Happy 4th!

A happy 4th, and more doll memories. My Floradora came home July 3d in 1974; my mom dressed her in silk remnants of my Grandmother's wedding gown. She had a marked, near mint leather body, and sleep, threaded grey glass eyes. She still holds a special place in my collection. We toured many stores to find her before the Marionnette Doll hospital near El Paseo Saratoga, including the famous Indiana Antiques, whic later provided my 1906 Earthquake survival doll, one of the Disaster Dolls exibit from the museum. I have been dressing and repairing, reviewing the troops, as it were. Organizing other collections, like souvenir pencils in frames, repairing tiny limbs with tie wrap and beading wire, and adhesive tape. Mrs. Plataganet, a comp China Poblana about 9 in., with red painted books, is now back together. Her bright dress had gone gray with age, and my grandma redressed her overnight. She came from a little stall in Old Spanish Town, where the elderly owners showed me oen of their psecial dolls, which often happened, as it did locally in the old store, Johnny, I got For you, where I got a small, mechanical vinyl baby that played music. Both owners, miles apart, had saved little wire wrapped dolls made of silks, now faded. OST was a great place in Alubquerque to find vintage dolls, and dozens of unusual Mexican and Native American dolls, of all sapes and sizes. THe largest Marin Spanish Flamenco dolls were there, and the most miniscule Kachinas. Microscopic piggy banks and Mexican pots found their way to my doll houses, and a doll shoop there provided French hard plastic dolls and Lenci type Italian girls. Those were the days. I hear the fireworks; I am too tired to go see them. Peraps next year . . .