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Sunday, March 20, 2011

Dolls and Ducks!

On Saturday we went back to the doll hospital to collect my restrung doll (circa 1949). And I was in doll heaven walking around this Centre with dolls lined up floor to ceilings. Jan, who has been in business here for the past twenty years has quite a collection of museum pieces, hand made dolls, costumed dolls, and dolls in need of repair. Look closely and see if you can find one or two you had as a child. I did. (click on photos to see greater detail if you like) She talked about them explaining their origins, histories, etc. She also teaches classes in specialized doll making that people come to from all over the world to attend. Painting porcelain dolls eyes can take a nine day process. Or was that nine times being put through the glazing process?
She made these lace costumes all by hand using laces found in thrift and antique shops and dyed with coffee and tea set with vinegar.
That is Jan in the far right bottom row holding my repaired doll. I bought her a new pair of black Paten shoes there. She still needs a new dress. I will knit and crochet clothes for her before giving her to my grand daughter for her next birthday, or maybe Chanukah. If she takes good care of her and saves her for her own daughter one day this doll will have become a true antique.
Jan told me my doll is an unsigned Madame Alexander doll and that her hair is still in its original form. She said I took excellent care of her. She said it is now worth several hundred dollars and will probably appreciate in time. I of course find it most valuable in it's sentimental components.
On our way to eat lunch DH found these pretty mallard ducks hunkered down in the sand. I hope they weren't as cold as I was by then. I warmed up with a hot Avocado burger smothered in grilled mushrooms and onions. Delicious!

13 comments:

  1. Look at all those Dolls. wow. I didnt see the one I had. Bet she has one in there somewhere. Your Doll looked brand new. Loved seeing the ducks. We had a surprise visit by one in our yard this morning. :)

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  2. Wow...what a collection! I loved each one of them so did Lil A,my daughter. The ducks are beautiful too:))Man made collection and nature's creation!

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  3. lovely to see your doll repaired and ready to be loved by your granddaughter. Avocado burger!! Never heard of this but it sounds yummy. Only in CA. But i do have an avocado here so maybe I'll google the recipe.

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  4. I didn't ever want/have dolls as a child. I apprecitate them as an art form now.

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  5. Wow, this lady is really into dolls! So many beautiful antiques here. I have no idea what happened to all my dolls. I used to have a lot. So glad yours is out of intensive care.
    I would love an avacado burger! Yum!

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  6. oh darn. now i realize an avocado burger is a hamburger with avocado, not a burger made of an avocado.

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  7. oh I love dolls - what fun this is

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  8. I still have my Madame Alexander doll from when I was seven. She is in sorry shape though! But I still love her ..... And I still have all the clothes my mom made for her ......

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  9. Your doll looks wonderful!!

    I never got into dolls, but I think that's because my parents were too poor to provide them, so I must have convinced myself over the years that I didn't like them anyway!
    I remember playing army with the boys, and paperdolls too! Paperdolls were an addiction.

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  10. I was never much into dolls but I did have a much-loved sock monkey that I made myself. I lost mine along the way but I think it's so neat that you saved yours all these years and can give to your granddaughter.

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  11. I loved playing with doll house and doll house figures/furniture a lot too; and paper dolls for which I made clothes. (Early artist?)
    My father built me an awesome doll house with electric lights and a door bell that rang; Fun remembering playing dress up too; lots of outside games.

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  12. Dolls are so fun! I like the old ones too! My daughter is a doll collector and we go to many doll shows, sales and meet-ups! We are very fortunate here to have an actual doll museum at a doll shop called DREAM DOLLS.
    I am so glad you got your dolly back in one peice and I hope you will show her to us with her new clothes when you get them done!!!

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Thanks for leaving your comments as I love hearing from you. Your words of encouragement are why I continue to draw!