First of all, THANK YOU again for all the absolutely wonderful comments you shared yesterday. (There have been a few more comments from ladies added. If you missed yesterday’s post or want to see the new comments, you can click HERE.)I was blessed all day long as I read them. Unfortunately, my hubby decided to go along with me looking at cabinets…(I thought it was just going to be me…), and it took us most of the day to go to the different places comparing prices… Every time we got in the car, I checked my phone and someone new had posted something… It was so much fun… I even had a lady from Singapore check in! Thank you Evelyn!…and SEVERAL other newbies!
I had my heart broken twice yesterday, as the first set of cabinets just wouldn’t work in our space… (well, I take that back… some of them worked, but many didn’t and there were plenty we’d still have to buy plus the counter tops didn’t fit at all, so those would have to be bought too.) Anyway, my hubby made the call, and said, “It’s not gonna work, honey…we can’t spend that much money on something that doesn’t give us everything we need.”
But as my heart was hurting, another set of cabinets came up on Craigslist, a little past St. Louis and I was “sure” I must be the first person to inquire about them (as I was stalking Craigslist about every half hour!) I asked a few questions and proceeded to call the U-Haul place to get the quotes for renting a truck to haul them home in… I was trying not to be anxious about them, but it was hard. Right after dinner, I got an email and they had sold within the first half hour… Apparently I wasn’t the first one to see them. *sniff* *sniff*
So this morning my hubby said he’d like to go with me and look at the unfinished cabinets in a few places around here. That way, we can arrange them just the way we want. It seemed like a good idea and we got lots of information. We even looked at new stoves and counter tops too! AND… we also decided to buy a piece of laminate counter top that is very pretty. (Nothing like getting the cart before the horse…) My hubby found it in the sale section of Menard’s and it was more than half off. it was the one I liked the most and I can use it to determine what color of paint I’d like to paint the cabinets.
I realize you can’t tell anything about it, but I still had to show you…It’s called a high resolution Laminate counter top, which is supposed to be a better grade and thicker. This particular one had some little speckles in it that make it sort of glisten… not like glitter, but just very pretty.
We decided we could go ahead and use it on the one set of base cabinets on the left side of my kitchen. That way we could see if it went with the floors, if we liked the color and if it seemed too busy. Our old counter top on those cabinets just sat on top so this was a matter of taking that old crummy aqua with gold speckles off and putting the new on one… It has one tiny split in the back splash corner of it, that is barely, and I do mean barely… noticeable. The picture makes it look very big, but it’s actually only about an inch long in reality. When we were looking for what was wrong with it, we had to ask someone at the store why it was marked down. Hey, we can live with a tiny little flaw like that. What we saved will buy another cabinet! :o) My hubby is going to put some super glue or caulk on it to keep it together. I bet you can hardly see it… Okay… enough on the cabinet update…
Okay, now onto to today’s post…
Just like my title says… have you ever longed for a doll so much your heart hurt? Perhaps you were on the tail end of a closed out edition. Maybe the doll you wanted was a limited edition and they are all sold out. Maybe it is a doll that is just out of your reach monetarily! Maybe you don’t have any more room for another doll. Did you promise your hubby…”NO MORE DOLLS” but then you found this one that you just had to have…if only you could find her?
I’ve been there. When I saw Nyssa for the first time somewhere online, I was smitten like you can’t imagine. I mean I fell hard for her. She was a limited edition of only 87 dolls world wide, so you can imagine the kinds of odds that were stacked against me. It was practically impossible to think that I was EVER going to find a Nyssa doll (by Kaye Wiggs). Somehow, unbelievably, I found one… and she even came from Kaye herself. I made up this goofy poem about how I was pining away for a Nyssa doll and posted it on a doll forum. Kaye saw it and ended up selling me one of her personal dolls… so I’m a big believer in miracles.
