Barbara sent me these pictures of her girls and a story to go with them! I know you’ll enjoy it! (Even if it is a month since we celebrated Christmas! Totally my fault! Thank you Barbara!)
Here are the pictures of Dolly Christmas Day at Barbara’s house. The first is of Lolla by herself. She insisted. She knew she would end up sitting on the floor but she wanted her chance to sit in the big chair.
In the next picture Gracie joins Lolla wearing her new Christmas frock with her pretty red petticoat peeking out from underneath. And Arabella joins them both wearing her new red crushed velour. This time Arabella got to sit in the big chair, which she managed to hang onto for the rest of the pictures. Lolla has presents for everyone which she allows them to choose. The packages are gold, light green, silver and red. Arabella chose the gold because she said it went best with her dress.
In the next picture Sofie joins them. She’s keeping Lolla company on the floor. She chose the red package because she said it went with the candy canes on her pinafore.
Lissy joins them in the next picture in her beautiful Jeanne-Marie outfit. She chose a gold package also because she said all the others clashed with her lovely dress but she asked Lolla to keep it for her till after pictures.
In the next picture they are joined by Brenna in her Christmas/Valentine frock. Lolla is handing her the gold present she chose.
In the next you see Arabella in total surprise. She looked up and saw her favorite cousin Sara Anne who showed up unannounced (she actually arrived the day of the pictures).
In the final picture Arabella jumps up and runs to give cousin Sara Anne a huge hug. Sara Anne’s family is returning to the U.S. from living overseas for her dad’s job. The girls have only seen each other through Face Time for a couple years. They are so excited they will be living close to each other now. They both said this was the best Christmas ever.
And they lived happily ever after. Enjoy!
One more thing from Barbara. A while back there was mention of the Dianna Effner 8″ Heartstring dolls…Barbara has a few of them along with her tiny Betsy McCall and wanted to share a picture. Their outfits were all fashioned by Jo Flitton which she discovered a few years ago when she was looking for clothes for Tiny Betsy. I think you’ll enjoy this picture too!
Thank you for helping me out today with all your pictures, Barbara. They are wonderful and I don’t care if Christmas was a month ago… your girls are just as sweet as ever!
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Barbara, I loved your pictures, and the delightful story you wrote to go with them! Such fun to see one of the Jeanne Marie outfits on one of your dolls too!!
Love your Tiny Betsy and your Heartstrings, too. I have a couple of Tiny Betsys, but never got a Heartstring doll. Well, not so far!
Jeanne, I hope all is going well with you and yours. Prayers continue.
I am totally in Jeanne’s debt. I had patterns for my Lissy doll but they weren’t Lissy specific so they required a lot of alterations and I was never totally satisfied with the outcome. When Jeanne made the dress that would fit Patsy and Bailey, since I have a 10″ Sofie and a Dumpling Lolla, I tried one of Lolla’s outfits I made on Lissy and it was a perfect fit. When Lissy found this out, she had to have the gorgeous dress for her Christmas outfit. I figured if it didn’t work well I could give it to Lolla or Sofie. It was a perfect fit for Lissy so now I know I can use the Dumpling patterns for her. I hadn’t thought of that before.
Thank you, Jeanne, for showing us Barbara’s dolls and their cute little Christmas story! Loved it, Barbara! The pictures are so charming and colorful, and full of happy dolls. What could be better?
What kind of doll is Sarah Anne? She looks familiar, but I can’t quite place her. And Lissy! She looks adorable in her Jeanne Marie outfit! I just have AG dolls, with the exception of a Betsy McCall, but it is so nice to see other brands of dolls together in a scene. They work well together, and having a Christmas scene is perfect! Loved your tree and fireplace too! LOL
I hope things are improving with you, Jeanne, just take it one step at a time. Really that’s all one can do.
Sara Anne is a Fashion Friend, hence the reference to being Arabella’s (Bella) cousin. I kept the Sara name and added the Anne. It is a dedication to my cousin Sarah Ann who passed away last year at the age of 77. Sally was the oldest of 13 grandchildren of my maternal grandparents. She was born in 1941 and there were no grandchildren for five years after. Then from 1946 to 1961 we came quickly. I lost two of my male cousins my age (one a few days older and the other a few days younger), one to an accident and another to the effects of years of dealing with post-polio syndrome, but losing Sally really brought me up short. I am now the oldest of the remaining ten grandchildren. Growing up Sally was like a big sister to me and she was my go-to person for information I was too young to remember. She is truly missed.
I forgot to mention that Sally saved my life when I was little. I fell into a lake and she saw it first. She reached down and grabbed me by the hair and pulled me up. She was only about 7.
What a wonderful post! I especially like the organza pinafores. All of the dolls fit together so well in the pictures. I have a chair like yours but it’s green. Is it some kind of American Girl furniture from decades ago or some other brand? It was bought long ago. I think you have said you sewed a lot of the clothes yourself. Great pictures. Thanks for sharing.
I don’t know exactly what kind of chair it is. I bought it on e-bay for a really good price. I really need to touch it up a little I see.
Well, believe it or not, my Ebay search turned up a chair today, so I made an offer, and it was accepted. So I too will have a great chair for photographs. I did find out that this particular chair was made by Dayton Hudson. I believe they made other styles and probably a couch too. 🙂
So much fun to see Barbara’s girls today. What a lovely presentation. The outfits are beautiful and the girls so well behaved. 🙂 Did you make Arabella’s red dress? Such a good fit and style for her.
