The Little Ones.

Part of my goal for this year as mentioned before is to go through my doll collection and possibly (hopefully?) reduce them.  So far I have found it rather difficult as they all have special meaning to me in one way or another.  Perhaps I am too sentimental, or simply just find it difficult to let go.  To try and stop any new dolls coming to join the Rose Cottage friends, I am also looking at my collection to see what can be made for them in order to get more enjoyment out of who I do have. This will also change my focus from looking for a 'new' doll  hopefully and lead to further story lines as certain dolls hopefully build up their own little wardrobes, and perhaps props.

The last few days I have been looking at the 'Little Ones'.  The small 'child' dolls under 9 inches that live here at Rose Cottage.

I did a comparison line up, but then realised I'd missed some out!  

From left to right: Xanthe Phylica, Little Miss Perfekta (Childhood doll) Kit (Soft bodied Mini American Girl), Melody (Plastic body Mini AG), Madeline, Pixie, Ginny, Penny, Poppy and Skipper (Childhood doll)

These are the four I missed out.

Left to right:  Lottie, Sindy, Riley, Lolly.

Quite a mix of vintage and modern.

Some of the dolls have received more focused attention than others.

Little Xanthe has taken part in a photo challenge I did last year (although I never quite finished the whole month!)  She has her own little box with her clothing so she is okay for now.

The other day a friend asked if anyone had seen the vintage Lundby cars in person and wondered if they were any good for these little AI dolls.  I have had one that I have tried to sell in the past and it was in my 'To Sell' box.  I mentioned I had one and would see.

Sure enough she does fit in!

Plus she can take a passenger.

Needless to say this has come out of the 'To Sell' box...as 'have car, will travel' apparently.

Last year I finally got round to making my Little Miss Perfekta a wardrobe of clothes after years of her languishing without any.  I wonder what happened to them?  Funny I can only really ever remember her nekkid.  Oh and I do remember my sister drawing all over her, fortunately the pen came out of her thanks to hard work from my Mum  although the other doll that she drew over wasn't so fortunate if I remember rightly.  Anyway due to all the washing I think that was what may have made her hair 'woolly'  

  

Plastic bodied Melody.

  

Soft bodied Kit.

The two little Mini American Girl dolls I use for KAL challenges on the various Ravelry groups I belong to.  

Madeline, hasn't really had much attention so I made her a dress last night.  Poor girl doesn't have any shoes though - what happens to shoes I wonder?  Not sure how easy it will be to find some for her.  I have done a few evilbay searches and not had any luck so far.  Perhaps I will make a few more clothes for her this year.

Pixie, was a waif that needed rescuing.  She is a vintage Perfekta doll.   She is a funny little thing wearing what I believe is her original outfit.  I plan to make her a few clothes.  She is an awkward shape so won't be the easiest I shouldn't think.  Her hair is quite dry and has had a soak in a fabric softener, but it didn't make a huge difference.

Ginny was my Christmas present as I had always wanted a Ginny doll.  I love her little outfit, so not sure if she will ever get to change out of it!

Penny Brite, another one of my vintage dolls, is just a sweet girl.  Again she could do with some clothes!

My Skipper is a childhood doll and was bought second hand for me.  She came in a basket with clothes and a bit of bedding I think.  I remember the basket and the clothes and still have some of them.  She has seen better days - she was one of my poor dolls that got chewed and lost a hand. Fortunately I finally managed to find a replacement arm for her a couple of years ago, thanks to a Skipper facebook group and a very kind Skipper collector.  Her dress she has on is one I bought from Farmers (a department store) in New Zealand with my pocket money.

  

Lottie is a doll designed by an English company and I got her simply because I liked her outfit.  I have also bought a couple of the others for their props, which I now use for the Hitty family and the two other dolls they belonged to were given away or sold, I think one of each.

I love the little message on the back of her coat.

  

Sindy was a curiosity, and I think she will become a 'doll's doll'.  She was also very cheap at Tesco. 

  

 I think I have made her a couple of outfits so far.  This was her Christmas dress. I wasn't especially happy with how it turned out.

Riley is another who hasn't changed outfit since she came here, I did have ideas to use her in various stories as I like the fact she is jointed, but haven't done so far.  

Lolly Walker is one of my vintage dolls made of hard plastic.  She well, walks! 

A few of these dolls are now wrapped back up in tissue paper and in a storage basket.  Some will return to their display shelf, others to their 'trunk' and a couple will remain out for me to work on their wardrobes. Out of the collection as a whole, two will never leave me and that is Little Miss and Skipper, my childhood dolls.  My Heartstrings doll is a definite keeper as well.  The others well time will tell at the moment they are staying.  Being small they don't take up a lot of room.