Well, one of my readers… Judy Howard, saw a picture the other day, of my Katie Effanbee, “Mommy’s Garden Party” doll, and she said it was LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT. She’s got the “fever” bad and I would like to help her out if we can. I have LOTS of ladies who read this blog and thought maybe, just maybe, one of you might have this doll and might want to sell it to her… She didn’t ask me to do this, but ever since I saw those words of hers… “love at first sight” I haven’t been able to get them out of my mind. She even gave her email address in a previous comment if anyone wanted to contact her. Since everyone doesn’t see the comments I thought this was the least I could do for her… if you have one, you can email me and I’ll get her email address to you.
When I was “crazy sick” to find Nyssa, I combed the doll forums where she was shown and couldn’t get enough of her. I looked at every picture I could find and just stared at her….again, “until my heart hurt!” If you aren’t a doll lover or collector, you absolutely will think we are nuts, but we aren’t… we’re just in love!
So Judy, these pictures are for you to enjoy and tide you over till you find yours…
Have a wonderful Saturday everyone,
See you Monday,
Blessings, Jeanne
Thank you so much, Jeanne for boosting my search and for more pictures. It’s like getting the Sears or Wards Christmas catalog when we were kids. I’m as anxious to find her as I was to get my Toni doll in 1950! I have been hospitalized and housebound for the past 9 months and searching out patterns, fabrics and ideas for my Kirsten and Elizabeth dolls has kept me moving forward ever so slowly. A dear friend has 8 granddaughters and I have only grandsons, so for now Kirsten and everything that goes with her lives at her house where she is loved and played with often. So Elizabeth is here with me awaiting something special to wear for this holiday season. So, thanks again for joining the search with this Wyoming born Food Science and Nutrition graduate of Colorado State who has worked as teacher, Extension specialist, WIC nutritionist and Registered Dietitian. And most thanks to mother and grandmother who took the time to teach a little girl to sew!
Judy Howard
HI Judy,
This post was the least I could do to possibly help you find your dream girl. I really hope it happens for you!
I’m so glad you have Kirsten (long distance though) and Elizabeth to love on while you wait! They’ll help you through it! I’ll keep you posted if I hear of anything!
Thank you Judy…
Blessings, Jeanne
Your new countertop looks lovely, Jeanne! I hope it works out as well for you (as to color, pattern, etc.) as you think it will…and that your new cabinets will soon be forthcoming!
Oh, yes, when I was about 11 or 12, I think, I wanted the 8″ Betsy McCall doll in the worst way!! Mom said, no, I was too old, I had had my last doll, etc. so I didn’t get her. (I remembered how much fun I’d had playing with the Betsy McCall paper dolls when I was younger–another reason why I wanted this doll, I think)
Many years later (in the 1990s, I think) I did find an beautiful 8″ Betsy at a doll show. Her hair was still nice, and she was in a lovely (and, I understand, rather rare) light blue formal. The only problem was, she was missing the lower part of one leg! Because of that, I got her for a pretty good price, and I now have my 8″ Betsy! I do keep her in a drawer and out of the light because of her age, etc., and only take her out occasionally if I want to show her to someone.
I do have several of the Robert Tonner Betsy McCall dolls, too–two of the 8″ ones and two of the 14″ ones. As it turns out, it’s one of the 14″ ones that I most bonded with!
HI Charlotte,
I think the counter tops WILL work out. We went cabinet looking again today. We’ve learned a lot in the few days we’ve been looking at them. My hubby is all about quality and plywood construction, not particleboard or MDF… so he’ll make the call on the construction and I get to pick the pieces I want… Let’s hope we both get our parts right!
The first thing I thought of when you mentioned Betsy’s short leg on one side, was to keep her in long dresses or put a fake cast on her leg and make some kind of little toes to stick out of the end…
So glad you are enjoying your dolls…me too!
