Izannah Reproduction Doll Class · Where to Shop

Mid-Summer Sale

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One of my favorite things about summer is that my best friends and I usually manage to work in at least a day or two to get together and work on something “crafty”.  This summer it looks like we’ll be spending a day rug hooking and maybe another day experimenting with pink Rockford red heel socks, making “girly” sock monkeys.  I’d also like to find time for us to get together to make plant markers out of vintage silverware and concrete “fairy houses” for our gardens.

So I thought that I’d run a mid-summer sale on my Spun Cotton Ornament Class by Mail and my Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll Class by Mail to make your summer crafting more affordable.  Take advantage of this 15% off sale to learn something new, either with a group of friends or on your own.  Visit  http://www.asweetremembrance.com/store/WsDefault.asp?One=40 to order my Spun Cotton Class and http://www.asweetremembrance.com/store/WsDefault.asp?One=273 to order my Izannah Class on sale through July 28.

If you would like to be notified of future sales and other news, please sign up for my mailing list, the form is located at the bottom of my website home page.

Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll · Where to Shop

Reproduction Izannah #2 SOLD

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This is the reproduction Izannah that I’m currently working on.  I thought you might enjoy seeing a sneak peak .  As you can see she still needs ears, hair, arms and legs.  Not to mention clothing.

Even though she’s not complete, she is now sold.  I do have five more dolls started.  I’ll be posting more photos as I get them finished, so please check back! 🙂  Or email me for details on available dolls – paula@asweetremembrance.com.

Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll · Where to Shop

One New Izannah Available

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I have one new, historically accurate, 18-1/2 inch tall Izannah Reproduction Doll available.

This is an all cloth doll.  Her head is made from layers of pressed stockinette and cotton.  She has bare feet with individually stitched toes,  applied thumbs, and is painted with artist oils.   This doll and her clothes are based on one of the original antique Izannah Walker dolls that I own.

She is wearing a chemise, pantalettes, and dress made from antique fabrics.  Her petticoat is an antique, and does have some imperfections, but is still a beautiful garment.  Her second skin is made from antique glazed linen.  If you would prefer, you may choose the brown dress made from a reproduction print fabric instead.

Her photo album is below.  Please feel free to call (860-355-5709) or email (paula@asweetremembrance.com) me if you are interested in purchasing this doll and have any questions that you’d like answered, or would like to see any additional photos.  I’d also be happy to chat with you about other available dolls.

Doll Clothing

Pretty in Pink

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Here is a quick peek at a dress that I’ve been working on this week.   I made this dress using the clothing pattern that I drafted from the original brown print dress that belongs to one of my antique Izannahs.  The fabric is an antique 30 inch wide homespun check, which looks a lot different from modern gingham in person, but not in the photo.  I did have to make shorter cuffs than on the original brown dress, due to a lack of fabric.  Pretty amazing what a difference that a change of color makes! 🙂

This dress actually belongs to one of my new reproduction Izannahs, but while the paint on the new doll is drying, her much older sister stepped in to try on the dress.

Stray Comments · Where to Shop

Treasure Hunting

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Last Thursday my husband, Brian, and I went to Brimfield, MA for the day.  We spent seven and a half hours walking through the fields that border the main street of the town, shopping for antiques.

We managed to unearth some fabulous ‘treasures”.  Among our finds were a handful of the painted milk glass buttons that I use on my Izannah dresses.   I was able to purchase both brown and purple rimmed buttons for $1 each, but I had to pay $2 for pink ones.

My other sewing and doll related goodies include a vintage velvet pincushion, two wonderful, very early, 19th century samplers, a sweet mid-19th century cloth doll, a small gray doll chair – just the right size for an Izannah , a mohair terrier, and a whole bag full of millinery flowers, ribbons and trims.

I rounded off my shopping by buying a tiny glass vase, a purple transferware plate, an extremely heavy concrete planter in the shape of a woman’s head,  a surprise Christmas gift for a dear friend (no I can’t say what it is), and half a dozen vintage aprons.

Obviously if you have a chance you should go to one of Brimfield’s thrice annual antique sales, held in May, July and September each year.  Some years I don’t buy much at all, and other times I fill up the van, but it is always enjoyable.  Just be sure to wear comfortable shoes!

Izannah Reproduction Doll Class · Stray Comments

Thank You Early American Life!

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I just received some excellent news!  The following is an excerpt from a letter Early American Life magazine sent me yesterday:

Dear Paula Walton,

Congratulations! Because of your creative talents and dedication to historical accuracy, you have been chosen to join the distinguished group of craftspeople listed in the 2010 Directory of Traditional American Crafts in the category “toys and dolls.”

Now in our 41st year, Early American Life continues to promote traditional craftsmanship, providing our national readership with comprehensive information on early American crafts, their history, their function, and the importance of their preservation. In addition, we are committed to promoting individual craftspeople and their artistry. As a Directory artisan, you rank as one of the most talented of them all.

The Directory issue will begin distribution to subscribers on about June 3rd. (The newsstand date is June 22nd).

I am extremely honored to have been juried into the Directory once again.  Even though this will be the 22nd time I have been in the Directory, it’s still every bit as thrilling as the very first time.

The two examples of my work that I submitted for judging were one of my Izannah Walker reproduction dolls and a fully jointed teddy bear made of antique white mohair.  I don’t always submit items from the same categories every year, because I make many different things.  For 2010 I decided that Toys and Dolls was a very appropriate category,  since I started this year finishing my Izannah class and getting it shipped out to my first round of students.

So thank you Early American Life.  If you’d like to buy a copy of the 2010 Directory issue, look for it to be on sale June 22nd.

