Welcome to Land of Oz Dolls

Welcome to Land of Oz Dolls
Museum Quality Antique Reproduction Dolls by Connie Zink Land of Oz Dolls

Thursday, August 23, 2012

"Frenchette Retreat" August 2012

Good evening, everyone!! I hope everyone is looking forward to a great weekend. Last weekend was my "Frenchette Retreat Weekend" here at Land of Oz Dolls. We had such a great time I just had to share many of the highlights with you. We started off the weekend with a Thursday night welcome reception, along with a film called "The Romance", a little shopping and a lot of dolly companionship.






Welcome Reception on Thursday evening.

Watching the film "The Romance"

Shopping on Thursday evening

Shopping on Thursday Evening

"Belle Fleur" in her new bicycle costume.

Friday morning souvenir doll presentation.

Friday morning souvenir doll presentation.

Friday morning souvenir doll presentation.

Friday morning souvenir doll presentation.

Friday morning souvenir doll presentation.

Friday morning souvenir doll presentation.

Friday morning souvenir doll presentation.

Friday morning souvenir doll presentation.

Friday morning souvenir doll presentation.

Friday morning souvenir doll presentation.

Friday morning souvenir doll presentation.

Friday morning souvenir doll presentation.

Friday morning souvenir doll presentation.

Friday morning souvenir doll presentation.

Friday morning souvenir doll presentation.

Friday morning souvenir doll presentation.


After the souvenir doll presentation on Friday morning we had our first workshop. It was the "Sac de Voyage" Carpet Bag taught by Sue Sharp.
Sac de Voyage Workshop taught by Sue Sharp

Sac de Voyage Workshop taught by Sue Sharp

We took off for the afternoon for a field trip, first we went to Lanrk, Il. to the Victorian home of Keith and Lynn Collins along with Lynn's business "Picket Fence" We had a tour of the beautiful gardens, along with a tour of their victorian home. We also had "Pie on the Porch" and then a little time for shopping in what was once the old carriage house and now home to "Picket Fence"













Next stop was Prairie Path Sampler in Mt. Carroll. It is always great fun to see what new things Fern and Buster Stadel have to sell.




Our final stop of the afternoon was at "Ideas and Designs" Antique Mall in Mt.  Carroll owned by Len and Linda Andersen. You never know what treasure you may find in the antique store and the fabric department.















Friday evening was our tour of Havencrest Castle. For now I am only going to show you our group picture taken on the stairway up to the ballroom. Our tour of the castle will be another blog post as I have many pictures of our castle tour to share with you. It was a fantastic tour!



Saturday was filled with a full day of workshops. We started off with the wicker sleigh, fur hat and muff and ended the afternoon with the costume and bonnet.






Then on Saturday evening was the banquet dinner at Granny O'Neil's River Inn Bed and Breakfast. We had a wonderful meal prepared by Chef Bill Lease along with his helpers Gretchen and Chris. We had drawings for attendance prizes, and a great time visiting with each other.















Sunday morning proceeded with more workshops. We started out the day with the leather shoes and spats. During lunch we did the helper drawings. Pat Michaels was the lucky winner of the "Rose" all bisque Kestner doll that I had made and donated as a helper.  Everone was happy with the great helper prizes they won.












Sunday afternoon finished off the workshops with the jewelry class and the bicycle class.








Here is a few of the students with some of their finished projects.




We finished off the day,with those that were still left in town, with a final dinner at Poopy's Pub and Grub.

