Dreams 9/1 The Doll Making Machine

 9/1

  It’s hard to imagine a better dream than this. Mummy and I were at a Christmas doll show where I got an antique doll maker. It was a gray machine about the size of an industrial microwave oven, in the shape of a hat box. I made three antique reproductions with it. They were about eighteen inches tall, made of celluloid like the Ideal and Toni dolls from the late forties. They all had different colored glass eyes, old fashioned upswept wigs, and fabulous gowns, coats, shrugs, stockings, and shoes. There was an older lady there with a doll maker too. She made two dolls. One had a burgundy Christmas skirt with embroidered sugar plums. I took my doll maker home, and Theresa was in awe of the dolls. I made another with an ivory satin bridal gown. She had steely blue almond shaped eyes and a honey blonde wig. Theresa nor I thought that she was as impressive as the first three. 

Dana's Dreams

Dana's Dreams Two

Dana's Dreams Three Revenge of the Dream Hog

  Ron is taking me to what he says is the oldest Ukranian cemetery in America today. The Headless Horseman was a Hassian soldier. Woody, my wooden soldier, who I got from Georgia, is a Prussian soldier. They were here before the Revolution. I was reading about the Huguenot cemetery that my brother and I passed when we road the Strasburg train through Lancaster in the free newspaper that I picked up at Doll Outlet where I got Mamie Eisenhower. I used that in Fanging with Claude. TTYL... ✨

Queen Anne's Tea

Vampiric Council Tea

Belinda, The Lovely Cheat

  I got my copy of Belinda The Lovely Cheat a film by Michael Canadas and David Robinson. I love it so much, right up my alley. My friends would say it is so Dana. It has inspired me to have a tea party of my own. It will have to be on the dining room table. No place is safe from Sir Frankie Crisp. 

 

A Wooden Wonder, with Christine Collins Madrid and Michael Canadas.

Queen Ann Doll

The Victoria & Albert Museum Shop

  Oh, I want everything here. Can't believe I missed it for a toy museum when I was in London. At least I can still shop there. It looks fantastic for gifts and stocking stuffers. Most of the souvenirs that I brought home for people did come from the museums or castles. 

V&A Museum Shop

A Room of Their Own, a Master Class in the Art of Display

My Doll Room

The Letitia Penn Doll Club Christmas

  We started celebrating the holidays all December years ago when it was just us. We have our regular go tos: Joanna and Cornwall furnaces and Bethlehem, but Ron is full of surprises and certainly out did himself this year with the Schoenhut event sponsored by the Letitia Penn Doll Club at The William Penn Inn, (1714). Over the Moon does not describe it. I am seriously considering joining The Letitia Penn Doll Club now. They could use me, I'm so crafty. I made a couple of videos for you to watch afterwards, for sights, but let me tell you all about it. I took Frannie, my Schoenhut, she was a big hit. Looks like my table, the last, thirteen, was the only to bring their doll friends along as Frannie met her sister, Nadjia, and her Japanese friend. I made so many new friends. Funny but Bev, the festive martini lady, was telling me how they love young people, she was referring to me. 🤣 Well, my hex used to say the only difference between me and a seven-year-old is that you can beat the seven-year-old and send it to bed. There were so many gorgeous dolls there, but Ron got Red Witch a tiny handmade wooden doll from Marjorie that I've been eyeing up at The Lancaster Doll Show for years for my stocking. The centerpieces were precious, and wouldn't you know, Ron won one. He deserves it: full of handmade wonders and a Ginny doll from the fifties. The food was fabulous. You have your choice, and I was the only vegetarian of the table and so happy for it: a mushroom quiche and a sweet fruit salad. We had a waldorf salad first witch' was so special as Ron had wanted his mother to make him one after watching My Dinner with Andre as a kid. She would not. Think I'll be making them from now on. The triple dessert was too much, and I brought two-thirds of it home. Frankie loves the cheesecake. He was good only pulled Miss Hickory out of The Collins Port Inn while we were gone. He also upset Bob, the cactus. Anyways, Ron did not only win the darling centerpiece, but I also won a loaf of nut bread from The William Penn Inn. It means more than you know as my mother always made nut bread. The favors, the catalogs and adorable wooden Schoenhut alphabet dolls are enough to make any antendee feel fortunate whether or not you scored one of the fabulous prizes. The maker of the precious alphabet blocks was wearing a groovy seventies Christmas blazer. I have one in orange that I wore as a child that somehow came back to me that a Himstedt is wanting. What a charming way to celebrate the holidays! 

