For those of you who are familiar with the Facebook group Friends of the UFDC Doll Museum you will be aware that the theme for this week’s posts is PINK. My contribution to the challenge was a compilation of some of the many pink dresses I have made for my reproduction Izannah Walker dolls ❤ I’ve looked a little further back into my photo archive and found even more pink dresses! I hope you enjoy seeing them all again as much as I have.
… you may be able to tell that all the Izannahs and I are excessively fond of pink.
All the little cloth girls and I were so glad that you could join us yesterday, as we celebrated the 205th anniversary of Izannah Walker’s birth! It was a joyful day in the doll’s very tall house! Today is much quieter, since there were plenty of English muffins left over for breakfast and quite a bit of cake for dessert too. The doll’s also received another birthday delivery from Mr. Twigg and his faithful horse and wagon. Thankfully this parcel was much easier to bring inside.
This evening’s after party is a chance to sit back, relax with friends and chat about all the tea party particulars. ❤
The little christening pincushions shown throughout the doll’s house.
The Little Christening Pincushions Shown Throughout the Doll’s House
If you have been curious about the small decorative pincushions that Sarah Alice and Isabeau were making you will be able to read more abut them in my upcoming article about the history of infant pincushions, titled Welcome Little Stranger which will be in the December 2022 issue of Early American. The article also include instructions for making some of your own. The all three versions pictured, as well as other larger pincushions are included in the article.
Baking for the Tea Party
Sourdough English Muffins
Yes, I did make really tiny sourdough English muffins from scratch, then cut and toasted them in a hot skillet! The jelly and jams that the dolls served at the tea party were also homemade, wild violet jelly made from the violets that I picked from my farmyard this spring, black currant jam made with currants from my garden, and peach jam made with peaches from a local farm. I added a generous pinch of cinnamon to the peach jam to make it taste like peach pie. If you’d like to make your own English muffins I suggest the King Arthur recipe, which is the one I use. I made my own sourdough starter using wholewheat flour. When I bake these sourdough English muffins I use at least 50% wholewheat flour. https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/sourdough-english-muffins-recipe
Prairie Stack Cake
Tillie Lamb’s Gingerbread Layers
This is the recipe that I used for the gingerbread layers of the doll’s latest birthday cake.
Rum Gingerbread
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
2- 1/2 cups flour
1- 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup molasses
3/4 cup hot water
1/4 cup rum
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
Combine butter, sugar and egg. Stir in dry ingredients alternately with the molasses, water and rum. Pour into a buttered 9 x 12- inch pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. You may substitute buttermilk for the water and rum.
front side2nd side ~1 teaspoon nutmeg – 2 cups nuts ~ which I never add – 1 tsp. vanilla
Pumpkin Cake and Spice Cake
Here is the hand written recipe card that I copied from my mom’s recipe for Pumpkin Cake 40 years ago. The recipe for the spice cake came from the Better Homes & Gardens New Cook Book that she gave me in 1975. I substituted raisins for nuts in the spice cake because the dolls and I like it much better that way.
Cake Frosting
Use your favorite cream cheese buttercream frosting ❤
Alphabet Cookies
Fun Fact
I had to open eleven out of twelve individual packs of Mini Alphabet Cookies to be able to spell Izannah! Surprisingly there were abundant “I”s and “Z”s. The letter that took the longest to find was “N” followed by “A”. I purchased the cookies at Aldi.
Settle by Seth Tudor
The Mysterious Delivery of the Large Wooden Settle
At the end of the birthday celebration the unseen Mr. Twigg leaves a large wooden settle at the front of the doll’s house. Mister Twigg is the little cloth sister’s neighbor who runs a delivery service along with his trusty horse and large wagon. Mister Twigg delivered my birthday present to the dolls. The settle was lovingly made by Seth Tudor, Tasha Tudor’s son. It is 1/3 scale and is a miniature version of a settle that was in Tasha’s house. He makes them in three different scales. This particular size will also work for American Girl’s dolls. The three drawers on the bottom are functional. I’m fairly sure that you can reach him through https://www.tashatudorandfamily.com/ , though I contacted him through the Take Peace Facebook group that I am a member of.
The little cloth girls and I will be painting their settle a custom color once the girls stop squabbling over exactly what that color should be!
