Happy 198th Birthday Izannah Walker – Part 6 – Piecing Quilt Tops

September 26, 2015September 26, 2015 paulawaltonLeave a comment

Zanna, Isabeau, Isane, Ismay and Hannah have been diligently piecing quilt tops, as birthday presents to send along with the young Hannahs and Lilys. Little Izzybelle has been their devoted helper.

Sunny, late summer afternoons are the perfect time for the dolls to sit under the hydrangea tree and sew.

“I’m so glad that we managed to get all of our chores finished in time to work on our quilts!” “Oh yes. This is a perfect day to be outside!”

“Izzybelle, would you please hand me a spool of thread?” “I just ran out!”

” I like all of these palampore center medallions!”

“Let’s see how the quilts look on the bed.”

“Zanna, what do you think? Do you like it?”

“This one looks good too!” “I’m glad we made two of these!”

“This one is nice!” “I was worried that we wouldn’t get them all finished in time!” “Let’s cut out backings to send along with the tops.” “Good idea!” “Can’t you just see Hannah and Lily quilting their quilts this winter.” “Maybe their new families will be quilters too!” “I hope so.”

One quilt top and coordinating backing will be included with any of the two new Hannahs and two new Lilys that are purchased this weekend ❤ The dolls and I want them to be warm and cozy in their new homes! One Hannah and one Lily have been spoken for, you may see the others here. Hannah #2 & Lily #2

Happy 198th Birthday Izannah Walker – Part 3 – Baking Birthday Treats

September 25, 2015September 25, 2015 paulawaltonLeave a comment

The dolls have taken over my kitchen to bake honey cakes for this afternoon’s birthday tea party. It’s time to get out the cookbook!

This is one of our favorite cookbooks. America Eats by William Woys Weaver. It is no longer in print, but if you search you may still be able to find a copy here or there... — This is one of our favorite cookbooks. *America Eats* by William Woys Weaver. It is no longer in print, but if you search you may still be able to find a copy here or there…

"Isabeau will you find the page with the honey cake while I get out the honey pitcher?" — “Isabeau will you find the page with the honey cake while I get out the honey pitcher?”

"Here it is, Honey Tea Cake." — “Here it is, Honey Tea Cake.”

"Hannah, Isane and I will get out the ingredients, and you can measure them into the bowl." — “Hannah, Isane and I will get out the ingredients, and you can measure them into the bowl.”

"Alright, I can do that Isabeau" "Can you please hand me the flour?" — “Alright, I can do that Isabeau” “Can you please hand me the flour?”

"Zanna, do you think I should add some lavender to part of the batter?" — “Zanna, do you think I should add some lavender to part of the batter?”

"I think that is a wonderful idea Hannah!" "It will taste so good with the wild flower honey!" — “I think that is a wonderful idea Hannah!” “It will taste so good with the wild flower honey!”

"Does this look like enough lavender?" "Or should I add just a smidgeon more?" — “Does this look like enough lavender?” “Or should I add just a smidgeon more?”

"I love lavender! Let's add a bit more." — “I love lavender! Let’s add more!!!”

"Ismay, is the oven hot enough?" "I think the tea cakes are ready to bake." — “Ismay, is the oven hot enough?” “I think the tea cakes are ready to bake.”

"Yes it's just the right temprature." — “Yes it’s just the right temperature.”

"These smell devine" "The first batch is ready to come out of the oven right now." — “These smell devine” “The first batch is ready to come out of the oven right now.”

"Izzybelle, let the cake cook a bit so you don't burn your mouth, and then you can be our official taster." — “Izzybelle, let the cake cool a bit so you don’t burn your mouth, and then you can be our official taster.”

"Is it good?" "Oh yes! Everyone is going to love them. Maybe we should make more!" — “Is it good?” “Oh yes! Everyone is going to love them. Maybe we should make more!”

"Let's hurry and get the last of these out of the oven. We still need to get the chairs set up in the parlor and change clothes before the guest start arriving..." — “Let’s hurry and get the last of these out of the oven. We still need to get the chairs set up in the parlor and change clothes before the guest start arriving…”

Please come back to join us at 4:00 p.m. Eastern time for tea. ❤

Antique Izannah Walker Dolls · Celebrations · Doll for Sale · Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll · Where to Shop

A Busy Week!

