Happy Halloween

Wishing all our USA friends and those who celebrate elsewhere a......

My Childhood Dolls - Part Three

Here concludes my posts of my dolls from childhood.

The last two larger dolls I have had since childhood are Katie Kopycat and 'Linda' my Palitoy 'Walking Talking' doll.

Both of these dolls I got while still living in England so I would have been under the age of six when I got them.  

Katie is missing her original shoes - I must try and find a pair for her.  Linda is wearing a non-original dress, although I do still have her original dress.  She is also wearing a 'bracelet' my Dad made for her.

Katie has long since lost her desk unfortunately - I don't think it still remains at my Mum and Dad's but maybe I will check next time I am over there visiting them.

I have shown this photo before, of me with my doll, when we lived in Glenfield New Zealand in the 1970s.

Last but by no means least is my little Perfekta doll who also travelled from England to New Zealand with me as a child and then back to England with me as an adult!

I am not sure what she would have worn originally, it has been a very long time since she had her original clothes..

I also remember having a baby doll that my sister drew all over with marker pen...  My Mum spent hours scrubbing and cleaning it all off, in the days before Oxy10!    Not sure what happened to that doll, I believe I may have given her away.

I must take a group photo of these childhood dolls.

My Childhood Dolls - Part Two

Along with Barbie and Skipper another teenage fashion doll I had as a child was 'Tressy'.  I must have been younger than six years old when I got her as I remember getting her when I was still living in England which we left when I was six years old.   She was a brunette second issue/edition Tressy with eyes that looked straight ahead.  No one had one in New Zealand at the time, although eventually I met one friend who had a blonde Tressy.  I had mine right through until I was 16 years of age when we moved home.  When we arrived to our new home - we moved ourselves, packing all our furnture, boxes etc...on the back of an open deck work truck of my Dad's  I discovered that one of my boxes was missing.  It included my favourite dressing gown, and Tressy.  I can't remember what other items it contained, but these two remain firmly entrenched in my memory.  I am pretty sure my Dad back tracked to see if he could find the missing box but we never did find it.  I am not sure if any other things were lost along the way.  Anyway I still had her key and her Fairie Glen Wedding dress.

Fast forward many years and I was back living in England and home educating my oldest son.  I had just bought a book for him off Ebay and discovered the seller also had Tressy dolls and a website and yahoo group - which I promptly joined.   I made some great friends on that group and we had a fun time - and yes I ended up collecting Tressy dolls in my quest to find my 'childhood' doll.  I never achieved this goal and several years ago sold most of my collection.  I have very recently sold all but one of the Tressy dolls I kept.  While searching up prices I found 'my' doll.   Sure I had bought ones very similar to her in the past, but when I went through them while selling them a few years ago none were 'quite right'.  Anyway, I discovered the seller was one of the friends I had made on the group all those years ago.  I bought the doll and now have a replacement for 'MY' childhood doll.  She is so similar in every way, that despite my thoughts a while ago about not being able to replace special childhood toys, which I still believe, there is a certain satisfaction in discovering one VERY similar. I will keep the one other Tressy I have for now - she is a blonde first edition and reminds me a little of my friend Beverly's doll.   It is almost like 'two friends' being reunited.  They will have each others company.  

Her 'arrival' photo.

I spent sometime going through my collection of Tressy clothing today - I need to decide what to keep and what to sell on.  I am thinking I will sell the mint in box/package clothing and keep the rest.  

I dressed her in an outfit I made years ago.  It was fun and I think I am going to enjoy rediscovering 'my' doll.

I think she is lovely!

Below is a photo of the 1st Issue blonde Palitoy Tressy that I have decided to keep for now.  She is all I have left of my rather larger Tressy collection.

I need to find the poor girl some shoes!

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Oh and some good news, I have found some new arms for Skipper!

My Childhood Dolls - Part One

Sorting through the doll collection is much like doing a stock take.  I am having a good look at who I have and what they mean to me.  As I was doing this I thought I would do a series of posts of dolls from my childhood and other dolls I am keeping and what they mean to me.

