Today's the Day!

The first annual National Doll Day has finally arrived! If you've ever played with a doll, or have had a little one in your life play with dolls, join the celebration!

It's a good day to de-stress and just play! If you don't have a doll now, make one! Paper Dolls count! Or, maybe simply reflect on all the great memories dolls brought you over the years. I encourage you to spend some time today remembering the joy you received while playing with a favorite doll, or giving one to a special person in your life.

Share a story in the comments. Share a picture on the National Doll Day Facebook page!

There are numerous links on the Internet for free printable Paper Dolls. If you have a color printer & paper & scissors, you're good to go!
    
At Making Friends they have Multicultural Paper Dolls! Or, here.

Lucinda Cunningham Durbin's design

I've enjoyed Lucinda's designs. Her current one is "Buddy" and she has an archive chalked-full of paper dolls!

And, my most favorite collection is from Patty Reed. This is just one!

Patty Reed's design

What can you do with paper dolls? Scrapbook, create greeting cards, gift tags .... wonder what else?

If you're interested, I found an article ~ A History of Dolls ~ worth sharing! It's amazing... after all these years, Dolls now have their own special Day!

Whatever you do, celebrate the day!

What are your plans?

The 1st Annual National Doll Day will be here before you know it!

What will you do to celebrate?

Just asking!

A+ for Effort

Well.... I tried ....

Long Shot

When writing “Favorite Dolls” a couple of weeks ago, I mentioned one was Chatty Cathy’s little brother. He was the only “boy” doll I ever had and I named him Willie. But, I lost him within that first year. I found this picture on e-bay and included in the post:

Well, I decided to adopt him and won the auction! I asked the seller if she was the original owner and learned she was not. So….! I’d like to think he’s mine. Long lost and now back in my arms again! It’s a long shot, but who knows!

I had to make him something new to wear, fitting for a Texan! A typical boy, he can’t keep his shirt tucked in nicely!

He's handsome anyway!

Have you reclaimed a childhood favorite doll? With e-bay, chances are, you can!

Happy Father's Day!

We may not shower him with praise
Nor mention his name in song,
And sometimes it seems that we forget
The joy he spreads as he goes along,
But it doesn’t mean that we don’t know
The wonderful role that he has had.
And away down deep in every heart
There’s a place that is just for Dad.....
Author Unknown

Thank you, Daddy, for always being there for me!



Fostering Imagination

Dressing up as Mommie was so much fun! I loved the way my mother would let me wear her jewelry and high-heels, hat and blouse tied up with a decorative belt. This, my new dress – a grown-up dress – was perfect to wear when I took my baby out “shopping” in what was really the living room. Oh, my. She always encouraged my cousin (two years younger) and I to fill our minds with imaginary worlds. Except, of course, when we got into her red lipstick!

Anyhoo… I remember hours and hours of cooking, cleaning, changing my baby’s clothes, rearranging and stacking her clothes and toys, telling her bedtime stories before I learned to read, and most importantly, loving my baby doll. I know now, this time of my life attempted to prepare me for the real world.

It’s fun to reflect on all the role-playing I did. I remember many times Mother would create a tent with a large sheet over the kitchen table or a few chairs – something to make my own little house. Bless her heart. It was usually constructed within our small kitchen. But, Mother knew how important it was for me to have my privacy. It was there I imagined my own perfect world.

Did you play “house” and/or “Mommie” with your dolls?

Following the Birth Day

Today is my oldest niece’s birthday. Back then, we didn’t know if my sister was having a girl or boy until Leasa arrived late that Thursday night. The next day, my daddy took me exactly where I wanted to go!

Before visiting my sister and Leasa, we parked at the hospital and Mother went on upstairs, but Daddy & I walked to my favorite toy store, Toy World. To this day, some forty plus years later, I clearly remember our handholding stroll down Gaston Avenue. I was on a mission to buy Leasa her first doll: a Raggedy Ann.

(I love e-bay!)

I was almost sixteen at the time, and I’ve almost always held my daddy’s hand whenever I’ve had the opportunity. It’s a blessed time for me. 

I haven't a clue why I had such a mindset to get Leasa a Raggedy Ann. It became a tradition I continued a couple of years later with my second niece, Leslie. She was born on a Friday night, so the next day I entered another Toy World store!

NOTE: During the interim, I also wanted my own Raggedy Ann. My loving parents gave me (for my sweet-sixteen) a LARGE Raggedy Ann. She’s about four feet tall… and lives in Dallas. I’ll have to get a picture of her & post an update the next time we are in the city!

Indeed, Raggedy Ann is the ultimate soft-cloth doll. I had never thought about researching the history behind Raggedy Ann until this morning! A true ~ Made in America ~ doll, she’s been with us since 1915. At age 38, Johnny Gruelle – a renowned artist, illustrator, and writer – introduced to the world his “whimsical design” creation, and the rest is history! Read his full story here. 

Has a Raggedy Ann or Andy doll ever been among your treasures?

Favorite Dolls

Like so many others, I played with dolls when I was a little girl. They were life-like in my child’s mind. I treated them as family, my family. Emulating my mother, they became my children. Four I remember clearly. Three are still in my life today.

