Fall, 1988

I never saw many good role models for a dark haired little girl like me. I remember seeing the faces of blond models within a Covergirl frame on TV and Barbie dolls with the same expressionless faces and hourglass bodies, all that looked nothing like me. At that age, I wanted terribly for someone or something to tell me I’m normal, I’m pretty, I’m good enough.

Fall 1988 was the first time I laid eyes on a Pleasant Company catalog. On the cover was a brunette girl holding a beautiful doll, unlike any I had seen before. She was dark haired like me. And she was beautiful!

I eagerly opened the pages, delighting in every wonderful spread, photographs of 3 unique dolls, each with their own stories and struggles. I wanted every single piece. I wanted to recreate every story, relive every word. Every accessory or article of clothing was complete within the story and every doll had her own slice of history to explain and explore.

If Pleasant Rowland’s intention was to spark creativity and compassion in young girls, she certainly did that for me. And to this day I enjoy collecting the pieces from her original collections of Kirsten, Samantha, and Molly, specifically from 1986 through 1990. Those years were the most unique, each changing over time and many handmade in Europe and all over the world.

As a result of collecting as an adult, I have learned the intricacies of change over time within the collection and I look forward to continuing the tradition of exploration though adulthood. Come along with me as I restore the dolls that need love and breathe life into them once again.

<3, Jennifer

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