Flowers
All of the flowers came from my gardens ❤
One Final Surprise!
The dolls were quite thrilled when Mister Twigg came again today to deliver a parcel. It was a lovely birthday present from their dear friend Kay, who often spoils them with holiday gifts ❤ Thank you Kay!
Thank You for being a part of our twelfth annual Izannah Walker Birthday Celebration ❤ ❤ ❤
It is my pleasure to introduce you to my two latest dolls, reproductions of Isane & Isabeau. Both made from handmade molds of my original antique Izannah Walker dolls.
It is my pleasure this evening to introduce you to two charming young Izannah sisters who are looking to venture out beyond the confines of the very tall house & find loving new homes of their very own. In addition to offering these sweet cloth girls for sale I also have one party dress for sale. ❤
How to buy any of the items for sale tonight ~ this is the IMPORTANT part, so please read this!
I try to keep buying my dolls as straight forward and easy as possible. In order to do that please read and follow these directions. All of my dolls are sold on a “first come” basis. Email me at PaulaASweetRemembrance@gmail.com , in your email specify exactly which doll you wish to buy . Yes this is a different email address than you used to purchase dolls before. I’ve added it so that purchase requests only will show up in the inbox. Be aware of how much the doll costs BEFORE you send your request to buy. You are welcome to ask questions, but please be 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. Checks or money orders are preferred, Paypal, credit cards are also accepted for payment. Free priority mail shipping & full insurance to any U.S address. International orders ~ exact postage + $25 handling fee to help off set the extra time required for international shipping ~ check with me to make sure your international address is one I ship to. No shipping to Russia.
Both of this evening’s dolls have a special alphabet body covering or “second skin”. It seemed appropriate for autumn and the beginning of the school year. I’ve always been charmed by these illustrated letter prints, which are most commonly seen on antique china dolls. This fabric print is also some times known as an “educational print”, and if you search for them you will find quite a few different ones on the bodies of a variety of antique dolls.
DOLL A. Isane $1595.00 SOLD
Doll A Isane
This Isane is approximately 18 inches tall. She comes fully dressed in a handmade chemise, pantalettes, petticoat and dress. Her brown print dress has extra fullness in the skirt and two graduated growth tucks. The sleeves of the dress are also tucked. All fabrics, lace and buttons are antique. PLEASE NOTE I am offering this doll for sale now, but it will take approximately a week to ten days for her to ship. Perhaps you noticed that she has two left arms! Sadly this is not the first time this has happened to me. When I started sewing her together I made the startling discovery that she didn’t have a right arm! lol So I am going to have to make her one and multiple coats of paint are going to have to dry before I can ship her.
I try to keep buying my dolls as straight forward and easy as possible. In order to do that please read and follow these directions. All of my dolls are sold on a “first come” basis. Email me at PaulaASweetRemembrance@gmail.com , in your email specify exactly which doll you wish to buy . Yes this is a different email address than you used to purchase dolls before. I’ve added it so that purchase requests only will show up in the inbox. Be aware of how much the doll costs BEFORE you send your request to buy. You are welcome to ask questions, but please be 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. Checks or money orders are preferred, Paypal, credit cards are also accepted for payment. Free priority mail shipping & full insurance to any U.S address. International orders ~ exact postage + $25 handling fee to help off set the extra time required for international shipping ~ check with me to make sure your international address is one I ship to. No shipping to Russia.
Doll B. Isabeau $1595 SOLD
Isabeau with “educational” print second skin
Party Dress $295
Made of antique fabrics in a classic mid-19th century child’s style, this party dress features extra fabric, a growth tuck, and contrasting fabric bands. It will fit my 18 – 19 inch reproduction Izannah Walker dolls as well as antique Izannah Walker dolls of the same size. The neck band is 12.5 inches, finished waist is 8.5 inches and the skirt length is 8.25 inches.
