Celebrating Izannah Walker’s 208th Birthday with an Afternoon Tea Party Or The Tale of Ten Little Cloth Girls & Their Grand Birthday Celebration ~ Chapter 15

September 25, 2025September 25, 2025 paulawaltonLeave a comment

Once upon a time there were 10 well loved painted cloth dolls, who had all been brought to life by an amazing dollmaker named Izannah Walker. Because the little dolls had trouble remembering back, all those many years ago, to when they were very, very new they have all decided to treat their dearest Izannah’s birthday as their own. So every year they have a big, lovely birthday party to celebrate Izannah Walker’s birthday, as well as each others ❤

At the moment Zanna and Izzybelle are in the kitchen putting the last finishing touches on the refreshments. The dolls had quite a discussion about exactly what to serve today. Last year Isabeau and Sarah Alice were in charge of the kitchen and got a bit carried away! There was soooooooooooo much cake left over when the party ended! https://izannahwalker.com/2024/09/ After talking about it for quite some time, they finally decided to put the very sensible Zanna in charge of baking this year. Izzybelle insisted on being Zanna’s kitchen helper, even though the rest of the dolls were silently shaking their heads no.

Zanna proposed that each of them should name their most favorite birthday treats and then everyone would vote on them. After the votes were all counted Zanna announced that she would make the top two favorites, Joe Frogger cookies and vanilla ice cream! Charlcie and Eliza Jane were quite worried that there wouldn’t be enough ice left in their ice house from last winter to freeze ice cream, but somehow Zanna managed to come up with exactly enough.

“Izzybelle how many times have we told not to kneel in the kitchen chairs? Eliza Jane is going to have a fit if she sees you doing it again, and she’ll be sure to scold you about behaving like a proper young lady!” “But Zanna I can’t reach everything if I sit that way!” wailed Izzybelle.

“Alright, but just this once, and only because we need to hurry!” “We still have to put the candles in the Joe Frogger cake and the candle sticks”

“OH IZZYBELLE!” “What have you done now?” exclaimed Zanna with a huge sigh. “Carefully carry the platter of cookies upstairs please, without any more tasting like a good girl, while I scoop the ice cream.”

Such a great deal of excited chatter greeted Zanna in the parlor, with all the little cloth girls talking at once! “Oh my goodness Zanna, you and Izzybelle out did yourselves!” “Look at the ice cream!” “What a magnificent tower of birthday cookies” “Which one of us should blow out the candle?” “Tilly Lamb you blow out the candle while the rest of us make wishes ❤ ” “Remember Izzybelle don’t tell anyone your wish or it won’t come true!” “Are you sure we shouldn’t open presents first?” No Izzybelle, tea and treats first, then presents. You know that’s the way that we always do it.”

“NOW is it time for presents?” asked Izzybelle squirming with excitement. “Yes!” chorused all of her sisters!

(So THIS is what they have all been planning!)

(The dolls aren’t the only ones keeping birthday secrets…)

“Izzybelle you can go ahead and start opening presents now!” “I’m going to start with the one that has my name on it!” she declared. “Now the one I made for all of you!!! ” “It’s seeds for our garden!” “Are you surprised?” asked Izzybelle. All of her sisters tried to hide their smiles as she proudly announced “Look! I saved lots and lots of seeds from my runaway tomatoes!”

After Izzybelle made a start in unwrapping the birthday gifts, some of the other dolls joined in. Ismay gave her sisters a lovely hand cut silhouette. The lovely blue indigo wrapped parcel contained peppermint, apple mint, & lemon balm teas from Charlcie and Eliza Jane. Isabeau opened the framed flowers that Tilly Lamb and Sarah Alice gathered from the garden and pressed. (Which explains why there was a brick on top of the books!) When it was Ismay’s turn she unwrapped a sewing sampler book, made from hand made paper, that Isabeau and Zanna started to keep all of the sister’s needlework examples in. The very last birthday was the one from Cloe and me. I think Hannah was quite surprised to untie the twine and find a somewhat tattered schoolbook!

