Oh no, another quilt!

Yet, but this one is very pretty (they all are). I picked them up at a flea market for a minimal price, $3.00. It's done with Tri-chem or Artec and there are twelve, 12 x 12 inch blocks, I love them all but especially the lily.

Now I need to find the right fabric for the sashing, oay vey. C&G Design

Pink Depression

For this Pink Saturday I'm electing to show you this beautiful pink depression dish my grandmother gave me. Since she is gone, I often look at the things she left and I think of her. This is a beautiful platter and even though it has a chip, it means alot to me.

Join Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for many more pink posts. C&G Design

My Star of the Ballet

This is a re-post from November 30, 2008. I've decided to use this particular summary to announce that Madame has recieved the part of a soldier again. I've reasurred her she will be in the marching line since she has height on her side this year. Two other friends have also got word they are to be soldiers too, AND they have the same show weekend, for all three preformances. Tis the season!

Oh, I forgot to mention but since I have a few local commentors I'd also like to say, Madame had her make-up applied by Kim Block, our news 13 anchorwoman, her daughter was a soldier also! Believe it or not I have the video! Can't see it's her though. Next time....

Today....it will be all over til next year. Then, again, I'll drive a hour and a half more than 10 x's in a month, I'll worry and fret that my ballerina might not know how much of a big deal this is....and still, some way, I'll support the preforming arts, just because she likes it.
Here is a backstage pass to dress rehearsal conducted two days ago, Madame gets her hat.....check out the ears




I realized I missed the top of her hat so here is another candid, check out the ears again, too cute.
The station line for make-up......

I'm not sure I care for the lipstick, Revlon "Love that red," that I and every other parent had to buy for their soldier.

The Nutcracker, preformed by the Maine State Ballet ,WHICH included my daughter, for 3 shows, has been worth it.

I thought I'd end with a video, unfortunately I did not know my camera doesn't have audio to the video aspect, so we have a silent film. I think you can see how slightly (ever so slightly) anxious Madame is to be going, in fact she said she "feels awkward", and "well, yah, she does," and "is the video over yet?"

Enjoy. C & G Design.

R&B Angel Face

I so need to stay away from the thrift stores! Here's a little beauty I found this week. She is Arranbee, and she is called Angel Face. The first 3 photos are from a seller on EBay who lists this doll as Rare 1950's Vintage Arranbee Doll, R&B Angel Face. Reading the description one gathers it's rare because the EBay market has been watched for this doll for several years by this seller and to no avail has this little lady ever been sol.. Her doll is 21'' whilst mine is 16'', her doll has separate rubber arms whilst mine is all one piece, all rubber.

She appears to be stuffed with rags and is very heavy. The Ebayer writes: "Page 202 of the Arranbee identification and value guide has a photo of a blond doll just like this one, only this one is brunette. Doll has molded mouth with tongue but no teeth, all vinyl with jointed head and shoulders, legs are part of the torso. Marked R&B and 19BBS" She states it wouldn't be fair to disclose the valve because as we all know, by the time the guide is released, the valves are up.

You have no idea how long I've wanted a R&B doll, They are the makers of Nanette a beautiful, very popular composition doll. The company was started in 1922 and had head designers such as Armand Marseille, he is known for the french bisque dolls, the Bru, the Tete's and the Jumeaus, all the dolls that price out at $3000.00 or more, the one's on a collectors wish list, especially mine and I known of no one who can spent that amount of money on a doll. Arranbee was sold to Vogue Company in 1959, they used the R&B marking until 1961. There I was, in the thrift store, looking at this ole' blanket bag full of this doll and some home made clothing. I took her out to look at the markings on her neck but I could only see the 16BBS, even still, this is another doll that called my name. Imagine my excitement when I saw R&B after I got her home and unpacked.

She was $6.99 with all her clothing and her shoes, she is in remarkable shape for being at least 48 years old, gosh! That's older than me!
She has a bob hairstyle that has retained most of it's shape, her eyes are clear and there are no rips in the rubber, no foul odor, no stains.

I washed her little dress and placed socks on her feet, she is perfect.

I love it when I purchase a remarkable find! Feels so good! C&G Design

Raggedy Ann's Trip on the River

When Marcella had a tea party out in the orchard, of course all of the dolls were invited. Raggedy Ann, the tin soldier, the Indian doll and all the others--even the four little penny dolls in the spool box. After a lovely tea party with ginger cookies and milk, of course the dolls were very sleepy, at least Marcella thought so, so she took all except for Raggedy Ann in the house and put them in bed for the afternoon nap. Then Marcella told Raggedy Ann to stay there and watch the things.

As there was nothing else to do, Raggedy Ann waited for Marcella to return. And as she watched the little ants eating cookie crumbs Marcella had thrown to them, she heard all of a sudden the patter of puppy feet behind her. It was Fido

The puppy dog ran up to Raggedy Ann and twisted his head about as he looked at her. Then he put his front feet out and barked in Raggedy Ann's face. Raggedy Ann tried to look very stern, but she could not hide the broad smile painted on her face.

"Oh, you want to play, do you?" the puppy barked, as he jumped at Raggedy Ann and then jumped back again.

