Author: paulawalton

My name is Paula Walton. I’m a working craftsperson. I’ve been self-employed since 1986, when I started selling the items that I make under the name A Sweet Remembrance. Among other things, I am a doll maker, a dressmaker that specializes in reproduction women’s and children’s clothing, maker of spun cotton ornaments and holiday figures, and a freelance designer. Upon occasion I write magazine articles and am a Craftsperson in Residence. I teach and do demonstrations quite frequently, plus I was previously the director and curator of a small museum in Connecticut.
Izannah Reproduction Doll Class · Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll

The Way it Was… My 2012 Izannah Retreat Part 2

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The gang’s all here for Part 2! We lost Peggy , but we gained Mary 🙂
Mary, Susie, Vicki, me, and Charlotte.
Wondering about the second part of my recent Izannah retreat?  This is the condensed version of days 4-6.

Mary working on her dolls during the retreat.
Vicki is busy painting, while Charlotte takes precautions to avoid sanding dust and paint fumes.
Susie braving the rain to head head outside to a sanding station.
Vicki’s doll is a cause for smiles 🙂
Comparing Vicki’s doll to my collection of antique Izannahs.
Charlotte’s doll has such a sweet, wistful expression.
Packing Susie’s doll for a safe trip home.
Time out for lunch and photos. Vicki’s husband treated us all to pizza on the last day, which meant I got to skip cooking! Charlotte’s husband came for lunch too. The husbands were all very good sports about the fact that class NEVER ended on time. We always ran late, sometimes as much as 2 hrs.!!!
Even more photos! You can never have too many photos to help you recall the good times had with new friends 🙂
Susie’s doll.
Would I do it again?  In a heartbeat, if I could talk all of these wonderful ladies into coming back!  Seriously, I can not tell you how much I enjoyed getting to know everyone and learning how very much we are alike.  Six days was not enough time!  We could have used twice as long for doll making, talking, sharing, making up amusing stories about our dolls and celebrating the wonderful legacy of Izannah Walker and her dolls.
The retreat was a lot of work, which took the help of my entire family, months of preparation, and two carpenters to pull off.  I’m not sure if I will be having another one, but if I do and you think you would be interested in coming to New Milford, CT to attend, send me an email at Paula@asweetremembrance.com.  I’ll put you on my mailing list and send you advance notice of any future retreats and classes.

 

Izannah Reproduction Doll Class · Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll

A Look Back at Part 1 of My 2012 Izannah Walker Doll Making Retreat

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“It’s taken two and a half weeks for me to recover and get caught up enough to write this post 🙂 ”

I managed to write the previous sentence last Saturday… now here it is almost a week later and I still haven’t found time to get retreat photos posted.  So I am going to stop everything else for a few minutes and concentrate on finishing this post!

All ready and waiting for everyone to arrive at my studio!
The first morning of the retreat and already hard at work…
Day 2 started out with a “road trip” to the home of a local doll dealer and collector who very generously gave us a tour of her private collection, which includes this glorious large Izannah Walker doll!

The end of day three meant saying good-bye to Peggy and one of her lovely Izannahs that she brought along to class. We all hated to see her go!!!

Favorite Moments:

Susie and two of my dolls, the one on the left came back to visit during the retreat and to pick up her new sister, on the right.
Another visitor to the retreat was Peggy’s wonderful new Queen Anne wooden, made by Kathy Patterson.
A champagne and jelly bean toast to celebrate a successful end to Part 1 and the first half of the retreat 🙂
One last hug at the end of day three! Vicki, Peggy, Susie and Charlotte the world’s most wonderful quartet of doll makers!!!
This is just the tiniest glimpse at the fun, laughter, sharing, learning and friendship that we experienced during the first half of the retreat.  It was a wonderful experience having all four of these incredible ladies, who were willing to journey to my small corner of New England, come  make dolls with me!  I simply can not express how much I truly enjoyed  getting to know them and sharing our mutual love of Izannah Walker’s dolls.  The only two difficult obstacles we faced were actually being disciplined enough to  work – since it was all too tempting to just have fun and play dolls – and the rain!
Doll Clothing · Doll for Sale · Izannah Reproduction Doll Class · Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll · SALE · Where to Shop

Last Three Days of My Annual Izannah Walker Birthday Sale

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If you are a long time reader of this blog, you will probably recall that for the past few years I have been having an Birthday Sale to celebrate Izannah Walker’s birth on September 25, 1817.  

 

Any new orders for custom made Izannah Walker dolls, custom made Izannah Walker doll clothing, Izannah Walker doll clothes patterns, or my Izannah Walker Doll Making Class by Mail are 10% off from 9/19/12 – 10/7/12.  So if you have been contemplating buying my class, or commissioning a special doll, now is the time!  The sale goes through midnight eastern time Sunday night.