Blessings, Jeanne
Jeanne, how exciting that you found countertops and maybe new cabinets!! Buying unfinished ones will make the painting process easier and faster! I think, from the pictures you have shown, that they would look great with soft white cabinets! Only problem with that is, which white? It is a struggle to pick the right one out, since the paint chips somehow all mesh together, and you just wind up closing your eyes, pointing to one of them, and that’s it!! Funny, but it sometimes works out. I think you have a winner though, with the countertops. Now what do you do for a backsplash, or is it just the walls? You know how one thing leads to another!
Nyssa is a darling doll! A lot of fancy pants dolls don’t really impress me, but she does! She looks so much like a real little girl, which is what I like about dolls. You were so lucky to get her from Kaye herself!
We did have a lovely vacation in Branson and Arkansas, visiting Crystal Bridges. I’ll send a few pictures, but don’t want to bore you or anyone else.
I see you have a reader from St. Charles? Gee, that’s pretty close to me! I would love to meet up with her sometime! Loved everyone’s introductions!
Hi Linda,
Yes…. creamy, dreamy, soft white cabinets! Wanna help paint? Just kidding, but I know what you mean about the white paints… there are zillions of colors out there. I have a little card about 4 x 5 with my laminate counter top design on it…that will help I think… I can take it to town and hold it up to things and at least weed out the super bright white colors. I might have to get Cindy’s suggestions on colors too… she knows colors!!!
I’m not sure what I’ll do for a backsplash… I did look on Pinterest and saw some neat ideas for the ceiling… using embossed wallpaper to make it look like a tin ceiling… but I can’t imagine wallpapering 9 feet up in the air and upside down to boot! I have those old 12 x 12 “cardboard-ish” like tiles in my kitchen.
I think you may have misread my post..the doll I’m showing is Katie Effanbee…not Nyssa. I was just comparing my search for Nyssa to what Judy is going through right now, not being able to find her Katie Effanbee Mommy’s Garden party doll…
It was funny, as I was reading the bio’s, I was thinking of the ones who lived close getting together too… Maybe it could happen! I’m glad you had a nice time in Branson…It’s kind of hard not, though, isn’t it???
Thanks Linda,
Blessings, Jeanne
Had to mention this, but just getting ready to pull the wallpaper off the bath ceiling from my parents old house. My mother loved it. Fortunately, the last time, she put the wallpaper on some kind of thin board so the whole thing will come down easily, I hope. I’m sure the ceiling wallpaper you choose will look great though. 🙂
Love your new laminate counter top! You continue to amaze me with all the time and
effort that you put into whatever it is that you might happen to be doing. Your energy and your husband’s energy are relentless and you work so well together. 🙂
So I know so very little about dolls as I own only 4 American Girl Dolls. Can you tell me a little more about this doll you posted and how much she costs?
HI Laureen,
We like the counter top too… the color is really pretty and we were just getting a snack and my hubby agreed that it seems to make our food more appealing when you are fixing something on them… Silly, I know, but it’s true!
The doll I’ve shown pictures of is Katie Effanbee and her edition was called “Mommy’s Garden Party.” I also had her in the short black bob hairstyle. I think she was called “Duffle Coat” Katie. They all had the same faces basically, but different wigs and coloring.
She isn’t being made anymore and that’s why Judy just can’t find one to buy. I sold my 2 dolls several years ago.. There weren’t enough buyers buying the clothes I made for them… so they got the boot. But they are adorable… They were made by the Effanbee company for Tonner. That’s about all I know… except they are adorable… You can see quite a few pictures of Katie when you google her and click on images…
Thanks Laureen,
Blessings, Jeanne
Hi Jeanne
Counter top material looks great! Sure hope your search for cabinets winds up soon.
I really enjoyed reading everyone’s posts, you have quite a diverse readership.
Love all the pics you posted, what a beautiful doll.