I have wanted one of those chairs for a long time, but have never been able to capture one reasonably on Ebay. It works so well for your girls. And then come to find out, Susette has one also. Guess I’ll be looking once again.
Thank you Jeanne for sharing the wonderful photos today. Hope Barbara’s girls are now preparing for Valentine’s Day. 🙂
Yes I made Arabella’s dress using a WW pattern. I made a few adjustments and, true confession, I should have made a few more, i.e., I needed to lengthen the lace peplum so it looks like more than a ruffle. Oh well, there’s always next time.
Good to know about those Wellie patterns. I need to do a search around here as I could not locate the one I wanted. Anyway, I like the dress with the peplum that length. The dress is lovely. 🙂
Thanks Joy. I appreciate the compliment.
What adorable little girls in their Christmas outfits. I love Barbara’s Christmas scene too and the little wrapped presents. Thank you Barbara for a wonderful peek into your girls’ Christmas celebrations.
I always enjoy hearing the names of everyone’s dolls. Each doll is uniquely named although Betsy McCall usually keeps her famous name. I have a little Betsy too. She only has the one outfit she came in but I always wanted a Betsy McCall, so I got the little one.
I had always wanted a Betsy McCall, too, Paula, but by the time the 8″ ones (which was what I wanted) came out, I was, according to mom, “too old” for dolls (HAH!)–meaning, over age 10. I did eventually get a vintage Betsy; she’s missing the lower part of one leg, but came in a lovely formal, so it doesn’t show. Then later I got Robert Tonner’s 14″ Betsy, whom I love, and, later still, a couple of his 8″ Betsys.
That was so much fun…thanks Barbara. Your dolls are so well dressed. Mine are in between Christmas and winter or should I go right to Spring because they don’t get to change that often?
I have a Heartstring blonde cutie if you really want one Charlotte. She’s so cute.
Thanks everyone for sharing pics
Have a good day Jeanne!
All the girls are now in their “winter” attire, or as close to it as I could come without doing some sewing. I’m still hoping to do a snow scene before it’s too late.
Thank you, Kathie—I am so tempted! But, I’d better be good. By starting with smaller dolls, I now am finding they multiply faster than the bigger ones did!! LOL Fortunately, dh doesn’t seem to notice the rectangular boxes that come our way!!
Jeanne, no need to apologize for posting the pictures so much past Christmas. While the girls had a fun Christmas Day, the photo shoot did not take place until just before I sent the pictures. I had to get past the holidays and two birthdays to find the time to do it.
Thanks so much for posting them. Glad I could help as a place holder until you’re up and running again. I’m really getting into this dolly photography thing. LOL
Dear Jeanne and Barbara, thanks for the lovely photographs.
I love the story. I love to make up stories about my dolls. We do this sometimes on the Little Darling site.
Now, Barbara, you will have to bring your girls to PA for a visit with their cousins here (chuckle).
One of these days I’m going to surprise you and show up on your doorstep. I really miss PA, especially at this time of year. As for bringing the girls, I’m not sure I can afford the air fare and I’m not sure leaving anyone behind would be a good idea. I really need to get more involved with my Little Darlings. I’m on two LD Facebook pages. I also need to make some winter attire for my LDs Claire and Fallon. They have a lot of spring and summer clothes, but not much winter, except for a pair of slacks I made for one of my H4H dolls and I used the pattern for stretch fabric rather than woven and they didn’t fit the H4H doll. I got dolly fever again the other day and put my name on Magalie’s wait list. I want a Sculpt #4 with long brownish/black hair and violet eyes. She will be named Greer.
Dear Barbara,
Well, you are just going to have to rent a van and drive to PA. Route 66 comes right though the state (laugh).
How wonderful about the new doll! I like the name Greer. Magalie makes stunning dolls. The Little Darlings really do know how to reel us in, don’t they (chuckle)?
How funny you mentioned a van. When our kids were small and we went to visit my family in Delaware we indeed drove a van. Yes I do love Magalie’s Little Darlings. And I love the outfits she sends them off in. I have some of her patterns too. They are stunning. I haven’t made any yet, but it’s high on my agenda. Yes the Little Darlings are hard to resist.
Very late today, but what an adorable group of girls you have, Barbara. I was so glad to see the lovely dresses and Christmas decor you have. I also love hearing what everyone chooses for their doll’s name. It’s like naming children, you pick a name the you love for some reason or another. What a lovely yribute to your cousin to name a special doll after her.
Love your LD to be, sounds like Elizabeth Taylor hair and eyes (that’s the combo I wish AG would make, but the violet eyes must be decal ones. Greer is a sweet choice. I love Greer Garson movies.
Boy I am super late tonight, but I hope you see this Barbara! Loved your sweet story of the dolls Christmas and all the dolls you showed, too! Everyone of them so very cute. I really loved Lolla’s dress and also Bella’s dress! Could you share what WW pattern that is which you used? I’d also love to know where to buy a Heartstring doll? Are they still making them and still popular? I don’t know how I missed them, LOL. You did a wonderful job sewing all the dresses you got done. Just beautiful! Oh, and I have a red chair just like that, too, LOL!!
Thanks, Jeanne for sharing Barbara’s photos!! What fun! Hope all is well!!
Love and Hugs, Ali