One was lost along time ago, probably “adopted” by a neighbor “friend” as several attempted to take my dolls/toys home after “play-dates” or birthday parties but would get busted by Mother before it was too late. After losing Willie, she learned to check hands before anyone left the house!

Anyway…

I don’t remember exactly when I received my baby doll. Momma said maybe when I was three.

I’ve always called him “Baby He” or simply "Baby Doll" and dressed him in blue, or non-gender specific (not knowing that term back then, I just didn't have many "boy" clothes). Wrapped securely in a baby’s blanket, Baby He was so life-like that Mother would overhear whispers at the grocery store as I walked around carrying my baby. She would hear disgruntled comments talking about me. She told me one time she heard a busy-body say, “Look at that little girl carrying a baby!” Another one had gasped, while grumbling to her friend, “Oh, my! She’s much too young! She’ll drop the poor thing.”

Mother would always make clear who was what to the unsuspecting – as not to appear as an unfit mother – causing the ladies to laugh once they realized Baby He was my baby, not Mother’s! I remember beaming when they would give me compliments on how well I was caring for my baby.

Chatty Cathy is my true love. It seems she's always been with me!

At the time, Chatty Cathy was all the rage! I believe she was the first “talking doll” made and her pull string worked for years. I’m sad to say, she hasn’t talked for decades. I know there are doll hospitals that possibly could repair her, but I don’t want to take the chance she’ll be mistreated, ruined, or lost forever. No. I’ll keep her just the way she is!

Chatty went every where with me! She even toured the Battle Ship of Texas (USS Texas) on one of our vacations. When I got tired of carrying her, my sweet dear Daddy took over the duty. My heart still swells looking at this picture, knowing Daddy would handle Chatty as carefully and gently as he would and did me.

Shortly after Chatty Cathy came into my life, she had a little brother that also talked. The only real boy doll I ever had. I named him Willie, after my daddy. But, he went missing within a year. What can I say— I hope he’s doing well, wherever he is.

I remember him, like it was yesterday… still wearing his original suit.

(I love e-bay!)

I “retired” Chatty Cathy and Baby He once Barbie came on the scene. I still have her, too, along with her cousin Midge, and another character – can’t remember her name. I know I never got the Ken doll. After Mother saw how “developed” Barbie was, she wasn’t about to take a chance on Ken! Anyway, they “live” in Dallas. I need to bring them here, to the country, so they can join the continual celebration with Chatty Cathy and Baby He, and now (thanks to my sister) American Girls Nellie and Mia, and a few others I’ve collected over the past year.

I’d love to hear your doll story! Did you have favorites?

Joplin Doll

Tuesday I wrote asking Will You Help? by sending a doll to Joplin, Missouri. I’m thrilled to hear many of you are planning to do it, if not already mailed! Thank you so very much! Don’t you just know it will bring a smile to a little one’s face and warm her heart in the midst of such devastation?!

My “Joplin Doll” will be mailed today. I think my husband (it was his turn to go into town!) selected a cutie. She’s so soft and squeezable, and most importantly, loveable!

I know this Joplin Doll will find the perfect little one to take care of her!

National Doll Day

Will You Help?

I can see so much good coming from National Doll Day. Not just the celebration on the First Sunday in August, but throughout the entire year. This is my hope, my dream. But…

It takes a lot of work, planning, and support from everyone. I wish all would help with this endeavor. Those who have ever had their life touched by the unconditional love a doll brings – not just to self, but to the daughters and granddaughters, sisters, nieces, friend’s children, and to the unknown little girls we never get a chance to meet.

My heart breaks with the devastation in Joplin, Missouri. This was just one of the neighborhoods... now totally gone in a matter of minutes. So many people lost their lives. All lost everything they had.

So many tragedies such as fire, separation due to abuse, and other catastrophes across the United States and around the world, leave little arms empty. I ask myself, what can I do as one person?

My first thought is organizing a doll drive. I realize churches, communities, and retail stores are probably doing this already. But I don’t want to rely on others. I'd like to help out, too, on behalf of the National Doll Day.

Will you help?

Vintage photo

I love looking at old pictures, not just of my own family, but of others, too! I found an awesome one on the Internet this morning -

Fellow Texan, Linda Kirkpatrick, writes:

Back row: Becky, William, Clemmie;
middle row: Frances, Larkin, Belle, Vina; front row: Rosie, Charlie

Along with her Cowboy Poetry, read the rest of her story about this lovely family here!

The Process

National Doll Day was created after searching the Internet for some type of recognition and found nothing! I believe dolls, and what they have brought to so many lives, in so many cultures throughout the ages, deserve their special day!

I originally thought it would be grand to celebrate the dolls in our lives for an entire month! When I looked at the holidays and special days in August and saw the First Sunday is "Friendship Day" it was an "aha" moment! What a splendid day to honor our "bestest" friend!

So there you have it! The process of how National Doll Day came to be!

Find us planning the fabulous celebration on Facebook!

Photo: Doll's Kitchen 1 (Published by Neue Photographische Gesellschaft in Berlin. Circa 1905.)