Celebrations · Doll Clothing · Doll for Sale · Izannah Reproduction Doll Class · SALE · Where to Shop

Izannah Walker Birthday Sale!

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For the past couple of years, I have declared Izannah Walker’s birthday one of my own personal holidays and celebrated by having a sale on all things Izannah.  September 25th marks the 195th anniversary of Izannah’s birth in 1817.

Because of my upcoming Izannah Doll Making Retreat, I am starting the sale a little bit sooner and running it a smidge longer too.  That way if you have questions you’d like to ask prior to ordering items, there is plenty of time for me to answer before and after the retreat.

Any new orders for custom made Izannah Walker dolls, custom made Izannah Walker doll clothing, Izannah Walker doll clothes patterns, or my Izannah Walker Doll Making Class by Mail are 10% off from 9/19/12 – 10/7/12.  THIS DOLL HAS BEEN SOLD. I also have one very sweet Izannah Walker reproduction doll that is finished  who is included in this sale.

Orders for the finished doll, patterns and the class by mail will be probably be shipped out after October 3rd, when the retreat is over.  Right now, I am working on three custom made dolls, so any new custom orders will be added to my calendar after these current commissions.  I do ask for a 25% deposit when you place a custom order, or you may set up lay-away payments of varying lengths.

You may place orders through my website A Sweet Remembrance and call or email me to order custom made dolls and doll clothing.

Paula

paula@asweetremembrance.com                       860-355-5709

Doll for Sale · Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll · Where to Shop

Announcing My Very Newest Doll – SOLD

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This doll has been sold, thank you for stopping by to see her. Here she is!  I just finished her this afternoon.  While making this doll I became quite enamored with an Izannah Walker that was very briefly for sale on eBay.  This same doll first came to my attention when it was up for auction at the Sandwich Auction House in April.  It is similar to an Izannah Walker doll pictured in a daguerrotype owned by Elizabeth Isenburg who writes the Steamboat Arabia blog. I loved the scalloped waves around her face accompanied by two long curls over each of her ears.  I really wanted to paint that hair!

More of a “Rose Red” than a “Lady in Red” or a “Red Hot Momma” she has a second skin made from vintage red polished/glazed cotton.
She has a long chemise made from fine antique linen.

 

 

Her second dress is made from antique red and blue paisley fabric.

Rose Red has bare feet.  She comes with a chemise, pantalettes, petticoat, red and cream print dress and second dress made from red and blue paisley.  $1450.00  If you would like to add her to your doll family, please visit my website where she can be purchased via my secure automatic check out.  Email or call me with questions (paula@asweetremembrance.com, 850-355-5709) or to arrange lay away payments.  You can add socks and hand made shoes, sheer white cotton undersleeves,  a bonnet, a  necklace, or additional dresses to her wardrobe.  Please inquire for the cost of any of these custom made accessories.

Awards · Contests · See Me in Print

Martha Stewart American Made Award

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“This creative entrepreneur is in the running for an American Made Audience Choice Award and could win 10k and appear in Martha Stewart Living magazine.” Please stop by and see My American Made Story, then cross your fingers and wish me luck!!! Hugs ♥ Paula

Izannah Reproduction Doll Class · See Me in Print

Autumn 2012 Prims and October 2012 Early American Life

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I’d like to say “thank you” to both Prims and Early American Life.  My spun cotton figures of Thumbelina and Horrible Mother Toad are pictured on page 106 of the Autumn issue of Prims magazine, on sale September 1st.  Not only am I honored to have my work pictured but I’m thrilled to pieces that Martha Bishop, one of my Izannah Walker doll making students, has her Jack and Jill featured in the same article.

Early American Life Calendar Listing

Early American Life was kind enough to list my Izannah Walker Doll Making Retreat in their October 2012 issue.  If you are here at my blog because you saw the classes shown in EAL, click here to read all about the retreat.

Prims Ad

Doll Accessories · Doll Clothing · Doll for Sale · Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll · See Me in Print · Where to Shop

SOLD -True Blue and Her Wardrobe are Available for Sale

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THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR STOPPING BY TO MEET TRUE BLUE.  SHE HAS BEEN SOLD AND WILL BE GOING TO A WONDERFUL NEW HOME 🙂                                              True Blue, who is pictured in the August issue of Early American Life magazine, is now available for sale.  You can read all about how she came into being and her journey to and from the Early American Life photo shoot in this post.

I have always loved antique dolls that have acquired a myriad collection of possessions throughout their long lives.   I have endeavored to give True Blue  a good start on a hope chest of her own, one that can be added to for generations to come.  She is true blue through and through with a blue second skin made from antique glazed cotton.