Some of the dolls that at this stage I will be keeping are:

My skipper doll collection. 

I remember when I got my first Skipper doll.  We were living in Glenfield in New Zealand and she came to me in a basket with a lot of clothes, all of which I still have and some of which were original Skipper clothes.  So I know she was second hand when she came to me.  I really loved my little Skipper doll and remember many happy hours playing with her.  Unfortunately when I left home she was left in a toy box and she got chewed by some puppies!  So I am on the look out for a new arm for her.  I did buy a Malibu Skipper with the sole intent of transplanting an arm, but felt she was 'too good' to do such a thing...really I need a more damaged Skipper with a good arm to do such a thing.  It is quite a few years though since I last looked so maybe I should look again. 

Skipper Best Buy Fashion #8610 from 1972

For a while as an adult (started during a search for an arm!) I collected these dolls and this is my Skipper Doll collection.

The nurses uniform, the bikini and the yellow dress are clothes from my childhood. as are the few pieces below.

The green dress is: Skipper Best Buy Fashion #9125 from 1975

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My Barbie Dolls.

I've never really collected Barbie dolls, much preferring the Skipper, as they reminded me more of my childhood, although I still do have my childhood Barbie, who arrived new not long after Skipper if my memory serves me correctly.

My barbie is on the right in her swim suit - she has greening on her face and pieced ears which have also greened!  Oh dear.....  Not sure how I came about her 'twin' sister, but I think she arrived when I got some of the Skipper dolls.  I do remember wanting 'Super Star Barbie' when she came out and was very excited to hear my Dad tell my Mum that he had got the 'SB' one year just before Christmas....turns out he got me a skateboard instead - a blue one!  After the initial disappointment I was actually thrilled with my new skateboard and had many an enjoyable time on it - oh and a fair few spills and scrapes as well. They chose correctly!

I have three boxed barbies.  One is my Graduation Barbie, who yes I got when I graduated with my BA Mus (Hons) .   The second I think my MIL gave me for Christmas one year, and I am not sure how the Anniversary Barbie came into my possession.

I did have more, but I sold them a few years ago.

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My Pippa Dolls

Some other little dolls I have from my childhood are my Pippa dolls.

Dancing Tammie on the left, Pippa, my sisters Pippa in the dress and one I found in a charity shop last year.  She didn't have any clothes when I found her, but fortunately I had a spare set for her.

So that is 20 dolls so far in my 'To Keep' collection.

Downsizing.

The downsizing of my doll collection is going well.  So far 30 dolls have been re-homed.  It is actually quite frightening just 'How Many Dolls' I have got!  All different shapes and sizes that I have been collecting over the past 20 years or so I guess.  Even though so many have been rehomed, it still feels like there is a lot more do sort through.

Sold so far.

Tressy,
Toots x 2
Roddy Baby
Rosebud
Rosebud Walker
Wooden Raikes x 2
Hitty
Cabbage Patch Plastic baby (Charity Shop)
Porcelain doll (Charity Shop)
Reborn Berenguer
American Girl Molly
Disney Doll.
Lati BJD  (Xanthe)
Berenguer baby girl
Hitty Cherry
Hitty Morag
Palitoy Walk & Talk - Brunette - SOLD
Palitoy Walk & Talk - Blonde - SOLD
Period Rag dolls x 2 - SOLD
Palitoy Goldilocks - brown eyes - SOLD
Berenguer baby boy - SOLD
Berenguer baby girl - SOLD
White Balloon Sylvia Natterer Toddler - SOLD
Kathe Kruse Otti - SOLD
Kathe Kruse Utz - SOLD
Les Cheries Chloe - SOLD
Kidz n Cats Camille - SOLD
Kidz n Cats Alistair - SOLD

I don't think I will feel any regrets....possibly with the KnC, but even then I am not sure I will, I have decided to keep four of my six KnC.  Bobby (Bobo), Hamish (Robby), Amy (Nikola) & Elle (Henriette)



I still  have a lot that are still looking for homes.  Photos on my 'For Sale' page.

