Month: September 2020

 

September is quickly coming to a close.  The days are getting shorter and the temperatures are getting a little cooler.  These are  signs that fall is on its way in and summer is headed out for yet another year.  Soon the leaves will begin to turn bright oranges and yellows and occasionally crimson.   It is time to find your jackets and sweaters.   These signs tell us all that fall is just around the corner,  but they also remind us that the holiday season is swiftly approaching.  

Holiday season here at our house is a busy time from late September to early January.  There are different degrees, if you will, of busy, but none the less – busy.  At heart, I am a child that has never grown up as far as decorating for the holidays.  I enjoy all the decorations and the preparations that are attached. I love seeing the faces of those who enjoy the holidays as much as I.  There is just something magical about the holidays for me.   Just this week someone asked me if I use my dolls to decorate.   

  

A cute Madame Alexander Witch or perhaps this Little Devil for Halloween.  Or I have dressed the Playpal Dolls for Halloween! 

These are a couple of the costumes the Playpal Gang will be wearing this Halloween. 

Christmas is my favorite holiday.  My youngest granddaughters say “nobody does Christmas like Memaw”.  Yes, I do pull out all the stops.  It takes quite some time to get it all decorated, but it is so worth it because I enjoy it and because I am making memories for my grandchildren.  They will remember Christmas at Memaw and Pepaw’s house not necessarily because of the gifts, but that there wasn’t a  spot where Memaw didn’t have it decorated. I love to see the joy in their eyes when they walk through the door to see it all! 

The dolls have to get their Christmas dresses on…help to decorate the tree…

Oops! That’s Violet, one of our two cats.  She likes to get in on the decorating.  She thinks she looks beautiful under all the lights.  And it is one of her favorite napping spots! 

She also likes to help the girls get their hair in place because she knows there will be plenty of photo opportunities .

               Finally, after much preparation, this tree is coming together nicely.  But this is only the tip of the iceberg! 

This is Frances, our other cat.  She is helping to adjust the bow on Penny’s Christmas dress….

And last, but not least by any means, this is one of my most beloved dolls EVER.  I’m sure you don’t need to be introduced.  To many (even some in my own family) this Santa is worn out and ugly.  I don’t see that.  He has been around since before I was born.  He belonged to my Granny.  He came out every Christmas that I ever recall as a child.  I was allowed to wag him around and love him as every sister, grandchild, and great-grandchild was.  That’s probably why his face has a crack, his beard is a little dirty, his arms/legs are limp and the felt on his suit is no longer smooth, but worn from the touch of MANY little hands over the years.  He lives with me now and still makes his yearly appearance amongst the decorations and dolls.  This is one of my earliest and definitely most favorite Christmas memories. 

So when I’m asked if I incorporate my dolls into my holiday decorating, the answer is ABSOLUTELY! And these are but a few pictures.  There are so many opportunities to use dolls from your collection in your holiday decorating throughout the year! 

I want to ask you….DO YOU USE YOUR DOLLS IN YOUR HOLIDAY DECORATING?   If so, please share….

Let’s Talk Dolls,

Lynn

As I quickly type this short post, I am giggling until my eyes are watering…

At a time when everything seems up in the air and very inconsistent, it is delightful to find/recall  something that has pretty much been a constant in my life.  I am the “Big Sisser” in my family which obviously indicates that there is a “Little Sisser”.   When I remember back to our childhood, she was a constant nemesis as far as my dolls were concerned.  I was (still am) VERY particular as to their looks, how they were stored, and MOST OF ALL not wanting Little Sisser to mess up their hair or clothes.  As I remember it, she was forever tearing snaps off their dresses because she refused to unfasten them gently, but mostly she wanted to handle them roughly and muss their hair which then gave her an excuse to brush/style their hair. UGH!   

If you follow my Instagram account, you have seen the picture of the Seven Dwarfs (of Snow White fame) that I posted last evening.    I have literally searched for years for just the right set of those adorable little men to add to my Snow White dolls collection.  They were not something that was easily acquired.  I had a definite wish list as to their requirements and was not going to “settle”.  We won’t go into my requirements, but believe me, they were lengthy! FINALLY! I had found just the right set that met all the things I was sure they needed to have (and the price was fair!)   They arrived this week and I was like a kid at Christmas.  Unpacking each one ever so carefully and straightening their clothes, making sure their shoes were on the right feet and placing their pics and hammers in their little hands.  They posed so magnificently!  I was thrilled!  I couldn’t wait to take photos with proper lighting and composition.  I wanted to share those seven wonderful, little men now!  So….a quick post to IG as I was unpacking them. 

The last line of the post was a mini-quote from the song the dwarfs sing in the movie….HI-HO, HI-HO, IT’S OFF TO WORK WE GO….

Feeling quite happy and satisfied with such a fantastic purchase, I turned off the phone and headed for bed.  This morning I get up to a post from Little Sisser that says HI-HO! HI-HO! LITTLE SISSER PLAY WITH THEM THO! Somehow even after all these years, that post made me cringe. I could just see her as a child taking off their shoes (and losing one) and turning their heads around backward and other various inappropriate things with my new prize possession.  Even though I knew this wasn’t real, still it made me wince at just the idea. 

So, with that having been said, the reality of this is that I still have a Little Sisser that wants to play with all my favorite toys and now she isn’t sneaky about it.  She just comes right out and tells me that she would like to make my little dwarfs dance around, possibly scuffle and even change their clothes!  Thus, proving that INDEED, THERE ARE some things that remain constant,  at least between sisters.  