Video Part 1: Prizes

Part Two

 

Letitia Penn Doll Club Christmas

Christmas at Joanna Furnace 2024

  Joanna Furnace is a charming way to kick start the holidays. We've been coming for seventeen years, but this was the best yet. We began the evening with supper at Stampede Barbeque. They have the best cider on tap. It's my brother's and my place, but Ron enjoyed it tonight too, and said that we can come more often. I think he was impressed as he thought he knew our cashier from wrestling and Amish Mafia. It's the same wonderful staff. I actually discovered this place last year at Apple Fest, they were selling cider. I love the hushpuppies and coleslaw, but Ron was impressed with his brisket salad and peanutbutter pie. Joanna's is usually packed, but not tonight. The dollhouse is new. I think somebody created it to look like the original furnace owner's mansion that was sadly demolished long ago. Best band ever! They usually feature a school choir, but this year was a gentlemens' brass band. I haven't been in the mood for Christmas music this year. Frankie and I have been listening to Shiner's favorite party songs because it's all new to Frankie. This band played all my favorites. They were great. I had gotten some Starry Slumber wine from the Sleepy Cat Urban Winery in Allentown, better than the sweet stuff I got last year. There were no letters in Kris Kringle's box at the general store where I get the little Civil War soldiers like I left in Jeremy's Room at The Farnsworth House in Gettysburg, so I left him a letter thanking him for Frankie. Actually we all had major Christmas scores as I got a dollhouse sized Heidi Lotte doll from the forties from Mr. Glass, the third doll I've gotten from him. He was also selling for the German woodcarver that I'd gotten a gnome from who could not make it tonight, so Ron got something handmade for his stocking that is still very light. It's not even his real stocking, the blue velvet topped with berries that I made him seventeen years ago, as the house is cat proof this Christmas. I didn't get everything out of the attic this year, certainly nothing breakable. Frankie was a very good boy, the tree was still up when we got home. He made out like a fat cat, his stocking is full. His stocking is from my childhood, and Shiner's first stocking. Shiner nibbled it's hand when he was a puppy. It's a cat in a Santa hat popping out of the stocking. Tonight a Packers catnip mouse and an alpaca caterpillar finger puppet were added, plus he got a hand knitted hooded cat bed. He's going to love it. Frankie loves boxes and bags. Shiner graduated to the big Tinkerbelle stocking that Mummy got me that Ron is settling for this year. Actually it's bigger, so I have some work to do. I also got a darling little knit bee and a new hat for Cornwall Furnace tomorrow. 

The Train

Light Maze

 

Schoenhut Dolls

We're in. We will be going to The William Penn afterall. I'm feeling a little ew, today. Frankie and I were up all night watching Mama's Family. I only just discovered that you can rent an entire farmhouse through The Dobbin House on Little Round Top in Gettysburg that sleeps ten and has a kitchen and laundry. Anyways, good news so I'll TTYL... 💖

A Schoenhut Christmas at The William Penn

  

   

Frannie, my Schoenhut, and I are excited, Ron is taking us to A Schoenhut Christmas at The William Penn Inn! I've never been there, but it is from 1714, and is the oldest operating inn in Pennsylvania! Frannie and I are going to get dressed up. Ron has the best ideas. He didn't even know that I had a Schoenhut. Of course I do! She is very special to me too. 

 

Schoenhut Christmas

The William Penn

 

Lancaster Doll Show

Another good time at the Lancaster Doll Show. No, I didn't win a door prize this time, but they were Rosie O'Donnell dolls that they couldn't give away: no biggie. She might've been fun for O, My Ra! Yes, that has been put on hold due to life until further notice, but I am still writing Fanging with Claude, working on it. Would love to have it done by Christmas, we'll see. Ron got me adorable Little Peach from the forties for my Japanese house and Holly, a party favor from a Christmas party from a hundred years ago for my stocking. Ru Paul Dragon Queen Monster High is not selling. Sad, I've always liked him. Don't think anybody from The Brady Bunch is woke ass. Lots of Trump supporters loving my Bulletproof tee talking about The RIG. See You there! The corn chowder was better than ever, and I still have my brownie that got a bit squashed in my bag. Frankie was a good boy. He's a very good boy. 

