Friday, October 29, 2010

What a Doll!

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Good afternoon, my friends!

This is going to be a long post today--but a special one to me…

Tomorrow is my beautiful Mother’s birthday…wish I could be with you, Mom!  So this is for you…

Earlier this month, I made Mom a little gift that I haven’t shared with you yet (but she has now opened it, so…!)

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A wall hanging about her very favorite thing in all the world (besides her family, of course!)…dolls.  She loves them all--but most especially, anything jointed.

Not only does she love them, she makes them…beautifully!  Ever since she was a little girl, she’s been studying, making and loving dolls…

Karen Ann Ostlund, age 5

…one of my favorite, which I’ve talked about here before…

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(It was a very gloomy day  when I took these photos, so the coloring isn’t quite right…sorry!)

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A very special doll in our family…sent to my great-grandmother Anna when she was a little girl by her father, Theodore, who was away for a time in Switzerland on business in the 1890’s…

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…and another given to my Mother when she was a young girl in the 1940’s…

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Muslin and lace…ribbon, pompom trim…vintage mother-of-pearl buttons, bits of pretty vintage fabric…

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…and some fabric rosettes colored with Glimmer Mist…everything stitched together crazy quilt style.

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Here’s the real doll…my Mom. 

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The photo taken earlier this week by my sister-in-law, Karen, who spent an early birthday day with her.  Here she is in a lovely doll shop that just started selling some of her dolls…see them in the upper shelves of the cabinet?

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Here are a few of her dolls that I have in my home…

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A pair of gollywogs…so sweet!

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A little bit of the detail Mom puts into each and every doll…

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Her hedgehogs…my personal favorites!  All her dolls are made with wool felt, are jointed, and their clothes are all completely handmade.

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Beautifully sculpted features…

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A couple of brightly clad girls… see the green shoes on the right?  Hand made of felt, as well!

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A little close-up of her beautiful ribbon embroidery…

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…and beautifully styled hair.

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All together now!

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A little card I made last night using an adorable new stamp set from Crafty Secrets…”Thinking of You”…perfect for today, I thought…

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I love paper piecing and popping things up, as does Mom, so as I did this I had her in mind…

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Well, that’s it for today.  Thanks for having a little birthday celebration with me in honor of my wonderful Mother…

Love you, Mom.

Happy Birthday!

Julie

35 comments:

  1. Your mom is awesome-wishing her a very Happy Birthday. Love the card-looks just like one of the Campbell's kids from long ago.

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  2. those little hedgehog dolls are adorable, julie. your mother is so talented. i hope she has a lovely birthday.

    xo
    ~molly

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  3. Happy Birthday to your MOM!!! She looks like a very special lady and her creations are adorable and yours as well.

    best regards,
    Wanda

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  4. Hi Julie! I can see where you get your talent from! Your mom's dolls are adorable and so is she! Wishing her a very Happy Birthday, and you all a fun Halloween as well! xo Paulette

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  5. Julie what talent runs through your family!!
    I don't think I have ever know anyone who has made dolls before.What an awesome craft.

    Happy Birthday to your dear mom.And what a lovely gift you gave her.

    Cindy from Rick-Rack and Gingham

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  6. What a treat to see your mother's dolls, both from her childhood and made from her heart. Happy Birthday and it is such an honor to share this with you both.

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  7. Hi Julie... all of your mama's dolls are so cute, I love the hedgehogs! And what treasures to have those older dolls that were your mama's and grandmother's when they were little girls... Happy Birthday to your Mama!... xoxo Julie Marie

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  8. oh, julie! your mom is so talented and each doll has such a sweet and brightly happy face.

    sweet post!

    happy birthday, julie's mom!

    xo
    elyse

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  9. I think your mom is just awesome! What a talented and beautiful lady, at every age! What a blessing you have in her! ;D

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  10. Hi Julie, no wonder you are so beautiful and wonderful and creative and talented. You take after your mother. :) Happiest of birthday wishes to her. I just love all those pretty and fun dolls. The fact that they are jointed makes them even more special. Hope you are having a great weekend. :) Tammy

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  11. Happy Birthday to you Mom..de dolls are so cute!

    Hugs,Willy

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  12. Happy Birthday Julie's Mum.

    Another very heartfely post and what an awesome collection of dolls.

    Have a great weekend, mine will be spent in the clasroom teaching the hobby I love most !

    B x

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  13. Happy Birthday to your sweet talented mom Julie! I cherish the Hedge Hog dolls that I have that she made. They are so beautiful and adorable. My very favourite gift of all time. Your mom's dolls are so precious and wonderful, but then so is your mom, so how could they not be! I love the card and the wall hanging you have made your mom. They're so gorgeous. It is clear to see that this apple didn't fall far from the family tree for sure, for you are every bit as talented as your beautiful mum!! Wishing you a Happy Halloween weekend, with lots of hugs and love from afar! xxoo

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  14. PS - I just ADORE those Golliwogs!!! I have a real thing for Golliwogs! They're my most favourite thing!