Other Types of Doll Making · Stray Comments

Even Doll Makers Need a New Dolly Now and Then

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I did something  recently that I haven’t done since 1975.  I bought myself a new doll.  What???  I can see all those puzzled looks on your faces.  You are thinking, “Is this woman nuts? She’s a doll collector. She buys dolls all the time.  What the heck is she talking about?”  It’s very true that I do buy quite a few dolls, but they are all old dolls and the operative word here is new.

The last time I bought a new doll for myself was when I was first married and saw two tiny dolls dressed as infants, which came with a frilly baby carriage and cradle.   I could just see those little dolls sitting on a nursery shelf!

The dolls never made it out of their boxes.  I stored them in a closet, patiently waiting for a baby girl.  Instead I had three boys whose nurseries had primary rainbows, brown teddy bears, and Peter Rabbit (separate nurseries and different themes).  Eventually I sold the tiny frilly dolls on eBay, where they found a good home.  After all, by then they were over 25 years old and collectibles!

This time around I bought the new doll just for me.  She is a replica of a Queen Anne style wooden doll.  I love Queen Anne woodens, and I’ve gone so far as to price antique ones.  If you have done that too, then you know why I haven’t purchased one yet.  To be honest, I pretty much love most things carved from wood.  I have a real soft spot for carousel animals, Noah’s Arks, ships figure heads and of course wooden dolls.  I already have numerous carousel animals and arks, so wooden dolls just had to be next.

I bought this doll from Kathy Patterson. Her reproduction Queen Anne dolls are the most authentic ones that I have seen.  If you would like to be amazed, go visit her blog babesfromthewoods.com.  Caution: only do this when you are completely alone, as drooling may occur!

To top it all off, not only is Kathy extremely talented, she’s a genuinely nice person too, and I hear that she has a great studio to work in!  Kind of makes all your little green envy monsters stir, doesn’t it????

Where to Shop

April 15th One Day Sale

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April 15th!  Not a happy day….  No one likes paying taxes.  To take a bit of the sting out of the 15th, I will deduct 15% off the price of anything you order today from A Sweet Remembrance.  The sale starts at noon Eastern time today, April 15th, and runs through noon on Friday the 16th.  Just enter the code tax day when you check out.

Izannah Inspired Artist Dolls · Izannah Reproduction Doll Class

Two New Dolls in Progress

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All images copyright Paula Walton 2010

Now that I have finally managed to get my Izannah Reproduction Doll Making Class launched, I have time to indulge in the luxury of simply making dolls.  What a treat!

Last week I started working on two reproduction Izannahs, one with bare feet and the other with booted feet.  So far, so good.  I love the way they are turning out.   I’m thinking of painting one of them as a black doll.  It must be a good plan because I was able to go up to the attic and find my stash of nubby black lambskin in less than five minutes.  That’s always an auspicious sign.  It sometimes takes me hours and hours to locate things up there!

I’ve considered making the other into a boy doll, but I probably won’t because I have a fantastic piece of antique floral printed fabric that would make a perfect dress.  Boy dolls may have to wait until I can get my hands on a really great piece of plaid…

Izannah Reproduction Doll Class

My Izannah Class is Complete!

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I am extremely happy to say that my Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll Making Class is finished and that all of the wonderful people who pre-ordered  the class have already received their classes in the mail!

I haven’t posted much in the past couple of weeks because we were putting the finishing touches on the class, then assembling the booklets, optional material kits and packing everything up and getting it all out in the mail.  I think that the employees at my post office were a bit stunned to see me there so often, with soooooo many boxes!

The class  is a Master Level class that teaches you to make an exact reproduction of one of Izannah Walker’s iconic early pre-patent 18-½ inch dolls. Prior sewing, sculpting and painting experience is a pre-requisite.

Now that the class is completely finished I can tell you that it officially includes:

  • 75 page Booklet full of step-by-step instructions with 166 detailed photographs
  • Patterns for doll body and one complete set of clothing (dress, two petticoats, chemise, drawers)
  • Body Construction Guide with 16 measurements
  • Detailed instructions for sculpting head featuring Sculpting Guide with 54 separate measurements taken from my antique Izannah Walker dolls
  • Mold-making instructions
  • Paint swatches and formulas to match colors from original Izannah Walker dolls
  • Painting instructions
  • Fabric swatches
  • Wool stuffing
  • Source list for all required materials
  • Optional instructions for those wanting to take a short-cut approach
  • Lifetime question and answer support at no additional charge
  • Additional bonus doll making information and student interaction on my class member-only Ning site. Bonus doll making instructions already posted include a tutorial on How to Reduce and Enlarge Patterns.  Other planned tutorials will be on such topics as How to Make Other Types of Molds, Additional Izannah Shoes and Boots, and more.

An optional material kit is also available at an additional charge. It includes enough of nine historically-correct fabrics, six antique buttons, antique lace, cotton or wool tape and cotton stuffing to make one complete, fully-dressed 18-½ inch doll. Fabrics may vary from those pictured. You will still need your own sculpting, mold-making and painting supplies.

The kit is strictly a time-saving convenience item.  All of the materials that you need to make the doll, as well as sources where you can buy them, are listed in the class instruction booklet and on the class member Ning site.  When you buy this kit you are paying me to shop for you.  You can save money by doing your own shopping, looking through your fabric stash for materials that you may already own and using recycled fabrics.

If you’ve been thinking about ordering the class, but were waiting until it was finished to order, your wait is over!  You can purchase my Izannah class by visiting my website, www.asweetremembrance.com.