I try to keep buying my items as straight forward and easy as possible. In order to do that please read and follow these directions. All of my dresses are sold on a “first come” basis. Email me at PaulaASweetRemembrance@gmail.com , in your email specify exactly which dress you wish to buy . Yes this is a different email address than you used to purchase dolls before. I’ve added it so that purchase requests only will show up in the inbox. Be aware of how much the doll costs BEFORE you send your request to buy. You are welcome to ask questions, but please be 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. Checks or money orders are preferred, Paypal, credit cards are also accepted for payment. Free priority mail shipping & full insurance to any U.S address. International orders ~ exact postage + $25 handling fee to help off set the extra time required for international shipping ~ check with me to make sure your international address is one I ship to. No shipping to Russia.
Thank you so very much for coming to see my latest offerings and for attending this year’s Izannah Walker birthday celebration!
Welcome to this evenings sale of my three newest Izannah Walker reproduction dolls. All of these sweet painted cloth girls are looking for homes of their very own ❤
Gently Worn and Well Loved Isabeau
Doll 1 ~ A Gently Worn and Well Loved Version of Isabeau ~ $1695.00 SOLD
This pressed cloth doll was made in a handmade mold of my original antique Izannah Walker doll Isabeau. Her paint surface shows the craquelure and surface texture of the antique doll. She is 18-3/4 inches tall. This Isabeau has scalloped topped painted boots, and an antique blue linen second skin. She is dressed in an antique doll petticoat, antique pair of bloomers, and a chemise and dress made of antique fabrics and notions. Her dress has a great deal of extra fabric in both the skirt and bodice, which is something very special, as I very rarely have a large enough amount of a particular antique fabric to allow me to do this. The sleeves of the dress have two small decorative tucks, the skirt has a deep growth tuck and deep hem. She is also wearing a blue hand strung bone bead necklace.
All of my dolls are sold on a “first come” basis. Email me at p.walton.asweetremembrance@gmail.com to purchase this worn Isabeau. You are welcome to ask questions, but please be aware 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. Paypal, credit cards, checks or money orders accepted for payment. Free priority mail shipping & full insurance to any U.S address. International orders ~ exact postage + $10 handling fee to help off set the extra time required for international shipping ~ check with me to make sure your international address is one I ship to. No shipping to Russia. No handling fee for Canada.
A More Perfect Surface Version of Isabeau
Doll 2 ~ A More Perfect Surface Version of Isabeau ~ $1950.00 SOLD
This pressed cloth doll was made in a handmade mold of my original antique Izannah Walker doll Isabeau. After I made the mold I poured a plaster positive, then corrected all of the surface texture so that the plaster positive would represent Isabeau more like she was when she was newly made. Next I created a new mold, which I used to make this sweet, demure doll. She is 18-3/4 inches tall. This Isabeau has scalloped topped painted boots, and an off white linen second skin. She is dressed in an antique doll petticoat, antique pair of bloomers, and a chemise and dress made of antique fabrics and notions. Her dress is made from two coordinating double pink fabrics. The sleeves of her dress are gathered and banded. She has an amazing sunbonnet, that I reproduced from an antique doll bonnet in my collection. The bonnet took me two days to make, the original antique doll bonnet and this reproduction are both made in the same manner as actual human bonnets and are extremely detailed.
All of my dolls are sold on a “first come” basis. Email me at p.walton.asweetremembrance@gmail.com to purchase this Isabeau. You are welcome to ask questions, but please be aware 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. Paypal, credit cards, checks or money orders accepted for payment. Free priority mail shipping & full insurance to any U.S address. International orders ~ exact postage + $10 handling fee to help off set the extra time required for international shipping ~ check with me to make sure your international address is one I ship to. No shipping to Russia. No handling fee for Canada.
An adorable black version of my smallest antique Izannah Walker doll Izzybelle. This is the first time I have made a black version of her ❤
Doll 3 ~ A Black Version of Sweet Little Izzybelle ~ $1895.00 SOLD
This pressed cloth doll was made in a handmade mold of my original antique Izannah Walker doll Izzybelle. Her paint surface shows the surface texture of the antique doll. She is barely 15 inches tall. This Isabeau has scalloped topped painted boots and an antique brown cotton cambric second skin. She is dressed in an antique doll petticoat, antique pair of bloomers, and a chemise and dress made of antique fabrics and notions. Her dress is made from two coordinating double pink fabrics. The sleeves of her dress have delicate tucks. She has an amazing sunbonnet that I reproduced and slightly modified, to make it work for sweet petite Izzybelle, from and antique doll bonnet in my collection. The bonnet took me two days to make, the original antique doll bonnet and this reproduction are both made in the same manner as actual human bonnets and are extremely detailed.