Once the dolls looked inside, they could see that the little book was actually a scrapbook full of verses, essays, and pretty lithographed paper “scraps”.

“This has been the best day” murmured a tired, but happy Izzybelle. To which all of her sisters agreed…

❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤

We hope you have enjoyed attending the doll’s birthday tea party. If you’d like to read a bit more about the behind the scenes activities necessary to set up all of the party scenes, as well as a more detailed description of how their birthday gifts were made (including Izzybelle’s seed packets ~ which were inspired by a lovely gift from our dearest, most talented friend Sandy Connors of Honey Bee Press ) please join us here tomorrow for our “After Party” post.

Antique Izannah Walker Dolls · Celebrations · Izannah Walker birthday

hmmm… There have been a lot of odd things going on this week. I think that the dolls may be plotting & planning…

September 24, 2025September 25, 2025 paulawaltonLeave a comment

I’ve been noticing a few out of the ordinary little things for several days now. For example the parlor door, which is never closed, is mysteriously shut at odd times through out the day.

When I peeked through a crack in the door, I spied the little cloth girls whispering excitedly to each other…

… and then there are all the little out of place bits and pieces that keep mysteriously appearing and disappearing in their very tall house.

First it was tiny baskets of herbs in the kitchen, with little bits dropped on the floor, as if someone had hurriedly just left the room.

Next I noticed tiny bits of paper on the parlor table, at the same time as Ismay was scurrying out of the room on silent stocking feet.

After Ismay departed I saw that there were sewing implements inexplicably tucked under the shawl draped over the parlor bench!

Even odder sights awaited me upstairs in the bedroom. A trail of pansies and leaves led me to a stack of books, with a BRICK on top, that had been hastily shoved under the bed??? There was yet another book protruding from beneath the mattress of the adjoining bed! It looks to me as if the sisters are keeping birthday secrets. Won’t they be surprised when they find that I have a birthday secret of my own!

Please join us here tomorrow September 25th at 5 p.m. Eastern Time for a grand birthday tea party in honor of Izannah Walker’s 208th birthday.

Antique Izannah Walker Dolls · Celebrations · Doll for Sale · Izannah Walker birthday · Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll · Studio News · Where to Shop · Work in Progress

This Year’s Birthday Dolls

September 23, 2025 paulawaltonLeave a comment

As I am sure most of you know every year my family of antique Izannah Walker dolls and I have a multiday celebration of Izannah Walker’s birthday on September 25th, which also includes a release of my newest reproduction Izannah Walker dolls for sale. I always try to time the doll sale to coincide with the birthday celebration, though occasionally I run into issues that delay the doll sale a little bit. It looks like the sale will be delayed this year because the paint on the dolls isn’t quite dry enough for me to sew them together. The lamp black paint on their boots takes an especially long time to dry, and after looking at their boots for a few days I think they are going to need at least one more coat of paint. There is high humidity and rain in the forecast for the rest of this week, so I honestly don’t know exactly when I’ll be able to finish them, though it should be relatively soon.

This delayed time line gives me a bit of flexibility about the exact day the dolls will be making their debut. Generally I try to alternate days and times to be as fair as possible, since I obviously can’t tailor the release to match everyone’s personal schedule. If anyone wants to drop me a note at paula@asweetremembrance.com and give me an idea of the best online doll shopping times for you I’ll set up a file that I can look through whenever I schedule doll releases. This doesn’t mean that all the release days and times will be exactly what you want, I’m sure they won’t – it just means that I’ll try to take your preferences into account as I rotate days and times.