HI Leigh,
I didn’t realize my readers were as varied as they are… just like you said! From Singapore to New Zealand… wow! Makes me feel very humbled that anyone would read my posts so far away…
Thanks for the compliments on Katie. If I still had her, I’d tell you liked her! :o)
Blessings, Jeanne
Sounds like you’re getting somewhere with the cabinets. Yay! If that laminate doesn’t work color wise with the new floor, there is always that porcelain tile I keep squawking about. The 12″ tiles are so easy to install and look like granite. Know you can probably resell the laminate easily on craigs too. Just a thought. I’ve found that the unfinished cabinets are almost as much as finished in some cases. Perhaps you might be able to find something on craigs and then add in the unfinished to make it work. Anyway, it is quite an exciting time to see the kitchen in a new light. And then decorating it too. Oh goodie! Such fun posts.
Have a great weekend.
HI Joy,
We think the laminate is going to be just fine. I love it and so does my hubby. It’s so strange to see something so pretty in my kitchen! It really is!
I have been stalking Craigslist for about a month now and everything I thought might work, didn’t or it was the wrong pattern or they had stuff for a “left sided kitchen” and I guess ours is considered a “right sided L kitchen.” I’m still looking and we aren’t going to make any rash decisions. There is a place here in town called Home Improvement Warehouse and we went there yesterday AND back again today. We’ve learned a lot in a few days about the quality of the MDF vs the plywood construction. Anyway, the guy told us yesterday they are supposed to get a new line of cabinets in next week (I’m on their list to call when they come in) and they had one in the store as a sample. My hubby was very impressed with them. They are made in KY and they seem hopeful. They didn’t have any price sheets yet on them… that’ll be the determining factor…
I’m glad you aren’t bored with these cabinet posts.. it’s just what’s happening right now…
Thanks Joy,
Blessings, Jeanne
The doll I wanted more than anything was a “4-year old doll” in 1959. She had curly blond hair, blue eyes, and could stand up all by herself. She had black patent Mary-Jane’s and lace trimmed anklets. On Christmas morning, there she was, standing with arms open wide by the Christmas tree. I loved that doll. Years later when I was in college and had two little sisters at home I gave her to them and alas, she didn’t survive. I’m not sure what her final fate was, but I know my sisters loved playing with her, too, so I cannot lament her fate.
My favorite dolls now are any 18″ doll, but I really like the Madame Alexander dolls with their vinyl breastplates, my Carpatina doll Erin, and Lydia, my Girl for all Time. I hope I do not offend anyone by saying I do not like the teeth showing on American Girl dolls or the cloth at the neckline, but no one can deny how cute they are otherwise. I also love Baby-So-Beautiful baby dolls, and my own cloth dolls which I will reveal someday when I’m feeling really brave and confident.
A little bit about myself: I am retired in Sarasota, Florida via Columbus, Ohio and Newport, Oregon. I was an investigative social worker with Children’s Services for a short time, but found I could not deal with the emotional impact of the job. I went on to do administrative work in social service agencies for many years, but ended up in accounting and finance. The job that made me the happiest was a low-paying-no-benefits job at a small craft store where I worked on displays, taught classes, talked to wonderful customers and thoroughly enjoyed myself. I belonged to HOOT (Hear of Ohio Tole) and loved their yearly convention and still love to do decorative painting on wood. Too bad I don’t love to cook as much as I love to do arts and crafts LOL.
I have two beautiful daughters who have wonderful marriages to men I adore. I lost my only grandchild, Tyler, when he was 11, from which there is no recovery, just time, memories and memorabilia sitting all over my studio. I’ve been married to my best friend for over 30 years who can do anything including turning the front living room of our home into the studio of my dreams. I love plants and landscaping, reading, sewing, making doll clothes, jewelry, purses, and shoes and am selling them in my Etsy shop and on eBay. I still need to build a reputation but I shall persevere until doll lovers find me.
I grew up on a big farm in central Ohio, have three younger brothers, and two younger sisters. My mother at age 88 still gardens, cans food, has a hundred house plants, hangs her laundry on a clothesline during the summer, and was the one who taught me all I know, along with her mother, my sweet little grandmother. Well, I’m sure this is way too much information, but once I get started…………..
