Throwback Thursday All of the really wonderful people I have met, and become friends with over the past 40 years is the best thing of all about A Sweet Remembrance. Today I am sharing a glimpse of my 2021 Dollmaking retreat. I’ve only held the one retreat because it turned out that it wasn’t really feasible from an economic standpoint. I do still teach my Izannah Walker Class by Mail with online support, which keeps me in touch with all of my students including those who came to the retreat
If you are curious and would like to read more about the retreat here are links to the posts on my Izannah Walker Journal:
Welcome! Please come in and meet my latest reproduction Izannah Walker dolls. They are two little Lizzybit sisters, both slightly smaller than the normal 16 inch height of the Lizzybits that I usually make. ❤
One of the things I love the most about Izannah Walker’s original dolls is the way that each doll is an individual, even if you are comparing two dolls whose heads were made in the same mold… It’s an inherent, magical property of pressed cloth heads.
As with any antique doll, you can sometimes read the doll’s story through the clothing they wear, and have accumulated throughout time.
These Lizzybit sisters reflect very different personalities in their faces and expressions. As I worked on them I decided that I also wanted their clothing to also show those personalities. I have intentionally made their dresses so that each fabric, design choice, and detail would capture and convey their imagined histories.
For several years I have been saving snippets and remnents of antique indigo print fabrics to use in sewing “Make-do” dresses for my family of antique Izannahs. My original dress plan for both sisters was to use the very pretty double pink backing fabric from a damaged antique quilt that I had acquired for just such a purpose. The front side of this quilt was pieced together from all sorts of different “scrap” print fabrics. As I carefully removed the all of the hand sewn quilting stitches I started thinking about my indigo make-do dress project, and picturing just how sweet it would be to make these two little dolls double pink make-do dresses! So I gathered up all of the little scraps of double pink fabrics that I have been hoarding for the perfect occasion, and began dreaming up just the right dresses for each sister ❤
Here is what you need to know to buy a doll: All of my dolls are sold on a “first come” basis. I only have two dolls to sell today. To purchase either of them email me at paula@asweetremembrance.comYou are welcome to ask questions, but please note that asking a question is not the same as making a commitment to buy and will not “hold your place in line” if someone else asks to buy the doll. When each Lizzybit sells I will mark her SOLD asap. I offer a discount if you pay by check or money order. Paypal is also accepted for payment. Free priority mail shipping & full insurance to any U.S. address. Unfortunately I am not shipping to any other countries at the current time.
Thank you so very much for your interest in my work, and for patiently sticking with me during the past two plus years as I have delt with some major issues within my c. 1790 home! I truly appreciate all of you! When you purchase my work you are helping sustain and maintain my remnent of an 18th century New England farm
( I am currently only accepting payment in U.S. currency and only shipping to U.S. addresses.)
SOLDLizzybit A ~ $1695.00– $1645 if paying by check or moneyorder. (price includes priority USPS shipping with full insurance to any U.S. address). 15.5 inches tall, with painted wispy hair around her face and more short little wisps in back. To me this Lizzybit has a very sweet, proper, and somewhat solemn expression. She is dressed in a full set of undergarments, chemise, split pantalettes, and petticoat all trimmed with antique lace and featuring antique button closures. Her pretty, and oh so proper, dress is made from two different antique douple pink printed fabrics and features full gathered and banded sleeves, a drawstring neckline and a button waistband. Her black painted boots are accented by a red band around their tops.
SOLDLizzybit B ~ $1695.00– $1645 if paying by check or moneyorder. (price includes priority USPS shipping with full insurance to any U.S. address). 15.25 inches tall, with painted wispy hair around her face, and more short little wisps in back. Can you tell just by looking at Lizzybit B that she and Izzybelle are very dear friends? They always have the best of intentions, but somehow manage to find themselves in some rather amusing situations, and troublesome predicaments… Bold, fearless little dolls that have a few tomboy tendencies, and hearts of gold. ❤ Lizzybit B is also dressed in a full set of undergarments, chemise, split pantalettes, and petticoat, all trimmed with antique lace and featuring antique button closures. Her make-do and mend dress is comprised of five different double pink fabrics. It has growth tucks in the sleeves and in the skirt. Both the neckline and the waistband of her dress close with drawstrings, as she is simply too squirmy to hold still for buttons and button holes. The back of her left sleeve has a little heart shaped patch because she ripped her sleeve one afternoon while climbing the apple tree (something that she is strictly forbidden to do). She has the same black painted boots with red trim as her sister does,
On this twelfth day of Christmas I am looking back at some of my favorite Christmas moments during the past 39 years of A Sweet Remembrance, from St. Nicholas Eve right through to the last bite of Twelfth Night Cake. Thank you all for enthusiastically welcoming my hand made creations into your home and lives. You have made owning my own business and being a working artist a joy!
Each year brings it’s own share of obstacles, and difficulties because that is simply the way life is, but it also brings so many amazing moments… I am very much looking forward to a year that is filled with more! More dolls, more days working in my studio, more spun cotton figures, making more tiny dresses, more gardening, more time to paint, more days full of everyday things on my remnants of an 18th century farm, more family, more baking, more creating, more everything! I hope you are looking forward to more too ❤
All of the little cloth girls, spun cotton characters, mohair animals, bears and I wish you a wonderful 2025 filled with peace, love, joy & all good things!
May is always a favorite month here in the farmyard! All of the flowers and fruit trees are waking up from their long winter naps, the birds are busily building nests, the greenhouse is filled with hundreds of tiny seedlings, and the little cloth girls are venturing out of the doll’s house to help with spring chores.
