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October 2008 |
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Everything a doll could want is made in Larwill |
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Tuesday, December 04 2007 |
By BECKY HAND
Community Editor
Back when the Barbie and Cabbage Patch Kids dolls were the rage, a woman called Pleasant T. Rowland saw a void in the doll market for pre-teen girls.
She soon started The Pleasant Company and began selling her 18-inch American Girl Dolls, with a historical story in six books per doll to give an educational aspect to the dolls.
Alberta Reiff of Larwill, has found her niche in supplying the owners of these dolls with locally made clothes and accessories. While she’s not affiliated with the American Girl Doll company, now owned by Mattel, she sews clothing to fit these dolls, sometimes to match an outfit, such as a dance costume, that the girl already has.
Reiff can also make an outfit for a girl to match the doll’s outfit. She says that her turnaround time is about four days from the order, but closer to Christmas it may be longer.
Reiff’s business, called Imbue is located just north of U.S. 30 on Binkley Road west of Larwill, and has in stock more 400 pairs of shoes for these dolls including clogs, cowboy boots, roller blades, skates, sandals, flip flops, tap shoes, bunny slippers, and moccasins, just to name a few. She also stocks hats, tiaras, headbands and many clothing items, but specializes in making almost anything a customer wants.
She also sells furniture for these dolls made locally, including bunk beds, chairs, dressers and trunks.
If your doll would like to wear jewelry, Reiff is the one to see. She will even pierce their ears for free if the earrings are purchased there. And she is so gentle with the needle that she has yet to hear one cry.
Mattel has fallen out of favor with many people because they had donated to Girls, Inc., an organization that supports abortion and homosexual orientation. Since the criticism, American Girl has severed any ties with Girls, Inc. but the stigma remains.
Reiff has another possibility for the parent not sure about American Girl dolls. There is another doll series called the “Life of Faith” Doll. Reiff has the five dolls in stock and feels that they are every bit as good, if not better, than the American Dolls.
The Life of Faith Dolls have a body that is totally vinyl, allowing the dolls to get in the tub with their owners, and the hair is made from the same material as human wigs. The eyes even have real lashes.
Each doll in this collection has a different face, unlike the American Doll which has the same face but different hair and eye colors.
“The dresses use yards and yards of material,” said Reiff, and showed off the layers of ruffles on the dress of one of the dolls. They also each have a series of books to tell their individual stories.
Kathleen, a red-headed freckle-faced doll hailing from Fort Wayne, is Reiff’s most popular doll. Another doll, was born in Ohio but moved to Indiana, and another was born a slave.
Each doll has it’s own story of faith and comes with a little Bible. “They can even pray,” says Reiff, showing how they can bring their hands together and bow their heads.
Reiff can order or make anything that any 18 inch doll could ever want, and any good little doll owner would love to find under the Christmas tree. Call Alberta Reiff at 327-3692, or stop in at her store between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. from Wednesday to Saturday. |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, December 05 2007 )
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 |  |  |  |  | | My Mom (Elly Crawford) would always make this Cranberry
Salad, to die for. The year she passed away I had tried my mother-in-laws and others
but never the same as my Mom's. A year had went by and I had Looked and Looked for
her recipe in her old fashion Tin recipe box. Could not find it. I thought, wow was
this like her Famous Potato Salad, In her head and never wrote down. Silly I know
But as I searched thru her tin recipe box again, I made sure I put each hand wrote
card back where she had kept it. I wanted to make sure it was Just like my mom had
always had it and left it. I kept look one at a time, And low and behold stuck
between two cards was the recipe, I sat and held it as the tears ran down my face. I
had found it and was finally going to have Mom's Cranberry Salad. I called My Dad,
Cecil and said over 20 times, " Dad I found it Dad I found it!" I then prayed and
ask Mom, OK come on help me make this just like you did. And I guess Mom heard
me cause the 2nd and 3rd Thanksgiving without my Mom I had "Mom's Cranberry
Salad" and I will again this year and years to come. Thanks Mom I love you- Sheryl
xoxo P.S. You ask? Well share this recipe.... Umm, I
think NOT, Took me to long to find it. - Sheryl Hackett (Churubusco, IN) My late grandmother, Margarette Ruthsatz always made
scalloped oysters for the holidays. The recipe would be similar to scalloped corn
but instead of corn,oysters.We always hoped for left-overs and often would sneak it
cold from the fridge! Someone brings this dish every year. - Pam Sorg (Columbia City, IN) I love Thanksgiving. All my family get together at my mom and
dad's. My daughters and I usually go early to help Mom get the dinner ready, but she
does most of it. We eat about one and are all stuffed. After clean up we wait for
the paper so my sister and I can scope out all the sales for the next day which we
call Jackie and Laura's Big Adventure. It is the one day that we just spend time
together and are amused with all the shoppers going crazy for that perfect Christmas
gift. - Jackie White (Columbia City, IN) |
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