What's New in July!!! (July 25th 2012)

Good morning everyone!!! It seems like it has been such a long time since I have been able to sit down and write a post to this blog. July has been an interesting month for sure! We started out the month with the continuing efforts of rebuilding our mold inventories. It has been a long process, but we are making great strides. Thanks to the generosity of many people, our mold inventory has grown by leaps and bounds. I have been able to replace many of our cherished molds, along with a lot of new ones that I didn't have before. This gives me the opportunity to play with many new dolls that I hadn't been able to make before so that is very exciting. There are still quite a few molds we have not been able to replace so we are still looking for molds in our immediate vicinity, within a couple hundred miles. If you or someone you know have molds that you would like to give away please let me know. I will have pictures of our mold rebuilding efforts soon. I hope to be able to start working on a new catalog soon, also.

My original plan was to send a new blog post thru around the 4th of July with new pictures of some of my Independence Day Bleuette's. That plan was put aside by a few circunstances. I woke up not feeling well on the 4th of July. As the day progressed, the worse I felt. At the time, I blamed it on the oppressive heat we have had all summer. By evening, I knew that wasn't the case. On that Wednesday evening, after being sick to my stomach all day, the rectal bleeding started. By Friday, I was in the hospital scheduled for both an upper and lower GI. It was found that I had bleeding ulcers. I was able to come home from the hospital on Saturday, but in a much more weakened state than I had been previously, before the 4th of July. I am sure the stress of the last couple months did not help the condition, but the real culprit according to the doctors was my long time use of Aleve for Fibromyalgia pain. The ulcers are doing well, the bleeding has stopped, but I will have to take the medicine for about six months. I have been extremely tired the last couple weeks, but otherwise feeling much better now. Other than some complications, from some of the medications I am taking, I feel pretty good now and have been able to get back to work. I was finally able to finish painting some Bleuettes and a Rosette I had started back in April, so here are some pictures of my Independence Day Bleuettes. Better late than never right???

Premier Jumeau Bleuette

SFBJ 60 Bleuette Gold

SFBJ 60 Bleuette Gold

1907 Jumeau Bleuette Friend

1907 Jumeau Bleuette Friend

SFBJ 60 Bleuette Gold

SFBJ 60 Bleuette Gold

Premier Jumeau Bleuette

On July 15th, I had a visit from the West Central Illinois Doll Club. After a great brunch at Sweet Life Cafe here in Savanna,. the group came for a tour of the doll shop. I would like to thank Karen Swanson for arranging the trip and thank you to Mary, Joyce, Karen, Kathy, Jane, Missy, Beth, Krista,and Karen for coming!

In preparation for the August Frenchette Retreat, I spent a few days at the beginning of the month trying to get my supply room and sewing room organized a bit, so I would be able to set up some workshops in the area. I will have to remove a few things for the weekend but will be able to fit the workshops in some areas here.

Due to all the hot weather this summer, I decided to think ahead to a little bit cooler time. I'm looking ahead to fall. I love fall, it is one of my favorite seasons, come to think of it, I love winter and spring also. What I don't like is the hot days of summer! Give me a blizzard anyday! Two of the Bleuettes and a Rosette I was able to finish this month have also decided fall was there favorite time, so here is a few photos of their fall display.

Rosette Bleuette's Older Sister

SFBJ 301 Bleuette Silver

SFBJ 301 Silver

SFBJ 301 Bleuette Silver

Rosette Bleuette's Big Sister

Speaking of fall, I will be having a fall open house Labor Day Weekend. It will be called "Celebrate the Fun of Fall". I will be open Friday Aug.31st, Saturday Sept. 1st and Sunday Sept. 2nd from 9-5 each day. Also participating is Picket Fence in Lanark and Prairie Path Sampler and Land of Oz Craft Mall in Mt. Carroll. More details will be coming soon. I hope to see some of you then! For now, I need to close, time to get to work on those Frenchette Steiner dolls for the August Retreat. I hope you all have a great week and find some time for those dolly projects!!!