In addition to all of the normal cheerful activity here at Thyme Forgotten Farm, this May also brings some wonderful news!
I am extremely honored to announce that I have been juried into the Early American Life Directory of Traditional American Crafts for the 43rd time! ❤ The Directory issue will be out later this summer, and I will post more details then.
Another magazine related announcement that I know you will all be very interested in is the May issue of Antique Doll Collector will feature a wonderful article, Waiting for Izannah – One Doll’s Journey written by Laurie W. McGill.
In case this latest article makes you hungry to read more Antique Doll Collector articles about Izannah’s dolls and those of other female cloth dollmakers, here is a list of the ones that have previously appeared in Antique Doll Collector magazine, including the two articles I wrote for ADC. ❤
The last bit of very exciting Izannah Walker news that I have to share is an excellently researched blog post written by Kathy Duncan! She has unearthed some very interesting bits of Izannah Walker history that I found fascinating and that I am sure my fellow Izannahaphiles will absolutely want to read. Here is the link to Kathy Duncan’s blog Flimsies and Frippery. ❤ ❤ ❤
May Day
As some of you may remember, all the little Izannahs and I love May Day and generally try to do something special to celebrate. Yesterday was no exception. The dolls and I decided to enjoy a beautiful day and spend time working outside in the gardens. Sweet little Izzybelle is undoubtedly the most enthusiastic garden helper of all, but to be honest she has had her share of unfortunate garden “occurances”. You might recall the tale of Izzybelle and the Runaway Tomatoes
Izzybelle and the Runaway Tomatoes!
I’m sad to report that yesterday was unfortunately not one of Izzybelle’s better days in the garden. Let us just say that she is no longer allowed near the sprayer & the vinegar, and leave it at that. In the midst of all the chaos… erm excitement, the other dolls and I quite forgot to photograph our “celebration”.
Once everyone was all clean, tidy and safely back in the very tall house we settled down with our scrapbook and looked back at some of our previous May Days. Afterwards all the little cloth girls drank comforting cups of warm milk and went to bed early, as it had been quite an eventful day!
If you would also like to sit and remember May Days with us click on the links below and imagine that you are turning the pages of our scrap book with us ❤
Looking through our scrapbook and remembering past May Days
As I am sure you all know by now, I dress the reproduction Izannah Walker dolls I make in antique fabrics. Usually that means that I am using fabric that I glean from antique garments and quilts that are no longer able to be restored. On rare occasions I am lucky enough to find antique doll underwear for a few of the dolls… So I am sure you will understand how thrilled I am that I have come across an enormous quantity of antique doll petticoats and pantalettes, plus some other partial woman’s and children’s pieces that I will be able to fashion into chemises! It may take me longer to alter these garments to fit my dolls, than if I made them from scratch, but I love the idea of cleaning, repairing and altering them so that they can continue on in the wardrobes of my dolls ❤
Here is a first peek at some of the wonderful things I now have in stock for all of my future Izannahs! Though I do imagine that the little cloth girls who live with me will undoubtedly attempt to talk me out of a few things for themselves…
Wishing you a very Happy St. Patrick’s Day from the A Sweet Remembrance studios!
All of the dolls who live here at Paula Walton’s A Sweet Remembrance wish you a New Year filled with all good things! To celebrate New Year’s Eve the little cloth girls would like to share their holiday photo album with you ❤
We Wish You a New Year filled with Peace, Love & Contentment!
As I sat down this afternoon to answer some inquiries from kind correspondents who are asking about my dolls, it occured to me that perhaps others of you may have similar questions about buying one of my reproductions of Izannah Walker’s beloved pressed cloth dolls.
This is my open reply to all who may be interested…
Dear Reader,
I would be very happy to place you on my “new dolls” email mailing list if you will send your email address to paula@asweetremembrance.com. When you are on the list you will receive an email whenever I post a doll for sale.
I am no longer accepting any custom orders for dolls. Unfortunately there is no way for me to keep up with the demand for custom ordered dolls, which do take considerably longer to make. However I AM making and selling reproduction Izannah Walker dolls on a continual basis, which I post for open sales.
I think the very best way to buy a doll is when you see one that calls to you and tugs on your heart strings, so I do think it is very important to have finished dolls for sale that people can see and fall in love with.
I’ll add you to the email mailing list right away. Don’t be at all surprised if you do not get an email notice immediately. The dolls each take an extremely long time to make, just as they always did when Izannah was making them… I work more or less constantly on them, but it still feels as if each doll takes “forever”. I should probably also mention that once I post a doll or dolls for sale they usually sell very, very quickly. Thank you so much for your interest in my work. It is greatly appreciated.
post script ~ I do have a “Wish List, that helps me decide which dolls to make for open sales… If you have a particular doll or other item that you would purchase if it were available, please leave a comment to add it to the wish list https://asweetremembrance.com/category/wish-list/ . I’ll take “wishes” into consideration when choosing which categories to open up first, when designing new items, and when making dolls for “open shopping” when I post newly made dolls for sale here on my Izannah Walker Journal.
All of the really wonderful people I have met, and become friends with over the past 40 years is the best thing of all about A Sweet Remembrance. Today I am sharing a glimpse of my 2021 Dollmaking retreat. I’ve only held the one retreat because it turned out that it wasn’t really feasible from an economic standpoint. I do still teach my Izannah Walker Class by Mail with online support, which keeps me in touch with all of my students including those who came to the retreat
Izannah Walker Journal 