

Paula Walton’s doll-making notes


The issue is SOLD OUT! I just received a sneak peek of the September issue of Antique Doll Collector! It is going to be a wonderful Izannah-filled issue!!! If you are not already a subscriber to the magazine, you may want to hurry up and order a subscription! See if they will let you start with the August 2017 issue so that you can read the great article Joy Harrington wrote about an amazing mid-19th century doll wardrobe in her collection, A Mid 19th Century Wardrobe for a New England Girl. While the actual wardrobe isn’t an Izannah Walker wardrobe, it is all from the same time period and you do not want to miss a chance to see it! I can’t wait to read Joy’s article “Izannah Aprons” A Closer Look in the September issue. ❤ I have it on good authority that there will be at least one additional article about Izannah Walker dolls in Antique Doll Collector during 2017. ❤ ❤ ❤


This is the link to Antique Doll Collector’s subscription page, just click here!
Another date to mark on your calendars!!! As many of you may know, I am co-chairman for the Jenny Lind Doll Club doll show. This year is the 30th year for the show, so we wanted to do something special at this year’s show. Being fellow Izannahphiles I know you won’t be surprised by what I came up with. 🙂
The Jenny Lind Doll Club is very pleased to announce that we will have a special educational exhibit of Izannah Walker dolls at our October 29th, 2017 show. This is an almost unprecedented gathering of so many of these rare dolls at a public event. There will be at least eleven Izannah Walker dolls on display that belong to current Jenny Lind members, along with photos and memorabilia of Izannah Walker dolls owned by past members, including legendary Izannah Walker collector Maureen Popp. At this time discussions are underway with friends of the Jenny Lind doll club about the possibility of additional dolls being loaned for the exhibit, so the total number of dolls on display may be slightly higher. There is no separate admission fee to view the educational exhibit. Entrance is included in the doll show admission of $7.00.
All exhibited Izannah Walker dolls are part of private collections, they are NOT being offered for sale. This is strictly an exhibit in celebration of both our Doll Show’s 30th anniversary and Izannah Walker’s 200th birthday.
*If you will be attending the show and own an Izannah Walker doll that you would like to add to the exhibit, please contact us at jennylinddollshow@gmail.com to make arrangements. ❤
To keep up to date on all the doll show news check the show website: http://www.jennylinddollshow.wordpress.com and the show facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/jennylinddollshow/

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You may have noticed that I haven’t posted much lately. Unfortunately that doesn’t mean that I have been enjoying a long lazy summer… ( just kidding – I love what I do!) As is usually the case, there is just so much going on that I simply haven’t had time to blog!
It’s funny, I was talking to Tess Rosch, publisher of Early American Life, last week and she made some comment about me being a “high energy” person. It’s not the first time someone has said similar things. I have some dear friends who firmly believe that I only manage to get so many things done because I’m on drugs. 🙂 They asked very nicely if I would please share, as they needed to finish quite a few projects of their own. LOL! I don’t actually think of myself as high energy. Instead I view myself as a very tired, stubborn woman with an extremely long to-do list… So we’ll consider this post as checking one of those items off my list.

Lots of exciting things are going on! I’m so thrilled to say that I have been chosen for the Early American Life Directory of Traditional Craftsmen in four different categories this year! Not only will you find me listed in Toys & Dolls, but also in Miniatures, Clothing & Accessories, and Holidays (in the upcoming Christmas issue). This makes 38 times that I have been juried into the Directory!


Magazines have been a big part of my summer so far. I spent several months combing through 80 years worth of books and articles, doing research for the article on Izannah Walker and her dolls that I wrote for Antique Doll Collector magazine. Look for it in their September, 2017 issue. It is the cover article!
Currently I’m in the midst of working on an article and project for the Christmas issue of Early American Life. Keep your fingers crossed and wish me luck! I need to have it finished by the end of July!!!
OTHER HAPPENINGS
Third Thursdays are starting this month! If you didn’t read about them in my last news letter, stay tuned for more information in the next few days. This should be fun!!!
I also have quite a few really amazing things in the works to celebrate Izannah’s 200th birthday! More news will be also be forth coming about them soon. 🙂
SIGNING OFF FOR NOW
As I mentioned, this has not been a leisurely summer so far, but I have made time to garden, work in a few non-doll sewing projects, and be a grandma. Cloe and I have been enjoying our “library days”, when we go to story time at our local library, check out books, then spend the day together “gardening” which means checking on the peas she helped plant and eating berries as fast as she can pick them, playing and reading. ❤
I hope your summer has had some magical moments too!





Isabeau, Ismay and Zanna were forced to agree, for the sad truth is that the dolls only have one coat to share between them all, which was kindly loaned to them by the bears…



… later they bundled Izzybelle into the borrowed coat and let her go outside to scoop snow into their biggest bowl. Then they made snow ice cream, which they ate to their hearts content.

Thus ends the story of my dolls and their very snowy day… ❤



You can see more of Josephine and Isabeau’s doll making adventures on Facebook at Paula Walton’s A Sweet Remembrance.

All is calm, all is bright… We hope you had a joyful Christmas celebration! Best holiday wishes from our home to yours ❤
The dolls all hung their stockings from the mantle on Christmas Eve and Eliza Jane was thrilled to find that Santa left new boots in hers!
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
All the little wooden dolls have decided they need to make clothes for the new year, so they are making themselves at home amongst my sewing accoutrements…

Once again the earth has turned and November has come at last, drifting in on gently falling leaves and soft, warm rays of light… More than any other month, November causes my soul to ring with echos of the past, and my thoughts meander to the people who have lived in my house and owned the things I love before me. I dwell and marvel at small girls, turned to woman, with babes of their own, who played with the dolls I cherish. I glory in the vibrant creativity of quilts, pieced by other hands and passed down through the years, to warm loved ones… Days and hours slip away and gently flow into the past, where I allow myself to linger for a few brief hours, lost in a daydream of past childhoods. ❤


Everyone is here! It’s time to get the party started…
Making Costumes
Isabeau has decided that she should help all of the dolls and party guests make costumes. She got out our collection of Dennison Boogie Books for ideas, along with the crepe paper, Dresden trims and lithographed scrapes…
That was fun! It’s time to put the craft supplies away. We have so much more to do…
Halloween Greetings
The dolls all want to wish you a very Happy Halloween!
Ladies in White… are they ghostly visitors, tip-toeing among the tombstones? Or are they Count Dracula’s brides??? Eliza Jane, Memory and Ismay are having trouble deciding between themselves… but either way they want to wish you a hauntingly beautiful Halloween!
Zanna is usually the mildest most even tempered of dolls, but her devilish side is peeking out tonight as she sends warm Halloween Greetings your way!

Hanna wishes you all over flowing goodie bags and treats galore!

“BOO!” from Izzybelle to you!

Isabeau wishes you spooky, spine tickling chills and thrills this Halloween!
Haunted Halloween Fashions
I have a tiny stash of hoarded antique orange “cheddar” and black mourning fabrics just perfect for celebrating Halloween, but not so “costumey” that they can’t be worn year around. I’ve fashioned some of my favorites into dresses to fit my 18 inch dolls. I have four dresses available for sale, just in time for Halloween!
*Halloween Party – part 1 https://izannahwalker.com/2016/10/22/welcome-the-dolls-halloween-party/
**Halloween Party – part 3 https://izannahwalker.com/2016/10/22/halloween-party-part-3/

We hope you can join us tonight for a bit of Halloween fun & whimsy! 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time – don’t be late!