Mold Moving Day and New Gift Items Available

Good evening everyone!!!  WOW, two posts in one day! I am determined to catch up on all my old news. So let's get started!

On Saturday April 7th, I was blessed with a wonderful gift from my long time friend and almost mother, Marilyn Hollenbach from the St. Louis, Mo. area. Marilyn is downsizing and moving into a smaller home and no longer had a place for her 30 plus years of doll molds. That Saturday morning, Marilyn's children, had arranged for a U-Haul truck to bring me the thousands of pounds of molds from Marilyn's basement and garage. ( No one but a true doll-maker gets excited over 4,000 pounds of plaster)!! Here are a few photos from the unloading process:

My husband Dennis, overlooking the situation.

Dennis and my daughter Stefanie, whose garage the molds went into.

Steve and Mary Beth Hollenbach after the long haul and unload.

My friend Marilyn, on left.

My granddaughter Mariah, friend Charles, and son-in-law Ken.

My friend Marilyn.

Oh my, where do we put them all?

The next question is what do we have here? All the molds will have to be cataloged and sets put together. This is like one big jigsaw puzzle that we will have to place together. But just going thru the shelves and writing down what is here is just like opening presents on Christmas morning. As I said before only a true doll-maker gets excited over thousands of pounds of plaster!

We already have a 10 x 30 ft storage unit completely full of molds for over 1800 antique reproduction and modern dolls. I know with the addition of these molds that will give us an inventory of over 2000 dolls to make! It can't get more exciting than that. I have found a couple treasures so far in just a few minutes of looking. I now have two Doll House Co. molds I didn't have before. One is for the Bruno Schmidt "Wendy" number 2033 and the other is for the Jumeau Princess 1938 Unis France 306. Both are wonderful molds from a great company that is no longer in business. Dennis has already poured these two heads for me, I can't wait to get started on them.

So did I tell you about how Marilyn and I became friends? 32 years ago when I was in the St. Louis area to do a doll show, Marilyn and I were standing in line next to each other at a booth in a ceramic show. The booth was called "Gerweck's Small World of Dolls". Guess what they sold? Yes, doll molds, I am sure the molds Marilyn purchased that day when we met, are in the piles in my daughter's garage. Those molds will be forever special, as they led me to one of the most important friendships in my life. For that I will always be grateful.

When I look back over the last 33 years that Dennis and I have been in the doll business, the friendships that we have made are so much a part of our lives, that we can't imagine our life without them.

This Saturday, April 28th is a doll show in Des Moines, Ia. at the State Fairgrounds. The show is from 9am-3pm with early buyers allowed in at 8:00am. Even after hundreds and hundreds of doll shows thru the last 33 years I am still looking forward to going and getting to visit with long time friends and customers. Then there is also the chance of finding that special item for my dolls that I have been searching for for years. You just never know this could be the show I find it at.

 I will be open the first weekend in May in conjuction with the MRVAD Art Drive. I will be open Saturday, May 5th from 10-5 and Sunday, May 6th from 10-5. Information on the MRVAD Art Drive can be found at http://www.mrvad.com/ . I will have some new seasonal doll display gift items. Some of the lines I will be carrying are Bethany Howe Designs, along with Primitives By Kathy and Victorian Trading Co.

View our fabulous doll displays of museum quality antique reproduction and modern dolls along with antique dolls in seasonal displays. Purchase a new doll wig or a pair of shoes for that favorite doll in need of a little repair.

I welcome doll clubs and groups to call for an appointment to set up a time to visit. Desserts and ice tea can be made available for group visits. If you have some time in the area I can also arrange for a stop by Ideas and Designs Antique Mall and Mad Hatter Tea Room in Mt. Carroll, which is a great source of high quality new silk and decorator fabrics.

Bethany Howe Designs

Bethany Howe Designs

Bethany Howe Designs

View of our front garden pond

My Potting Shed September of 2011

Blue Iris

Tree Peony

 While you are in the area for a visit, here are a few photos for Ideas and Designs Antique Mall, Mad Hatter Tea Room and Fabric Shop!!

Linda, the Mad Hatter

Well, I think the time has come to close this page on my blog. I look forward to telling you soon about The "Frenchette  Retreat" in August, showing you more doll photos, including my newest antique doll, more photos of my gift items and filling you in a little more on "Who is Lettie Lane"?

Until next time, Dolly Hugs!!! Connie

Happy Easter 2012 (Better Late Than Never!)

Hi Everyone, it seems like it has been such a long time since I have been able to sit down and write a blog post. Here it is over two weeks past Easter and I never got to wish you all a Happy Holiday!! So better late than never, hope you all had a great Easter! I would like to share with you some of my Easter displays. There are many things I hope to be able to write about in the next couple weeks, many happenings I would like to share with you, so let's get started.

