2023 in Review

Happy New Year, my friends!  I was just sitting here feeling like there was something I ought to be doing.  And then I remembered!  My journal's year in review.  

As I began to arrange these photos January to December, one thing occurred to me.  There really is no theme.  Is there ever one?  I don't know, but these seem to be random and all over the place.  I was trying new things.  That's the theme!  Going places in creative journey.  

I became interested in decorating paper parasols for dolls to hold and the reason was because I wished to create the little Ole Lukoje (Sandman).  Mardi Gras became a passion as I agonized over my sister giving a family heirloom to her best friend, when 

for years she'd told me she didn't know where it was because she knew I wanted it. Even I have crap in my life!  I tried my hand at making my first kimono.   I became interested in India and lehenga dressing after purchasing a lehenga for my American Girl, Kavi.

I also became interested, once again, in sewing for the 1469 Flapper doll.  And finally began collecting the outfits Doug James created for the 1470.  Collecting for me is just as much, if not more fun, than creating for dolls.

This Christmas season saw me going wild for Ideal's Tammy.  There's an illustration of Tammy on a Little Golden Activity Book that I scrapbooked with last year and was going to use again.  One thing led to another, and I bought my first Tammy doll.  Tammy came out in 1962 and was Ideal's response to Barbie.  I love early Barbie.  For years and years I collected all I ever hoped to have for

her, Ken and Skipper, so Tammy was almost a natural transition.  Yes, I went nuts.  A case, the car, books, paper dolls and MIB outfits.  You can see on the left, the Little Golden Activity book that sparked this new collecting.  If possible, I only collect mint and complete, but there are times I'll have to purchase three sets of something to get the pieces for one perfect outfit with the accessories.  Tammy on the Town is one of the Holy Grails (seen in green with fur trim) and I caved and splurged.  You see, I really felt she should have been Christmas shopping in this outfit, but I just wasn't ready to splurge.

I could write a blog on Tammy, what was offered, what the Holy Grails are, and so on, but there are so many wonderful blogs already written and I do have the collecting guide, which in itself is hard to find.

You can see her Christmas loot on the left.

Tammy with her 85% perfect convertible.  It has the steering wheel and both side windows.  No one ever writes about things like this, but I learned why all those cars don't have steering wheels.  Tammy is a big girl and her legs open when she sits, so trying to get he in and out of this car is a challenge.  I can easily see how little girls broke the steering wheel off the car.  Don't worry.  I'll be careful.

Another doll that I began recollecting for was Dawn.  Here she is in the Dawn "Holy Grail" of Rain Check, which was just this hooded cape, long cloth boots and a poodle.  I saw it paired with this silver dress and hunted one of those down, too.  Still looking for Dawn's convertible but am quite happy with the outfits I've collected and the second case just like this one.  

Another "Holy Grail" for Dawn is Bikini Beach Bunny, and I bid the moon for a MIB one this past fall.  I'm happy.  

I had Dawn when she first came out in 1970 and collected for her with my own earned money.  This surprises me because it was around the time I stopped playing with dolls.  I went through a Dawn phase about ten or fifteen years ago, sold it all, then of course, regretted it.  This collection will go to the grave with me.

Of course, there were other dolls and outfits I collected throughout the year, but these two dolls gives you an idea of where I'm at with sentimental vintage collecting.  It brings me great pleasure to have something in new condition, today, that I never had a chance to play with as a child.  Tammy is pure fun!

So, let's take a look at the year 2023 and what I worked on month by month.  It was hard to select just one photo for each project, but if you wish to see more, you can do that by looking them up in the menu to the left.  Let's go!

January saw one of my favorite Club Grace outfits offered.  One for Chinese Lunar New Year.  I made Dolly a detailed little Hanfu costume, and Remmie Lou got a fur trimmed Chinese dog coat.

January was also the month I made a Year of the Rabbit outfit for Illustrated Alice.  Simply a no-brainer project.  She remains to this day in this costume, and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out.

It gave me a chance to do some embroidery and celebrate Lunar New Year as well as the rabbit.

February was the month I began three Mardi Gras costumes.  Cissy's was first and its just glorious.  I had no idea what I wanted to do for her, but it came together so elegantly.

Peggy Sue wanted to go to Mardi Gras, too, so I made her a sweet and fun little jester's costume in the Mardi Gras colors of purple, yellow and green.  I found a little "gator" for her to carry, and took apart strands of Mardi Gras beads to make mini ones for her.

March was Cherry Blossom season, so I made Cissy a kimono to wear while she enjoyed the blossoms in Japan.

This was also around the time that I was trying something new and wanted to teach myself how to decorate paper parasols for dolls.

