June Allyson Paper Dolls

Who remembers June Allyson, 1917-2006? I do, she was the husky voiced lady who was a Hollywood star , MGM contracted, of film and television in the 40's and 50's. She starred in such shows as, The 3 Musketeers, Little Women, 2 Girls for a Sailor, The Glenn Miller Story and her golden globe award....Too Young to Kiss. Few people know that when June was eight, lightening struck a dead branch and the branch fell on June, maiming her legs with several broken bones and killing a playmate, they were biking.

Against to prognoses of her doctors, who felt she would never walk again, June participated in several swimming programs and learned to re-walk. Inspired by Fred Astaire, June traveled to New York and auditioned for Broadway, she preformed poorly but before she arrived home she had a call back and became part of a choirs line.

Being a self taught dancer she had roles in many musicals starring opposite of stars like James Stewart and she was the most popular female actress for 6 years straight.

My paper dolls were purchased in 1995 and they are a reproduction of a paper doll published in 1954 by Whitman, they have some value for being paper dolls, and some for being June Allyson. The dolls comes with six outfits.

I've left them unopened just because I hope to educate my children about long ago people who have overcome adversity and triumphed over the impossible.

C&G Design

It's a Start

Well, with all this rain, what's a person to do. Finish projects. We tidied up our closet that was just finished being lined with cedar so guess what? We moved on to the third floor, my studio. Look what I see.... I'm embarrassed to say, most of what you see in the fore front is my crafts, ribbon, books, fabric, etc. Can you see the two cats? Straight in at the stacked box of three is Sophia, a grey kitty. Behind the gift bag on the right of the picture, just beyond the pipe leg for my drafting table is my Maine coon, he's black.

Here is a view from the other side, you can see the crafts off to the left. We removed most of them and stacked in my bedroom, that's all we did on this day.

It's a start. C&G Design

Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett-deceased 6/25/09

I had a elaborate post including the video of Thriller, I wanted it to be among my daily rambles, I had downloaded it once before when I had dial-up, it took all day, no kidding. It took only minutes with Road Runner, except, it won't load to blogger. Either way, Madame and myself have wanted to learn the dance for 2 years, ever since the 25 year anniversary of the video became to big thing on the news programs, Madame has the written steps and maybe someday.....we will highlight our talents! So at least I can link it, see Thriller here. The world is saddened by the passing of a great music icon, he changed dance, and pop rock. He made millions in music sales and music sales made millions on him, he was Michael Jackson.

The innocent looking 10 year old who sung "ABC...easy as 1,2,3" with his 4 older brothers, is no longer and he will be sadly missed. Michael had 3 children.

I want to add that early reports have the probable cause of death as a massive coronary at 50, pending toxicology.

I also want to say something about America's most famous "Charlie's Angels", Farrah Fawcett. In the seventies, she was truly what every girl wanted to be and every boy wanted! Her passing came the same day as Michael Jackson and although not unexpected, sad, she was so young, only 62. Farrah died from a rare form of cancer she had courageously fought for 3 years, she leaves a son she had with Ryan O'Neil. She is an Angel now.

C&G Design

Pink Peonies

After almost two weeks of constant rain, the sun came out and instantly my peonies opened. As if to face the warm rays of the day.

They are even beautiful when swelled full as a unopened bud.

For more pink, see Beverly, she wonderfully puts together a list of pink people every Saturday. C&G Design

Maine Museum

With the flurry of the end of the school year, Madame, class and several volunteers took a trip to the Maine Museum. It was eventful for her, eventful because she had my camera and took 100 pictures. A lot of her photos came out blurry but here are some that are okay or clear.

I'm not sure I realized there are so many different colors of this guy!

Another picturesque shot of what we have here in Maine, I have no idea who the gentleman is.

Back in them there days...the father of the bride had these cannons!

Pretty neat, huh? Can you imagine people commuting in this today?

I'm sure the railway cars were used to transport logs or wood, not everyone had a convenient river next door to them.

More sawmill.....

even back then, I believe they had portable mills, they were the first to go where no man had gone before. these are the logs of the star ship enterprise.....wait! Wrong place.

Looking a little more modern.

I'm not real sure how sailing end up with biking but here it is.....

Musket shooters.

I think...that's a coiled snake in the middle of this habitat.

Our quarry claims.

These were mixed in the photos of a kitchen so I'm assuming they are the packaging of ingredients commonly found.

Everyone recognizes the ole' Victrola.

I can't say Madame was just getting accustomed to my camera because some of these articles are under glass and I think to a minor aspect, it distorts the picture taking. Beautiful quilt though, she was excited about that one.

Indian attire....

and a ritual marriage robe.

and real live GIANT trout!

I'm thinking 100 years from now we will be seeing the first cell phone, this huge radio like thing with an antenna that you had to pull out from the phone itself.