This year I am making six dolls which are all sentimental choices. Two of them are 16 inch Lizzybits, which are one of my smaller dolls. I would say that the majority of the antique Izannah Walker dolls that I am personally aware of are 18 inches tall. The smallest that I have ever read about is 13 inches. Next in my current line up are Zanna, Isabeau, and Sarah Alice who are all 18 inches tall. Zanna was my very first antique Izannah Walker doll and Isabeau was my second, so they both have a very special place in my heart. Sweet Sarah Alice is named after Sarah Alice Langworthy the little girl pictured in an antique carte de visite that I own. You can read about the real Sarah Alice here https://izannahwalker.com/2017/09/25/remembering-sarah-alice-langworthy-happy-birthday-izannah-walker-part-2/ . The last doll that I will be offering for sale is a special 20 inch tall black version of Isadora – based on the only known black Izannah Walker doll (18 inches) that sold most recently during day one of the Theriault’s “Rosalie – A Life of Dolls” Marquis Doll Auction.

There is a somewhat long story as to why I have chosen to make this doll 20 inches tall, which I will be relating in her description when she is offered for sale.

You can read about the various molds that I make my historically accurate reproduction Izannahs from, see the original antique dolls that the molds were made from, and see a few previous examples of reproductions of those dolls here https://asweetremembrance.com/category/izannah-walker-reproduction-dolls/

My 14 – 18.5 inch dolls sell for $1695.00*. 20 inch dolls are $1900.00*

Prices include free shipping and full insurance to any U.S. address. (at the current time I’m unfortunately only selling and shipping dolls within the U.S. due to all of the tariff and exchange rate issues).

*Dolls with bare feet, or clothing that is especially elaborate and/or made from more expensive antique materials, cost more.

If I do happen to have time to make any extra dresses or accessories, they will be sold separately this time around to give everyone as many options as possible.

I’ll send you all another update with the date and time of their debut when the dolls are dry enough to sell.

In the meantime I hope you all enjoy all of the other birthday happenings. The main party will be posted at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time Thursday, September 25th on www.izannahwalker.com, with a few other birthday posts in the days before and after. (We like to make birthdays last as long as possible here!!!).

Thank you all for your interest in my reproduction Izannah Walker dolls! If you ever wish to be removed from this mailing list, just reply to this email with the word REMOVE in the subject line.

Sending Huge Hugs from all the little cloth girls!

Paula

www.izannahwalker.com

www.asweetremembrance.com

Celebrations · Doll for Sale · Izannah Walker birthday · Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll · Studio News · Where to Shop · Work in Progress

This is my latest Newsletter that just went out to everyone on my New Dolls Mailing List

September 13, 2025 paulawaltonLeave a comment

This is my latest newsletter that went out last night to everyone on my “New Dolls” mailing list.

Mid September 2025 Newsletter

2 Weeks Until My Annual Izannah Walker Birthday Celebration and My Latest Reproduction Dolls

Hello!

This is a brief note to let you all know what is currently happening in my studios. As many of you know, I live in a late 18th century farmhouse that is surrounded by barns and is situated on the 9+ acres that remain of the original 18th century farmstead. For over a year there have been workmen here helping to ensure that the house will hopefully withstand many more New England winters. You may remember that last year I had to postpone my annual September release of new dolls because the plumbing in my upstairs bathroom suddenly failed and water started pouring through my kitchen ceiling! Nothing quite that dramatic has happened since, but there have been workmen here for over a year replacing rotted wood, painting, building wooden storm windows, and a host of other necessary projects. I have historic masons who have promised to get here before snow falls to rebuild my chimney that is in danger of toppling over, and a work crew that is supposed to arrive at any time to repave half of the driveway…

I’ve wound up being more of a site coordinator and project manager during the past year than a dollmaker! During the past few weeks I have managed to sneak out to my studios and actually spend time working on dolls. I can’t begin to tell you how wonderful that has been!!! Earlier in the summer I began trying to work on a large group of Charlcies. They are going to be beautiful dolls, but I realized that if I was going to have dolls available in time for Izannah Walker’s 208th birthday that I would need to set the more complicated and complex Charlcies aside and concentrate on making some of her smaller sisters. At the moment I have 6 reproduction Izannah Walker dolls on my painting table, and piles of a dozen arms and legs sitting in front of me! I’m not sure exactly how many I’ll have available for sale by the 25th, I’m going to try to finish all of them by then. Any that I can’t quite finish will be offered for sale asap after the 25th.

