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. ❤ ❤ ❤
94% humidity today and my paint is not drying… so rather than stressing about it I am just going to go with the flow. After all this is August in New England and you can just count on hot, sticky and humid a lot of the time. 🙂 SO, this weeks 3rd Thursday is going to be a clothing event!!! ❤ Come by at noon (eastern time) on Thursday for a fashion show. I’ll have some dresses and accessories available for immediate sale.
My perpetual hunt for antique fabrics has been overwhelmingly successful this summer! So much so that I have had fabric and quilts stacked everywhere… Much of the fabric I use to make dresses for my reproduction Izannah Walker dolls comes from the backs of damaged and worn antique quilts.
I search for and buy the quilts, take them apart, use the backing fabric that is stable enough to sew with, then save the tops to be restored if possible (sometimes this means removing the damaged blocks, then reassembling the tops into a smaller size), or at the very least I keep the tops so that even the tiniest bits of usable fabric can be re-purposed to restore other quilts and antique clothing.
So that means that I have an on going storage nightmare! The whole quilts and tops are stored in my painting studio… I know NOT paint… but my sewing studio completely ran out of space for any more fabric!!! Antique fabric, that isn’t quilts (which includes damaged antique clothing) IS kept in my cozy little sewing studio. Everyone who sews knows that you can never have enough fabric, the only question is “where do you keep it?” 🙂
Since I could barely walk into the storage closet of the painting studio, something HAD to be done. I purchased some heavy duty chrome shelves, spent a couple of afternoons putting them together, then yesterday re-folded all of my quilts and organized them on the shelves. Don’t get the wrong idea, I’m not a person that spends a great deal of time cleaning… in fact cleaning is pretty low on my to do list, but… I needed my work table back, where all of the quilts have been stacked for the past couple of weeks. Now that my table is empty, I can get to work on the how-to project and accompanying magazine article that I am writing for the Christmas issue of Early American Life.
empty shelves…
working my way through the stack…
partway there!
Organized!
Blacks & Greys
Browns
Reds
Blues
Wondering About My Choice of Shelving?
For those of you interested in conservation of antique textiles, the reason I chose the chrome shelving is because the chrome will keep the metal from rusting. Wood shelving was unsuitable because of the acid in the wood, and while you CAN paint the wood to seal in the acid, I prefer not to rely on a painted barrier. Plastic shelving is not strong enough to bear the weight of the quilts, and museum quality acid free storage boxes are impractical in this situation since I need constant, ready access to the quilts.
After I got all the quilts placed on the shelves, I covered the shelves with large dust covers to keep the quilts clean and prevent exposure to sunlight. I will periodically refold all of the quilts so that the fabric won’t wear and crumble along the fold lines.
When I need to wash quilts, I hand wash them using Orvus and cool water saved from my dehumidifier ( purchased distilled water can also be used). Then I air dry the quilts outside in a shady location, preferably flat – especially for very fragile quilts, but occasionally on the clothes line for especially sturdy ones. ❤
A clear table and one quilt to take apart to make a dress for Emmaline…Just perfect to go with Emmaline’s petticoat and pantalettes embroidered in blue…a second quilt, to be washed, restored and placed on the bed in the studio loft…and a third quilt, to be mooned over, mourned, and dream of restoring…❤
Third Thursdays start this coming Thursday, July 20th! I be posting a new doll or two for sale on the third Thursday of almost every month.
I’m starting something new! On the “third Thursday” of each month, with only a couple of exceptions, I’ll be posting a new doll, or two, or three for sale! Some months there will also be clothing and accessories too. ❤
Third Thursdays should be fun! The dolls will be posted at 12 noon Eastern Time here on izannahwalker.com and sold on a first come basis. If you wish to purchase a doll or other item, simply email me at paula@asweetremembrance.com. If more than one person emails about a doll, the email with the earliest time will take precedence. Once a doll has found it’s new home, I will immediately mark it SOLD. If a doll or accessory doesn’t sell on “Third Thursday” then it will be posted on my regular website www.asweetremembrance.com, where you’ll be able to buy it and use the automated secure checkout.
So mark your calendar and come back to visit on Thursday. If you have signed up for my “new dolls” mailing list you will receive an email reminder. 🙂
The 2nd Third Thursday will be on August 17th.No Third Thursday in September. It’s going to be an exception month. Instead of new dolls being posted for sale on 9/21, they will be for sale on September 25th as part of my annual Izannah Walker Birthday celebration!
I wasn’t really planning on splitting the Halloween Party into 3 posts, but WordPress is being a little bit cranky and overexcited tonight… So here is the third installment of our party!!!
Halloween Dresses
These dresses will all fit most of my 18 inch reproduction Izannah Walker dolls. If you are interested in buying any of the dresses, especially dress #3, you should measure the waist and top of the shoulder measurement of your doll.
