So sorry to be redundant with my posts, but....

I am not the best photographer, and I took the prior photos of this doll set in the evening. Got a request on ebay that I shoot some more photos of the doll in real light. Can't figure out how to post them on ebay because there's a bid on the doll now and ebay said, "No Robin, you don't get to post additional pictures!"
So, I figured the next best thing is to stick 'em on here in case anyone wants to see the daylight versions. These were taken late afternoon, because well, I work and can't bring dollys with me to take photos of during the middle of the day. They do look a bit different in differing light sources.

Izzy in Pink

I love pink. Not "Barbie" pink, but sweet pinks! I've been wanting to use this fabulous 19th century reproduction cotton for ages, and finally made a dolly to wear it!

This little Izannah is bigger than my normal dolls, she's 18 inches tall. More or less, the standard size for the original dolls that inspired this one. She comes with her own itty bitty Izzy too!

She's paperclay over cloth body, clothes all handsewn in period correct manner.

I have to say, I think I like this doll best of all the dolls I've made.

She's available on ebay tonight if anyone else out there likes pink as much as I do!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/ebayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180532486390

Newest Primitive Izannah Walker style doll

Here is my newest Izannah Walker style doll. She's hand sculpted from paperclay over a cloth body. I never use molds. I went a little grittier this time and aged her a bit more, along with her clothing to give her a more primitive appearance.

She's 16 inches tall, and can sit or stand. She likes to read, and has her own little first edition copy of "Alice's Adventures In Wonderland."

Her little blue gingham handsewn dress has been stained to give it an aged patina.

She's got on nice little underpinnings, which include a pleated lace petticoat and drawstring drawers.

Her little balmoral boots are sculpted onto her feet, and she's wearing her favorite (I mean MY favorite, because all my dolls wear these) handpainted striped stockings. No self-respecting Victorian gal went out without her striped stockings! She comes with her book and a stand, hand painted to copy a carpet/floorcloth depicted in several early American primitive portraits of children. She was created in a smoke and pet free environment.

She's currently listed on ebay, looking for a good home! Please pay her a visit at:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/ebayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180526272278

Little Boy Bleu

It's Memorial Day today. Many of us have lost a father, brother, husband, partner, daughter or son in the line of duty to our country. I lost my father. He was a United States Navy fighter pilot, and he was killed in 1973 when I was 11 years old.

I don't usually make 'boy' dolls, but in the spirit of this day, I decided a month or so ago to make a little boy. Every young man who has fought for this country was once just a wee innocent little boy, playing with his toys, blissfully unaware of what would be expected of him in just a few short years...and unaware of what he would be willing to sacrifice for future generations of little boys and girls. Because of my dad, who was once just little Dickie Dan...riding his tricycle and making paper airplanes, I made Little Boy Bleu in honor of the thousands of little boys who had to become men too soon, and who, like my dad gave up their lives for us.

I took my inspiration for this doll from an old primitive folk art portrait, painted I presume about 1850. I really immediately connected with the naive simplicity of it. And while I realize that many will think this is a girl, he definitely is not. We can tell from his side part and the whip he's holding. Most little boys in the Victorian era were dressed nearly identical to little girls.





It's most likely this little fellow, who was approximately 3-5 years old in the painting, found himself on one side or the other of the bloodiest war this country has ever been involved in. He'd have been about 15 years old at the time of the Civil War. Whether he was from the north or south, he was old enough to fight, and it's likely he did not came home in one piece, if at all. He was scared, exhausted, starving and sick, and wanted nothing more than to go home, hug his mama and be a kid again.



In this painting, the little boy is holding a whip and a pull toy. The image of the pull toy is obscured so I took creative license and decided it must have been a horse, which was very popular during that era. Plus, you'd need a whip for a horse, wouldn't you?

I made Little Boy Bleu's dress to emulate the dress in the painting, from reproduction cotton fabric in use from 1820-1860. It's completely handsewn in the period correct manner. I made him with a cloth body and head handsculpted from Paperclay, a clay form of papier mache.

I made his horse from Paperclay as well. I don't 'do' animals, and thus far have made one snake, a Cheshire Cat and this horse. It's handsculpted and painted to give it some aged patina. My wonderful husband was nice enough to help me construct it's little pull base. Difficult to tell in this photo, but I painted the stand base to emulate the carpet the little boy is standing on in the painting.

Since I don't have room for Little Boy Bleu, and in hoping that someone out there has a special place for him in their heart and home, he's available on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/ebayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180514976996

Dolly Blasts from my past.....part 1

I've been pretty busy lately with non-dolly things. Feel bad about not posting anything. The other night, I started reminiscing about my childhood and the close friends I shared it with, and thought it might be nice to document them while I can still remember who was who!

I know I received dolls from about age 3, but do not recall nor have photographic evidence of any dolls in my 'toddlerhood.' But I DO recall vividly at age 4, that my parents stuffed me and my two little sisters into a station wagon, to go see our very first movie. "Mary Poppins" was my first movie, my first drive-in movie, and my first doll of memory. I was madly in love with Mary Poppins. In 1965, I remember receiving her for Christmas, and while there IS a photo of me with her, I cannot for the life of me locate it at the moment. Favorite doll EVER. I'm still in love with Mary Poppins.