Dolly Hugs,

Connie Zink

"Frenchette Retreat Weekend" August 17th, 18th, and 19th 2012

Happy 4th of July to All!!! I hope all of you are having a great holiday!! It has been awhile since I have had a chance to update all that is going on around here at Land of Oz Dolls. The month of June was a very hectic month here. I will do a seperate blog post of the progress we have made in the mold rebuilding process very soon but right now I want to post all the details of my upcoming retreat weekend. The workshop instructors and I have three fun-filled days of workshops, field trips including one to a castle, shopping, food and dolly fun including your very own souvenir "Frenchette Steiner" doll. The complete details for the three day event are as follows:

“Frenchette” Retreat

August 17th, 18th, and 19th 2012

“Weekend In Paris” with “Belle Fleur” Steiner

At Land of Oz Dolls in Savanna, Il.

Registration Cost: $350.00 includes undressed souvenir “Frenchette” doll by Connie Zink

Limited to 18 Workshop Participants

Absentee Souvenir “Frenchette” Dolls and Workshop Kits will be available for purchase to non-attendees.

SCHEDULE

August 16^th Thursday Night 7:00 – 9:00 PM :   Casual social gathering for those who have arrived on Thursday evening. Meet and greet, browse sales displays and helper prizes, short program, and light refreshments.   Cost: included in registration

August 17^th Friday  

8:00 – 9:30 AM:  Presentation of souvenir undressed “Frenchette” Steiner doll “Belle Fleur” (means ”beautiful flower” in French), browse sales displays and helper prizes, and light breakfast (sweet rolls, fruit, yogurt, and beverage)  Cost: included in registration

9:30 am– 12:30 PM:  Workshop:   “Sac de Voyage” Carpet Bag for “Frenchette” with Sue Sharp      Make this adorable traveling bag, sized just right, to carry your bebe’s necessities as she journeys thru Paris with her dolly mama.   All supplies provided in workshop to complete kit project.     Cost: $25.00

12:30 – 1:30 PM:  Break for lunch at studio:  Sandwiches, chips, desserts, and beverage.  Cost $5.00  

1:45 – 5:45 PM:  Field Trip to Lanark and Mt. Carroll: We will visit “Picket Fence” carriage house shop and victorian gardens in Lanark, along with taking a leisurely break for “pie on the porch” on Lynn’s beautiful victorian porch. Next stop will be “Prairie Path Sampler” a quaint little shop on the outskirts of Mt. Carroll featuring primitives and quilted Items. Our last stop in Mt. Carroll will be “Ideas and Designs” (antique mall, fabric shop, and “Mad Hatter” tea room).     

6:00 – 7:15 PM Break for Light Supper (on own) or there would be time for Sievert’s Pizza in Mt. Carroll before returning to Savanna

7:30 – 9:00 PM. Tour of “Havencrest Castle” in Savanna: We have been invited on a private tour of “HAVENCREST CASTLE” located here in Savanna. It is a six story, 63 room mansion high atop Greenleaf Hill, built in 1901 and is the home of Alan and the late Adrianne St. George.    Cost: $15.00 per person Proceeds go to the Adrianne’s Angels Humane Society. 

For more info on HAVENCREST CASTLE go to   http://www.facemakersincorporated.com/havenmain.html

August 18^th Saturday

9:00 AM – 10:30 AM:  Workshop:  “Belle Fleur ‘s  Winter Wonderland”  Wicker Sleigh with Lorna Yates. Embellish Belle Fleurs sleigh, with decorative evergreens, pine cones, berries and bows. Finish it off by filling the sleigh with decorative packages.  Cost: $30.00 Supplies needed:  Hot glue gun and glue sticks, paper scissors, and sewing scissors.

10:30 AM – 12:00 PM: Workshop:  “Fur Hat” and “Muff” with Lorna Yates   Cost: $ 20.00    Students will sew a fur hat and muff that will compliment Belle Fleur’s “Winter Wonderland Wicker Sleigh”. Ribbons and trims are included to complete the set. Fur hat and muff also coordinate with the fur trim on the spats in Pam Willits’ workshop. Matching winter coat kits will be available for purchase separately from Lorna Yates.

