Children of Japan

Children of Japan
Courtesy, R. John Wright

Hinges and Hearts

Hinges and Hearts
An Exhibit of our Metal Dolls

Tuxedo and Bangles

Tuxedo and Bangles

A History of Metal Dolls

A History of Metal Dolls
Now on Alibris.com and In Print! The First Book of its Kind

Alice, Commemorative Edition

Alice, Commemorative Edition
Courtesy, R. John Wright

Translate


Emma, aka, La Contessa Bathory

Emma, aka, La Contessa Bathory
Her Grace wishes us all a Merry Christmas!

Annabelle

Annabelle

Emma Emmeline

Emma Emmeline
Our New Addition/fond of stuffed toys

Cloth Clown

Cloth Clown

Native American Art

Native American Art

the triplets

the triplets

c. 1969 Greek Plastic Mini Baby

c. 1969 Greek Plastic Mini Baby
Bought Athens on the street

Iron Maiden; Middle Ages

Iron Maiden; Middle Ages

Sand Baby Swirls!

Sand Baby Swirls!
By Glenda Rolle, courtesy, the Artist

Glenda's Logo

Glenda's Logo
Also, a link to her site

Sand Baby Castaway

Sand Baby Castaway
By Glenda Rolle, Courtesy the Artist

A French Friend

A French Friend

Mickey

Mickey
From our friends at The Fennimore Museum

2000+ year old Roman Rag Doll

2000+ year old Roman Rag Doll
British Museum, Child's Tomb

Ancient Egypt Paddle Doll

Ancient Egypt Paddle Doll
Among first "Toys?"

ushabti

ushabti
Egyptian Tomb Doll 18th Dynasty

Ann Parker Doll of Anne Boleyn

Ann Parker Doll of Anne Boleyn

Popular Posts

Tin Head Brother and Sister, a Recent Purchase

Tin Head Brother and Sister, a Recent Purchase
Courtesy, Antique Daughter

Judge Peep

Judge Peep

Hakata Doll Artist at Work

Hakata Doll Artist at Work
From the Museum Collection

Japanese Costume Barbies

Japanese Costume Barbies
Samurai Ken

Etienne

Etienne
A Little Girl

Happy Heart Day

Happy Heart Day

From "Dolls"

From "Dolls"
A Favorite Doll Book

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Jenny Wren

Jenny Wren
Ultimate Doll Restorer

Our Friends at The Fennimore Doll and Toy Museum

Our Friends at The Fennimore Doll and Toy Museum

Baby Boo 1960s

Baby Boo 1960s
Reclaimed and Restored as a childhood Sabrina the Witch with Meow Meow

Dr. E's on Display with sign

Dr. E's on Display with sign

Dolls Restored ad New to the Museum

Dolls Restored ad New to the Museum
L to R: K*R /celluloid head, all bisque Artist Googly, 14 in. vinyl inuit sixties, early celluloid Skookum type.

Two More Rescued Dolls

Two More Rescued Dolls
Late Sixties Vinyl: L to R: Probably Horseman, all vinyl, jointed. New wig. R: Effanbee, probably Muffy, mid sixties. New wig and new clothing on both. About 12 inches high.

Restored Italian Baby Doll

Restored Italian Baby Doll
One of Dr. E's Rescued Residents

Dolls on Display

Dolls on Display
L to R: Nutcrackers, Danish Troll, HItty and her book, Patent Washable, Mechanical Minstrel, Creche figure, M. Alexander Swiss. Center is a German mechanical bear on the piano. Background is a bisque German costume doll.

A Few Friends

A Few Friends
These dolls are Old German and Nutcrackers from Dr. E's Museum. They are on loan to another local museum for the holidays.