SOLD Dress #1 – Sort straight sleeves, made from an antique black floral mourning print cotton. Drawstring closures at the neckline and waist. $200.00 includes free priority mail shipping to any US address.
Isabeau is modeling dress #1
Dress #2 Is the same as dress #1, except it has short gathered and frilled sleeves. $200.00 plus free priority mail shipping within the US.
SOLD Dress #3 is more fitted than the other 3 dresses. Made of orange “cheddar” print antique fabric with black vining “branches” and red “berries”, trimmed with black velvet ribbon. This dress will close with three orange painted milk glass buttons and button holes. I have not made the button holes or sewn on the buttons yet, so that I can slightly adjust the fit of the dress if necessary. $250.00 with free US priority shipping.
SOLD Dress #4 is probably my favorite! It is a true “make-do” dress, pieced together from two different antique “cheddar” orange fabrics with a false hem of a third coordinating antique fabric. One drawstring around the neckline and three drawstrings at the waistband, gives this dress an adjustable fit. You will find this method used in late 18th and early 19th century infant and young children’s clothing. It’s immensely practical! $240.00 with free priority US shipping.
Treat Bags and Box
I have one set of four cotton mesh treat bags in a decorative Halloween box. $28.50 with free Priority Mail shipping within the US.
If you are interested in purchasing any of the dresses or the set of treat bags, email me at paula@asweetremembrance.com. Paypal, or credit cards and orders by Monday to ensure delivery before Halloween. Checks and money orders if you don’t mind waiting for delivery…
Zombies???
Don’t be frightened, that isn’t a zombie graveyard full of body parts… it is just “work in progress” dolls ❤
Treats!
The dolls have worked up quite an appetite showing you around my painting studio, crafting crepe paper costumes, sending Halloween greetings and modeling the latest in Halloween fashions! Now it is time for refreshments. 🙂 Hot, buttery popcorn, sweet crunchy caramel corn, tart, crisp apples and hot spiced cider!!! Yum….
And now it’s time to say good night! We are so happy you could come celebrate Halloween with us 🙂
I hope you enjoyed the doll’s Halloween Party!!! I love Halloween and all of the seasonal delights of autumn. Can you tell? Gathered in antique wire egg baskets are some of the pumpkins from my garden and Osage Oranges from my Bodark trees.
* To enlarge any of the smaller photos, simply click on them, which will also show captions.
** I’m sorry for the slow posting tonight and for breaking the party into 3 parts. WordPress was being very difficult, so it was a bit challenging to get the Halloween party online.
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…
making costumes
so many choices…
Isabeau wants to be a pumpkin!
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!
Ladies in White… are the 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 haunting 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!
Today marks the 196th anniversary of Izannah Walker’s birth. She was born in Bristol, Rhode Island on the 25th day of September in 1817. You may read more details about Izannah’s life in this post. I wish I could invite you all over to my house for cake and silly party games, but since I can’t, I’m doing the next best thing and having a SALE to celebrate the occasion and to say thank you for being such wonderful customers, students and friends. It is such a great pleasure to know other people who love Izannah’s dolls as much as I do!
From 9/25/13 – 9/29/13 all of my reproduction Izannah Walker dolls, additional custom made dresses and accessories for your Izzy, Izannah Walker doll clothes patterns and Izannah Walker Doll Making Classes are 10% off. This sale applies only to items ordered from September 25th through September 29th, 2013, the discount is not available on prior orders. As always, all items may be placed on lay-away with terms to fit your budget and shipping is free to any United States address. I generally just have two sales per year, my Izannah Walker Birthday Sale and my Christmas Sale 🙂 So don’t let this one pass you by.
Three Finished Dolls Available
I have three very special dolls available for this years Birthday Sale. One of them is created from a brand new mold that I made from my friend Mary’s Izannah Walker doll, Anna. Thank you Mary!!! Anna is 17 inches tall, so she is a smaller size than my other dolls and has the look of a younger, chubbier child. All three of these dolls have very aged appearances, befitting young ladies that were made early in Izannah’s doll making career. They each come with two elaborate dresses, full of wonderful little details to delight the heart of any dress maker, a chemise, pantalettes, petticoat and necklace.
Isabeau #1 SOLD – Thank you so much for stopping by to look at her! Please contact me if you would like to order a custom made doll similar to this one.
SOLD Isabeau #1 comes with a necklace made from hand strung pale pink bone beads.SOLD Her dress, made from antique pink and black print fabric is adorned with rows and rows of black velvet ribbon.SOLD Isabeau #1 wearing her winter white antique wool dress. I made this dress from an antique unfinished, so never worn, wool baby’s petticoat.A surprise sentiment hides inside the waist band of her dress, which fastens with hand carved bone buttons.Details showing the antique trims used on the sleeves of Isabeau’s embroidered wool dress.three ringletsSOLD Isabeau #1 Wardrobe
Isabeau #2 – SOLD Thank you!