The more Raggedy Ann smiled, the livelier Fido's antics became, until finally he caught the end of her dress and dragged her about.

This was great fun for the puppy dog, but Raggedy Ann did not enjoy it. She kicked and twisted as much as she could, but the puppy dog thought Raggedy Ann was playing.

He ran out the garden gate and down the path across the meadow. Every once and a while Fido would give Raggedy Ann a great shaking, making her yarn head hit the ground "ratty-tat-tat." Then he would give his head a toss and send Raggedy Ann high in the air.

By this time she lost her apron and now some of her hair yarn was coming loose. As Fido neared the brook, another puppy dog came running across the foot bridge to meet him. "What have you there Fido?" said the new puppy dog as he bounced up to Raggedy Ann.

"This is Raggedy Ann," answered Fido. "She and I are having a lovely time playing."

You see, Fido really thought Raggedy enjoyed being tossed around and whirled high up in the air. But of course she didn't. However, the game didn't last much longer. As Raggedy hit the ground the new puppy caught her dress and ran with her across the bridge, Fido barking close behind him.

In the center of the bridge, Fido caught up with the new puppy dog and they had a lively tug-of-way with Raggedy Ann stretched between them. As they pulled and tugged and flopped Raggedy Ann about, somehow she fell over the side of the bridge into the water.

The puppy dogs were surprised, and Fido was very sorry indeed, for he remembered how good Raggedy Ann had been to him and how she had rescued him from the dog pound. But the current carried Raggedy Ann along and all Fido could do was run along the bank and bark.

Now you would of thought Raggedy Ann would sink, but no, she floated nicely, for she was stuffed with clean white cotton and the water didn't soak through very quickly.

After a while the strange puppy grew tired of running along the bank and the strange puppy scampered home over the meadow, as if he had nothing to be ashamed of. But Fido walked home very sorry indeed. His little heart was broken to think he had caused Raggedy Ann be drowned.

But Raggedy Ann didn't drown-not a bit of it. In fact, she even went to sleep on the brook, for the motion of the current was very soothing as it carried her along-just like being rocked by Marcella.

So, sleeping peacefully, Raggedy Ann drifted along until she lodged against a large stone'

Raggedy Ann tried to climb upon the stone, but by this time the water had thoroughly soaked through Raggedy Ann's nice clean white cotton stuffing and she was so heavy she could not climb.

So there she had to stay until Marcella and Daddy came along and found her.

You see, they had been looking for her. They had found pieces of her apron all along the path where Fido and the strange puppy dog had shaken them from Raggedy Ann. So they followed the brook until they found her.

When Daddy fished Raggedy Ann from the water, Marcella hugged her so tightly to her breast the water ran from Raggedy Ann and dripped all over Marcella apron. But Marcella was so glad to find Raggedy Ann again she didn't mind it a bit. She hurried home and took off all of Raggedy Ann's wet clothes and placed her on the little red chair in front of the oven door, then brought all the other dolls in and read a fairy tale to them while Raggedy Ann steamed and dried. When Raggedy Ann was thoroughly dry, Mamma said she thought the cake must be finished and she took from the oven a lovely chocolate cake and gave Marcella a large piece to have another tea party with.

That night when all the house was asleep, Raggedy Ann raised up in bed and said to the dolls who were still awake, "I'm so happy I do not feel a bit sleepy. Do you know, I believe the water soaked me so thoroughly my candy heart must of melted and filled my whole body, and I do not feel the least bit angry with Fido for playing with me so roughly!"

So all the other dolls were happy, too, for happiness is very easy to catch when we love one another and are sweet all through.

Special thanks to The Project Gutenberg. C&G Design

A Quick Note

I've been held up with a bad fall cold, nice of hubby, son and whomever else, too share huh? It doesn't really help I've sat in 40 degree weather to watch football for the varsity. Tonight was good though, JV...did I mention my son is captain?! Junior varsity won, for the first time in 3 years we had a win! And me and my tissue was there!S So, now to go onto a short note, no crafts, just napping. How do you like Madames fiber optic butterfly? She put the kit together tonight (before she removed the live mouse from her Siamese cat! Ahhh!)

I had one of these when I was her age, amazing how far we have come. Thanks to this technology, I'm writing to you compliments of better fiber optics, and I'm still trying to figure out how a fax machine works! C&G Design

Peace For One Day

Today is National Peace For One Day, a day set aside for peace. September 21 is an idea of a film maker who had a vision for just one day and September 21 st has been recognized for this event ever since 1999. I'm Happy to take part in the tenth year. Madame is on the Peace committee at her school, all the elected are to make a poster, a snack (she chose a cake, all the others made sugar cookies, but not Madame, nooo!), and a shirt. Guess I'll be driving her to school today, which she HATES!

And since the boys undershirts come in multiple numbers, we have made other shirts for people in her chosen group, the 6th graders. Each person on the committee has a grade, of course Madame has 6th, of course...!

Madame made them with a few of her girlfriends from down the road, our neighbors, they are home schooled and were delighted to help.

I'm hoping there are a few smaller students like her, otherwise I'm stuck with 6 "Peace for one day" t-shirts. C&G Design.