The reason for wanting to do this was obvious to some degree, but I wanted to make an Ole Lukoje and really needed to be able to highly decorate an umbrella well.

I also made a circus parasol for Heather's Connie Lowe doll, and an "Alice" parasol for Tonner's Ellowyne in Wonderland.

April.  American Girl released Claudie Wells but didn't really make much for her.  In her first story, Claudie plays with a puppet theater to entertain her little brother.  So I made it based on the illustration they had in the book.

I don't understand.  This would have been a perfect toy for Mattel to make for Claudie, but they never did.

May was the month I made Ole Lukoje.  He's the Hans Christian Andersen "Sandman" pixie that holds a storybook parasol over the heads of good little children as they sleep, so they have sweet dreams.  Bad children get a black umbrella held over their heads for no dreams.

Ole Lukoje is on my bedside table.

May must have been a non-Club Grace month, so I bought a beautiful Tonner bridal gown for Grace and made Dolly a flower girl costume, while Remmie Lou was the ring bearer.

June saw me making a red mushroom costume for little Esme.  I'd bought this mushroom costume set that Boneka made for a Modern Doll Convention.  I dressed the large costume on a small Maggie Iacono, and the little one is on a Mini Ginny.  

July may have been the first Club Grace of the year, but don't quote me on that.  I made Dolly gardening overalls and floral wellies to match Grace's outfit.  Remmie Lou got a game to play by Diana Vining, and I made her a visor.

August was the month I delved into lehenga-land and did tons of research on the costuming of India, as well as the right silks to use for these doll costumes.  I spent a small fortune trying to find the right silks and trims, but it was worth it in the end.

Sadly this beautiful aqua blue lehenga faded in the sunlight and I learned a lesson about the delicate nature of these silks.

In September, I made one of the Ruby Red Fashion Friends dolls a lehenga of her own.  I named her, Suhani.  She's the doll I'll make more of these costumes for.  Maybe a new one for her this coming spring.

October arrives and its Halloween time.  My favorite time of year.  Heather and I had a brief conversation about Kitty Hudson needing a Halloween costume, and the next thing I knew, Kitty was on my doorstep asking Madame Hoover for a new outfit.

Kitty's costume was so successful, and I had so much fun making it, that I burned the midnight oil making something for my 1470, Emily.

Both costumes were illustrations in a Dennison's Bogie Book.

November would see the last performance set up in Barbie and Ken's Little Theatre.  Using the Arabian Nights back drop and costumes I had for the dolls, I set up for a performance of The Nutcracker Suite and the Land of the Sugar Plum Fairy.

I enjoyed having this theatre up for a year and just packed it up a couple of days ago.  The "table" is now home to Tammy for a while.  

November also saw me creating a ski outfit for Cissy.  I enjoyed making this so much.  Gowns and dresses are fun and pretty, but I adore play clothing for my dolls.  A craftsman in the U.K. made these beautiful skis for me and I pulled out the stops to make a gorgeous ski outfit for Cissy.  The ski boots were the main attraction.  

Shortly after I finished, I undressed her and began the Shiny Brite dress for her, with the black velveteen coat and hat.  After New Year's Eve, I'll redress Cissy in this costume for the winter.  She may be the only one skiing this year unless we get a change of weather in the Sierras!

Details show with the jacket open, of the wool pants and striped sweater.

A Shiny Brite Christmas for Cissy in silk.

I went nuts purchasing Radko's Shiny Brite reproduction ornaments this year.  They look gorgeous mixed in with my Old World Christmas ornaments.  

Cissy holds a tiny vintage one and a Christmas present wrapped in miniaturized vintage wrapping paper.

I might just mention that one of the appeals of Tammy, is that she reminds me of a mini Cissy doll.  It's the innocence in the face I love.

December was the crescendo for Club Grace.  Finally, a costume I could really love.  Her ice skating costume was based on a vintage one from the 30's but Dolly's is more in the style of the 1950s.  Even Remmie Lou got a skating costume and skates.

It's all make-believe and play, and there is nothing I enjoy more than escaping reality through my dolls!

If everything works out well, Peggy Sue will be getting a 1950's ice skating costume in January.  

I have no plans for this coming year.  More than last year, I'm letting my inspiration take me where it wants to go.  It may mean that I won't have a blog each month, but that doesn't mean I won't be working on something.  To create is to live my best life. Who knows what will inspire me and when?!  Whenever and whatever comes along, I'll be ready.

Thank you for following along with me on this creative journey and I hope you'll enjoy some of the new things I make in 2024!

Wishing you a most Happy New Year!  Melissa