I’ll be sending out another mailing as Izannah’s birthday gets closer with more details. You can also follow along with my progress and preparations on my Izannah Walker Journal https://izannahwalker.com/…/the-countdown-continues-14…/

My Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ASweetRemembrance/ and on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/asweetremembrance/

Thank you so very much for your interest in my handmade, historically accurate, reproduction Izannah Walker dolls

Paula

www.asweetremembrance.com

www.izannahwalker.com

Antique Izannah Walker Dolls · Celebrations · Doll for Sale · Izannah Walker birthday · Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll · newsletter · Studio News · Work in Progress

The Countdown Continues 14 Days Until Izannah Walker’s 208th Birthday

September 11, 2025September 11, 2025 paulawalton2 Comments

Just 14 days until Izannah Walker’s 208th birthday and my annual celebration. I’ve been spending quite a lot of time tucked away in both studios, and in my office (aka my late night sewing lair!) working on a variety of my reproduction Izannahs. I have to admit that I’ve been falling in love with these new little cloth girls a bit more every day ❤

I’ve temporarily set aside the large group of Charlcies in hopes of having some birthday dolls available! Reproducing Charlcie is a more lengthy and complicated process, which I will go right back to after bringing some of her smaller sisters to life. I’m still not entirely sure how many of the six dolls that you can see on my painting table will be finished by the 25th. I’m hoping that none of the remaining construction projects start in the next two weeks, but they are all subject to when the various tradespeople are available…

Regardless of any chaos and interruptions, all the dolls and I are greatly looking forward to their big birthday party and we hope you are too! We’d also like to take a moment to thank you all for your lovely messages and support. The proceeds from my dollmaking help fund the care, repair, and restoration of my 18th century home, barns, and the surrounding remnants of original farm land.

Naturally the party preparation involves cleaning house… and just as it is in every house the kitchen is the by far the messiest room!!!

Celebrations · Doll for Sale · Izannah Walker birthday · Studio News · Work in Progress

Counting the Days…

September 1, 2025September 2, 2025 paulawaltonLeave a comment

The 1st of September.

24 days until Izannah Walker’s 208th birthday.

1 very old house, partially ready to face it’s 235th winter.

25 little cloth girls sitting in my studio, waiting to be brought to life…

2 outrageously messy studios!

1 very tired dollmaker.

Welcome September! Mild, mellow sunlit days, cooler temperatures, and busy days full of dollmaking.

It’s been a noisy, crazy, chaotic atmosphere here, as there has been non-stop work for over a year to get my c.1790 house ready for yet another winter. There is still much more to do before first snowfall, but at the moment there is a very welcome lull, as the exterior painters finish the last little details before part of the driveway is re-paved, and before the skilled masons come to re-build the chimney which is in danger of toppling at any time.

I’ve thankfully been able to slip out into my studio to work on dolls at long last! I can’t begin to describe how absolutely wonderful it has felt to be making new pressed cloth heads… in fact it has been so very good that I now have 25 sweet faces waiting for me to make them into real live dolls. ❤ I’m sure that not all of them will actually become dolls, as I am very particular and often have to start over into order make sure that my reproduction Izannahs truly represent the feel of the original antique Izannah Walker dolls that they represent.