I’m relatively new to this blog, and I enjoy it immensely. I’m in the process of using Sculpey to make a hat form after Jeanne’s tutorial this past week. All for now. God bless and keep you all in perfect peace and health.
Sincerely,
Deanna C.
Hoping you are brave soon, as I would love to see your cloth dolls. I’m sure they are beautiful and special.
I’d love to see your cloth dolls, too, Deanna, as I also enjoy making them!
I am so sorry about your dear grandson. The whole family must have been devastated. May God continue to comfort you in your loss.
Hi Charlotte, I would love to see your cloth dolls also. I needle sculpt their heads and am never satisfied, but I keep working on them. I have a box of “unusable heads”, some with faces on both sides!!
Yes, the entire family was devastated as were his classmates. He was the kind of kid who would call me and say “Grandma, look out the window at the sunset.” He cried when they cut down a huge oak tree to make way for a parking lot. Beautiful stories and many memories.
Deanna
Hi Deanna,
Too bad your favorite dolly didn’t survive your sisters playing with her… but it sounds like she was WELL loved! That’s all that really matters!
Don’t worry about showing your dolls on here. I’ve been writing this blog for 3+ years and in that time I can’t recall ONE SINGLE time where anyone shared something that I had to cringe over because of something someone else said about it… So I think you’re safe among us!
I would have been happiest in the craft store too… it sounds like a LOT of fun to me!
I hope your Sculpey hat mold turns out for you. It was very nice to hear about you Deanna… and your family and interests. It’s wonderful what you shared.
Thanks so much,
Blessings, Jeanne
Hi Deanna
Just catching up on my blog reading this morning and I enjoyed reading your post – mine was pretty long too. I agree with you re: vinyl breastplates on the Madam Alexander 18″ dolls, I have one also but I do love my Elizabeth AG. I too would like to see your hand made cloth dolls, I know they are a labor of love.
I am so sorry for your loss of your sweet grandson, Tyler. I cannot imagine the sorrow. Praying God will bless & comfort you and your family.
I must apologize for such a long dissertation….. had no idea it was going to be THAT long.
Deanna
Hi Deanna,
Welcome and it was fun reading about you. I agree with your comment … I love AG dolls I have 5 but I’m not crazy about the cloth body parts peeking out. I also love Baby-So-Beautiful baby dolls. My daughter had several, I still have them. I just couldn’t part with them. They are so pretty but she never really liked playing with them so they are in great shape. I just wanted to say how very sorry I am for your loss. I pray you will be comforted by sweet memories of your little grandson.
Fondly,
Ingrid
Thank you so much, Ingrid. There are so many stories I have in my heart about Tyler. He was truly an exceptional child. It has been many years since he passed away in 2005, but his face, his laugh, his soft kissable cheeks are indelibly imprinted on my soul. Thanks for your best wishes.
Deanna
You are welcome Deanna … and I’m so glad you have so many sweet memories
I know just how you feel about the long dissertation. I write something that looks acceptable to me, press the button, and there it is, gigantic.
It’s fine ladies… I LOVE GIGANTIC!!!
Blessings, Jeanne
Hi Deanna,
I’m sorry too for your loss of Tyler… How hard that must have been… and still is, I’m sure!
Blessings, Jeanne
Oh, don’t worry Deanna! I so enjoyed reading all about you!
Hi, I’m Donna from Cincinnati, Ohio (suburbs anyway) where I live with my hubby of almost 42 years. We have three children who live close by and four grandchildren ages 18 months to almost 16 years old.
My doll collecting started in 2005 when my oldest granddaughter was born. Like Deanna, I was not fond of American Girl dolls because of the teeth and neckline. So I bought Katie Effanbee Dufflecoat, Ann Estelle 18″ and several (okay lots!) of 10″. Recently we have been downsizing and will be finding new homes for most of my dolls. My two granddaughters prefer the American Girls so Molly will be staying.
