Friday, October 24, 2008

Show & Tell Friday

"Show & Tell Friday! Do you have something special to share? It could be a trinket from grade school, a piece of jewelry, or a treasured collection. Look around your home for something to share; dig through those boxes in your closet if you have to! Share photos and the story that goes with your special item."


This fun posting is organized by Kelli at There is No Place Like Home. If you are interested in participating, go to Kelli's blog and follow her instructions. I know she would love to have you join in. This is my first time posting with her. I hope it works :), especially since I typed the whole thing out on Patti's homeschool blog by mistake and am now re-doing all of it :(.

For those of you who don't know me, my dad passed away a couple years ago. Shortly after that, my mom was seriously injured and as a result Mom moved into an assisted living place. For her - that meant a lot of change. For me - that meant a lot of work, clearing out 60 years worth of memories and possessions, and readying her home to be sold. In that cleaning, I came across this little porcelain doll. I am afraid to try very hard to clean her. She has no markings to identify who she was made by, nor when. Mom said she belonged to her mother (my grandmother) when mom was a little girl. She thought it might have come from her grandmother (my great-grand), which makes this doll very old - in the vicinity of 100-120 years. It looks possible. I found it interesting how the legs are attached - just simple pieces of cord strung through the legs, out the sides of the skirt, and tied into knots. Very fragile looking. Isn't she still very pretty?
This last little doll - oriental in nature - has been promised to me since I was 6 or 7 years old. A long time ago :). An aunt on my dad's side found this doll in a house she and her husband bought back in the late 50's. Again, there are no markings to date this doll. He has a cloth body, with porcelain head, hands, and feet. I like how they painted the hair on like a cap, and painted the bottoms of the feet - I guess to simulate shoes??? My Aunt Frances used to let me play with the doll when we went to visit. I have no idea how my mom came to have the doll, but I found it in a china cabinet at her home. This has always been my absolute favorite piece from my childhood.

As an interesting side note, you'll notice the above photos were taken on my picnic table. After I finished taking the shots, I looked up to see this lovey snake on the wall about 3 feet from my face. I about had a stroke!!! I'm thinking "pygmy rattler", and steadily backing up without dropping my camera. I have my priorities. (I just totally abandoned my dolls on the table.) Then I set my zoom, took a couple shots of the snake, then got a shovel and relocated the little buddy. Whoo! My husband thinks the snake was a type of rat-snake, not to panic, but that does little to relieve my mind. A snake is a snake. LOL.
Thanks for looking and thanks for sharing my memories :). I look forward to reading yours. Please feel free to go to Kelli's page here if you would like to join in the fun.

22 comments:

Grammy said...

What a wonderful collection. I love things like this.
Have a great week,
Grammy

Hootin Anni said...

Dolls cute!!! SANKE!?!!!! Not so cute. I would have NEVER, ever in a million years gone to take a photo of it...I'd be packing my bags and calling a realtor to put the house up for sale. [kidding]....but, I DO so hate snakes.

My show n tell is finally posted on the hub...come on over if you can find time. Happy weekend to you too.

Hootin Anni said...

sanke...that's supposed to be sNake. See? Even typing the 'word' makes me cringe.

Ceekay-THINKIN of HOME said...

Your dolls are precious and so tiny! I can't believe you are still able to think clearly...I would be loopy from the valium after seeing a snake right above me....you are one brave girl!

Manuela@A Cultivated Nest said...

I'm with you...a snake is a snake!! Love the dolls - so cute and tiny!

Manuela

Pamela said...

Beautiful dolls - creepy snake!!

Constance said...

Welcome, welcome to S&T Fridays! You know, Charlotte who is #12 on here might be able to tell you something about the dolls, or maybe restoration and cleaning? She is an excellant Artist! I have some old dollies as well, they used rubberbands on the joints and we all know that holds up after a while. They all look disabled at this point!

Last week I shared about my Grandma's trunk, the "before restoration" photos. I got it back and I have posted its transformation on today's S&T.
Connie

Missy Wertz said...

You have a wonderful collection of dolls!

I have a lot of those snake moments in my yard as well. The last one was a copperhead. Only 5 inches long. But just as poisonous as a 5 foot long. Yuck!

Rechelle ~Walnuthaven Cottage~ said...

What wonderful treasures.
Now I know most are not enthused about a visit from a snake, but I think he's kind of cute in his own unique way. Sorry he gave you a fright.
Have a great day!

Grandma Faith said...

Those little dolls are so cute and special. Thanks for telling us the stories to go with them. That snake would have scared me, too.

Being Mrs Miles said...

I'm afraid I would drop my camera too! I don't trust snakes. We have rattlers here - we live in a pocket desert. Actually, the baby ones bite is worse than an adults - the venom is supposed to be more toxic?

Your dolls are fascinating. We saw one similar to the Chinese one - passed it up, and I've always regretted that. Perhaps this is a cue to go back and get it.

I can see they both have sentimental value as much as anything to you.

Thanks for the peek into your treasures.

I enjoyed visiting you today.

~ Barbara

Tammy said...

I love those dolls - and such sweet memories come with them! Now the snake - ewww! I'm impressed you were able to snap photos while escaping! :o)

Linda C said...

I love the dolls- and that they have such special meaning for you!
Now the snake- I'm afraid I would have lost a camera there!!:)
Thanks for sharing with us.
~Linda C

Susie Homemaker said...

You just gave me "the willies"...snakes, ewwww...I would still be running...and you left those poor dolls out there alone!

Blessings,
Susie

Yellow Rose Arbor said...

I collect dolls, so I really enjoyed seeing these, they are marvelous!

I HATE snakes!!!! The picture didn't come up, so I didn't have to see him. Yikes, I might have nightmares!

Katherine

Anonymous said...

I love those dolls!!!! Absolutely precious!

luke and wyatt's mom said...

Relocate the snake?! Want to know what I do when I meet a snake and have a shovel handy? Buh-bye snake!

Your dolls are way too cute. We need to get the antique road show guy out here to help you date them!

Alice said...

Actually, Steph, in my post I said I 'relocated the snake' to be nice. I actually relocated it in two separate pieces - head and body. The shovel was what I went to grab when I left the dolls on the table. My sentiments exactly - lol.

Kathy said...

You have a lovely blog, honey. The dolls you posted are beautiful. And that snake - don't care what kind it was, I wouldn't want it near! Have a great week, Alice...Kathy

Lisa Cobler said...

I love vintage things and your dolls are amazing. The snake on the other hand I could live without! LOL!

Lois Christensen said...

The snake freaked me out! But the doll was beautiful. Enjoy your treasure and the memories that come with them...makes them almost even more special, right??

Anonymous said...

Dolls...nice. Snake...not so nice. Lol. Isn't Kelli's spot just the best?



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