Paula Walton’s doll-making notes
The dolls are all nestled together around a roaring fire. They are so glad that you came to join them tonight! This is the very last part of our all day celebration of Izannah Walker’s 197th birthday. If you missed the first two parts of our party you will want to scroll down or click here for part one and here for part two.
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Welcome to the birthday picnic that the dolls and I are hosting! This is part two of our day long celebration. If you missed trying Ismay’s legendary cinnamon toast and getting a chance to meet the dolls, you’ll want to click here to get caught up!
Later tonight (7 p.m. Eastern time) the dolls are having a sleep over and they hope you will come back to tuck them in bed! In between all of my Izannah Doll Making Class members will want to drop into the class site at 2 p.m. Eastern time for a few treats!
Now that breakfast is over and the dishes are all washed, it’s time to bake the birthday pies! All of the older dolls decided that pies would be a much better birthday desert after the unfortunate incident with Izzybelle and the icing the last time they baked a cake!!!
Isabeau is willing to share her pie crust recipe with you:
Mrs. Wolter’s No-fail Pie Crust
1 cup Crisco
3 cups flour
2 eeggs, beaten
2 teaspoons vinegar
4 -5 tablespoons cold water
1 teaspoon salt
Ina a large mixing bowl, cut Crisco into four with a pastry blender until small size peas form. Add eggs, vinegar, water and slat & mix with a fork until blended and dough forms a large ball, or use floured hands to mix dough. Makes three crusts.
Finally all the cooking is done and it’s time to go out to the picnic!
We hope you enjoyed the picnic! You can click on any of the smaller photos to enlarge them. Put on your coziest pj’s and come back tonight at 7:00 p.m. Eastern time for the doll’s slumber party 🙂
Today is the 197th anniversary of Izannah Walker’s birth! The dolls and I are having a day long party in her honor and we are so glad that you could join us for all of the fun. This is the first of three birthday party posts that I will be sharing with you today. Right now all of the dolls and I are getting ready for a very busy day. The kitchen is a hive of activity and last minute party planning is going on all over the house. So enjoy this first post and then come back later in the day to attend the festivities. At 1:00 p.m. Eastern time we will be having a picnic and later tonight (7 p.m. Eastern time) the dolls are having a sleep over. In between all of my Izannah Doll Making Class members will want to drop into the class site at 2 p.m. Eastern time for a few treats!
INVITE ONE OF THESE VERY SPECIAL BIRTHDAY GUESTS INTO YOUR HOME
If you would like to keep the party alive throughout the year in your own home, I have six dolls available for sale who would love to come live and play at your house. Any of these dolls sold during my Izannah birthday celebration come with an array of special party favors:
– a tiny thimble necklace so that they are always ready to play THE THIMBLE with you
– two sheets of my Izannah paper dolls
– a signed copy of the December 2013 issue of Early American Life magazine with a feature story about our home, so that your doll can show you where she was born
– a coupon for 50% off of an additional dress just in case she needs something special to wear later on in the year ( I am currently blessed with an over abundance of orders, so an Easter or 4th of July dress would be the earliest I would be able to do)
I’m only listing these six dolls here on my blog (rather than putting them up on my regular website too) during this four day celebration as a little extra thank you for all of the people on my mailing list and all of you loyal blog readers! 🙂
Five New Reproduction Izannahs For Sale
Here are five lively little Izannahs to tug at your heart! These will be the last dolls that I will be listing for sale before Christmas. I’ve had such a busy and bountiful year that I am fully booked up and committed until mid-May 2015 with special orders and custom work.
Isane #4
This young Isane #4 is approximately 18 inches tall. She has a red second skin covering her body and red painted boots with scalloped tops. Beneath her dress she wears a full set of undergarments. Some Izannahs have long dresses t]like women or older girls and others wear shorter skirts like young children. I’ve hemmed Isane #4’s dress long, but if you prefer it shorter, I would be happy to add a third growth tuck in the skirt. You may also request aging on her arms, legs and feet. I left them fairly new looking so that her new mom would have a choice. Isane #4 can be yours for $1250.00.
Ismay #1 SOLD
Meet Ismay! She is the very reproduction that I have made from the lovely antique Izannah Walker doll I bought at the UFDC convention in July. Ismay is 18 inches tall, has black scallop top painted boots and short wispy hair. You can adopt Isamy for $1250.00. ISMAY IS NOW SOLD.
Andrew #1
I seldom make boy Izannahs, even though I dearly love them. This young man is the first boy doll I’ve made from my Anna mold, but since I’m sure he would object to being called Anna, let’s refer to him as Andrew. 🙂 Andrew is about 17 inches tall and wears a very detailed costume that consist of a red plaid dress, trimmed in black velvet ribbons with a split skirt and matching trousers. He has side parted hair, tall black painted boots with red tops and comes with his paper party hat. Andrew is $1300.00 due to the intricacy of his clothing.
Zanna #7
Miss Zanna is 17- 1/2 inches tall. She has black painted boots with scallop tops and a second skin made from antique brown glazed cotton. Zanna can be yours for $1250.00.
