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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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