For now.....I'm thanking my lucky stars for the invention of the ugly hand held caller, the bus would not start after this trip was done, thank goodness for cell phones and the fact Madame is so funny with adults, her responses was, "er....how long do you think we will be?" C&G Design

Halfway....

I'm getting there, I thought I would show you a peek at the red work quilt. I'm really happy with the layout, the rows across jive, and the rows down jive. I have 5 categories of animals, not one repeats in either row, that makes for a good feeling by now.
Over the next couple of days I will add the center rows, the tops and the sides. I found I'm one row short so it is going to require I take another trip to, MARDENNNS! If the fabric is all purchased then I will have to change plans. DH and myself came to the conclusion this twin size quilt will need a contrasting border.....I'm thinking safari.
Until then....happy stitching. C&G Design

The Cottingley Faries

A film that took my breath away, The Fairy Tale, beautiful cinematography, evoking emotions and spiritual beliefs. Today is Fairy day and what better way to celebrate it than to talk about the most famous faeries I know. (besides Tink!) In 1917 Elise Wright (16) and Frances Grittith (10), cousins, spent a good deal of time behind the Wright home. They moved in together when WW1 occurred and soon became good friends despite their age. It was secret between the girls but one day, exacerbated by the wet shoes and dirty feet, one of the mothers pressed the cousins as to what they were up too, "At the stream visiting the faeries!" They blurted.

As if to prove the discovery, Elise and Frances borrowed the Wright family camera and photographed these 5 pictures. When Mr Wright developed the photos, believing they were hoaxes, he placed them in a drawer, there they sat for a few years. Mrs Wright's religion allowed belief in faeries, gnomes, and pixies. She became a advocate of the children's photos. The uproar began......

In 1920 Sir Author Conan Doyle was commissioned by Strand Magazine, to debunk the five photos the girls had taken, he made several visits to Cottingley, England. He idly sat by as the girls tried to conjoin the faeries into appearing. As we all know, Mr Conan Doyle is best known for writing Sherlock Holmes. He became quickly sucked into the tale the girls had to tell. Elise then, 19 and Frances, 13.

The photos were printed on Kodak paper although the company couldn't verify the authenticity of the subjects, they could say the negatives weren't altered.

In 1981 both girls (woman) gave a interview telling the public the photos were faked, they had used hairpins to upright the cutouts, it is believed the girls gave a histrionics to the parents in the time of their grieving, motions of separations. Neither girl had the heart to reveal the true nature of the photos after a famous writer became involved. Frances continued to say the fifth photo was real and untouched by either girl, she continued to say so up to her death. Elise died in 1988, Frances in 1986. In 2003 one of the girl's daughter, and granddaughter appeared on Antique Roadshow with one of the photos, it was appraised at L40,000. I'm not sure how much that is but I came imagine it's a lot.

I ask you....do you believe? C&G Design.

Ann!

I'm posting Raggedy Ann today, (Tuesday instead of Wednesday) because tomorrow is Fairy day!
What does Raggedy Ann have to do with a 2 inch, covered, little jar? I CAN envision something.......hummmm,

might be getting a little complicated now.

Stripes, glass and felt,

a little lace and those things could take shape.

a clever way to stick glue while giving it time to dry.

Aw, she is a pincushion with heart straight pins. My very first pincushion!

The container can hold the pins while the stitcher is not working. Lid off while working-pins in use, meanwhile the container can be used as a thread catcher. Notice I made Ann's ribbon long enough to tie a set of small snippet scissors?

I need to study her to figure out Andy, I'm stumped as to what to do about a sailor cap. Too bad I couldn't be creative with a thimble!

That might not be as funny as it sounds. C&G Design

1941 Doll

First I would like to thank Meggiecat, her blog is another one I frequent but usually don't comment (I have on her father's though, the old professor, to funny to be 80 and comment on the world!) Anyway, Meggiecat specializes in posting old patents, this will be my next dolls. This pattern has sat on my desk for about 6 months now and I'm itching to work it up! It's a soft cloth doll patented, December 1941 to M. E. Murray. Interesting, I should put that name in a search engine and see what comes up.

Anyhow, I've got to get a handle on the scale, then off we will sew and stuff! C&G Design.

High Hiking

Recently Madame had the chance to go on a foot hike, yep, another photo op. She took 70 photos, (overloading my computer) I chose a few to show you.

This is Bear Paw Lake. See the claws in the fore front of the photo? And how do you like how the lake swivels in, to actually show a footprint?

My guess is this is the top of the hike, this foot walk could not be too difficult because Madame wouldn't of asked to go.

Shawnee (sp) Peak Ski Resort, isn't that neat?

Don't ask....I'm not that sure, perhaps another artsy photo.

My guess, Madame took about 45 photo's of trees, this was one of her favorites. She did have some of her friends and a group photo of everyone.

But mostly trees, trees, and more trees. C&G Design