Thursday, December 15, 2005

Rachel presents: Rhonda's Paper Doll Memories


It is only my memory that keeps my Grandma, Mary, with me. A paper doll is involved in one of my earliest memories of my Grandma.

My first paper dolls came at the "magical" time of year that fills childrens hearts and minds with awe and wonder: Christmas. I think that it was my Grandma who gave me my first paper dolls. I would have been 4 - 5 years old. My Grandma had come for a visit. She lived in Florida, we lived in California. Of course, Grandma spent most of her visit with my Mother and other grown ups.

But just a few days after Christmas, I had Grandma all to myself. We sat beneath the glow of a living room lamp, in our p.j.'s, robes and slippers. The Christmas tree was still sparkling, the fire place was burning low. We were cutting out the paper doll clothes. Grandma was telling me stories about when she was a little girl. Her stories included her Mom, my Great Grandmother. We folded the tabs on the dolls clothes and tried different outfits on my doll, making up stories about where she would wear such an outfit.

I don't recall the doll stories, but I do remember things that my Grandma shared about herself, and her Mom. These are things that I may never have known if we hadn't spent that private time together, playing.

Before Grandma went home that year, she showed me how to make my own paper doll clothes, using some of the Christmas wrapping paper that she'd set aside. She showed me to use the backs of the paper to color and create my own outfits, too. The little doll inspired creation.

I don't remember the face of my first paper doll. She had brunette hair and a shiny, sturdy body. What I remember most is my Grandma's profile, back lit by the fire place. I remember the lift of her mouth when she shared a particularly sweet memory. I remember her soft perfume, the smell of oranges and pine. I remember the warmth of our good night hug.

These paper doll memories are shared by Rhonda G. owner of OMGNetwork.com, an Online Marketing Group Network and WOGShopCom, one of her auction sites. If you have a paper doll memory that you would like to share, contact Janey at memories@pjscorner.net, fill out the form on either our home page or PJ's Paper Doll page, or send a letter to PJ's Corner, Attn: Janey Loree, PO Box 39, Taft, CA 93268.

Tuesday, November 08, 2005

Have your paper doll memories published in PJ's Paper Doll Newsletter!

We are looking for paper doll memories to publish in our December issue of PJ's Paper Doll Newsletter. If you enjoyed playing with paper dolls when you were little...or still do...comment on this post or contact Janey through PJ's website. Thank you for making memories in PJ's Corner!

Saturday, November 05, 2005

Janey's Paper Doll Memories...

When I think back to my first paper dolls, it was the late sixties. "Velvet" was my first paper dolls' name. That was the name I gave the paper doll my mother created. I never had a store bought paper doll; who needed store bought paper dolls when you had your own made for you! My friend Paula and I loved playing with my homemade paperdolls more than with my store bought "Barbie" dolls.

After my mother drew Velvet for me she told me that she would need to be backed with cardboard to make her stronger. My search led me to my dad's garage where I found the cardboard from the "3M Sanding Block Sand-Paks"...the sand paper was left in a neat little pile on the bench.

I still have my homemade paperdolls. They are old, faded, crinkled, and torn, but they have memories that are precious and unique. If you have a paper doll memory that you would like to share, contact Janey at memories@pjscorner.net or send a letter to PJ's Corner, Attn: Janey Loree, PO Box 39, Taft, CA 93268. These memories were posted in PJ's October Paper Doll Newsletter.

Paper Doll Memories...

Owner Phyllis Mae (Freckles) recollects..."In a family of five girls and three boys, my sisters and I loved paper dolls. I remember my older sisters, Mary Elizabeth (Beth) and Shirley Anne (Sheryl) drawing paper dolls, and Marjorie Alice (Marj), Jessie Carol (Cricket) and I having to have our own paper dolls. We drew our own paper doll clothes on any plain paper we could find. We cut out the models from old Sears Roebuck, and Montgomery Ward catalogs and then tried to find clothes to fit. If all else failed we would cut our own pattern from the material pages. We kept all of our paperdoll treasures in old shoe boxes under our beds."

Phyllis Mae (California) took the time out of her busy schedule, creating new paper doll clothes and artwork, to call each of her four sisters to ask them about their paper doll memories. What a time they had reminiscing! Beth, (Oregon) who drew big bows on the shoes of her paper dolls, remembers "Mom gave Shirley and I our first Sears Roebuck catalog", some scissors, and set us on the floor, letting us cut to our hearts content. Sheryl (Oregon) stated "for paper we used anything we could get our hands on, greyish beige paper or anything without lines". She also rememered the "Dion Quintuplet" paper dolls that were in the newspapers. Marj (Oregon) recalls the store bought paper doll clothes were flocked giving them a velvet look. "Phyllis, Jessie and I would play with our paper dolls by the hours,""Once in a while we used a Spiegel catalog, and Mom bought colored contruction paper" for our homemade paper doll clothes. Jessie Carol (New Jersey) declared "paper dolls were our favorite thing when we were little". "We found old catalogs and I remember getting the big baby doll paper dolls, and Margie, Phyllis and I sitting in the doorway (in everybody's way) cutting out paper dolls".

All five sisters agree that they enjoyed hours of fun and entertainment and knew that "paperdoll time" gave their mom a break. If you have a paper doll memory that you would like to share, contact Janey at memories@pjscorner.net or send a letter to PJ's Corner, Attn: Janey Loree, PO Box 39, Taft, CA 93268. These memories were shared in PJ's September Paper Doll Newsletter.

Wednesday, July 27, 2005

Paper Doll Memories

Do you have paper doll memories? We would love to hear about them! Besides the paper dolls and clothes that my mother made me, I have one doll that my childhood friend, Sabrina, made when we were in the fourth or fifth grade.

Wednesday, July 20, 2005

My Favorite Blogs 'n' Sites...

Blogs...

My Favorite Childhood Dolls

PJ's Corner's blog

Websites...

PJ's Corner

Starlos Cockapoos

Gifts a la Heart

Dypzzz 3 Grab Bag


Dirty Butter Estates

Dirty Butter Plush Animal Shoppe

2BoysandToys in the BidChaser Marketplace

Wood's Pens & Gifts

Auction Sites...

The BidChaser Marketplace

Paper Doll Therapy

Did you know that cutting out paper dolls improves manual dexterity? And it is a form of therapy? Do you know someone who is recovering from an illness or is bedridden...they need a paper doll to cut out! Stressing out over your job or situation, or trying to quit smoking...try cutting out paper dolls to keep you busy. Need a past time to connect with a loved one...use your paper doll cut outs to enhance a scrapbook! Is it stormy outside and you need something for the kids to do...dress up the paper dolls and have a fashion show!!!