Let us put by some hour of every day for holy things...

I will not doubt, though all my ships at sea
Come drifting home with broken masts and sails.
I will believe the Hand which never fails,
From seeming evil, worketh good for me.
And though I weep because those sails are tattered,
Still will I cry, while my best hopes lie shattered:
I trust in Thee.
--Ann Kimmel

Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines, the labor of the olive shall fail and the fields shall yield no meat, the flock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. Habakkuk 3:17-18

Monday, February 17, 2014

Don't Let Her Warm and Fuzzy Demeanor Fool You

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Before I begin today, let me indulge in some shameless self-promotion: Both my shops are having a 22% off sale in honor of the Winter Olympics. Use code 22OLYMPIC at checkout to get your discount. Sale ends when the Olympics do, so don't delay!

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A Sweet Face Can Mask a Killer Instinct

Another victim of random violence was discovered deposited on the back doorstep this past weekend. The deceased [whose name is not yet been released pending notification of flockmates] is the latest in a long string of daring daylight attacks that have baffled and unnerved both the local avian and human populace. There appears to be little motive for the killings other than random thrill-seeking, and local seed eaters are urged to remain vigilant while dining out. 

Authorities are interested in questioning a mysterious no-tailed cat (aka "Crook") in connection with the murders, but stress the manx is merely a feline of interest and that no formal charges have been made at this point as the evidence is merely circumstantial. Crook has refused to comment on the recent crime spree or her possible involvement.

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Okay, I promised to shw you the dolls I obtained at the flea market last week. 
A puppet is not, of course, a doll per se, but close enough for  purposes of sharing here. 

This little toy is obviously mid-century or earlier in origin; I'm guessing early 1950s. Perhaps it was a carnival prize? The materials suggest it was an inexpensive item, yet it's survived to its advanced age with remarkably little damage or wear. If the face weren't so narrow I'd almost think it was a Kewpie. I wonder where it's been all these years? Cost: $1.


The tall blonde doll (13") caught my eye because of her very pretty face coloring and nicely intact hairstyle (complete with hairnet). My photo isn't doing this girl justice; she's much more attractive than she appears here. The doll seemed vaguely familiar to me, though I couldn't think why. She's stamped "Alexander" (Madame Alexander) on the back of her neck, and for $6, I thought she was worth picking up. 

My daughter did a quick bit of research for me and tells me this type of Madame Alexander head was used for about 25 years on various dolls by that manufacturer, the most familiar one being the "Poor Cinderella" #1540. That rang a bell, so I'm pretty sure that's why I seemed to recognize her. Here's a nice example of Cinderella; you'll see that the features and hair are the same as mine:
Vintage Madame Alexander POOR CINDERELLA in Rags #1540 14"

This lovely doll comes with her original outfit, broom, shoes, and stand--for $17! An excellent deal! You might want to check out the seller's shop, JamaisArriere.etsy.com.

The next doll's a real oddity. The seller thought it was a Flatsy, but that's not correct. This doll is more dimensional than a Flatsy, is dated 1966, and has the word "CONCEPTS" on its back. With her little gloves and white boots, I'm thinking she's a drum majorette or cheerleader doll of some sort. She has wire inside and can be bent to a desired pose. She is 6 1/2" tall. Information, anyone? This doll cost me $1.



Now, another of the Strawberry Shortcake clan:
  
A quick internet search tells me this doll is named "Butter Cookie". I haven't checked out prices yet, but I know enough to be sure she's worth more than the $3 I paid for her. I have a number of different Strawberry Shortcake character dolls now and I'm thinking I'll auction them on ebay, offering them as a lot. 

The last three dolls are very small. The one in blue is a "Flatsy" lookalike or perhaps a revival version of that doll. It's dated 1980. She was in a free box. (Yay!) The two "Liddle Kiddle" dolls are, I believe, knock-offs and not original. Both are marked "Hong Kong" on the back but I don't see any Mattel mark. The one on the far right still has the original plastic sleeve protecting its hair, so it's not been played with at all. The seller who had these thought they were dollhouse dolls and had them priced at $1 apiece. 
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All right.... It's that time again. Time to display my deteriorating mug before all the world (well, all 20 or so of you who read this thing!) The Olympics have about a week to go and those late nights of tv watching continue to take their toll. 


The question is, How low can I go?
Is it just my imagination, or has all this Olympic viewing led to my looking more and more like Evgeni Plushenko?


2 comments :

  1. The part about the cat made me laugh I loved it :) cats are so naughty
    I love the dolls you picked up!

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    Replies
    1. For years we thought Fat Boy was the culprit (and he may have been guilty as well!) Crook's had us fooled for a long time.

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