Here is some overall views of one of my displays.

This is a little antique Bye-lo baby I bought from my friend Joann along with my "Bruette Friend".

"Cherie Limoge" Bleuette's Friend says Happy Easter!!

A beautiful antique Cuno Otto Dressel that belonged to my neighbor and long time friend Hazel. Thanks to her daughter Wendy, I am able to have this keepsake. The little antique Dream Baby, I recently acquired from my friend Joann.

Closeup of Cuno Otto Dressel

Antique Bye-lo

Antique Bye-lo

Three of my Bambino's (Bleuette's Brother) with a SFBJ 60 Bleuette Gold

Closeups of Bambino's

I hope you all enjoyed seeing some of my Easter treasures. My next display I am working on is my Patriotic Display for the 4th of July. I have several more blog posts to do shortly. A couple weeks ago, I was very fortunate to acquire a lot of doll molds from my friend, Marilyn. I also have a few announcements to make on some upcoming events and some pictures of my garden I would like to share with you.

Have a great evening and talk to you real soon!!

Dolly Hugs, Connie

"Viva La Valentine" Sweet Retreat Weekend

Good afternoon, everyone!! I hope everyone's week is off to a great start! This last weekend was my "Viva La Valentine" Sweet Retreat. Upon arrival everyone checked out the "sweet treats" awaiting us.

We started off on Saturday morning with the "Googly Mirror" class. Everyone had a great time choosing and putting together their "Googly Mirror" kits.

We even had one student, Clara from Ohio who attended via the internet by webcam to assemble her Googly mirror.

Around noon, we went to "Sweet Life" Bakery and Cafe here in Savanna for a delicious lunch.

Then in the afternoon we came back and finished our "Googly's".



Pam and Holly



Becky



Kit, Jan, Holly, Pam, Becky
Sue and Karen





Kit



Karen

After having finished the class, that left time for looking around the doll room and trying on a few hats.



We spent Saturday evening working on various projects that everyone had started and were trying to get a little farther along. Some were sewing and some were painting, but we still had a lot of time for laughter, dolly companionship, and take out pizza from Pizza Hut and cheesecake for dessert! All day Sunday we continued to work on various projects everyone had brought along. I did manage to complete my arms and legs for two all-bisque dolls "Rose", I had been trying to get finished for quite awhile. They are now ready to assemble. Also on Sunday, we went back to "Sweet Life" Bakery and Cafe for a great Sunday brunch! And as if we didn't have enough sweets, Shirley the owner sent us home with about two thirds of a 3 layer chocolate - maraschino cherry cake! It was wonderful!

Sue had brought along her little crocheted cape for Bleuette so my Bleuette "Gold" decided she wanted to model it along with her new "Bluebird" dress Sue had made for me so you could see it.

The weekend was great fun! There is nothing quite like sharing a great time with great friends with common interests. I am looking forward to "Viva La Valentine" Sweet Retreat Weekend 2013!

Before I close for today, I wanted to share with you another one of my passions, bird and nature photography. Today, Monday was a holiday from school so my granddaughter Mariah (age 15) and I went up to Lost Mound Unit (old Savanna army depot) to check out the bald eagle population. I have a tour there, this Friday and next Monday to view the bald eagles. I am president of the Stewards of the Upper Mississippi River Refuge which is a "Friends" group for the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge. The pictures of the mature bald eagle below, I took this morning, and the pictures of the immature bald eagle, my granddaughter Mariah, took. Our total for the morning sightings were about 42 bald eagles.

Until next time, I hope you all have days filled with health and happiness!! Dolly Hugs, Connie

Happy Birthday Bleuette!!! 1905 - 2012

Good morning everyone, today February 2nd 2012 is a special day! No, not just Ground Hog's Day, but a very special birthday. Today is the 107th birthday of "Bleuette". Bleuette was  introduced in 1905 as a premium for a new magazine for girls.  From 1905-1960 the children's magazine, La Semaine de Suzette was published on a weekly basis.  The magazine featured clothing patterns for Bleuette, stories, crafts, recipes, games, and instruction in the social graces. Bleuette was born in 1905, after Emile Jumeau and other makers of fine French dolls, bonded together to form the SFBJ company.  Unlike the earlier French dolls, Bleuette was created as an interactive play and teaching tool.  Bleuette's mission was to help instruct little French girls in the fine art of homemaking. 

The girls were all set for Valentine's Day but decided to stop the Valentine's party long enough for a piece of birthday cake!! Here are some closeups of the individual girls participating.

All of the Bleu's want to wish you a "Bleuette Happy Birthday" 107 years old and still going strong!!! Please mark your calendar for my "Bleuette Retreat Weekend" June 21st, 22nd, 23rd, and 24th 2013

Details for the Retreat will be posted soon!! Have a great day!!

Dolly Hugs,

Connie