12:00 – 1:00 PM:  Break for lunch at studio: chicken salad luncheon, dessert, and beverage.  Cost $5.00

1:00 – 5:00 PM:  Workshop:  “Belle Fleur” Costume with Pam Willits.   Cost $65.00

THE LATEST PARIS FASHION
"Belle Fleur" will be ready for any Paris Soiree dressed in her beautiful frock of red silk trimmed in the finest French lace. Fashioned with a plastron of frills and gathers along the front, the dress has long sleeves ending with a pretty cuff and a pleated skirt. Small tucks gathered in a beautifully shaped bustle finish the back of the dress and a matching bonnet tops the ensemble. "Belle Fleur" will be truly as beautiful from the back as she is from the front and will be ready for her weekend in Paris!
With a little of our "magic in Paris" by Pam you will be able to complete this ensemble in 4 hours thanks to a lot of prep work by Pam. Sewing machine is helpful but not necessary, sewing can be completed by hand. We will have a few sewing machines to loan if it is difficult for you to bring one.  Supplies needed: sewing scissors, all other supplies will be provided in workshop.

6:00 – 9:00 PM: Banquet Dinner (included in registration fee). We will be dining in the private dining room  of  “Granny O’Neil’s River Inn Bed and Breakfast”,  for our evening meal. We will have a choice of several different entrée’s prepared and served by Chef Bill Lease. It will be a great evening of fun, food and friends.

August 19^th Sunday

9:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Workshop:  Leather shoes and spats for “Frenchette” with Pam Willits. The fur trim on the spats will coordinate with the fur hat and muff in Lorna Yates’s workshop.  Cost: $15.00 for each workshop or $25.00 for both shoes and spats. All supplies provided in workshop to complete project.

12:00 – 1:00 PM:  Break for lunch at studio: Sandwiches, chips, desserts, beverage.  Cost $5.00  

1:00 – 2:30 PM: Workshop:  “Jewelry Adornments” for “Frenchette” with Sue Sharp. Complete this pretty necklace and earring set to add that special finished look for your beautiful doll.  Color choices will be available. Cost $15.00 All supplies will be provided in workshop to complete project.

2:30 – 4:30 PM: Workshop:   “Belle Fleur Bicycles thru Paris” with Lorna Yates. Decorate this adorable bicycle with Paris travel stickers and fill her wicker shopping basket with purchases from the French Market. You will arrange a bouquet of flowers and fruit, re-create a French newspaper, and roll your own French bread from Fimo clay. An embellished straw hat will be the finishing touch to complete your bicycling ensemble.  Cost $55.00

Class limited to 10 students (due to availability of bicycles). Bicycling costume kits will be available for purchase separately.

5:00 PM - ?? Farewell Dinner:  Drawing for Helper Prizes at 5:00pm. Dinner at Poopy’s Pub and Grub for those who are still able to attend and not leaving for home until Monday morning.

Hotel/Motel Info On Last Page of Forms

Registration Form for “Frenchette” Retreat Weekend

August 17^th, 18^th and 19^th 2012      Limited to 18 Workshop Participants

Deadline for Retreat Registration and Workshops is July 25^th 2012

Name: ________________________________________________________________________

Address:_______________________________________________________________________

City:__________________________   State:_____________________    Zip Code:___________

Phone:________________________      Email:________________________

 Check included____ or Credit Card _______________________Exp._______ Sec. Code______

You may also request a PayPal invoice for deposit.

Registration fee is $350.00 and includes undressed souvenir “Frenchette” 15” Steiner doll by Connie Zink, Thursday evening welcome gathering, Friday morning light breakfast, and Saturday evening banquet dinner are included in registration fee. A $200.00 deposit is due at time of registration. Balance is due upon arrival at retreat. Workshop fees will be paid directly to workshop instructors at the retreat.

I would like to register for the following workshops:

“Sac de Voyage” Carpet Bag with Sue Sharp Cost $25.00 ___________

“Winter Wonderland Wicker Sleigh” with Lorna Yates Cost $30.00_______

“Fur Hat and Muff” with Lorna Yates Cost: $20.00______

“Belle Fleur” Costume and Bonnet with Pam Willits Cost: $65.00________

“Leather Shoes” Cost: $15.00______     “Leather Spats” Cost: $15.00________ with Pam Willits OR (Both “Leather Shoes” and “Leather Spats” with Pam Willits) Cost: $25.00 ________