Design a Friend Blonde - SOLD
Pelham Puppet - SOLD

Gotz Little Sister - SOLD

Pukifee - SOLD

Lati Lami (?) - thinking I might keep this little one for now. SOLD

Little Fee - SOLD




















Porcelain doll

Palitoy Goldilocks - blue eyes
Mini American Girls - x 2 (at least)
American Girls (need to work out who)
Toots
Tressy - SOLD
Stupsi

Anniversary Action Man - SOLD
Paola Reina Boy - SOLD
Kathe Kruse Ron - SOLD

Vintage Teddy

Probably still more to sort through!

Party Time!

It is a year since Peggy Sue's last birthday.  She held a wonderful 'virtual party' on Ravelry and is extending it to her blog and Flickr friends this year and hopes you will all be able to 'attend'.

Date:  23rd November 2014

This gives all the girls and boys time to decide what they want to wear, decide on party food and of courses what party games to play.

Jacko the Monkey - Take Two!

It seems they are just like buses....you wait for ages and then suddenly two come along in very quick succession.

So quite unexpectedly I had the opportunity to purchase a Jacko that I believed was just like MY Jacko.  Would I be right this time I wondered?

I thought carefully, asked a few questions and went for the plunge....today, Jacko Two arrived.  Yes ANOTHER, but this time I hoped I had 'got it right'.

I had a giggle with the postman this morning when he knocked on the door and said 'the poor fellow's feet are cold'!    You could see Jacko's feet as the paper had ripped.  Fortunately he was well bubble wrapped so it wasn't a complete disaster  UNLIKE a later delivery this morning - but that is another story yet to be told.

So with a little bit of apprehension I unwrapped Jacko Two, would he be like I expected?  

I held his hand - YES that felt exactly right, unlike Jacko One, when I felt his hand I instinctively knew something was wrong.   Funny how these latent memories are there ready to be revived at a touch.

I looked at his hair...YES the same hair as MY Jacko and definitely different to Jacko One.  His outfit was the same - trousers and white cuffs round the sleeves of his top.  He seems to be the same generation as my Jacko so I am pleased.

His clothes on a whole are in lovely condition for his age - cleaner than I expected, although his fur arms are grubby, and the 'fur' is more 'fragile' than Jacko One, but this is partly because I do believe he is both older and made of a different type of material.

Comparison photos of the two Jackos.

Jacko Two & Jacko One

Jacko Two's left hand

Jacko One's left hand.

Jacko Two's right hand - and it is this one that you can especially see and feel the difference.  More curved - perfect for hanging from a door frame - which is what my Jacko used to do!

Jacko One's right  hand - more open but with a ridge on his fingers.

Face of Jacko Two - here you can also see his hair - it is kind of longer and more 'hair like' rather than fur fabric like Jacko One below.

Both his eyes and Jacko One's eyes have a white coating on the lids and eyes which does clean off to an extent - I have since tried, and hopefully with a bit more work it will come off completely.  Not sure what it is, but seeing as they both have it I guess it is something to do with age.

His face paint is better as well. It is more worn on Jacko One.

Jacko One - more 'fur fabric' type head.  His ears are more lopsided as well.

Close up of the different head coverings. - Jacko Two

Jacko One.

The photo of them together - you can see the differences in their outfits.  Similar, but not quite the same with Jacko Two wearing trousers over pink legs.  I am assuming that Jacko One on the right was a later version and they simplified the manufacturing process and hence made his trousers as his legs as well.  

So my quest to replace my childhood Jacko is complete...I had thought I wouldn't attempt to do so, but then the curiosity of thinking about it got the better of me.  How will I feel about these two guys in a month, six months, a year down the track who knows...if I remember at a later date I will let you know!  

In the meantime they have since had their feet, hands and faces cleaned.  I wish I knew how to clean the fur fabric - on Jacko Two's arms especially as they are a bit grubby, but so far I have no idea. 

Jacko the Monkey

Following on from my post over a month ago regarding Jacko...and after more thinking and searching I decided when seeing one that looked just like mine on Evilbay to go for it, IF I could get him for a good price - I didn't want to spend much as after all this was kind of an experiment about replacing a beloved childhood toy and memory.

