch my heart on absolute deepest level, not only that I was still thought of after all this time, but that my blog had touched their lives like them and their blogs had touched mine. Like what an incredible honor it's been to be a part of y'all's lives in some small way! People have even told me my blog inspired them to keep having fun with their dolls even though the world told them they were too old and honestly... it's just overwhelming and I'm so grateful. God is so good, I am so unbelievably blessed to have spent such a huge chunk of my life doing something I love so much and getting to share that joy with others around me. I never imagined I'd be able to keep going with it for this long, like I always knew it probably wouldn't be a loss of love that caused this chapter of my life to close, but a loss of time for it. And that has almost taken All Doll'd Up out a few times, I felt so bad once I couldn't keep up with it as well as I used to, but you guys stuck around. You stuck with me through months of absence and missed comments and everything, I can't thank you enough for that. As a matter of fact, this is the best my blog has ever done I think (if you're one of the new visitors over here, welcome to the ADU family!! We're so excited to have you and we hope you enjoy your time here, even if you're just passing by <3), which is mindboggling to me! Like I don't understand why or how we're getting so much traction, but it truly means the world.

I'm so blessed to be able to do something, though some deem "childish," that takes my creativity to places I never knew I could reach. This blog has gotten me through some of the best and worst times of my life, and when I started developing health issues, working on doll bios and posts brought me such a deep level of joy that I needed so badly in the last two years, This blog has been one of the most beautiful gifts God has given me, a big part because you all are a part of that gift.

Thank you so much for reading my post, friends! I really hope you enjoyed the pics, sorry again that it's not as big of a post as usual, but I hope it was still okay.

Because there's not a chance we're skipping Disney Villain Takeover month (coming soon hehehehehehe), I decided to postpone The Star Sister part 2 until November. I'm so SO sorry!! I just can't make it all happen in October and I wasn't home enough to make it happen this month, but I'll really try for November as long as things are chill enough that I'll be home. I'm very excited for y'all to see what happens next in the story and I promise I'll try to make it worth the wait!

Well, as per usual I'm writing this at like 1:00 AM, so I should probably head out lol! XD Thanks so much again for stopping by and being a part of this ADU journey with us! I can't wait for the adventures ahead. Keep an eye out in October for some Disney Villain fun (I just finished the costumes for the first post today and will be taking the pictures when I get home YIPPEEEE!!!!), if you have any guesses on what songs will be featured this year please let me know in the comments!

And once again, thank you all again for everything.

God bless, my friends! I love you all and I hope you have an awesome day <3

-Katie :)