“Jewelry Adornments” with Sue Sharp Cost: $15.00_____

“Belle Fleur’s Bicycle” with Lorna Yates Cost: $55.00______

 Lunch:  Friday Cost: $5.00 ____ Saturday Cost: $5.00____ Sunday Cost: $5.00_____

“HAVENCREST CASTLE” Tour  Cost: $15.00 I will be attending YES_____ or NO_____

Please return this registration form along with deposit to: Connie Zink

 Land of Oz Dolls 1723 Portland Ave. Savanna Illinois 61074

Email: landofozdolls@mchsi.com or Paypal address landofoz@internetni.com

Phone: 815-565-0024

ABSENTEE Registration ForM For “Belle Fleur” Steiner Doll

Deadline for ABSENTEE Registration and Workshop KITS is July 31^st, 2012

Fee is $325.00 for the undressed 15” Steiner doll. Shipping costs for doll only is $15.00 for U.S.

I would also like to order the following absentee workshop kits:

“Sac de Voyage” Carpet Bag with Sue Sharp   Cost: $25.00 ___________

“Winter Wonderland Wicker Sleigh” with Lorna Yates   Cost: $30.00_______

“Fur Hat and Muff” with Lorna Yates   Cost: $20.00________

“Belle Fleur” Costume and Bonnet with Pam Willits   Cost: $65.00________

“Leather Shoes” Cost: $15.00______     “Leather Spats” Cost: $15.00________ with Pam Willits OR (Both “Leather Shoes” and “Leather Spats” with Pam Willits)     Cost: $25.00 ________

“Jewelry Adornments” with Sue Sharp     Cost: $15.00_____

“Belle Fleur’s Bicycle” with Lorna Yates     Cost: $55.00______Only available if left after Retreat

Additional shipping costs for workshop kits will be figured after order has been placed.

Souvenir doll and workshop kits will be shipped the week of August 27^th after the retreat.

Please return this registration form along with total amount due to Connie Zink.  

A Paypal invoice may be sent upon request.

 Land of Oz Dolls 1723 Portland Ave. Savanna Illinois 61074

Email: landofozdolls@mchsi.com or PayPal address landofoz@internetni.com

Phone: 815-565-0024

Name: ________________________________________________________________________

Address:_______________________________________________________________________

City:__________________________   State:_____________________    Zip Code:___________

Phone:________________________      Email:________________________

 Check included____ or Credit Card _______________________Exp._______ Sec. Code______

A complete printable PDF version of the Retreat Info and Registration is available for download at:

http://www.landofozdolls2.com/f/Frenchette_Retreat_August_2012_PDF.pdf

I am currently over 50% full for the Retreat Weekend, if you are interested, please get your registration in as soon as possible. Deadline for Retreat Registration is July 25th and Absentee Registration is July 31st unless Retreat fills before that date. Hope to see you in August!!!

Have a great dolly day!!!

Connie

Update May 30th 2012

I just wanted to give everyone an update as to how we are coming along putting the soft-fired greenware end of our business back together after the fire. For the last week we have been picking up molds from all over the area that have been gifted to me to try to get up and running again with soft-fired greenware. It is going great! I may never have as many dolls to choose from in my catalog as I use to but I have got a really great collection started here with some fabulous molds! Some are new ones that I never had before and some are my old favorites tht are back! I am currently working every day on trying to get a catalog together and making space available here at the shop to store them all. I also wanted to mention I have a Facebook promotion going on right now. I am giving away a Christmas Bear on July 31st at 10:00 pm. For a chance to win please go to my Land of Oz Dolls Facebook page, "like" the page if you haven't already and then comment, share or like any of the pictures or posts. Every time you do between now and July 31st that gives you another entry in the drawing.

https://www.facebook.com/landofozdolls

 

Until next time have a great dolly day!!!