I alos have an extensive Matroyska, Russian nesting doll, collection along with a Madam Alexander bride doll from 1969, Barbie from 1962, and Tiny Tears from 1960. Those three dolls have traveled the country and moved dozens of times with me growing up with an Air Force dad and them marrying an engineer and moving just as many times. Actually growing up I was more into troll dolls than Barbies cause trolls like to play in the dirt and live in shoe boxes! I even had a troll horse! My daughter felt the same way so my poor Barbie’s ponytail is in mint condition.
I found Jeanne on ebay around 2008 or so. I loved the dresses and stories that she told and saved tons of images. If I ever get my desktop computer working again, I’ll share. I was able to buy a dress for Katie Effanbee which Jeanne posted last week. It was an olive and coral dress with a pleated ruffle on the collar.
I am so grateful for this blog and look forward to reading it every day. Truthfully I love to hear about cabinets and countertops. We were in California during the eclipse so we missed it but your reporting of it was THE best out of everything my amateur astronamer and I read. Thank you for sharing your life and the ends and outs of finding sewing time. You are one of my heroes!
HI Donna,
Oh, it must be so hard to downsize your dolls. I can’t imagine and I don’t have a huge amount of them…but they are all special… Let us know if and when you put them on Ebay (or however you decide to sell them) so we can watch for them or bid on the listings!
I had a few trolls myself… that was some “early” sewing for me… cut a rectangle, cut two holes for arms and use a safety pin in the back… Viola!
If you ever do get your computer up and running I’d love to see some of my earlier pictures too… I have very few pics of those first years…
Thank you SO much for your kind comments about my sewing and my blog and even my “eclipse reporting…” That makes my evening! :o)
Blessings, Jeanne
Hi Jeanne,
Love the counter top color. I think it’s little and bright and will look awesome with the flooring. I’m so happy you are on the hunt for kitchen cabinets. I hope you find just the perfect ones… soon!
Hugs
Ingrid
PS I have always admired Maggie Lanoco’s felt dolls. Not sure about spending 1000. plus on one but they really are works of art : )
http://www.maggiemadedolls.com/blog.php
HI Ingrid,
The counter top looks wonderful in my kitchen and really brightens it up. It’s a really nice “small” edition to this pretty pathetic room we call a kitchen. But, I want to get the right cabinets, so I’m not going to rush it.. They’ll come …. in time!
I have a few postcard like pictures of Maggie’s dolls on my fabric cabinet. They are beautiful and it’s a good thing I’ve never seen on in person, because in pictures they are gorgeous, but I bet in person they are REALLY gorgeous! :o)
Thanks Ingrid,
Blessings, Jeanne
What a wonderful lot of comments today.
I too like the countertop laminate and look forward to finding out how it looks with your floor. Joy’s tiles sound like a great idea for me — I’ll have to do something about my kitchen soon. And everything else as well.
I especially loved reading about Judy because I nearly went to Colorado State to study Home Economics. When I was a substitute teacher, I mentioned that and the Home Ec teacher said, “What was the basis of your decision?” I said, “English was easier.” After that I got all the Home Ec substitute jobs. CSU has a truly splendid costume collection and storage worthy of it.
HI Marilyn,
George and I were out again today and then Alba, Edgar and Sara invited us over for dinner this evening, so I got a late start on reading the comments, but I’m like you… today they were just as wonderful as yesterday. I’m determined to get the ones from yesterday answered…
I was so blessed that so many ladies responded and it was so much fun to read what everyone did and what they like and just the whole shebang! It was one of my favorite posts because of the comments!
Your story about the Home Ec was funny… it made me smile!
Thanks so much Marilyn…
A few places south of town had some sleet yesterday in the afternoon… it’ supposed to be 27 degrees at 7 a.m. in the morning! BBBRRR! That’s probably nothing for you! :o)
Blessings, Jeanne