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  15. Great gift for you mum Julie and her dolls are absolutely gorgeous, thanks for sharing some pictures of those! I'm with you on the hedgehogs being the favourite, I think - so, so sweet! Happy Birthdya Julie's mum - hope your day is filled with love and laughter!

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  16. Goodness, I just adore those golliwogs!! Such beauty in all those creations ~ just like in your sweet Mom ~ Happy Birthday to her!!

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  17. Those dolls are adorable I love the hedgehog too they are so cute!!
    Happy Birthday to your mother a very talented lady!!
    Suzann

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  18. Hi Julie,
    Happy Birthday to your MOM!!! She is so talented--now I know who you get it from!!! "Like mother, like daughter!" And she's so beautiful too! So, I know where you get that from too!!
    I hope she has a happy day, indeed!!!
    XO

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  19. Thank you for such kind words and I'm ecstatic you enjoy my blog...I'm new to the blogging world and have tons to learn, but I have found such an amazing support from so many lovely ladies :) I am now your newest follower and I adore your blog!! xoxoxo www.1942charm.blogspot.com

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  20. Like Mother like Daughter!! Talent (and Looks) definitely run in your family!! The pic of your mom is adorable. I love her hedgehogs too! I hope you both get many many more years together!

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  21. The hedgehogs in particular are sooo cute, Julie! Happy Halloween. xxxx

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  22. what a gorgeous collage and card. I adore the photo of your Mom...how precious is that! wonderful art from the heart! :)

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  23. Hi Julie,
    How very cute your mom is, and her dolls are beautiful. Talent and good looks definitely run through your family. :) Your mother must have been thrilled to bits, in receiving the fabulous wall hanging you made. Your card using those Crafty Secrets stamps is devine. Love the colors you used.
    Have a Happy Halloween, and happy Birthday wishes to your beautiful mom.
    Maureen

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  24. Your mom is so talented! I'm so impressed with all the antique dolls that she's kept over the years. Your mom and I have the same birthday! Only I'm probably much older. Does she live here in Utah? Mimi

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  25. Oh, what a beautiful, and special gift for your mom! And of course, being handmade by her lovely daughter makes it even more special.

    Happy Birthday to your mom!!

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  26. Hi again Julie! Thank you so much for your visit today. :) I hope you had a great Halloween! xo Paulette

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  27. Julie, Such a wonderful tribute to your talented mother! Imagine making such fine small detailed items! Your special card for her is as beautiful as well. You are such a talent. I know who proud your mother is of you! Happy Halloween! Elizabeth

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  28. Hi Julie,
    I hope you had a Happy Halloween!!! I just wanted to come over and say "hi" and thank you so much for visiting!!!
    Sending hugs your way,
    Cindy
    XO

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  29. LOVE those hedgehog dolls and the Golly Wogs! The wall hanging you made is just darling. I'll bet your mom will cherish that knowing you made it just for her! - Kathy

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  30. Your mom is a doll!!!! Hope the Birthday celebration was the BEST!!!

    Happy Novemeber to you my friend. xoxox

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  31. Well Julie - thank you for letting me share your Mom for just a little while! Perfect. As are the wonderful dolls. Hope her real celebration was a REALLY happy one! And I know she LOVED your truly special gift for her!
    Have a wonderful week! Karen

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  32. I love the dolls! So beautiful. My daughter's name is Julia, so we must have some sort of soul connection. :) You are immensely talented.

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  33. Oh my gosh Julie I missed this post some how. I love your Mom's dolls. We must be around the same age as I have that doll. I was born in 1941. It's a Madame Alexander and looks like Alice in Wonderland. I should do some photos of mine. Your Mom's has the original mohair wig where as some little girl (me) combed and styled it so much she needed a new wig. Oh how I love those hedgehogs, my favorites !! Nan

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  34. Such a beautiful posting! I love the dolls. I was crazy for dolls when I was growing up. I was forever putting makeup on them and redoing their hair. At the bottom of my cedar chest I have my first "walking" doll that I got for Christmas when I was probably four. Her lips are sort of a mess because I used fingernail polish for lipstick. I left her too close to a lamp, so part of her hair burned. Her bangs are real short because I trimmed them truly believing they would grow back. I loved that doll. I'm afraid to dig her out of that cedar chest now for fear of what she might look like. Someday I'll get the courage.
    A Belated Happy Birthday to your mom!!
    Hugs,
    Karen
    Ladybug Creek

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  35. What a special gift you made your mom,I'm sure she Loves it!!!! and what great dolls she has!

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