Her undergarments consist of a long lace trimmed chemise, pantalettes, and two petticoats trimmed in blue crocheted lace and tatting.  In her antique trunk she has four hand made dresses, a tiny antique tintype photograph, a chatelaine to keep all of her sewing essentials close by, a vintage silk flag to wave at the 4th of July parade and a miniature feather tree to help her celebrate Christmas. She also owns two necklaces to wear on Sundays and to parties, as well as two aprons to keep her clean while doing everyday chores. Rounding out her possessions are a signed copy of August 2012 Early American Life and an Early American Life Craftsman Directory recognition tag. Her adoption fee is $2900.

All of her dresses are made from antique fabrics.  The first is a wonderful indigo print cotton, with a banded neckline and sleeves and two growth tucks in the skirt.  The second is a lively red and blue paisley print, with short straight sleeves, a deep hem and two growth tucks.

Her third dress is a very early Prussian blue and brown cotton paisley that almost, but one quite as sheer as gauze.  It has tucked and gathered sleeves and a banded neckline.   The fourth dress is True Blue’s wardrobe is a very sheer woven cotton fabric, that is reminiscent of cheese cloth in its open weave, with woven white and blue “dots”.  It has a very full bodice, skirt and sleeves, with bands of cotton tape at the sleeves, neckline and waistband.

All of True’s possessions fit neatly into to her fabric covered trunk.  The trunk itself is not perfect.  It shows signs of having been lovingly played with over the years.  I think that it fits very well with the amount of “aging” that True exhibits.  I came across this trunk in Brimfield in May.  At the time I bought it, the trunk was lined with a modern “country” print wallpaper.  I have swapped out the lining for some much older vintage wallpaper that I just happened to have in my stash.

If you’d like to add more items, such as additional underwear, dresses, bonnets, etc.  I would be happy to make them for her.  Just inquire at paula@asweetremembrance.com for prices.

To purchase True Blue, please visit my website where you can check out through the secure automatic shopping basket.  Or if you prefer, you may call 860-355-5709 or email me paula@asweetremembrance.com.  I accept Paypal, checks, money orders and offer lay away.

Antique Izannah Walker Dolls · Doll Clothing · Izannah Reproduction Doll Class

A New Red Dress!

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My Izannahs have a “new” red dress to share.  The 19th century print fabric of the dress is still vibrant and beautiful, and is the main thing that drew me to the dress upon first sight.  This dress has had some ill treatment in it’s life time, before finally ending up on eBay and making it’s way here to me.  I can tell that it was originally made to fit a doll exactly the same size as my antique 18-19 inch tall Izannah Walker dolls.  At some point, someone decided that they wanted to put it on a larger doll – and they were in a hurry to do so – because rather than altering the dress properly they just hacked away at it with a pair of scissors!  The bottom of the sleeves were snipped, with a pair of pinking sheers, up through the ruffle, wrist band and gathering, to  allow a larger hand and arm to fit through the sleeve.  Then the original neckline and upper part of the dress was cut away to the bretelle ruffle, to accommodate a doll with a larger neck circumference.

Recently purchased on eBay, this dress from the last quarter of the 19th century, is a perfect fit for my original antique Izannah Walker doll.

Even though this dress is far from perfect the girls and I love it.  The color is a wonderful Turkey red that I am very partial too and the trim is ingeniously embroidered cotton tape, which is a very thrifty way to add a charming accent to the dress.

I can happily say that when you are a doll collector and doll maker, buying a new dress for one of your dolls is every bit as exciting now as it was during childhood.  I am equally as thrilled with this dress as my 11 year old niece was, with her carefully chosen purchases, during a recent trip to The American Girl’s Place in New York.  The love of dolls runs in our family!

My niece, Keira, at The American Girl’s place on 5th Avenue.

I’m adding this dress to my pile of dresses from which I will (hopefully) be drafting and selling patterns.  The pile is getting rather sizable, so don’t hold your breath 🙂  The good news is that it’s much faster for me to make a pattern that is only for my own use, so if you love this dress I can certainly make you one when you  order a custom made doll or just an extra dress for one of my Izannahs that you already own.

Everyone attending the second session of my Izannah Walker Doll Making Retreat October 1-3, will have a chance to examine this dress, and the others in my collection, in detail.

Alabama Baby Reproduction Doll Class · Other Types of Doll Making · Painted Cloth Doll Making · SALE · Where to Shop

Last Two Days for SALE on Alabama Baby Class

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Don’t forget!  Today and tomorrow are the last two days that you can take advantage of the SALE on my Alabama Indestructible Baby Class.

Not on my mailing list???  Here is a recap of the sale information:

Are you looking for a fun, interesting project to work on during some of these long, lazy summer days?  If so, consider making a reproduction of one of Ella Smith’s Alabama Indestructible Babies.  They are sweet, charming dolls that really capture the feel of the early 1900’s.  My Alabama Indestructible Baby Reproduction Doll Class by Mail will be on sale for $49.00 through the end of July (regularly $65.00).