It was a great retreat with many wonderful people. I am looking forward to more retreats next year. The dates will be announced very soon for a second Bleuette Retreat in May 2013, along with a Valentines Retreat in February and a Retreat for a Bebe Louvre next October 2013. I will be posting all the pictures from our Havencrest Castle tour very soon. I hope everyone has a great weekend and until next time,
Dolly Hugs,
Connie

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

"A Decade of Bleuette 1905-1915" Retreat June 2013

Good morning everyone, I have great news! I have finally gotten the initial information for the Bleuette Retreat for June of 2013 completed. I am now taking registrations. There will be photos of the individual workshops coming soon and the photos of the souvenir doll choices. In order to guarantee your spot in this retreat please register early, only 16 participants can attend due to space constrictions for workshops. Here is the complete info ready at this time:

“A Decade of Bleuette 1905-1915” Retreat
June 20th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th 2013
Includes choice of souvenir Bleuette “Premiere Jumeau”
 or Bleuette “Friend” S&H 1448 “Little Star” by Connie Zink
(Pictures Available Soon)

Retreat Cost: $375.00 plus Workshops Individually Priced
Limited to 16 Participants
Absentee Souvenir Dolls Available for $350.00
Workshop Kits will also be available for Absentee Participants
Special Guests and Workshop Instructors: Martha Nichols, Pam Willits and Sue Sharp

Registration is now open and your spot can be reserved for a $100.00 deposit. An additional $100.00 payment will be required by Jan. 31st 2013 with the balance being due at time of Retreat. Cancellation Policy: Cancellations received before May 1st will have the choice of a full refund or changing their registration to an absentee registration and receiving souvenir doll. Cancellations after May 1st may change their registration to the absentee package. REGISTRATION WILL BE LIMITED TO 16 PARTICIPANTS! Registration includes Thursday Evening Meal at Land of Oz Dolls and Saturday Night Banquet Dinner at Granny O’Neils. Lunches will be available at Land of Oz Dolls Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for $5.00 each day or you may bring your own. Sign up now to reserve your spot. Please call Connie at 815-565-0024 or email: landofozdolls@mchsi.com Paypal invoices can be sent upon request for the $100.00 deposit or you may pay by check or credit card.
Here is a photo of a previous Premeire Jumeau I have made that will be very similar to the souvenir Premeire Jumeau. I do not have a photo available yet of the S&H1448 "Little Star".


Tentative Schedule

Thursday Evening June 20th:  6:00 pm – 9:00 pm:
Casual Social Gathering and Welcome Reception. Evening meal will be provided. This will provide a chance for getting to know everyone and allow time for browsing sales tables, helper drawings, and special displays. Special guest, Martha Nichols, author of many Bleuette articles for "Doll News" and "Antique Doll Collector" will be presenting a program at 7:30 pm “Fleischmann’s Eden Bebe and the 6/0 Bleuette”. Martha will also be bringing her seven antique Bleuette’s along with their SFBJ “cousins” for your viewing pleasure. You will also have the chance to see a trunk full of costumes made from the LSDS patterns of the 1905-1915 time period, along with some furniture sized for Bleuette. At 8:15 pm we will have the presentation of the souvenir dolls. Bleuette or her "friend" "Little Star" will come to you dressed in their slip and pantalets.
Please note: Samples of workshop costumes will be available soon. Until then you may see examples  in the book “Bleuette Clothing Patterns” 1905 – 1916 by Louise Hedrick and Barbara Hilliker. Please check page numbers in the individual workshop listings. Please note that fabric for costumes will be as authentic as possible but fabric colors may vary from the originals. All efforts will be made to have workshop kits that can be completed in the allotted time frames with some preparation work being done before the workshop.
Friday June 21st:  9:00 am – 12:00 pm:
Workshop: Summer Dress #15 1905 page 58 and 59 with Pam Willits and Sue Sharp   Workshop Cost: $40.00
(Picture Available Soon)
12:00 pm – 12:45 pm LUNCH SERVED

12:45 pm – 2:45 pm
Workshop:  "Finishing Techniques for LSDS Patterns, featuring the 1915 Robe Anglaise (English Dress)"-- and as a special bonus, the pattern for Martha’s  "Edwardian Dress for Bleuette," which is loosely based on the Robe Anglaise with Martha Nichols. 
Workshop Cost: $20.00 and includes both patterns, and fabric + trim, and closures.
Martha’s New Pattern Booklet "Ma Premiere Bleuette/My First Bleuette" and features a complete wardrobe which any new Bleuette Maman would be able to create, will also be available for purchase.  
Martha's antique SFBJ 301 modeling the workshop dresses.