Dolly Hugs, Connie

 

 

 

Update as of Tuesday May 29th:

Well, yesterday was a productive day! Two truck loads to the dump! Thank you Jeff and Alex!! Another two truck loads going to a new home! Thank you Jeff and Alex!! All the dirt is gone from the greenhouse built-in beds which was two dump trucks full when we got it many years ago. It has all been wheel-barrowed to the neighbors yard (they are moving up in the world ha ha). Thank you Jon and Pam, Jeff and Alex! All of the hundreds of landscaping blocks have been removed from the greenhouse thanks to Jon and son-in-law Kenny. Thanks to my friend CJ for helping me inventory and sort hundreds of doll molds yesterday and get them on the correct shelves. Thanks to neighbor Elmer for the use of his truck to haul molds over the weekend from Milwaukee, and to Stacie, Kenny, Stefanie, and Alyssa for helping Dennis and I to unload the truck last night. Now we are onto another day! I am hoping today all the cement blocks will be removed from the greenhouse. Then I still have to go thru all my stored flower pots, (lots of pots) get some planted and clean up and put away the rest, then the greenhouse will be emptied and ready to have the new rubber roof put on. I am hoping by the end of next week we will be able to start moving molds into there. we still have one wall of the garage to clean out then the whole garage will be really cleaned for the first time in 25 years. Dennis is getting in the spirit here and I think today we are getting rid of two riding mowers, four weed eaters, two chain saws, and numerous other things. None of which work, they were always we will save it and fix them later, well that never happened. What a wonderful day! I really do think something is to be said for people who move now and then. Dennis and I have been in this house for forty years now in June. It is the only one we have ever lived in and it is amazing how much junk you can accumulate. Well I am off to start on the garage and it's final wall. I couldn't ask for better weather! I hope everyone has a great day!!! Connie

 

A van full of molds from Milwaukee

Dennis cleaning out the garage.

Another load of molds brought in.

Goodbye junk!!!

Another load to the dump

Goodbye to the burned out shelving units and starting fresh

Update as of Monday, May 28th

Well, it has been a very long weekend but gratifying one. I have been blessed with such wonderful friends!! Thank you Diana, Pat, and Twyla for your generosity. I have been gifted hundreds of doll molds to help replace what has been lost in the fire. We have moved and inventoried hundreds of molds this weekend with many more hundreds to go. We picked up molds in Milwaukee, Wi. on Sunday and New Bo...ston, Il. and Muscatine, Ia today. My neighbor is still bringing a truckload back from Milwaukee in the morning. We had loaded his truck on Sunday in Milwaukee. My greenware selection is growing every day as we sort and catalog all these molds. I should have a start to a catalog in a week or so. I have now been able to replace quite a few of the great molds I lost in the fire, along with some new ones I never had in the first place. Dennis and I could not have come this far in two short weeks without the help of our family, friends and customers. Thank you to all of you who have helped in some way. We still have a long way to go to get back to where we were before the fire but we sure are a lot farther than we were two weeks ago. The moral support from everyone has been tremendous, I thank you all for that. Tomorrow, a friend will be coming to help me catalog all day and then we pick up more molds again on Thursday. Each day gets a little easier emotionally, but boy is the body aching. There sure are times I wish I collected something that weighed a whole lot less than these thousands and thousands of pounds of doll molds, but then I realise if we hadn't done what we have done for the last 33 years, we wouldn't know all these wonderful people that we know now. Thank you to all who have helped in some way and have a great week!!! Connie

 

Update Monday May 28th

Well, it has been a very long weekend but gratifying one. I have been blessed with such wonderful friends!! Thank you Diana, Pat, and Twyla for your generosity. I have been gifted hundreds of doll molds to help replace what has been lost in the fire. We have moved and inventoried hundreds of molds this weekend with many more hundreds to go. We picked up molds in Milwaukee, Wi. on Sunday and New Boston, Il. and Muscatine, Ia today. My neighbor is still bringing a truckload back from Milwaukee in the morning. We had loaded his truck on Sunday in Milwaukee. My greenware selection is growing every day as we sort and catalog all these molds. I should have a start to a catalog in a week or so. I have now been able to replace quite a few of the great molds I lost in the fire, along with some new ones I never had in the first place. Dennis and I could not have come this far in two short weeks without the help of our family, friends and customers. Thank you to all of you who have helped in some way. We still have a long way to go to get back to where we were before the fire but we sure are a lot farther than we were two weeks ago. The moral support from everyone has been tremendous, I thank you all for that. Tomorrow, a friend will be coming to help me catalog all day and then we pick up more molds again on Thursday. Each day gets a little easier emotionally, but boy is the body aching. There sure are times I wish I collected something that weighed a whole lot less than these thousands and thousands of pounds of doll molds, but then I realise if we hadn't done what we have done for the last 33 years, we wouldn't know all these wonderful people that we know now. Thank you to all who have helped in some way and have a great week!!! Connie