I don’t know exactly how many dolls I will be able to complete and offer for sale at my Izannah Walker Birthday Celebration this year, but I can say that there will be some dolls available for sale, and all of their new sisters will be offered in the coming months as I get them finished. Undoubtedly life will get in the way of my preferred dollmaking schedule, as it always does. So please keep your fingers crossed for me and wish me luck as I turn these sweet little faces into finished dolls! I will be posting many more updates about the doll’s annual Izannah Birthday Party, and my new dolls release, as the month continues ❤ ❤ ❤

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There is currently a boy Izannah Walker doll who will be up for auction in Sturbridge, MA on June 7th

May 28, 2025May 28, 2025 paulawaltonLeave a comment

To read more about this time worn, but still wonderful doll go to the auction page on Invaluable https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/very-rare-izannah-walker-boy-doll-800-c-5bd4f5fb8f?objectID=197454812&algIndex=upcoming_lots_prod&queryID=fc2857443a98694ac0114c0641814271

Doll Clothing · Doll for Sale · Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll · Pop-Up Shop · Studio News · Where to Shop

Meet Eliot, My Latest Reproduction Izannah Walker Doll ~ SOLD

April 5, 2025April 5, 2025 paulawaltonLeave a comment

SOLD ~Eliot is looking for a new home and family to call his very own. ❤

Eliot and I are so happy that you have dropped by to meet him today. He very much enjoys seeing new people, as he has been cooped up here with just me and his much older sisters for company all winter long. He is now ready to do a bit of travelling and join a new doll family.

ELIOT – ~~$2095.00 ($2025.00 for checks or money orders)~~ SOLD

Eliot is a boy doll made from Emmaline’s mold. At 17 inches tall he is just the right size to be a little brother to the other dolls in your family. (He promises that he will almost never be annoying to any new sisters) Eliot has a very classic mid 19th century boy’s side parted hair style and the famous red topped tall boots that you will find on many of Izannah Walker’s original boy dolls. Eliot’s “second skin” body covering is a reproduction alphabet print fabric that you will sometimes find used for the bodies of 19th century dolls. Since we all know that little boys can frequently have somewhat messy adventures, Eliot does come with a small wardrobe of six pieces of clothing which can be combined to make four different outfits. When making Eliot’s clothes I used some of the patterns that I drafted for James, but did use different fabrics, trims and techniques to make them personalized for Eliot. My story about James and his clothing appeared in the February, March, & April 2023 issues of Antique Doll Collector magazine. The clothing patterns and instructions are in the April 2023 issue, so if you are feeling creative you can use the patterns to sew an even larger wardrobe for Eliot. You will undoubtedly notice that buttons are a prominent feature on Eliot’s garments. All 24 buttons are antique German milk glass buttons. ❤

Buying one of my dolls is very straightforward. Here is what you need to know: All of my dolls are sold on a “first come” basis. To purchase a doll email me at paula@asweetremembrance.com after today’s sale starts at 2 p.m. Eastern time. (Please be aware of how much the doll costs BEFORE you send your request to buy.) You 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 Eliot sells I will mark him 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.

Read more about making Eliot’s clothes below: These pieces of clothing that I made for James were the inspiration for Eliot’s wardrobe.

Two of the outfits that I made for James were the inspiration for some of Eliot’s clothing.

Doll Clothing · Doll for Sale · Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll · Studio News · Where to Shop

One Sweet Izannah Walker Boy Available Tomorrow Saturday, April 5th at 2 p.m. Eastern Time ~ Sneak Peeks

April 4, 2025April 4, 2025 paulawaltonLeave a comment

I will be offering one sweet little reproduction Izannah Walker boy for sale on Saturday, April 5th at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. I don’t make boys all that often, so if you have been longing for one this is your chance. He will be sold on a first come basis, just like all of my dolls are.

Here are a few Sneak Peeks at tomorrows doll and his six piece wardrobe ❤

Buying a doll is really simple to do. Here is what you need to know: All of my dolls are sold on a “first come” basis. To purchase a doll email me at paula@asweetremembrance.com after tomorrow’s sale starts at 2 p.m. Eastern time. (Please be aware of how much the doll costs BEFORE you send your request to buy.) You 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. 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.

Cut & Stitch Fabric Doll Panels · Holidays · SALE · Where to Shop

Happy Valentine’s Day!