2:45 pm – 3:00 pm Break
3:00 pm – 5:30 pm Workshop: (Continued) "Finishing Techniques for LSDS Patterns, featuring the 1915 Robe Anglaise (English Dress)"-- with Martha Nichols
 5:30 - 6:45 Break for Dinner (on own)

7:00 - ? Havencrest Castle Tour (Seperate fee for Castle Tour $15.00)
Saturday June 22nd : 9:00 am – 12:00 pm Workshop: Mariner Ensemble with Pleated Sleeveless Dress, Jacket with Sailor Collar, and Beret #20 and #21 1910 page 116 with Sue Sharp  and Pam Willits  Workshop Cost: $45.00
(Picture Available Soon)
12:00 pm – 12:45 pm LUNCH SERVED
12:45 pm – 1:45 pm Workshop: (Continued) Mariner Ensemble with Sue Sharp and Pam Willits
1:45 pm – 2:00 pm  Break
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm Workshop:  Jacket with Soutache #29 1909  page 112 with Pam Willits and Sue Sharp  Workshop Cost:$25.00
(Picture Available Soon)
6:30 pm – 9:00 pm Banquet Dinner Included in Registration
Sunday June 23rd:
9:00 am – 12:00 pm Workshop:  School Dress with Bretelles and Blouse #46 1907 page 92 and 93 with Sue Sharp and Pam Willits   Workshop Cost: $40.00
(Picture Available Soon)
12:00 pm – 12:45 pm LUNCH SERVED and Helper Drawings
12:45 pm – 1:45 pm Workshop (Continued) School Dress with Bretelles with Sue Sharp and Pam Willits
1:45 pm – 2:00 pm Break
2:00 pm – 4:30 pm Workshop: Leather Bootines with Pam Willits and Sue Sharp   Workshop Cost:$15.00  (Early Departures may purchase finished Bootines for $25.00)
(Picture Available Soon)
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Dinner at Manny’s Pizza (on own order off menu)
Monday June 24th  OPTIONAL FIELD TRIP DAY TO GALENA ILLINOIS
For those interested in staying and attending we will be leaving at approx. 9:00 am for a trip to Galena. It is approximately 32 miles. Plans are underway for the trolley tour, shopping at the antique mall and downtown specialty shops, along with lunch at a unique restaurant. More details will be posted later. Upon returning to Savanna late afternoon, we will plan on one last dinner together in Savanna at Poopy’s Pub and Gub, a unique experience, of it’s own.




Hotel/ Motel Info

Granny O’Neil’s River Inn Bed and Breakfast
31 Third St. Savanna, Il. Phone: 815-273-4726 (1 mile away)
(For a shared experience with your doll friends, there are three houses that Bill rents out for a total of 12 rooms available in a bed and breakfast atmosphere)
Shared bathrooms with kitchen facilities available, breakfast served every morning at Granny O’Neil’s main house. Rates $79.00 plus tax for reservations of 3 or 4 night stays and $89.00 for reservations for 1 to 2 nights.
Call Bill Lease to reserve your room today.
Super 8 Motel
101 Valley View Drive Savanna, Il. Phone: 815-273-2288 (1/2 mile away)
For more privacy please call Super 8 Motel, newly remodeled, with pool and exercise room next to McDonald’s. Please call them for rates.
Seven Eagles Resort and Campground
9734 Rt. 84 Savanna, Il. Phone 815-273-7301 (1 mile away)
Seven Eagles has several rooms that they rent in conjunction with their campgrounds. Very clean, modern rooms Call them for rates.
I hope everyone has a great week and a dolly good day!! Until next post,
 Dolly Hugs,
Connie Zink
 

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

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