Maplelea Girls Jenna and Charlsea visit Salt Spring Island!

With Canada Post on rotating strikes, we have opened up new ways for you to receive your order in a timely manner!  When checking out of your online order you will be presented with a variety of Shipping and Pick-Up options to choose from! 

Maplelea fans, young and old, love to take pictures of their dolls in action, amid our beautiful Canadian scenery.  To submit your photos or short videos for consideration, see the instructions at the end of this Photo Gallery.

Charlsea and Saila bring in the fall harvest on Salt Spring Island, BC.  Taken by Thea Chapman.

Charlsea and Saila enjoy the last few days of summer on Salt Spring Island.  Taken by Thea Chapman.

Shannon G. made a party room for her dolls in honour of Léonie's birthday! Happy Birthday Léonie!

Shannon G. and her husband looked out to find a beautiful blue sky day with sparkling snow and just knew they had to take Charlsea out to enjoy it.  They had a wonderful day atop Cypress Mountain in Beautiful British Columbia while many people stopped to admire her very Canadian doll with her very Canadian outfit.

Hannah F. captured a portrait of Saila in her traditional Amauti and Pang Hat as a light snow gently fell in Sudbury, ON.

A curious fox photo bombed Saila and Taryn’s photography session.  He looked and he sniffed, but he didn’t touch. Submitted by Kimberly K. of Redditt, Ontario.

Charlsea enjoys a quiet moment in the sun on a beautiful Salt Spring Island fall day and just hangin' out! Submitted by Marjorie B. of Washington, USA.

Jenna joined Charlsea on a magical forest adventure and found this charming feather windmill and fairy door! Submitted by Shannon G. of BC.

At this bountiful time of year, Jenna and Charlsea have much to be thankful for. Submitted by Shannon G. de Langley, CB.

In Celebration of Canada 150, Jenna and Léonie cheered on Taryn and Charlsea on as they re-enacted the historic adventures of the Voyageurs on BC’s Fraser River. Submitted by Shannon G. of BC.

Oh dear! Jenna and Charlsea are stranded on one of the BC Gulf Islands!  Will anyone see their frantic waves? Submitted by Shannon G. of BC.

On a beautiful sunny West Coast day, Charlsea waves the Maple Leaf to show her Canadian pride while Jenna and Charlsea were thrilled to be the parade leaders on the occasion of Canada’s 150th birthday! Submitted by Shannon G. of BC.

Ferry boats and fairy doors—Charlsea’s Salt Spring Island has both! Submitted by Shannon G. of BC.

In the city of Toronto, the CN Tower features prominently on the horizon, and on Alexi’s shirt! Photo submitted by Marjorie B. of Washington, USA.

It is May 24th and time to celebrate the birthdays of both Charlsea and Queen Victoria! Submitted by Shannon G. of BC.

Please include your name, the location and a one or two sentence explaining the photo.  Remember, we can only accept photos of Maplelea dolls wearing Maplelea outfits!  Please send them as a jpg attachment to your email.  Do not include people in your photo; for photos of children with their dolls, please see the annual Maplelea Photo Contest which happens in the Spring of each year.

To submit your photos, please send them to: submissions@Maplelea.com with "FAN PHOTOS" as the subject line. 

 Submission of photos to this email constitutes permission for Maplelea to use the photos as they deem appropriate, without compensation, in perpetuity.

Alice, Simon, Emet, Kol, Naomi and Baila Mendelson recently took a road trip from their hometown of Hamilton to Eastern Canada and they took Maplelea along with them. We followed the Mendelson family, along with Jenna and Léonie, on their journey as they explore the sights from Ontario to the East Coast.

A big THANK YOU to our Brand Ambassadors, Fashion Show Models and everyone else who came out and had a fantastic time!  It was wonderful to meet so many of you!  And thank you for helping us introduce Maplelea to so many more Canadian families!

What are fascinators?  They are smaller than a hat, but bigger than a hair decoration.  They are an English tradition, often worn on fancy occasions.  The reason they are fascinating is because you can be as creative as you like!  Feathers, beads, ribbons, fabric—use whatever craft materials you like to make it interesting.  The more outlandish, the better! 

Step 2:  You will need a base for your fascinator.  It can be felt or craft foam.  Use a circle about 2.5" inches in diameter for the doll, and about 3" - 3.5"inches in diameter for yours.

Step 3:  You will need a way to attach the base to your hair when you and your doll wear them.  You can either glue a bobby pin or plain hair clip on the back, or use concealed bobby pins once you are finished.

