Grace's Little Friend, Dolly Dingle

There's a little bit of interesting history when it comes to Dolly Dingle and I.  It was so long ago that you may not remember it.  And, even I forget sometimes since I no longer refer to myself as Missy Mouse, which was the "business" name I used when I used to make and sell my doll accessories and miniature work.  Not that I ever really considered what I did or do, a business, but it gave me a bit of anonymity.  

I was just starting out, and making miniature hand-painted doll trunks with tiny dolls and accessories in them.  Thinking that I might want to try being professional, I was searching for ideas for a logo.  I'd made a couple of tiny porcelain Dolly Dingle trunk sets and had lots of Grace Drayton paper doll images in my work files.  One of the pages was a Christmas page, and featured a little mouse.  As I was also heavily into Becassine at the time, I took the image of the little mouse and dressed her up as Becassine, and she became Missy Mouse.  Today, this is bit embarrassing, considering I never take myself too seriously, but it was a cute  

image.  

Grace Drayton was born Grace Gebbie, in 1878, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  Her father, George Gebbie, was an art publisher.  

Grace attended Drexel Institute and the Philadelphia School of Design for Women.  While attending the latter school, she was a student of the American artist and teacher, Robert Henri from 1893 - 1894.  She began her life as a freelance artist in 1895.  From 1905 - 1909, she was a member of the The Plastic Club, an arts organization in Philadelphia, and this is where she created the Campbell Kids for advertisements.  Along with her sister, who was a writer, they produced The Adventures of Dolly Drake and Bobby Blake in Storyland, and The Turr'ble Tales of Kaptain Kiddo.  

After the end of her first marriage to Theodore Wiederseim, she married William Drayton in 1911, and was then known as Grace Drayton.  Grace designed the popular Dolly Dingle paper dolls, which appeared in the women's magazine Pictorial Review.  These darling paper doll pages are collectibles today, but copy images can easily be found filling the pages of Pinterest, and blogs such as this one.  Grace entertained her audience with these adorable paper dolls depicting holidays, every season, and doing fun activities.  She would get a family, and pets, and her cherubic body and face are instantly recognizable and treasured.  

I would daresay that the Campbell Kids and Dolly Dingle, are what Grace Drayton is best known for.

I would love to interview Diana Vining someday and learn how she came to love Dolly Dingle, but I'm too shy to ask, and I believe that she might be a very private person.  But, I'm so glad she does love her, because through her, Dolly Dingle became the mascot for the 

Virtual Doll Convention.  

When I first saw Dolly Dingle featured, I wondered why, or how she became associated with the VDC.  I don't think I'll ever know.  So I'll simply guess that Diana, as a paper doll artist, loved her, too, and so Dolly Dingle became our little darling of the VDC.

After seeing her and Grace together, dressed up in matching outfits, I longed to have a little Dolly Dingle, and make them matching costumes inspired by Diana's work.  It just took me awhile to figure out how to make that happen.  So when I'd tired of Peggy Sue (no, I'm not tired of her, but I don't think I'll be sewing for her any longer), and had done all I could for Grace, to this point, I decided to give Connie Zink a call.  Connie, one of finest doll makers in the U.S., was the artist for my Daisy, Lettie Lane and Polly Pratt.  We'd worked closely on the creation of Polly Pratt years ago, and I asked her if she'd like to do it again with a Dolly Dingle.  She did.  And, the results were tremendous!

She happened to find a mold for the A&M 243 that looked as closely to Diana's doll as could be found.  Lucky, for both of us, that she had the greenware done and sitting on a shelf.  The body is a mold as well, that Connie poured, cleaned, painted and strung, so my Dolly Dingle is a unique little doll.  I set her eyes, then fitted her with a Monique Julie wig, which I sewed up a bit for a shorter look, and then of course, dressed her.  She's nine inches tall, and the perfect sized little companion to the 16.5" Grace.  Interesting, don't you think, that Grace Marie Fitzpatrick and Grace Drayton have the same name, and Dolly Dingle is the VDC darling?  Just another question I would ask Diana about.  

Diana had drawn a darling image of Dolly Dingle called Dolly Dingle Money Jingle, in which she wore a cheery pink cherry colored dress, held a little pleated money purse and wore a bright blue bow in her hair.  I thought, as a first dress, this would be the perfect way to dress and introduce her since spring is right around the corner.   The little dress has a high empire bodice with a gathered drape of dress beneath 

it.  A row of little blue buttons march down a white runner, and her white Peter Pan collar has blue embroidered daisies on it.  

The most difficult thing to make, besides the pattern - three whacks at that! - were her shoes.  I think it had to do with this little body that has wide toes, and a narrow heel.  The shoes fit great until I put them on her feet with socks.  They threatened to slip off constantly.  I fixed that with a stitched heel band down the back and inside, but in the future, I'll redo the pattern and make a higher backed heel.  

I chose green silk to make the coin purse for "Money Jingle".  It does open, and snaps close.  I threaded a chain loop under the flap so she could one, carry it, and two, it would could be a coin purse on its own.  I love this little doll.  I can't wait to make matching out-

fits for her and Grace sometime.  

Speaking of Grace, earlier I'd made a little heart shaped crossbody bag inspired by a Kate Spade for her.  I guess Valentine's Day was on my mind and I just wanted to try making one.  Its made of bright red lambskin and edged in white scalloped leather for a sweet Valentine look. I included a key fob in a heart shape that can be unhooked, or hooked to the purse by a jewelry lobster claw clasp.

Below you'll find our little heroine in brown curls for a Valentine's Day paper doll.  I'm also re-sharing Polly Pratt's second Valentine's Day costume, which I made, what feels like a thousand years ago.  I'd made tiny Valentines to go inside that satchel, too.

And so, February is here.  Its time for us to think on spring and sunny days ahead.  Today is 61 degrees, sunny and blue in the Sierra Foothills.  The nights get cold, but the narcissus is already up and there are even a few daffodils poking their yellow heads up.  I'm not complaining.  It wouldn't do any good if I did.  We have had rain, and quite a bit of it in the past eleven days. I can hope for more, but there's nothing like a temperate, sunny day to lighten one's mood.

Happy Valentine's Day, and enjoy each day as they all pass by so quickly.

Love, Melissa