DESIGN & PLAY
An interior designer and art teacher by trade, Paula Breunig of Glen Ellyn began making 18” doll furniture for west suburban boutique stores six years ago.
The furniture was so well received she originated one-of-a-kind special events for young girls to design and create outfits, adding personalized accessories for their own 18” dolls.
When these special sessions immediately sold out, she quickly realized a business was born, hence opening Sweet P. Doll Studio in Elmhurst in 2013. With three very active children, relying on her husband to help manage the daily undertakings was a requirement, but thanks to this ladypreneur, little girls now have a suburban place to transfer pretend play to life.
Sweet P. Doll Studio allows parents the option to drop off children over four years old, or stay-n-play, for the same price. Since my own girls are now teenagers, I brought my niece, Paige, and her friend to experience a Cinderella workshop.
The open forum between 1 and 4 p.m. provided the flexibility to arrive at any time and stay for up to 90 minutes. For the $38 workshop fee, the girls received a beautiful Cinderella dress for their 18” doll and were allowed to personally embellish the dresses with the provided beading, butterflies, and jewels.
They made custom jewelry for themselves and their dolls, and the staff styled the dolls' hair to match their own, complete with identical hair bows. Each girl was then pampered with a mini-manicure. Included with the activities was plenty
of time to engage with the two, three-story 14-foot dollhouses that boasted backyards complete with a treehouse, tire swing, teeter-totter, bonfire pit, lemonade stand, tiki stand, picnic table, Jeep, tent, rowboat, horses, scooters, and enough food to host the best block party ever.
Check it out, by trying an open-play session, anytime they are open for business for only $8.
Overview....
Create a personalized outfit and accessories for your 18” doll; paint and design a piece of doll furniture; pretend-play with the 14-foot dollhouse; attend a workshop or class; celebrate with a custom birthday party.
Sweet P. Doll Studio
106 West Third Street
Elmhurst, IL 60126
630) 279-5453
www.sweetpdollstudio.com
Summer Hours:
Tuesday-Thursday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
*Sunday and Monday CLOSED; *Sundays available for parties
$: Open play $8 or free with $8 minimum purchase; workshops $34-$38
about the writer
Naperville mom Kristen Kucharski graduated from Illinois State University in 1992 with an International Business Degree. She is married and has two energetic daughters and her house is always full of children. Kristen joins Glancer Magazine with her column titled, Mom's Little Black Book, a monthly feature written for moms who are looking for ways to keep their kids busy.