Step 4:  Then, be creative with your decorations.  If you would like a mini veil to hang down on one side like our blue one, cut an oval out of sheer fabric or tulle (netting) that is about twice the size of your circle.  Attach with a dab of glue to your base.

For our blue one we made two flower shapes out of silk flower petals.

Then we added beads in the centre of the flower.

For our pink one we first attached several long feathers.

Sheer fabric was gathered to make a poof.

Finally beads were glued on in the centre.

Step 5:  Once the glue has set, attach them to the side of your head at a jaunty angle and you and your doll are ready for a Royal Wedding or a Spring Tea Party.  Have fun!

At Maplelea we often hear from our customers.  From their letters, emails and posts we know that there are Maplelea fans of all ages.  Shannon Gair is an adult whose beautiful photography we have featured in the Fan Photography section of our website.  Shannon has graciously offered to share, in her own words, her Maplelea story.

A Doll for Mom

A Doll for Mom is exactly how I became an adult doll lover.  I grew up as a child loving my dolls and doll play, and my own mom enjoyed them along with my sister and myself.  In fact, some of the best years of our doll play with our mom was in our teen years.  Those were days of film cameras and no online stores.  Still, my mom would instigate my sister and I into dressing all the dolls, lining them up and taking photos of them.  In those days of no internet, my mom was a subscriber to the Western Producer Newspaper.  Through the paper she was able to find contacts to custom order doll outfits.  We had “I Dream of Genie” outfits, pantsuits, Western, pioneer, Spanish, and everyday play outfits for our dolls.  (Not just our dolls but my mom’s dolls too.)  I didn’t know it at the time, but those were the best of times.  Sharing, laughing, engaged and talking with my mom through my teen years.

Time moves on.  I moved away, houses got sold, I got married, concrete bits of my young years got lost through the march of time.  The memories of those precious times with my mom lay dormant in my mind, until I had a little girl of my own.  I wanted her to enjoy dolls as I did growing up.  However, she had no interest in dolls.  I’d put a baby doll into her little arms and she would let it fall down to the ground.  My Little Pony, Game Boy Pet Shop, and the popular dress up stuffs dominated her life, and I was sad.  Then one day she and I were invited to a dance classmate’s birthday party.  The moms introduced me to the 18-inch Maplelea Dolls.  The birthday girl was receiving Léonie that day.  I was entranced by the beautiful box, the soft long hair, the beautiful and high-quality clothing, and the Canadian fun and true education in the journal.  My daughter’s 9th birthday was just the next month and so I ordered Brianne for her.

To my surprise, my daughter bonded with Brianne immediately.  Brianne came everywhere with us.  I was so happy.  A year later Taryn joined her Brianne.  Then a couple of weeks before her 11th birthday my daughter asked me to NOT get her another doll.  I was devastated, but soon realized it wasn’t because of growing out of dolls, but because her two dolls meant so much to her.  They were her friends and companions.  Another doll would be too much for her.  I wanted so badly for her to get Jenna.  My father was born in Nova Scotia.  My son and daughter were highland dancers and Jenna had the most darling “Anne of Green Gables” outfit.  What was I going to do?  Now, I knew I could not get Jenna for her.  Then I thought…I’ll ask my mom (Grandma) to get it for her.  My mom’s immediate answer was a shocking and quickly said NO.  Then after a short pause she said, I’ll buy Jenna for you.  Christmas morning only two weeks after my daughter’s birthday, a huge present was under the tree for ME!  Upon opening it, not only was there a beautiful blue box with Jenna’s name on it, but the little boxes too, and lots of them.  Jenna’s snow suit, PJs, dress-up dress, highland dance outfit, and the gorgeous “Anne of Green Gables outfit”.  The best memory embedded in my mind that Christmas morning was the incredible excitement, pure joy, and the thrill that my daughter showed when I got that gift.

My mom is now gone.  I had not realized my mom’s wisdom she had in giving me a doll that Christmas morning.  Having my own doll with my daughter was a gift of sharing, laughing and creating with my daughter into her teen years and young adult life.  Parties, you tube movies, knitting, cooking and sewing, painting, and building, nothing that had to be done for a school project, family dinner, friend’s party.  Everything was imagination and fun.