Betsy Wetsy

Santa brought Betsy into my life in 1966. I snuck downstairs in the middle of the night to see what Santa left me, brought my precious Betsy back upstairs and into my top bunk. I must have snuck too many of the Christmas cookies adorning the tree that my mother had made...for I lost those cookies in the middle of the night, all over Betsy's face. Her 'crying' eyes were filled with barf. They rusted and never worked again.



Tutti and Todd

I got these two little sugar lovin' tots when I got my tonsils out in 1966. Like Tutti and Todd, I too enjoyed many ice cream and gelatanous treats to soothe my sore throat.



American Girl Barbie

My first Barbie doll ever. Dad brought her home from Westpac in Japan in 1967. I think she was one of the first with the 'bendable' legs. My dad always brought home special treats to his girls when he came home from overseas. He got a big kick out of the Japanese toy stores and loved shopping there and playing Santa Claus.

Got a few more old friends to share in the next couple of days.

Itty Bitty Izzie Sissy's

Here are my two newest Izannahs. They are sisters, and itty bitty creatures they are. I made them simultaneously, and they refuse to be separated. They're pretty demanding.

They are approximately 5.5 and 6 inches tall.

They have taken some sort of oath of silence and absolutely refuse to tell me their names.

All I really know about them is that they are completely hand made from cloth with hadsculpted paperclay heads (and I only know this because I made them), and are wearing handsewn Civil War reproduction fabric cotton dresses (scraps I had lying in my drawers that I loved too much to throw out), and undergarments made from vintage fabric.

These teensy tots are a little high maintenance...they want a new home with better furniture than my circa 1976 Ideal* cheap plastic Jody Victorian Doll set. Even though I repainted the tacky purple plastic sofa that had lost nearly all of it's 'velvet' flocking for these picky gals, there was a diminutive revolt. Early this morning, I stepped on a straight pin that had been strategically placed in the rug impaled through a tiny note...with little words cut out and pasted on it. They must have gotten into my cabinets and excised the tiny words from various jars and bottles that I need a magnifying glass to read.

You should have seen their list of demands: Wooden four poster bed with quilt AND linens

Velvet settee

Table and chair set

China tea set

A HOUSE!

Preferably... Greek Revival, but Queen Anne will suffice as a second choice.

Are they kidding? Don't they understand the California real estate situation? A Victorian doll house is a huge money pit. Pretty pricey to furnish. Furthermore, if I HAD the money for a Victorian house, I really must insist upon being able to fit inside of it.

How greedy of them. With their champagne appetites on my vintage cheap plastic budget.

I politely informed them that if they don't appreciate the facilities here, they will have to leave. They wholeheartedly agreed.

They are now available on ebay!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/ebayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180499063486

Hallie Quinn Brown

I don't know how I found this amazing woman, I think somehow, she found me. Her story is incredible. Hallie Quinn Brown was born between 1845 and 1850 in Pennsylvania, to freed slaves, Thomas Arthur Brown and Frances Jane Scroggins. Her grandparents on both sides were caucasian plantation owners. Given the way of plantation life, that doesn't seem too surprising. Hallie's mother was given her freedom from her grandfather, who was a Revolutionary War officer. What's rather unbelievable is how Hallie's father attained his freedom. Thomas Brown was forced to purchase his freedom from his own parent. From his own MOTHER. She was a Scottish plantation owner, and his father was the black overseer. I cannot fathom a mother choosing to enslave her own child, and make him PAY her for his freedom. Oh, I suppose societal restrictions gave her little choice in the matter. But still...she could have given him his freedom instead of trying to make a buck off of it. I'm guessing Hallie wasn't too close to Grandma.

Whatever their upbringing, fortunately for Hallie's parents, they both received good educations. They became educators themselves, and were actively involved in the Underground Railroad. In a home of educated freed slaves, naturally Hallie was well educated, and graduated from Wilberforce University in Ohio. She became a teacher, with a focus on providing/improving literacy among former slave children. Hallie worked with Booker T. Washington, authored several books, traveled as a lecturer on African American culture, speaking before Queen Victoria. Hallie was instrumental in the preservation and maintenance of Frederick Douglass' home as a museum in Washington, D.C. What a woman!

Naturally, I was inspired by Hallie in the creation of this doll. She's Hallie too. I know, I know, another Izannah Walker style doll. I'm addicted. I tried to depict Hallie during her childhood, in the late 1850's/early 1860's. Hallie is wearing a cotton 1840 reproduction fabric dress in the style popular during her childhood. Hallie is completely handmade of fabric and paperclay. I never use molds. Her clothing is completely handsewn, in the historical manner.



Hallie has her own rag doll, which I believe she helped her mother create. Little girls learned sewing at their mother's knee, often by sewing rag dolls and their little doll dresses. Hallie's doll is very primitive in appearance, as all rag dolls of the time were. Her stand is painted to resemble both a quilt as well as the floorcloths popular at the time.





For more information on my little Hallie, please pay her a little visit on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/ebayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180490112297

She's looking for a new home, because the earthquake she trembled through this afternoon scared the daylights out of her, and she's not certain California is a safe place right now!