I did it again.
Yes I did.
I said I wouldn't, but I did.
I was 'JUST LOOKING' at Composition dolls
on ebay. You will not guess who I found....
Go ahead, guess...
This is her photo from eBay
She is like a sleeping beauty.
I saw her and thought,
"I can make her lovely again!"
She is an Effanbee Patsy Joan.
She is 17" tall.
She was made somewhere between
1930 & 1946.
She was completely restored when
I found her. She is also 17" tall.
I also have this reproduction vinyl
Patsy Joan. She is 15" tall.
AND Finally! She arrived!! My new
PATSY JOAN!
Here she is right out of the box.
You can see some fine lines in her skin and some
spots, but other than that she looks lovely!
She is wearing this little sweet dress.
It is damaged, you can see a tear in front.
In back the lace and fabric are torn too,
but I think I can fix it!
Under her dress she had this little chemise.
The chemise needs a little repair work as well.
I put her dress and chemise in to soak.
I couldn't wait to start cleaning her up.
I used this wood filler with a VERY,
very slightly damp cloth to clean her skin.
Her leg before cleaning and....
After.
Her face before and...
After.
Side by side comparison.
Next she needed a little pink on her cheeks.
I mix these two colors.
Then, I use a makeup sponge dipped in the paint and
then patted off on a paper towel.
Now she has some rosy cheeks!
I found her some bloomers and a slip
in my doll dresser.
Here she is in a reproduction dress and sunhat.
This is a vintage 1930s white organdy dress.
And here she is in pink Dotted Swiss.
This dress gets shared a lot around here!
But I think she wears it best.
Here are all my Patsy Joan dolls together.
You can see the composition dolls are the same size.
The reproduction Patsy is a bit smaller.
My black Patsy will remain Joan.
My reproduction doll will remain Patsy.
And let me introduce...
Charlotte
Before and After
Hello Brenda,
ReplyDeleteI know how easy it is to fall in love with a vintage composition Patsy - i have a 14 inch Patsy, Winnie, as well as a Patsy Joan, Francine.
You have taken very good care of Charlotte - she looks glowing - and her new clothes are terrific.
Like you, I love refurbishing old doll clothes, if i can. often times just a few hand stitches and sometimes a bit of lace will take care of most of the uh-ohs!
Janet
Hi Brenda,
ReplyDeleteThis little one looks stunning.Her face is so sweet.
The pink dress really suits her.You have such beautiful clothes for your dolls.
Were you able to mend her original clothes at all?They look very fragile.
Joan and Patsy look like they will help Charlotte settle in.
Anna
What a lovely name you have given to this precious little one! (I'm Charlotte too you know.) It's amazing how you take a forlorn baby and make her look brand new. I'd just like to pick her up and give her a squeeze. And I agree with Anna, you have many beautiful clothes for your girls.
ReplyDeleteThank you Janet,
ReplyDeleteI have seen your Francine and Winnie they are adorable! Your Patsy is the earlier version which is also very hard to find now. I feel so fortunate to have come across Charlotte as I did. She was listed as just an Effanbee doll.
This was definitely love at first sight. Her clothes are soaking. The dress was very yellowed, not sure it will get much better. I am planning on repairing the dress.
Hugs
Brenda
Thank you Anna,
ReplyDeleteYes, Joan and Patsy are already loving on Charlotte and sharing their dolls. I have to confess to having 2 dressers FULL of doll clothes. They are all sorted by era and size. So, yes I do have lots of things to try on.
The original dress is soaking trying to get the yellow out. I think it will stay an ecru off-white though. My next post will be repairing her clothes and possibly her shoes?
Hugs
Brenda
Thank you Charlotte,
ReplyDeleteI asked this doll what her name was and Charlotte is what she told me! I thought of you when I named her too. Charlotte makes me think of gentleness and kindness. Her face is so sweet I knew Charlotte was right for her.
I do have lots of doll clothes - 2 dressers full! I am always looking for vintage doll clothes on eBay. I have gotten lots of vintage doll dresses that way. I frequently find 1930s dresses mixed in with 1950s and modern doll dresses. It's alike a treasure hunt.
Hugs
Brenda
Thank you Sandra,
ReplyDeleteI do love playing dolls and I love sharing my dolls with all of you. It's like grown-up girls playing dolls.
When I was a girl I LONGED for more doll dresses! It never occurred to me to ask my seamstress Grandmother to make some for me. She was a doll lover too, so it would have been right down her alley. So, now I have more doll dresses than my dolls can wear, haha!
