This has been such a fun project! I am totally in love with these little dolls. I absolutely love Spring! All of the color and beauty it brings, so I decided to try and make my own vintage version of the shelf sitter dolls. I created a mold from an old 1940's doll face and then went to work. Painting, sewing, coordinating.... I had to hand dye each fabric swatch... (you just cannot find those old faded colors anymore.) How fun would these be in little Easter baskets? (My girls have already begged to play with them.) I am very pleased with the way they came out and feel as I look at them I am taking a step back in time. My grandmother had some when I was young, except she had little Christmas elves (pictured). She would put them on the edge of her mantle every year and I would gaze up at them.... waiting for them to somehow jump off and play with me. We have an old tradition in our family called the "New Years Elf". Every New Years Eve we would put our shoe by the door and wait for the New Years Elf to stop by and drop a gift for us. It would usually be something like an orange or a pack of gum. I would imagine the New Years Elf looking something like my grandmother's little shelf sitter dolls. We even had a song we would sing.
"I am the little New Year ho ho!
Here I come tripping in over the snow...
ringing my bells with a merry din,
so open your door and let me in."
My grandmother has long passed away ... but I can still hear her beautiful voice singing that song... she would hold me and I would dance on her toes. I am grateful for traditions and the way they bind generations together. Oh, how I miss her.... Love you grandma....forever.