As a child, I tried to put the “good stuff” out of her little grasp. Although it has taken some 50+ years, I was just  beginning to trust her handling my dolls, but after  her post…DEFINITELY NOT!   I love you dearly, Little Sisser, but please, DON’T TOUCH THE DWARFS! (LOL!) 

 

Hello, Friends! 

Are you ready to “talk dolls”?  What would YOU like to talk about? Restoration? Proper care of a vintage doll? Options for display? Clothing for the doll? How to wash and reset the doll’s hair? What’s a fair price when purchasing a doll? Where is a good place to purchase dolls?  How to safely wash/clean those old clothes without harming them?   I want to hear your ideas.  I have gotten messages and emails from several of you about restoring your doll.  I certainly don’t know all there is to know on the subject, but it would be fun to explore it together! After all, that’s why we visit this blog – to talk dolls!  And what better place? I was reminded just this week that dolls is not a subject that you bring up with just anyone without being looked at as if you might be from Mars.  Not everyone loves and admires them like those of us. (I can’t imagine WHY NOT!)  

In the meantime, please share one of your favorite doll memories.  Perhaps you have a favorite doll? Share her picture with us.  I would love to see pictures of your dolls and read why she is so special to you.  

This is one of my favorite dolls.  She is a Vintage Cissy. She is probably one of the very few dolls I own that I didn’t do anything but have her outfit made to my specifications, dress her, and place her in the doll case. 

As you all know, I am a fan of the baby boomer era dolls. I know there are those of you who like Barbie.  I like Barbie, too, but I really don’t know much about her. I want to learn from you!   Anyone restore composition dolls? I know very little about the process, but would like to know more. I see your posts on IG and y’all are so talented in so many different areas. I’m curious…

Speaking of Barbie…I shared my memory of Barbie and my Granny last week.  Had that Barbie not been a Christmas gift when I was a little girl, chances are I would have never taken an interest in sewing. I, like most children, was too busy to sit for very long!  I quickly figured out that a lot of dreams could come true with the craft of sewing and that craft could be used in so many different applications.    Through that Barbie, I spent time with Granny and learned all kinds of sewing techniques from tailoring to sewing with fur.  And as the years passed, I developed many of those skills she kindled in me.  She was creative and very good at using the materials she had to create the look I was wanting for my Barbie.  I remember we had made an extraordinary party dress and I wanted her to have a corsage.  At the time, there was no such thing as silk flowers. She picked up a tiny piece of lace and gathered it into a small circle making it look like a carnation.  She then proceeded to stitch a small embroidery thread bow to the lace and then attach it to the shoulder of Barbie’s dress.  TA-DAH! Barbie had a corsage for her dress.  I have never forgotten that.  For more reasons than I can number, my Granny has always (even though she has passed) had such a big, positive influence on my life.

Please share your doll memories and pictures and let yourself be a child again, for just a few minutes….

Let’s Talk Dolls,

Lynn

Hello!

I’m GLAD you’re here!  I’m hoping you have told others about this blog! It is something I have been excited about for quite some time and I’m so happy to see it taking shape. I would love to see your comments or pictures on anything doll related.

For those of us that are old enough…do you remember the SEARS WISH BOOK arriving in the mail about this time of year with all the newest dolls and toys pictured?  Oh my goodness! This was a BIG thing at our house.  There were three of us girls and each had to wait their turn to hold that precious book in our lap and carefully mark the things you were wishing would show up under your Christmas tree in a couple of months or on your next birthday, etc.  The book was good until mid-summer so you could make your list a little longer in case grandma and grandpa or auntie were interested in sneaking a peek.  Oh! The excitement and anticipation of the possible arrival of one of those beautiful dolls from that book! 

I remember wanting a Chatty Cathy doll.  I was totally amazed that you could pull that little white ring on a string from her back and she would TALK to me!  As I recall, she was THE only talking doll at that time.  And her hair was long enough that you could brush it lightly.  She was just perfect with those big blue eyes and that spattering of freckles across her little button nose.  The scene you are picturing in your imagination right now was close to perfect…except I have not one but two younger sisters.  Of course, they wanted to hold the pretty doll, make her ‘dance’ and make her talk.  OH NO! Please don’t pull that string so hard, she might break! So go the perils of being the oldest sister….I’m sure some of you have been in a similar situation. 

I loved that doll and kept her in good condition for a child of my age.  However, there was one small detail that I thought the toymakers could have improved upon.  Seemed to me that every doll made had blonde hair.  I am a redhead and I couldn’t understand why there were no red-headed dolls.  They did eventually make the doll in both a brunette and a redhead.  I guess they must have heard me bemoan their overuse of blonde hair on the bulk of their dolls. LOL!

I remember the Christmas I received a Barbie doll! She had red fingernails and toenails and long hair and the possibilities of all these beautiful outfits.  It was enough to make your mouth water, and it could all be stored for safekeeping in this wonderful black “leather” case bearing Barbie’s image. While Barbie was a magnificent doll, she was the start of something considerably bigger in my life.  

I was with my Granny at every opportunity.  She was an accomplished seamstress and often had scraps of material that were of a size to make Barbie a dress.  I would sit beside her for hours and we made doll dresses from the scraps.  My doll was so well dressed! So many of the good things I remember and still experience might not have come about without that one Barbie doll.  This is a blog, not a book, so we will continue with that another time. 

For now, do you have a favorite WISH BOOK memory or a story to share?  I would love for you to share a recollection of a childhood doll.  I look forward to hearing from you!

Let’s Talk Dolls, 

Lynn