Wednesday, February 17, 2010

For the Love of Kewpies...& Play Date Cafe' #17


"Do good deeds in a funny way.  The world needs to laugh, or at least smile more than it does."
                                                                                      --Rose O'Neill

Good evening, everyone!

How are you all tonight?  Hope it's not snowing too much back east....hate to tell you, but I got really warm today while trimming my rose bushes today...sorry!  I'm a couple of weeks slow in getting it done, and today was perfect!  I love my roses...we'll talk more about "roses" in just a minute...

...but first, The Play Date Cafe' is in it's 17th week, and here are the fabulous colors we get to play with:




...loved the colors this week!  Our host this week is the lovely  Julie Ranae of Julie's Open Window... 

Here's my take on the challenge:


 
This is one of my favorite Kewpie images from Crafty Secrets' "Homemade" Images & Journal Notes booklet--love these pesky little things!


A simple card tonight...some lace, gingham ribbon, old buttons, and some lovely silver glitter!



I just adore Kewpies--just about my favorite images in the vintage world--and thank heavens there's lots of them to be found!  They were the brainchild of the wonderful self-taught artist, Rose O'Neill.




She was born in Pennsylvania in 1874.  Her father, loving her childhood sketches, declared that she would be an artist, and did all he could to encourage her talents.  She drew her first Kewpie around 1909...and the rest is history!



 I love each and every image, book, and doll I've every seen...wish I could collect them all!  Thank-you, Rose!  Here's a couple of dolls my mother bought me for my birthday this year--


...aren't they adorable? How could you not love these faces?!  Thanks, Mom!

Here are a few Kewpie cards I've made this year--before I started my blog--using Crafty Secrets' stamps. 




Cute Kewpie Birthday...



Music Lessons...




These are all from the "Kewpies" stamp set...




...and the adorable "Fishing Buds" set...



Aren't they sweet?!

Here's another card I made this morning...



I was in a springtime mood today, and these colors felt just right!  Loved playing with "Flower Soft" for the kewpie's garland. 




Well, that's it for tonight...hope you enjoyed my visit to Kewpie Land...I did!  Have a wonderful night, and I'll probably be back tomorrow night with something new.

Sweet Dreams!

32 comments:

  1. I just love these little babies, I have one, a tiny one, my girls played with it all the time. Yours are darling and I LOVE your cards too...very pretty! :D

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  2. Julie, I just LOVE your dolls!! How sweet they are. I always wanted a cupie doll when I was growing up and still do. My parents didn't have a lot of money, so I had lots of paper dolls but only one real one and a Barbie doll that I had to save and save to buy for myself. I love your cards, all of them, both the old and the new! What fabulous images! Those Crafty Secrets people are a source of crafting wealth!! I wish they were more available over here. I just love that flower garland on the last one, How utterly adorable! Oh how I wish our roses were blooming. Only a few weeks now and England will start to green up again. I can hardly wait. This winter seems to have lasted forever! Love you much my sweet friend! xxoo

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  3. Oh Julie I just LOVE cupies too! I was so tempted by the fishing cupies but I don't know anyone who fishes and thought I wouldn't use them, but maybe I would! Your cards are gorgeous, and thanks for the history of cupies, I didn't know any of it. I have one cupie looking doll, who I love, I think I found her in a charity shop [goodwill store]!

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  4. Hi Julie, your kewpies are so awesome, too darned cute. Beautiful cards you have created.
    debby

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  5. Lovely cards! So much fun learning a little more about O'Neill!

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  6. hi julie,

    as i began reading this post, i started to wonder about where kewpie came from and was so happily surprised to see your little history lesson. love that!

    all of your kewpie art is adorable. so sweet and very smile-inducing.

    xo
    elyse

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  7. Beautiful cards Julie! I still have my Kewpie Dolls! This post is quite a throw back for me :) Thank you for the warm welcome to the Play Date Cafe team :)

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  8. AWW...Julie..love your kewpies! Your card is so adorable and I'd like to give that little kewpie a BIG hug and squeze!