Isabeau #9
Isabeau #9 is a bit shorter than her sisters. She is 17 inches tall, has red painted boots and a red glazed cotton second skin. Her adoption fee is $1250.00. If you love the bonnet she is wearing you may purchase it for an additional $100.00. You may also request a more aged appearance on the arms, legs and boots of this doll.
Breakfast
As a special birthday treat Isamy is making cinnamon toast for breakfast.
GAMES
Right after breakfast it was time to disscuss what games to play today at Izannah’s party. The dolls got out their favorite book The American Girl’s Book written by Eliza Leslie in 1831. I have to admit that it took them a very long time to agree on the games and I’m sad to say there was even some squabbling and a few tears.
THE THIMBLE
The company sit in a row holding together the palms of their hands. Fanny takes a thimble or any thing else that is small and round, (for instance, a hazle-nut or shell bark) and holding it between her palms, she goes along the line, pretending to drop it secretly into their hands, saying to each “Hold fast what I give you.” Everyone opens her hands as if she was receiving the thimble, and closes them again immediately. Of course the thimble is only in reality deposited in one. For instance, Fanny leaves it in the hands of Lucy.
After Fanny has in this manner gone all along the row, she returns to the head and asks Mary, who is seated there, to guess who has the thimble. Mary guesses Jane, who opens her hands and shows that she has it not. They all guess in turn. Susan happens to guess Lucy; and this being right, Lucy displays the thimble and gives it to Susan. It is then Susan’s turn to take the thimble and go along the row with it.
Sometimes when this is played, a forfeit is required from every one that guesses wrong, and therefore a great number of pawns are speedily collected.
Let’s peek over their shoulder and see what other party games they have planned!
Thank you for spending the morning with us! Don’t forget the the picnic is starting promptly at 1:00 o’clock (Eastern time). That will give you just enough time to change into your party frock. We’ll see you then!
The dolls and I are hoping that you will be able to join us for the festivities here on IzannahWalker.com two weeks from today!
Today all the dolls and I took a short break in our preparations for Izannah Walker’s birthday to pick pumpkins from the garden! They are all very excited and looking forward to the big birthday party AND trick or treating ❤
Now that you know the dolls are planning a party, we hope you will come back to visit on September 25th and celebrate with us!
Today marks the 196th anniversary of Izannah Walker’s birth. She was born in Bristol, Rhode Island on the 25th day of September in 1817. You may read more details about Izannah’s life in this post. I wish I could invite you all over to my house for cake and silly party games, but since I can’t, I’m doing the next best thing and having a SALE to celebrate the occasion and to say thank you for being such wonderful customers, students and friends. It is such a great pleasure to know other people who love Izannah’s dolls as much as I do!
From 9/25/13 – 9/29/13 all of my reproduction Izannah Walker dolls, additional custom made dresses and accessories for your Izzy, Izannah Walker doll clothes patterns and Izannah Walker Doll Making Classes are 10% off. This sale applies only to items ordered from September 25th through September 29th, 2013, the discount is not available on prior orders. As always, all items may be placed on lay-away with terms to fit your budget and shipping is free to any United States address. I generally just have two sales per year, my Izannah Walker Birthday Sale and my Christmas Sale 🙂 So don’t let this one pass you by.
Three Finished Dolls Available
I have three very special dolls available for this years Birthday Sale. One of them is created from a brand new mold that I made from my friend Mary’s Izannah Walker doll, Anna. Thank you Mary!!! Anna is 17 inches tall, so she is a smaller size than my other dolls and has the look of a younger, chubbier child. All three of these dolls have very aged appearances, befitting young ladies that were made early in Izannah’s doll making career. They each come with two elaborate dresses, full of wonderful little details to delight the heart of any dress maker, a chemise, pantalettes, petticoat and necklace.
Isabeau #1 SOLD – Thank you so much for stopping by to look at her! Please contact me if you would like to order a custom made doll similar to this one.
Isabeau #2 – SOLD Thank you!
Anna #2 – NOW SOLD THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LOOKING. Even though this one is sold you may order a custom made Anna style doll, and if you love these dresses I have enough fabric to make another set just like them.
Are you wondering where Anna #1 is? In the very near future she is going to be living with Mary, her older sister Anna and all of her Walker cousins in Vermont. Members of my Izannah Walker Doll Making Class may read about my adventures in making Anna #1 in a continuing series of posts on the class member site.
To see photos of the original Miss Anna, follow these links:
I am a much better doll maker than I am a photographer. All of the girls look so much nicer in person. If you would like to see more photos of any of the dolls before placing an order, just ask. To purchase any of these dolls please visit my website ASweetRemembrance.com or alternately you may email paula@asweetremembrance.com or call 860-355-5709.