Anyway he arrived this morning and these are my observations so far:

He looks the same...wearing the same outfit, but something wasn't quite right...I couldn't yet put my finger on just what.

I held his hand and then I knew!  His hands are a slightly different shape...they weren't MY Jacko's hands.  Why was this I wondered?  Surely all their molds are the same?

But wait there was something else as well, and it wasn't until I was showing my husband pictures of other Jacko the Monkeys on the internet that I realised the difference and yes there were differences....subtle ones, but definitely differences which perhaps account for why I just knew this one was not like mine.  Perhaps they changed the molds and styles every few years.

Certainly this lad is in better condition than mine was pre-rat destruction.  Mine had been well loved and his hair was less plush, in fact I think his hair was also a slightly different material.  I seem to recall the black hair being less fur like.  Difficult to explain.  How I wish I had kept the 'pieces' of my Jacko that remained.  I can't remember what happened to them.  Whether I threw them away, buried them or left them to my poor Dad to deal with.  In hindsight, I should have tried keeping some of him, but was too upset I think.  My husband remembers me being pretty distraught over the damage to the various dolls and teddies.

Anyway back to the differences.  My Jacko had white bands round his arms and his trousers didn't come in at the feet, but were more like trousers.  Perhaps if I found one like him it would have his hands?  This could be a slippery slope...of course, the quest to replace him 'properly'.

I think perhaps this Jacko is a later model than mine, a 'younger' chap.

But saying that, this Jacko who has arrived, who yes needs a bit of a clean up,  (how to clean fabric is a tricky one) and also needs a bit of stitching along his back seam, but nothing serious, is in otherwise lovely condition.  His fur is soft and he has that cheeky Jacko face.   His eyes are a bit filmy.  The eyelids seem to be covered in something, but I have given them a quick clean and it will come off.

I look at him and he brings a smile to my face, which is partly what it is all about.  

Will he stay?  Most probably....time will tell.

Will I keep searching?  Who knows?!

At least I know I have made a bit of space for him but letting some of the other dolls travel to new homes where hopefully they are fulfilling someone else's needs, desires, or collections.

Here he is meeting the other cheeky monkey members that live here!

Cutting down....thinning out....less is more?

Well I am doing it....I am cutting down on my dolls and in the last couple of weeks have said goodbye to 16 dolls.

Tressy,
Toots x 2
Roddy Baby
Rosebud
Rosebud Walker
Wooden Raikes x 2
Hitty
Cabbage Patch Plastic baby (Charity Shop)
Porcelain doll (Charity Shop)
Reborn Berenguer
American Girl Molly
Disney Doll.
Lati BJD  (Xanthe)
Berenguer baby girl
Hitty

I still  have a lot that are still looking for homes.  Photos on my 'For Sale' page.

Design a Friend Blonde
Pelham Puppet
Palitoy Walk & Talk - Brunette - SOLD
Palitoy Walk & Talk - Blonde - SOLD
Gotz Little Sister
Period Rag dolls x 2 - SOLD
Pukifee
Lati Lami (?)
Little Fee
Porcelain doll
Palitoy Goldilocks - brown eyes - SOLD
Palitoy Goldilocks - blue eyes
Mini American Girls - x 2 (at least)
American Girls (need to work out who)
Toots
Tressy
Stupsi
Berenguer baby boy - SOLD
Berenguer baby girl - SOLD
White Balloon Sylvia Natterer Toddler - SOLD
Anniversary Action Man
Paola Reina Boy
Les Cheries Chloe
Kathe Kruse Otti - SOLD
Kathe Kruse Utz
Kathe Kruse Ron

Vintage Teddy

Probably still more to sort through!

ADAD - September 22 - 30

23: From My Childhood - Peggy Sue plays with Dougal from the Magic Roundabout.

24: Space - Space in the drawer for treasures

25:  H is for....Horse of course!

26:  Curve

27: WTF - Water The Flowers

28: 10 o'clock

29: Gold

30:  Found... a feather.