Joanna Furnace Apple Festival

I was happily writing along about Joanna Furnace's Apple Festival until I mentioned some old geezer with a homemade Cabala Embarrass shirt, cap, and button. That's when my entire post vanished. Now I'm pissy. Yeah, I wanted to jump on her stupid commie head and beat her illiterate ass, but I did not. So, now, let me get back to my post that was rudely eaten by the fucking GOOGLE Monster. 😡 I had a ball. I had cider and apple fritters. We brought homemade pot pie and bean soup home. I also brought home some mead seltzer. I do not like mead, but the seltzer is tasty, and I got a mixed batch. Somehow I lost my box of Thanksgiving decorations. I don't have a lot, but Mummy's stuff from the bicentennial in Massachusetts is in there. Sure I'll find it while decorating for Christmas but until then I got this beautiful hand knitted scarecrow. I also got a handcarved Saint Francis, he's not Italian, so he might just be Pennsylvania made. I have a wooden Mary and Saint Patrick, but Francis is our long time saint of choice. I also scored a church doll from Mr. Glass who I'd gotten a lovely rag doll from a couple of Christmases ago. She always graces the foyer, too sweet to put away. Think we'll be seeing J.D. Vance at the airport later. Good times. 

The Adventures of Pinocchio -Trailer

Dreams 9/4

 Dreamed I was at a sort of festival with my parents, Mummy's friend Sandy, and my ex. It was summer and we were wearing shorts and hats. I was outside on a corner by a truck with my ex and a man who was selling all kinds of stuffed turtles. They were piled up on the ground by his pickup. There was a huge plush one with a deep green shell and pale cream body that was a hundred-and-twenty-five dollars. It had a green stuffed Irish castle keep attached to it and a turtle tag. I wanted it. We had to climb through a slot of a window to get inside a building which held a market. Paul went first. A strange guy waited behind me. I was holding onto my hat, and Paul caught me as I slid through. The interior was almost tent like and full of long tables piled high with flea market types of things. There were a lot of dolls. Some were small like Dawn dolls. Daddy had some onion skins that he put into a salt shaker and then into a china tea cup. He wanted me to fetch him some water and make him some tea. I was wondering how that would work. A tall man was coming in through a revolving glass door. There were a lot of tall wooden dolls, a couple of feet high in the corner by the door. One had fallen over blocking his way. 

More Dreams 7/7

 Yes, I finished all twenty-four episodes of Secrets of the Occult while The Great Courses were free with ten minutes until midnight to spare. I learned some. Like with The Black Death as a lifetime occult scholar I might've taught that course. Anyway, I had fallen asleep during some Russian 💩, (that has always bored me). I dreamed that I was toasting and eating bread. I woke thinking it was real and feeling fat. 🤣🥖🤣

Mehitable goes to the Beach

We rounded out our WWII Weekend with a trip to the beach. It was just Blue Marsh Lake up the road, but Mehitable had fun. ⛱ I brought a couple of books and nearly finished the Betta book anyways. It says Bettas live longer and are more colorful if you feed them live bugs once a week. I might try. I had moved Krishna, the African Dwarf Frog, to Julius's and Tattoo's little tank because he was always hiding underneath the bush from Vishnu who did eat Buddah, Atif, and Lassit, the Glowlight Tetras. I had been trying to feed Krishna a variety of foods: algae wafers, daphnia, mysis, bloodworms, and flakes but I had yet to see him eat even if I put a wafer up to his face. I went to the pet store and got him a girlfriend, Diana, she's pinker and whiter than the brown Krishna, and she's slenderer. The girl there introduced me to Dwarf Frog Pellets. They sink, and you feed each frog five to ten tiny pellets a day. As soon as I dropped them in I noticed him foraging straight away, plus, Tattoo, the emerald Cory Cat, loves them, so I gave some to Neptune, Ector, and Shiva who are now with Vishnu. Even though they're different species they still school together. I thought Neptune was peppered and Shiva was a panda because she has a mask, but they might be male and female. They're always cuddling. I'm going to have to look into it. Like them, Shini, the only remaining Glowlight, schools with Tom, Tom, Nimue, and Morgana, the Neon and Black Neon Tetras. Merlin chases them round the cylindrical tank. I think they're playing, Tom and Tom are a year old, but Jack N Oph and Ron say otherwise. Merlin has had four months to kill them if he wanted, but the fatter Tom does seem to have a red spot that I don't remember. It's possibly a Merlin nibble.