Time worn, well loved dolls are the ones that kindle the fiercest love in my heart, but I know that some of you dearly love newer, more pristine dolls. Don’t despair, I would be happy to make you the Izannah Walker doll that inhabits your dreams and has captured a place in your heart. Call or email me to place a custom order, 860-355-5709 ( 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time) or paula@asweetremembrance.com. I do have a bit of a waiting list for custom work, so the sooner you order the better.
Click here for a quick guide about my three different styles of dolls.
Custom Made Dresses and Accessories For Your Doll
Email (paula@asweetremembrance.com) or call me (860-355-5709) about prices and available fabrics for custom made doll clothing and accessories. Simple dresses made from antique fabric start at $200 apiece. More elaborate dresses with a greater number of tucks, fuller skirts, rows of ribbon or lace trim, embroidery or more costly antique fabrics run from $250 -$275 and may go upwards. Handmade leather shoes are $75. Any custom order is 10% off during the sale. Scroll up to see the new style of dress that I made for Anna #2. The fully lined dress has a slim cut bodice and sleeves, with a cartridge pleated skirt and velvet ribbon trim. The cost of an identical dress is $295, if the dress must be fully lined, or $275 for one with a lined bodice.
Patterns and Classes
If you would like to order a pattern for a full set of clothes to fit one of my 18- 1/2 inch Izannah Walker dolls click on this link.
I don’t have a pattern available yet for smaller size clothing to fit Anna.
To read more about my Izannah Walker Doll Making Class by Mail follow this link to my website, where you may also order the class. The class comes with unlimited support, plus a class member only discussion site that features extra bonus material and patterns, including five different flat faced heads that work with the rest of your Izannah class patterns so that you can create a variety of different cloth dolls as friends for your Izzys! Sophie and Mae, two of my dolls that I made using the flat faced patterns will be featured in the Spring 2014 issue of Prims magazine.
Time For A Party
After trying on all their new clothes and posing for their photo shoot, the girls and I spent some time in the kitchen baking Izannah a birthday cake. We all agreed that it was the perfect treat to celebrate the birthday of our very favorite doll maker!
The recipe for the cake came from The Best of Shaker Cooking by Amy Bess Miller and Persis Fuller. I chose this recipe because it is one that would have been in use during Izannah’s lifetime and is filled with apples, the perfect seasonal fruit for an autumn birthday. I picked apples to use from our oldest apple tree. It is a very firm, late season cooking apple that I have never been able to positively identify. We grow our apples organically, so they are not picture perfect, but I’m sure apples just like these would have been a familiar site to Izannah.
Apple Cake
from Shirley Shaker Village
1/3 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1-1/3 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3 apples, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup currants or raisins
powdered sugar
ground cinnamon
Cream butter and gradually add 1/2 of the sugar, beating well. Beat egg with remaining sugar, add to first mixture. Sift in flour, salt and baking powder alternately with the m ilk. Flavor with vanilla. Add apples and currants or raisins. Beat well to mix and turn into a well-buttered 9 inch cake tin, square or round.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar and cinnamon, and bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees) for 30 minutes. Makes 1 cake.
Sharing a bit of red, white and blue for Flag Day…
Today at my house we are celebrating Easter. Tomorrow the festivities will continue as we party in honor of my middle son’s birthday! I’d like to share a bit of our celebrations with you by offering you 10% off on every single item I sell at Paula Walton’s A Sweet Remembrance!!!
This includes all classes, all dolls – even new custom orders -, all bears, all reproduction clothing, all antiques – carousel horses & cooking items -, literally everything! There is free shipping within the United States on all purchases, except carousel horses & you may place any item on lay-away, with terms to fit your budget 🙂
The coupon code for the sale is ” peeps”. Enter the code when you check out today or tomorrow using the secure shopping cart at A Sweet Remembrance and 10% will automatically be subtracted from your total. Email or call me to buy the antique cooking item shown at Paula Walton’s 18th Century Home Journal, to order a custom made Izannah Walker reproduction doll, or to set up lay-away payments. Paula@asweetremembrance.com 860-355-5709. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have about the sale or any of my work.
Wishing you a Happy Easter and an amusing April Fools Day!
Thank you for coming! We hope you had fun.
– Newly made Izannah Walker reproduction dolls may be custom ordered, please see my website Paula Walton’s A Sweet Remembrance for details.
– The recipe for Mace Shortbread cookies is available by clicking here.
– Violet tea may be purchased from Simpson and Vail.
– Directions for the two love tokens shown, plus one more are posted on my Izannah Walker Class Member Site. If you would like to buy or read more about the class click here.
– True Blue is busy making a Valentine for Kathy.
– Savannah is slaving away on a very special heartfelt letter to Charlotte.
– Ruthie is on her way back home to Brooklyn after visiting for a “spa day” to have the damage caused by the post office repaired. She says that she is ever so much better now and that she feels beautiful again. Plus she loves her new warm flannel petticoat and can’t wait to show it off to Paula C.!
– I’m getting ready to go on a double date with my husband and our very dearest friends Joy and John…
Thank you for stopping by Valentine!
XOXO Hugs and Kisses,
Paula
Izannah Walker Journal 