I got my first Barbie when I was in the Third Grade, and I loved her
             from day one. She was a perfect woman in my eyes, and I played with her
             all the time. I had little trunks for her many outfits, and was very
             careful not to hurt her clothes, break her fragile high heels, or otherwise
             damage my precious doll. I knew it had been a stretch for my parents to
             buy her, and I was determined nothing would happen to her. I remember one
             of my friends was playing with me one day, and she broke one of her special
             shoes that matched a particular outfit, and I was quite upset. Barbie was
             my perfect toy, and I wanted nothing to spoil the illusion.
             I believe Barbie helped shape my character in a number of ways. I
             loved her fancy clothes, and really enjoyed dressing her in each outfit
             again and again, complete with all the matching accessories. I think I
             enjoyed hanging up her outfits in her trunk and looking at them as much as
             I enjoyed dressing her and playing with her. I loved the clothes because
             they were glamorous and special, just like Barbie was. I learned to take
             good care of my possessions from Barbie, and to recognize quality fabric
             and style. Some of her outfits seemed as if real fashion designers
             designed them, and I loved to look at how they were made and what types of
             fabric they used for trims, hats, etc. After a year or so, I begged my
             parents for a sewing machine, because I'd discovered the pattern companies
             made patterns for Barbie clothes, and I wanted to create my own outfits.
             My parents bought me a little sewing machine that clamped onto a table and
             was powered by a hand crank. It was my first sewing machine, and I made my
             first Barbie outfits on that tiny machine. The family quickly saw that I
             loved to sew, and my grandfather bought me a real machine, in a cabinet he
             built by hand to hold it. I really believe my character and certainly my
             personality...