A new year (this January) my daughter and I packed her dolls back into their beautiful boxes and into the trunk, with all their wonderful things.  She is moving into her busy adult life, connecting with friends, studying, working, making important decisions that will be her future.  I understand these wonderful days together with her will lay dormant in her mind over the years.  Her dolls lay on a siesta in the silver trunk.  My plan is to, every once in a while, slip in a little blue box with a brand-new outfit for Brianne and Taryn for future surprises.  Their little blue journals hold not only Taryn and Brianne’s stories, but the precious magical life stories on my 9 and 10 year-old daughter.  Then …. I stand in my daughter’s bedroom, and I see Brianne and Taryn quietly standing and smiling at me on the shelf.  I smile, being reassured that another generation of doll, imagination, joy, creating, and mother-daughter bonding is yet to come.

Meanwhile… my husband and I are, so to say, going to town, with enjoying dolls.  We built a doll house and we go on excursions to get a photo of the doll in a magical spot in Canada.  The dolls motivate us to do things together, such as hikes, canoeing, snowshoeing and so on.  I’ve made friends from all over the world through the internet.  My daughter comes in to inspect and oversee what the two of us have created.  She smiles, she laughs, and gives advice.  My son, seemingly uninterested will waltz on by, because he knows that Jenna will one day be for his little girl, and in her journal I have written all about his life when he was 11. 

Shannon Gair

THE FIRST EVER Maplelea FAMILY Model Search is NOW CLOSED. Thank you to everyone who applied! 

It's a family affair! Have you ever thought about how much fun it would be to have your whole family in matching pajamas, from oldest to youngest, including your Maplelea doll?  Even your pet pooch can match.  Well, Maplelea is making unisex pajamas and we need a family to model them! 

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR? 

A Canadian family who is proud to rep the Maplelea brand.  Moms, dads, toddlers, teenagers, grandparents, brothers, sisters…whoever you consider to be your family.  Ideally our Maplelea family will be comprised of 5-7 members so we can sufficiently show the range of sizes, and the universal appeal of the very Canadian pajama design. Having a dog in the family is not necessary, but is a bonus!  

HOW TO APPLY: 

1.  Take or select 3-5 recent photos of your family.  At least one photo must have all family members together in one shot. At least one photo must include a family member with your family’s favourite doll. Professional photos are NOT required.  Phone photos are fine. If you have a well-behaved, mid to small size dog who could model a matching bandana, you are welcome to include him/her in your application.

 2.  Open the application (PDF) < click to open.  Save the PDF to your hard drive.  Fill out the application.  Be sure to save to your hard drive when you are finished. 

3.  Create an email, and attach the completed PDF.  (Double check that all your information was saved in the PDF.

4.  Attach your 3 to 5 photos to the email. (Ensure that when photos open, they are right side up!)  

5.  In the email subject line, please include  “Family Model Application - _______________ Family” (put your family surname in the blank.) 

6.  Send the email to castingcall@maplelea.com.  This must be submitted by May 27th, 2018.  

7.  Alternatively, you can print out the application, attach printed photos and mail it to Maplelea, 1145 Nicholson Road, Unit #3, Newmarket, ON L3Y 9C3.  It must arrive no later than May 27, 2018.

There is no cost to apply.

THE SELECTION PROCESS:

1. Maplelea will select a family based on their submitted photos and application. The family will not be required to attend a casting call. However, the whole group will need to be available during the day June 28th, 2018 to travel to Newmarket and participate in a Photo Shoot with a professional photographer. 
2. A dog is not necessary but all members of the family must be comfortable with a dog being part of the Photo Shoot.
3. The Photo Shoot will last approximately 3 to 4 hours.  We will be taking both group and individual shots.
4. The family chosen to model will receive a $400 Maplelea Gift Card at the end of the Photo Shoot. There will be no further compensation unless retained to model again for Maplelea at another time.
5. Applications not accepted for the June 28, 2018 Photo Shoot will be kept on file for 12 months.  One or more families may be contacted at a later time if a further need arises for a family to model for Maplelea over the coming year.

PLEASE NOTE:

1. Maplelea will have the right to use your first names publicly with the photo, along with a general geographic description.  Ie. Family pajamas are modelled by Neal, Chris, Riley, Taylor and Jordan of Toronto, ON, or Modelled by …….of York Region, ON.  You can choose how your location is identified
2. Photos taken in Maplelea’s Photo Shoot may be used for any and all marketing purposes by Maplelea (Avonlea Traditions Inc.) including in digital and print advertisements and editorial.
3. Photos taken of models at a Photo Shoot may be used an unlimited number of times by Avonlea Traditions Inc., in perpetuity, without further compensation.
4. Maplelea may select a sub-set of the family submitted in the application.  We will discuss this with you before you accept the modelling assignment.
5. There is no guarantee that a Maplelea model’s photo will be used in marketing campaigns even if a Photo Shoot is done.
6. The selection of models and photographs used for publication are at the sole discretion of Maplelea.  