All of my dolls are sold on a “first come” basis. Email me at p.walton.asweetremembrance@gmail.com to purchase this adorable little black Izzybelle. You are welcome to ask questions, but please be aware 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. Paypal, credit cards, checks or money orders accepted for payment. Free priority mail shipping & full insurance to any U.S address. International orders ~ exact postage + $10 handling fee to help off set the extra time required for international shipping ~ check with me to make sure your international address is one I ship to. No shipping to Russia. No handling fee for Canada.
I have one more of these amazing dresses available for sale! The dress will fit my +/- 18 inch reproduction Izannah Walker dolls.
Additional Dress ~ $285.00 SOLD
This dress has a great deal of extra fabric in both the skirt and bodice, which is something very special, as I very rarely have a large enough amount of a particular antique fabric to allow me to do this. The sleeves of the dress have two small decorative tucks, the skirt has a deep growth tuck and deep hem. It closes in back with a drawstring at the neck and a button at the waistband.
Thank you so very much for coming to meet my latest little cloth girls ❤ I truly appreciate your interest in my dolls more than I can say!
You are invited to come meet my three latest reproduction Izannah Walker dolls on Monday evening, April 11th at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, when they will be offered for sale. As always the dolls will be sold on a first come basis to the first person who asks to purchase the doll via email. I go by the time stamp when your email arrives in my gmail inbox.
Monday’s offerings will include two versions of Isabeau, one time worn and well loved ~ with the original paint surface of my antique Isabeau, the other a more pristine version of Isabeau which represents her as she was in her youth. I very rarely make the more perfect Isabeaus, so if you have been longing for one this may be your chance. The third doll I will be selling is something new! A tiny black version of Izzybelle, which is something new that I haven’t ever made before!
I hope you will be able to join me here on Monday to meet the new little cloth girls and wish them well as they look for their new homes ❤
At long last I am almost finished with the six little cloth dolls that I began in early December! It has been a very long winter, filled with many very cold days, when paint simply could not dry, and innumerable winter chores… Now that Spring has begun to appear I have been stitching away on a mountain of small garments and the dolls are getting anxious to head out into the world. Three of them will be heading to their long promised homes and the other three are looking forward to finding brand new homes of their very own too!
The next time I write dear diary I hope to be able to give you all the particulars of the doll’s wardrobes and their travel plans. Until then…
I remain your most faithful correspondent.
Sneak Peeks!
In the near future I will be posting three new dolls for sale! I don’t have an exact date yet, as I am still sewing the last of their clothing and doing all of the little finishing touches that are so very necessary. I have been sick for the past week and have finally resorted to setting up two sewing machines just a few feet from my bed so that I can alternate napping and sewing… which is actually more or less working. So slowly but surely these sweet dolls are coming to life. I’m just not entirely certain quite what day they will be finished, as it is hard to estimate how many naps I am going to require between now and then!
Three of the dolls I am making are among the last of the custom ordered dolls, so they are already sold. The three that I will be listing for sale are are two versions of Isabeau, one time worn and well loved ~ with the original paint surface of my antique Isabeau, the other a more pristine version of Isabeau which represents her as she was in her youth. I very rarely make the more perfect Isabeaus, so if you have been longing for one this may be your chance. The third doll I will be selling is something new! A tiny black version of Izzybelle, which is something that I haven’t ever made before.
The little cloth girls were very busy today. In a flurry of Christmas spirit they went up to the attic of their very tall house, unpacked all of their Christmas decorations, and carried them down to the parlor! A great deal of extremely animated conversation was shouted back and forth throughout the doll’s house. Christmas is definitely on it’s way!
… and where was the dollmaker you ask, while all of this frenzied activity was taking place in the doll’s house? I was very quietly and contentedly working away in a corner of the studio, creating new dolls especially for the holidays! Making dolls for Christmas always brings it’s own special kind of magic. There is an element of the time tested tradition of creating handmade presents for loved ones, the hope of making someone’s Christmas dreams come true, and the fun of getting to be a part of “Santa’s Workshop”.