I am SO VERY happy with my Charlotte. I feel like it was kismet when I found her. It was meant to be.
Hugs
Brenda
You do such a wonderful job of these vintage dolls Brenda and Chalotte is a brilliant example. The before and after photos are great, it's hard to believe she is the same doll. WELL DONE!!
ReplyDeleteAs much as I enjoy seeing you dolls and how wonderful they look in your photos, I still cannot bring myself to purchase one. I think I am happy to enjoy these dolls through you. :)
Big hugs,
X
Thank you Xanadu,
ReplyDeleteThere are so many different dolls out there because we are all so different ourselves. I love looking at photos of modern dolls. I love their hair,faces and style but I just look and enjoy. It's interesting to me how different we all are as collectors and yet we love to share our dolls with other doll lovers. I love it!
Hugs
Brenda
Well, you have done it again! You have adopted another doll and made her beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI kept scrolling down and saying "oh my goodness," as each photo was more lovely than the one before.
Charlotte is so darling now. I bet her sisters gave her a big hug when they met her.
Thank you Dorothy,
ReplyDeleteYes they did! Charlotte's sisters hovered over me as I worked watching every move I made until their new sister was ready to join them. I enjoyed this refresh so much. I am so happy about adding Charlotte to our family. She is truly lovely!
Hugs
Brenda
Hi Charlotte You have found a welcoming and loving home. Your sisters are happy to have another sister to play with. Brenda gives all of her children love and caring. Enjoy your home.
ReplyDeleteJoan
Brenda you did an excellent job on your new Charlotte. She is lovely. After you worked on her ,she looks brand new. Welcome home Charlotte.
ReplyDeleteMarion
Once again Brenda, you have done a marvelous job with a new doll. Charlotte is adorable. You have turned her into a beauty. She looks so at home in her new surroundings. Charlotte you are a lucky lady now that you have Brenda for a mommy.
ReplyDeleteMarilyn
Thank you Joan,
ReplyDeleteI am very happy here in my new home. I already love my sisters so much and have had lots of fun playing dolls with them.
Hugs
Charlotte
Thank you Marion,
ReplyDeleteCharlotte really needed so little done for her. I was SO blessed to find her. I myself am just amazed at how lovely she looks now.
Hugs
Brenda
Thank you Marion, I am very happy in my new home and I love my new mom.
Hugs
Charlotte
Thank you Marilyn,
ReplyDeleteCharlotte does feel as though she belongs here with us. I am so pleased that I found her and she is here and all better.
Thank you Marilyn, I do feel quite lucky that my new mom found me. I was greatly loved before, but love always multiplies.
Hugs, Charlotte
How lovely! Another great job! Your collection just gets better and better. :o)
ReplyDeleteThank you Carolyn,
ReplyDeleteI am SO SO happy I found my Charlotte. DO you ever feel like something is meant to be? I just happened to come across this eBay ad at just the right time. I feel very blessed!
HUgs
Brenda
Composition dolls always draw me in, especially the Patsys and Patsy type dolls. I have 2 totes of compos waiting to be restored. I can't stand to see them thrown away so I'm learning bit by bit how to restore them for me for the present and to leave to my children, grands and great grands later on.
ReplyDeleteLove reading your blog and seeing your dolls!
Thank you Georgee,
ReplyDeleteI do adore compo dolls too - as you can tell. This Patsy JOan is one of my absolute favorites. Such a sweet expression. WOW! Good for you restoring all those dolls! I have doneminor restoration on compo dolls, but anything more and I feel over my depth.
I'm so pleased you enjoy my blog! Please visit often!
Hugs
Brenda
H Brenda,
ReplyDeleteOnce again, I am visiting your episode of Patsys. It always surprising to see my own dolls here, looking like little "models"..
I have gone through the page to get some inspiration for make new dresses for my two.
I love that you developed a pattern from the original dress, and reworked that dress - It is delicious now!
I do have sister dresses for my two from this pattern -made for them by Karen Keen. and I love them! I want to try my hand at making it too.
Thank you for sharing the Dolly Love - it is always a joy to visit!
Janet
HI Janet!
ReplyDeleteI am always happy when my friends come to visit! I do love this simple little pattern. I have had so many people make it and send me photos and then I get to show them off here. I am in a sewing funk right now. Maybe I need to go back and look through my patterns for some inspiration.
HUgs
Brenda