Thank you for considering this opportunity! 

It's that time of year again! March Break is upon us and we know that sometimes it can be difficult to plan new and interesting things to do, so we have compiled a fun list for you.

1. Hold your own Mini Doll Olympics.

    You and your friends can dress your dolls up in their sports gear and have competitions. Skating, hockey, ringette, karate, soccer or whatever! Use different sizes of boxes, or stack books, to make a three-level podium for the winners.  If you have the Maplelea Winner’s Circle Set, you can use the ribbons, awards, trophies and flowers to award after the competition at the podium ceremony.

2. Go skiing or snowboarding.

   If you are lucky enough to have a ski hill within driving distance, take a quick day trip and enjoy the slopes. Most ski resorts will have lots of fun extra activities going on over March break as well, so get outside! Never been on skis or a snowboard before? This is a great time to try something new and active with the family. Maplelea dolls love travelling in your Maplelea backpack when you are cross country skiing!

3. Go ice skating.

   Indoor rink, outdoor skating pad, your friend’s backyard rink…wherever. Play a game of shinny with your family, cousins or friends or try out some new spins and turns. If you live in Southern or Central Ontario (or anywhere, really, if you are up for a road trip!) check out the Rideau Canal in Ottawa – the largest naturally frozen skating rink in the world (as designated by the Guinness Book of World Records). Or the Arrowhead Provincial Park Skating Trail, Ontario's longest man-made ice trail. Live in or near Edmonton? Try out the famous Victoria Park IceWay, a three-loop skating trail wrapping through the majestic forests of Victoria Park. St. John’s? Try the loop in Bannerman Park. Just make sure to check the outdoor rinks & trails’ websites before heading out as weather conditions dictate if they will be open or not.

4. Book an overnight getaway.

   Is there an interesting little town you have been excited to check out, but haven’t had the time? Check in to a hotel and enjoy a mini-break. Getting away for even just one night is a great way to explore and keep it affordable. Pick a new place you haven’t yet visited…bonus points if it has an indoor pool so you can pretend summer is here already!  Don’t forget to take along your Maplelea doll, her PJs and her bedding.  The Maplelea sleeping bags/comforters, covered mattresses and pillows can be used with or without the bed so they are great to take along for sleepovers.

5. Go to the Movies.

   An oldie, but a goodie! Pick a movie that you and your family have been talking about and grab some popcorn. Try out a 3D experience or even go all out and go to an imax if you have one nearby.

6. Make your own movie theatre experience at home.

   Don’t feel like trekking to the theatre? Make your own! Pick a movie and make it feel like a theatre.  You need popcorn (of course), drinks and tickets! Close the curtains and turn off the lights. Have the kids show the adults to their seats using a flashlight like a real usher. Click here to download our movie theatre ticket craft, print them out, colour/decorate them, and use them for admission to your family theatre. Don’t forget to make a place for your dolls to sit so they can enjoy the movie too!

7. Try a new sport.

   Check out your town gym’s drop-in sports schedule, and pick something new to try  – basketball, badminton, skating, swimming class. Or get outside and try out snowshoeing!

8. Write in your Maplelea doll’s journal.

   Now’s a great time to read or re-read your doll’s journal.  And, you can fill in all those blanks that have been waiting for you.  What to write on the blank pages?  It’s up to you.  You can make up stories featuring your doll, or you can keep a record of all the things you do, or places you go, with your doll.  Some day when you are older you will love looking back to see what you have written.  Need a replacement journal, or more blank pages?  Check out this section of our website.

9. Visit a local museum, science centre or art gallery.

   All local museums, science centres and galleries will have some cool events and activities over March Break. Science World in Vancouver is featuring interactive drop-in activities in the Tinkering Space, pop-up demonstrations by Parks Canada, and The Science of Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! Or channel your inner Maud Lewis with a March Break art class at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. Check out your local museum, gallery or science centre websites for what they have going on.

10. Bake something and have a tea party with your dolls.

    March Break is a great time to get busy in the kitchen! Dust off those measuring cups and find a new recipe to try. For a doll-size cake, make a cupcake or use your smallest cookie cutters to make doll-size cookies.  Just make sure that your doll watches from a safe distance because you don’t want any sticky stuff getting in her hair or eyes. For a full tea party, grab your Time for Tea Set for your dolls, and your favourite cups and saucers. Don’t feel like baking?  The Maplelea Set has the “cake” already made! Plus all the cutlery, plates and napkins you need for a great tea party or celebration. 