I hope you will be able to come back and visit here at my Izannah Walker Journal this month, to follow along with all of our Christmas preparations, celebrations, and joys! Wishing you all a beautiful, love filled December ❤
BOTH DOLLS HAVE BEEN SOLD, Thank you so much for coming to meet them ❤
Welcome to the final evening of my 2021 Izannah Walker 204th Birthday Celebration ❤ Tonight I would like to introduce you to my latest reproduction Izannah Walker dolls. I am offering twoonedolls that I have always called “Early Izannah”. Today I decided that it is high time these wonderful large, early style 22.5 inch dolls made have a proper name! From now on I will be referring to the dolls made from this mold as “Charlotte” or “Lottie” ❤ As there are two of them available for sale at the moment one shall be Charlotte and the other Lottie.
Both of the dolls tonight are dressed in chemises, pantalettes, petticoats, and dresses made from mid-nineteenth century brown and tan gingham, brown stockings and red leather shoes. They are 22.5 inch tall reproductions of a pre-1855 Izannah Walker doll. These amazing dolls have bare feet, three ringlet curls in front of each ear and nine at the nape of their necks. Their paint surface and modeling are true to the original doll from which their mold was made.
SOLDCharlotte has a tucked petticoat trimmed in hand knit lace and an antique off white linen second-skin.
SOLDLottie has a hemstitched linen petticoat and her second skin is make from antique russet colored glazed cotton.
*Did you know that the term gingham came into use in the 17th century and originally referred to woven stripe fabric, but came to refer to the familiar woven check sometime later. When you’re dealing with a fabric that’s over five hundred years old… naturally some things do get lost in translation. “Gingham” comes from the Malayan word genggang, or “striped.” The way we identify gingham, as being a contrasting-check, was not the way in which the fabric was originally known. True gingham is distinguished primarily for being a “dyed in the yarn” fabric, meaning the yarn is dyed before it is woven. Secondly, gingham is marked by having the colored yarns (the warp) going against the uncolored yarns (the weft), to create a lightweight texture on both faces, meaning it’s essentially reversible. The name originated in the southeast Asian countries where gingham is said to have been born. The fabric balance between colored, and neutral yarns was seen as being perfect for striped shirts. As the fabric made its journey into the Western world, it retained its name, but lost its once signifying stripes.
Charlotte – $2150.00 SOLD
Sweet Charlotte is slightly more refined than her sister, with lace on her petticoat and a less worn paint surface.
All of my dolls are sold on a “first come” basis. Email me at p.walton.asweetremembrance@gmail.com to purchase. Paypal, credit cards, checks or money orders accepted for payment. Free priority mail shipping & full insurance to any U.S address. International orders ~ exact postage + $10 handling fee to help off set the extra time required for international shipping ~ check with me to make sure your international address is one I ship to. No shipping to Russia. No handling fee for Canada.
Lottie – $2150.00SOLD
Dear Lottie is a bit more demure and time worn than her sister. She has a slightly more pronounced folk art look that is quite dear to my heart. ❤
All of my dolls are sold on a “first come” basis. Email me at p.walton.asweetremembrance@gmail.com to purchase. Paypal, credit cards, checks or money orders accepted for payment. Free priority mail shipping & full insurance to any U.S address. International orders ~ exact postage + $10 handling fee to help off set the extra time required for international shipping ~ check with me to make sure your international address is one I ship to. No shipping to Russia. No handling fee for Canada.
Extra Dresses – If you are purchasing either Charlotte or Lottie and would like to have them to be fitted for an extra dress before they travel to you, I have an amazing unwashed mid-19th century fabric that would suit them perfectly! A plainly styled extra dress from this fabric, made to fit, would be $315 for their 22.5 inch size. ❤
mid-19th century cotton fabric printed with russet and brown roses.
Thank you so much for coming to our annual Izannah Walker Birthday Celebration for 2021! We hope that you enjoyed it just as much as the dolls and I have!
If you enjoyed meeting both Charlotte and Lottie, then you will undoubtedly wish to come back soon to see photos of their sister (yes they are triplets!) before she emigrates to Canada ❤ ❤ ❤
Izannah Walker Journal 