September 21, 2015 paulawalton4 Comments

The girl’s and I are in the midst of preparing for the big day on Friday!

We are hoping that you will mark your calendar and come back to visit on the 25th for our all day celebration of Izannah Walker's 198th birthday! — We are hoping that you will mark your calendar and come back to visit on the 25th for our all day celebration of Izannah Walker’s 198th birthday!

Antique Izannah Walker Dolls · Stray Comments

A Wonderful Treat for Doll Lovers

February 28, 2015 paulawalton4 Comments

My friend Edyth O’Neil, a long time doll collector, antique dealer, artist, and rug hooker extraordinaire, has a new doll blog, Dolls for My Red Cape. She currently has some wonderful posts up about her collection of early papier-mache dolls, antique quilts, and fabulous mid-19th century doll and baby clothing. I hope you will enjoy reading about Edyth’s dolls as much as I do!

There is no better way to spend an afternoon than playing dolls with your friends! One of the Isabeaus that I just finished making is going back home to Texas with Edyth. — There is no better way to spend an afternoon than playing dolls with your friends! This is a photo of Edyth and Peggy along with my dolls and Peggy’s after just such an afternoon. ❤

Antique Izannah Walker Dolls · Doll Clothing · Izannah Walker History

A Great Treat!

March 18, 2012 paulawalton2 Comments

The Doll Collectors of America have a wonderful Izannah Walker slide show of their 2010 75th Annual Meeting online. It is most glorious thing I’ve seen lately! If you need to add a few moments of happiness to your day, go take a look 🙂 Click here or on the link above.

Several people have asked me about additional Izannah dress styles lately. This slide show has some lovely dresses in it, which makes it a fantastic resource too. If you have any questions about the possibility of ordering a dress similar in style to any dress you may have seen on an Izannah Walker doll, just ask. I can make almost any dress that I can find the materials for 🙂

Antique Doll Furniture · Doll Accessories · Other Types of Doll Making · Shows · Where to Shop

Fabulous Finds

October 27, 2011October 28, 2011 paulawalton3 Comments

I have been finding the most wonderful things recently on my shopping forays to the flea market and various other locales. My latest trip on Sunday to the Elephant’s Trunk and the Jenny Lind Doll Club’s annual Doll Show were no exception. Since I just returned last week from a whirlwind shopping trip to Bella Vista, Arkansas with 11 other women, you would think I would be all shopped out 🙂 Apparently not so!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — Strands of pink colored bone beads will make charming doll size necklaces. I also have them in natural bone and indigo blue.

I was very excited to find strands of bone beads at the flea market. They are going to make wonderful Izannah necklaces and are available in more colors than the coral beads I have been using. The bone beads are also just as historically accurate as the coral. So now you will have your choice of both types of beads.

I’ve been frantically stocking up on all of the appropriate antique fabrics I can find. It’s going to be a long winter with many fewer shopping opportunities. I’m trying to make sure that I have enough fabric on hand to dress the dolls I will be making from now through early spring. The only drawback is that it’s making me feel a bit like a squirrel putting away nuts for winter 🙂

My shopping list, when I headed out to the doll show, consisted of one item – hand knitted doll socks. Upon arrival at the show I very virtuously purchased numerous pairs of lacy knit stockings (they are the one and only item of apparel that I do not hand make for my reproduction Izannahs). But then I got a bit sidetracked! I happened upon a fantastic German wooden doll, dressed in indigo prints.

Her clothing is old, though not as old as the doll herself. I’m estimating that her current ensemble dates to 1890-1910. Her pantalettes and chemise are probably original to the doll, which was made in the first part of the 19th century. Soon the wooden doll was carefully wrapped in tissue and residing in my shopping bag. To make sure that she didn’t feel lonely, I added a pair of tiny bisque pincushion dolls, a 1920’s Japanese bisque doll, a vintage spun cotton ornament, two tiny wooden Noah’s Ark dogs, and a pair of vintage evergreens to keep her company.