Vintage Collage

Vintage Collage
Public Domain Art

The Merry Wanderer

The Merry Wanderer
Courtesy R. John Wright, The Hummel Collection

The Fennimore Doll Museum

The Fennimore Doll Museum

Robert

Robert
A Haunted Doll with a Story

Halloween Dolls Displayed in a Local Library

Halloween Dolls Displayed in a Local Library

The Cody Jumeau

The Cody Jumeau
Long-faced or Jumeau Triste

German Princesses

German Princesses
GAHC 2005

A Little PowerRanger

A Little PowerRanger
Halloween 2004

The Island of the Dolls

The Island of the Dolls
Shrine to Dolls in Mexico

Based on the Nutshell Series of Death

Based on the Nutshell Series of Death
Doll House murder

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A lovely dress

A lovely dress

Raggedy Ann

Raggedy Ann
A few friends in cloth!

Fennimore Doll and Toy Museum, WI

Fennimore Doll and Toy Museum, WI
Pixar Animator's Collection

Little PM sisters

Little PM sisters
Recent eBay finds

Dressed Mexican Fleas

Dressed Mexican Fleas

Really old Dolls!

Really old Dolls!

Wednesday, December 27, 2017

Dolls Can Melt that Winter Ice Storm


Beating the Winter Blahs with Dolls and Antique Doll Collector Magazine

 
 
 


We all know the feeling; it is winter; March is more than a crocus blossom away, a future memory of lions and lambs.  Everyone has cabin fever, and everyone has had it with snow, ice, snowplows, and sniffles.  So, how do we make it to the homestretch without going snow-mad?  Dolls are the answer!  Below are my tips for beating the winter blahs with dolls:

1.       Joint Pinterest and start a Board.  There are terrific boards on dolls and doll-related items.  Mine are Doll Collection, Women’s Apparel and Holidays. Try Antique Doll Collector Magazine for fun boards based on a great publication.

2.       Surf eBay for collector’s guides.  When you watch an item, there is a new feature that reads “add to collection” where you can save pictures and information for items you like, similar to Pinterest, above.

3.       Join Facebook; there are terrific pages for dolls and doll stores.  Ask to join the group, and if it is not closed, and administrator who invites people in will include you.  Antique Doll Collector Magazine and Friends of Antique Doll Collector Magazine are great sites.

4.       Explore other social media like Twitter, Tumblr, and Flickr  or doll related photos and images. You can also set up albums of your own doll photos on Google and on the social media discussed above.

5.       Visit The Library of Congress online at loc.gov and explore resources for dolls, including thousands of photos and other images.  You can also explore titles for doll books, and then visit your own library to “read more about it.”  As a fledgling doll maker, I loved the library for its copy machine which allowed me to make paper dolls and to add to my research files.  Also, check out any library cafes [we have to eat] and book sales.

6.       Dust and rearrange your doll displays.  Facebook and Pinterest are great places to get ideas, as is our own About.com Doll Collecting site.

7.       Check out the new dolls available at the big box stores, department stores, and doll shops.  Look online if you do not live near shopping centers,  Again, libraries are a good place to use computers, as are your Smartphones, iPods, Tablets, and other hand held devices.

8.       Look for clearances sales, and think outside the doll house.  Craft stores, hobby shops, fabric s stores, and gift shops are great sources for dolls, books, related items, and supplies for doll making, doll clothes, repairs, and miniature projects.

9.       Make a doll, visit places described in 8, or go to Etsy for inspiration.  You can favorite certain stores and sellers and get newsletters.  If nothing else, make a snowman; technically, they are dolls.

10.   Watch movies about dolls and toys: Toy Story, Child of Glass, Dolls, Dollie Dearest, Shirleymania

Barbie Nation, Barbie Films, Raggedy Ann Films, Documentaries, etc.

11.   Check out films on YouTube about dolls; good searches are Doll Collection, Doll Museum, Dolls History, names of dolls like Monster High, Barbie Collection, Names of stores and specific museums.

12.   Find a doll blog, like Doll Museum or Dr. E’s Doll Museum Blog, and post something nice.

13.   Take a walk

14.   Start a doll club

15.   Get on the Speakers’ Bureau to talk about dolls, do a doll talk, hold a class, and take a class, e.g., how to photograph dolls. Look at Tom Kelley’s shots of Marilyn and dolls, and Tom Kelley, Jr.’s work, too.

 

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