11. Go tobogganing.

    If you still have snow where you live, find a local hill and participate in one of our favourite Canadian pastimes. Don’t forget your helmet! Or take your doll tobogganing indoors with the Maplelea toboggan.

12. Celebrate St Patrick’s Day.

    End or start March Break, depending on your school’s schedule, with a St. Patrick’s Day parade on March 17. Get some friends together and dress up in every bit of green clothing they have!  Don’t forget to dress your dolls all in green too!  Be crafty and make a doll-size pot of gold, or how about a Leprechaun’s hat?  You can do that by covering a single size yogurt container with colour-fast green craft paper.  Put a black band and create a buckle using tin foil.  Craft Note: How do you tell if your craft-paper is colour-fast?  Put a little bit of water on it and blot it with a white paper towel.  Is there any colour on your paper towel?  If so, don’t use that paper for doll crafts.  If your paper towel stayed white—you are good to go.  Get crafting!

13. Dance party at home.

    Dress your doll and yourself in dance gear, crank up your favourite dancin’ songs and boogie the day away! Kids can try to choreograph a show for parents, or try to create funny dance moves or a routine for you and your dolls! Bonus: Moms and dads can teach kids the best moves from their childhood! Moonwalk or Running Man anyone?  Or grandparents, how about that Mashed Potato or the Twist?

14. Have a Maplelea Doll Photo shoot.

    Grab your Maplelea Girls and Friends and have a photo shoot! Take photos of what you are doing this March Break with your dolls and enter it in our upcoming Annual Maplelea Photo Contest. Or, dress your dolls and pose them in interesting scenes and submit the photos to our Fan Photography page.  
    
    Note: The Annual Maplelea Photo Contest is for photos of children and dolls doing things together.  The Contest will open later in the Spring but you can start taking photos now.  See the guidelines here.  The Fan Photography  section of our website is for photos of dolls only, posed in interesting scenes and can be submitted at any time to submissions@maplelea.com.  Check out the photos currently in the Fan Photography section for inspiration.  Please also note that for both the Photo Contest and the Fan Photography, only photos of Maplelea dolls dressed in Maplelea clothing can be considered.

15. Make a stop action movie.

    Older kids will enjoy dressing up and posing their dolls to act out stories. By moving the doll just slightly between each photo taken, and putting them all together in a movie-making program, the doll will appear to be moving. Add titles, credits and voice-over and you have a mini movie starring your dolls!  There are lots of examples on You Tube of kids doing just that.  If your movie features Maplelea dolls wearing Maplelea clothing, consider sending it to submissions@maplelea.com.  We may be able to feature it in our Fan Photography section of our website.  Or post it on YouTube for the world to see!

16. Take a hike!

    Check out a new local trail, bundle up and get walking. See some interesting sights, birds and enjoy the fresh air. Don’t forget to bring along your pooch if you have one, or your Maplelea doll in her Maplelea Backpack or Tote Bag.

17. Learn about Maple Sugar.

    Do you live in a part of Canada where sugaring-off is an early spring ritual?  If so, visit a Maple Sugar Festival or a Cabane à Sucre (Sugar Shack) to learn more about how maple sugar is made and to sample some of Canada’s famous sweetness.

18. Visit the Maplelea Store.

    If you are in southern Ontario during March Break, drop by and see all the Maplelea dolls and outfits on display. Open Monday to Friday, 9am to 4:30pm on all weekdays except statutory holidays at 1145 Nicholson Road, Unit 3, Newmarket, ON, around the back. 

19. Check your local town’s website for festivals and activities.

    Every town (or nearby town/city) has a town website that should have a calendar of events put on over March Break. Pick one (or 10!) and have some fun. And don’t forget the library. Most public libraries will have some fun events like family music classes, art classes, puppet shows or crafts going on all March Break. Make sure to check out a new book while you are there.

20. Make a fort.

    Grab some sheets, pillows, chairs and get building! Use clothespins to hold your sheets in place.  If adults say it is OK, add some string lights inside or get a flashlight. Get that book you got from the library, snuggle up inside your fort and read a story out loud to your Maplelea doll.

Whatever you decide to do, HAVE FUN this March Break!

Valentine's Day is a great excuse to get crafty. Print out these fun Maplelea valentine's cards and get creative!