A New Beginning

Good morning everyone, it is a beautiful day here today. I am sitting here trying to figure out where to begin first. It has been a long week and I am so far behind in answering emails and Facebook messages so I thought maybe I should begin here. It is the easiest way to inform many people at the same time. I do however apologize. If you have sent me a message and I have not answered you I am so sorry. I will eventually work my way thru them all. Thanks to the help of my family, friends and neighbors we attempted to salvedge several hundred of the molds from the fire but it is hopeless. There is no way we can clean all these molds, the fire smell is too intensive and the damage too extensive, so Saturday morning they will all be reloaded and taken to the dump. We have to start over again from the beginning, there is no way to begin this process in the middle. Here are a few more photos from the fire and then we will begin the rebuilding process of putting my greenware business back together.

This was a boat to the left of my unit.

I also had a boat to the right of my unit.

A view from the back side.

Another back side view.

These molds took on intense heat, amazing they are still standing.

Another view from the back. That is me standing by the truck.

This 1960 Corvette was owned by someone that had had it since he was a teenager. I have heard it wasn't insured.

When they were trying to put out the fire, and excavator was used to find the hot spots so hence all the walls and doors were removed.

We did manage to save a few of the metal shelving units. Dennis has taken them to the car wash to try to get the soot off. The shelves were ruined but metal frames were still good. Hopefully we will be able to remove the smell from them.

A distance view to the right side of my unit.



This shelving unit of molds was pushed with the excavator and dumped two units away from me.

Dennis and I have thought long and hard for several days now, as to how do we begin again to build the massive selection of molds that we had built over the last 33 years. It probably would be easier to just throw in the towel and forget that part of our business, but as I watched Dennis try so hard to save any little mold  he thought he might have a chance to save, I knew this doll business was in his blood as much as it is in mine. He is the pourer, not me, every piece of sfgw that has ever left this shop has been expertly poured by him. I had always thought we would probably do this, until the day came we physically couldn't do it anymore. Now, I know that is the case. We will continue to provide expert quality doll greenware until we can no more. We have met so many wonderful people over the last 33 years, many of them became our closest friends, and many of those are no longer with us. We just cannot imagine our lives without the opportunity to know the future customers that may also become our good friends. So we will start with a new beginning here. Don't forget we are not moldless. We did have a few molds in Dennis's pouring room at the time of the fire and we also have my daughter's garage full of molds that my friend Marilyn had given me last month. (Thank God For That!!) My friend Jan is coming Saturday night to help me Sunday and Monday try to get a new catalog started. We will be starting to do an inventory of the molds still in the pouring room and the garage full of Marilyn's molds. So hopefully by next weekend I will at least have the start of a catalog of what is available. Also thanks to several generous donations of mold collections that we will have to go pick up, within a couple months, we should have an excellant selection of sfgw available again.

Our next step is where do we put them??? We no longer have a storage unit and the shop is full. I guess Dennis's garage is the next choice, (it has never seen a car parked in it anyway since it was built in 1986). We also did just get a new roof on it two weeks ago, (it had been leaking the last couple years) so I guess that is where we will start. But, oh my the cleaning that we will need to do.

We also have another option we are exploring of turning our old greenhouse that is between our shop and house into mold storage. That will entail putting on a new roof instead of the greenhouse panels, removing the built in flower beds inside with hundreds of landscaping blocks and removing several tons of soil. (Easy job, right?) Then that actually would connect to Dennis's pouring room. He could cut out a window of his pouring room and put in a door that would connect to the mold room. It is large, 14 foot by 40 foot inside there and would actually give me room for greenware storage inside there also. It already has a cement floor. It was an old patio that was between our house and shop. I will post pictures soon as we figure out what we are doing. It will have to be cleaned out also. All my extra pots and garden things are stored inside there.

So this weekend begins the start of rebuilding our massive mold selection. It is a daunting task but one I know we can accomplish with the help of our family, friends and neighbors. Here is some photos of the molds from my friend Marilyn that we will start to inventory this weekend. So here is to new beginnings!!! Have a great weekend everyone! Connie