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  9. Julie! I learn so much from you! I did not know anything about Kewpies. I hope to get into stamping this year, eak another area to spend money! The results are so very beautiful, and I would like to try my CB style in another medium. You inspire me to no end! Too funny about your husband and the mail - mine as well! My husband scooped up my mail for overseas without telling me and didn't use the customs forms - oh my goodness my packages came back opened and destroyed beyond belief! I now warn him within an inch of his life "Don't Touch My Mail!" Have a fun weekend ahead! E

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  10. WOW! Those Kewpies are; just one look and it makes you happy and you smile. Thank you for sharing this story; loved it of course.
    Rita

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  11. Gorgous creations Julie. I love kewpies. I had a kewpie doll when I was a little girl, so they bring back fond memories of those times and of happy times playing with the doll and my dear departed Mum. Thank you x

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  12. Love your Kewpie dolls!! They're so cute!

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  13. This is definetly one of my favorite posts. I have an entire room devoted to Kewpies (Ok! There's a sewing machine in there too). I love my Crafty Secrets Kewpie stamp set, and the creations you made with it are "kewpishly cute". Now I need to get the Images and Journal Notes. Love your pictures.

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  14. I had never heard of Kewpies until found your blog - I can see why they are so popular. Gorgeous cards - so pretty and feminine

    Pruning roses - what a tease when we have had snow today and it was so cold the chickens drinking water froze!

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  15. Kewpie dolls...haven't thought of those for many years and they are delightful little dollies, aren't they! This is a really interesting post as well as adorable. I did not know, until now, that Rose O'Neill was the young woman who created Kewpies! Thanks for sharing this charming story and thanks so much for your visit! Hugs, Coralie

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  16. Kewpies have always given me reasons to smile. They are so adorable. Your cards are fabulous, and they too bring a smile to my face. Have a wonderful weekend.
    Maureen

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  17. Julie! Come and see if you would like to participate in my tag swap inspired by you! If you would not like to participate not at all a worry, just let me know. There will be inspiration for all to share! Have a great weekend! E

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  18. Hi there....just popped over to thank you for your good wishes on my blog....it means alot! Your Kewpie creations are a delight to the eyes!

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  19. Julie - Your post today is so sweet. I am putting "Homemade" images and Journal notes on my Wish List! Thanks for the link to the Rose O'Neill website. I had to refresh my memory on her and the kewpies. It happens that I graduated from School of the Ozark in 1991 where her work is displayed in the school's museum. Her family home is only a few miles from the school. Thanks for your post and inspiration!

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  20. I love your Kewpie doll cards! I didn't know the history of them either. My mom told me that they were the dolls she played with when she was little though.
    Blessings,
    Marcia

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  21. Julie my friend, you always know how to put a smile on my face! All of these Kewpie images & information are amazing (where do you get all this stuff?? LOL!!) Your cards are stunning & creative as always ... you are truly an INSPIRATION to us all!!!
    Your new blog background really makes me yurn for spring/summer!! And then you had to mention pruning your roses ... mine are still COVERED with the "white stuff" ... Uuugh!!
    Thanks Julie ... have a great weekend!

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  22. These samples are absolutely adorable and GORGEOUS!!!! Makes me want to play with this set again!!!!

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  23. Hi Julie, just wanted to drop by and say Hi, thank you for coming by my blog, I will enjoy yours as well. If you would like to see more detail about all our creations we have an FB fan page called Old Soul Studios. I like all the bright flowers on your back drop, makes winter a little more colorful!

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  24. Your cupie doll cards are very charming. I did not know they went back so far... Yes that Rose was a creative soul.
    Blessings to you!
    Gwen

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  25. Oh my , it was so lovely to see the little face of them once again.. been a while! Such a beautiful creation you have done. You must be so proud!

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  26. Your kewpie doll cards are so sweet. And I really like the tattered roses in your post a few days ago. I'm definitely going to check out that tutorial.

    Thanks for visiting my blog.

    Lorrie

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  27. So sorry it's taken me SO long to get around to commenting, Jules. Rather trying few days, but these cards and Kewpie photos really make me smile.

    Lovely job on all your creations! Thanks for bringing such a unique perspective to The Play Date Cafe team.

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  28. There is something about the faces of the kewpies that is very appealing...they are chubby little imps! I have a bisque kewpie that was my grandmother's. I tried to research the age and value of it but can't find anything on-line resembling the one I have. I have the CS kewpie stamp set, also. So sweet! Loved your cards.

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  29. Fantastic cards Julie! I love the dolls too:)
    Hugs Hanne

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  30. I'm in love .... your Kewpie's are sooo cute !!! Your blog is great, your creations gorgeous.
    I want a Kewpie for my birthday :-)))
    Greets from the Netherlands, Caroline

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