February 14, 2025February 15, 2025 paulawaltonLeave a comment

VALENTINE UPDATE ON CUT & STITCH DOLL PANELS

PLUS A SPECIAL VALENTINE WEEKEND CUT & STITCH SALE

NEW 14.5 Inch CUT & STITCH DOLL PANELS ON SALE 2/14 – 2/17 for $20 per PAIR OF MIRROR IMAGES – LIMITED TO CURRENT STOCK ONHAND – DOLL DESIGNS AVAILABLE ARE ISABEAU LEGS TOGHTHER, ISABEAU LEGS APART, ZANNAH LEGS TOGETHER, and ISANE LEGS TOGETHER. Email Paula@ASweetRemembrance.com to purchase. Please include your email address associated with your PayPal account so that I can invoice you, or indicate if you would prefer to pay by check. Free continental U.S. shipping. Actual shipping costs plus $10 fee for orders shipped to other countries to cover currency conversion fees and the time involved in filling out customs forms.

Today Isabeau, Tilly Lamb, Ismay, and Hannah volunteered to help me work on some of the Cut and Stitch doll samples that I am making. We had a lovely morning in my office sewing and coming up with new ideas. The sisters are especially excited about the magnetized “paper doll” we made. They are already busy thinking of ideas for all sorts of little flat paper and fabric dresses.

My original Cut & Stitch dolls are 8.5 inches tall, which is just the right size for a dolls doll, and was inspired by a turn of the 20th century original little cut and sew doll printed by Art Fabric Mills.

Due to popular request I have recently done a small edition of four larger 14.5 inch tall Cut & Stitch Doll Panels.

In between working on new reproduction Izannah Walker dolls I have been testing out the large Cut & Stitch fabric, plus working on comprehensive instructions for different ways of constructing and making both sizes of Cut & Stitch dolls. I love the new organic cotton sateen fabric that the larger Flat Izzys are printed on and I already have the one important method you need to use when sewing with this new fabric identified. So I’m ready to offer them for sale!

Each doll panel that you buy includes two mirrored doll images, so that you can sew them together back to back, or use them separately with a plain fabric backing, or for applique work. The dolls are printed on high quality 100% cotton fabric and are completely washable. There is extra fabric surrounding each doll that will allow for a ¼ inch seam allowance. The dolls may be sewn with right sides together, turned and stuffed, machine or hand stitched from the front side, trimmed and stuffed, or appliqued onto other projects. They may also be cut out and used for journaling and other multi-media projects. Add bits of fabric, lace, crepe paper and Dresden trims to create doll clothing.

Some project ideas include:

– Sew back to back for Christmas ornaments, so the “front” side is always on view. (8.5 inch size)

– String together into a banner to hang across mirrors, windows or mantles.

– Hang individually from cupboard doors or chandeliers. (8.5 inch size)

– Make into a mobile. (8.5 inch size)

– Stuff with lavender and use as drawer and closet sachets for your finest linens and clothing. (either size will work, but I suggest the 8.5 inch size for drawers)

– Fill with cedar shavings and place among your doll and bear collection to repel moths.

– Party favors for your doll club meetings and events.

– Make into a special doll’s doll for your favorite plaything. (8.5 inch size for Izannah Walker doll’s doll, 14.5 inch for larger doll’s doll)

– Baby toys.

– Add a squeaker inside to make a fun dog toy or fill with catnip for your kitten to play with. (8.5 inch size for cats toy)

– Applique’ onto quilt blocks, pincushions, curtains, aprons, pockets, baby bibs and clothing, tote bags, t-shirts and more. (both 8.5 and 14.5 inch sizes depending upon your project)

– Use applique, quilting and trapunto to make unique cloth wall art to place in an antique frame. (both sizes)

– Make fabric “paper dolls” with card stock, or adhesive magnetic backings, and create a wardrobe of flat dresses for them. (both sizes )

-Use your imagination! I’m sure you can come up with even more fun ideas!

Photos of all the possible sewing methods and a full list of project ideas are going to take me awhile to do.

I’ve also had a request for an optional head gusset, which I have not yet had time to draft and test, but it is also on my to do list.