SOLD Isabeau #2 shows off her hand strung real coral beads.SOLD Isabeau #2 is wearing a dress that I made for her from a mid-1800’s brown “coral” pattern print fabric. The dress has full gathered sleeves, two growth tucks in the skirt and a deep 3 inch hem.SOLD Isabeau #2 in her black party frock. The dress fabric dates to the late 1800’s. Rows of antique black velvet ribbon encircle the sleeves, waist and hem of the dress.
SOLD Isabeau #2 wardrobe
Anna #2 – NOW SOLD THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LOOKING. Even though this one is sold you may order a custom made Anna style doll, and if you love these dresses I have enough fabric to make another set just like them.
SOLD Anna#2 wears a tiny golden thimble on a chain around her neck.SOLD Anna #2 is shown here wearing her dress made from a very early c. 1830-1840 cotton gauze paisley print. The green, red, brown and ivory fabric is perfect for late fall and the upcoming Christmas season. The sleeves and skirt of the dress have graduated growth tucks.SOLD Anna’s black dress is made from another very early cotton print fabric. The neckline of the dress is trimmed with antique ivory cotton ribbon, plus a row of antique silk velvet ribbon. Her chemise is trimmed in tiny waved braid (aka rick rack in modern terms).
SOLD Anna #2 WardrobeIsabeau #2 & SOLD Anna #2 show off a little Black Magic for All Hallows Eve. Black dresses are one of my favorites year around because they are a neutral accent in any room and the dark color will draw your eye to the doll and make her painted features “pop” and glow.
Are you wondering where Anna #1 is? In the very near future she is going to be living with Mary, her older sister Anna and all of her Walker cousins in Vermont. Members of my Izannah Walker Doll Making Class may read about my adventures in making Anna #1 in a continuing series of posts on the class member site.
To see photos of the original Miss Anna, follow these links:
I am a much better doll maker than I am a photographer. All of the girls look so much nicer in person. If you would like to see more photos of any of the dolls before placing an order, just ask. To purchase any of these dolls please visit my website ASweetRemembrance.com or alternately you may email paula@asweetremembrance.com or call 860-355-5709.
Time worn, well loved dolls are the ones that kindle the fiercest love in my heart, but I know that some of you dearly love newer, more pristine dolls. Don’t despair, I would be happy to make you the Izannah Walker doll that inhabits your dreams and has captured a place in your heart. Call or email me to place a custom order, 860-355-5709 ( 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time) or paula@asweetremembrance.com. I do have a bit of a waiting list for custom work, so the sooner you order the better.
Email (paula@asweetremembrance.com) or call me (860-355-5709) about prices and available fabrics for custom made doll clothing and accessories. Simple dresses made from antique fabric start at $200 apiece. More elaborate dresses with a greater number of tucks, fuller skirts, rows of ribbon or lace trim, embroidery or more costly antique fabrics run from $250 -$275 and may go upwards. Handmade leather shoes are $75. Any custom order is 10% off during the sale. Scroll up to see the new style of dress that I made for Anna #2. The fully lined dress has a slim cut bodice and sleeves, with a cartridge pleated skirt and velvet ribbon trim. The cost of an identical dress is $295, if the dress must be fully lined, or $275 for one with a lined bodice.
I don’t have a pattern available yet for smaller size clothing to fit Anna.
To read more about my Izannah Walker Doll Making Class by Mail follow this link to my website, where you may also order the class. The class comes with unlimited support, plus a class member only discussion site that features extra bonus material and patterns, including five different flat faced heads that work with the rest of your Izannah class patterns so that you can create a variety of different cloth dolls as friends for your Izzys! Sophie and Mae, two of my dolls that I made using the flat faced patterns will be featured in the Spring 2014 issue of Prims magazine.
Time For A Party
After trying on all their new clothes and posing for their photo shoot, the girls and I spent some time in the kitchen baking Izannah a birthday cake. We all agreed that it was the perfect treat to celebrate the birthday of our very favorite doll maker!
The recipe for the cake came from The Best of Shaker Cooking by Amy Bess Miller and Persis Fuller. I chose this recipe because it is one that would have been in use during Izannah’s lifetime and is filled with apples, the perfect seasonal fruit for an autumn birthday. I picked apples to use from our oldest apple tree. It is a very firm, late season cooking apple that I have never been able to positively identify. We grow our apples organically, so they are not picture perfect, but I’m sure apples just like these would have been a familiar site to Izannah.
Apple Cake
from Shirley Shaker Village
1/3 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1-1/3 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3 apples, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup currants or raisins
powdered sugar
ground cinnamon
Cream butter and gradually add 1/2 of the sugar, beating well. Beat egg with remaining sugar, add to first mixture. Sift in flour, salt and baking powder alternately with the m ilk. Flavor with vanilla. Add apples and currants or raisins. Beat well to mix and turn into a well-buttered 9 inch cake tin, square or round.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar and cinnamon, and bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees) for 30 minutes. Makes 1 cake.
Izannah Walker Journal 