Thrifty Finds This Week

Hi Doll Friends,

We hit some of our favorite stores and antique malls this weekend, so I thought I'd share some of our thrifty finds. If you like miniatures, you should definitely check out your local Michael's. They have just put out a brand new selection of dollhouse miniatures. One of the two Michael's stores that I went to had placed the new miniatures on a completely different aisle, separate from their old mini stock.

I only picked up a couple minis from this new line, because I like to use a coupon to get a bargain. I'll definitely be going back for more though. There were so many cute new minis that I hadn't seen elsewhere before. I got this adorable metal barbecue pit. It is just so realistic. It was one of the more expensive miniatures at $8.99, but it was still only $4.50 with the coupon.

I thought these little metal guns were very realistically detailed too. They are actually made of metal, not resin or plastic. They came two to a pack for 4.99 before the coupon.

I'm planning some new craft projects, so I also picked up this set of 36 Artist's Loft watercolor paints on sale for just $2.99

At one of my favorite Antique Malls, I found this very old, antique doll trunk. It is made of metal and wood, and it is probably from the late 1800's.

My daughter has been collecting old primitive wooden boxes, and when she found this old doll trunk in our favorite primitives booth, I just had to buy it.

I'd love to know the history of this old doll trunk. It's fun to just imagine who it belonged too, where it's been and what treasures it held.

I also picked up this sweet little primitive stuffed sheep from the same booth.

I found lots of dollhouse miniatures at the antique malls too. These two tiny vinyl Kewpie dolls will be perfect toys for the dollhouse at just under 2" tall.

I also bought a miniature old fashioned metal washtub and washboard and a tiny brass umbrella stand.

This adorable miniature red wooden table and chair set is painted in a dutch style I think.

I really love the chippy paint on this little cast iron potbelly stove.

Here it is with my Gone With The Wind Mammy doll that I got at the doll show.

It must have been a day for finding stoves, because I came home with quite a few. This is another cast iron Queen stove to add to my collection. Mini American Girl Samantha volunteered to show you how big it is.

This is my third cast iron stove, but the neatest thing is that all three that I have found are different sizes. This latest find is a medium size when compared to my other two.

Mini American Girl Kirsten shows off another new stove. This is a vintage German MFZ tin lithographed stove, probably from the 1940-50's.

Ann Estelle is claiming this rusty old vintage Marx Pretty Maid tin stove for her kitchen. It is also probably from the 1940-50's.

Her Mary Engelbreit teapots look very new against this rusty old stove, but Ann Estelle thinks it will do for now.

Ruby, my Ruby Red Galleria Bleuette shows off this antique reproduction buggy that I found at an antique mall.

I added a tiny antique China to my growing little china doll collection. She's the little one in the rusty orange dress.

I purchased this little 6" China from my local doll club friend who travels to doll shows all over the country, buying and selling antique dolls.

The back of her shoulder plate is marked Germany.

I just love her tiny sweet face.

This last one was an eBay find, a 4" tall Itty Bitty Hitty. This 4" version is also carved from wood by Robert Raikes. She is dressed in a burgundy print dress with an ivory pinafore. She is jointed at the neck, shoulders and hips. Here is Itty Bitty Hitty with my traditional size 6 1/2" Hitty.

I hope you enjoyed seeing our latest thrifty finds. Please leave a comment below to tell us about your latest fun finds.  I'd love to hear from you!!!

 Hugs ♥ 

Doll Show Shopping Finds

Hi Doll Friends,

We had a fabulous day at the Bayou Bebe's Doll Show recently. The fun and excitement of going to a doll show is almost indescribable! I took some pictures so that I could try to share a little of that excitement with you.

Imagine walking into a grand hall filled with all kinds of dolls as far as the eye can see...

There really was something for everyone there. Dolls from antique to vintage to modern, and everything in between. 

There were so many bargains at the show, that I couldn't possibly have bought everything that was an amazing deal or even everything that I wanted. If you love bargains, you need to go to a doll show... prices were so low, it's unbelievable.

I realize now that a lot of my pictures are of the wonderful antique dolls that I saw, but there were tables full of brand new dolls too, including Barbie, Monster High, and even whole booths dedicated to reborn dolls. I wish I could have gotten pictures of everything.

There were also lots of accessories at the show, like furniture, miniatures, doll clothes, and shoes. There were also booths with every color and type of fabric that you could possibly want for sewing doll clothes. Fabrics, silk ribbon, tiny trims, and beautiful lace... 

So I guess you're wondering what we brought home. Well, here's a sneak peak of our huge haul...

Now, I went to the doll show with my 3 daughters. When we got there, my oldest and middle daughers wandered off together, while my youngest and I slowly looked at the first table, just trying to take it all in. A few minutes later, they came back with my middle daughter (11 years old) carrying a Giggles doll.  

I've been looking for a Giggles doll for a long time because I grew up with Giggles. I was so excited and completely shocked that they had bought this precious doll for just $10. Giggles is an 18" doll that was made by Ideal from 1967-1969.  She tilts her head from side to side and giggles when you move her arms. She has "flirty eyes", which means her eyes move from side to side when her head tilts. My sister, who was 8 1/2 years old, got a Giggles doll for Chrismas when I was just 5 months old.  This picture is from my first Christmas, and my big sister is holding her new Giggles doll. You can even see the Giggles box on the floor behind me.

Another doll from my childhood was Holly Hobbie. She is a 16" tall ragdoll made by Knickerbocker. I found her at the doll show in clean, excellent condition for just $2.

Not long ago I posted about my new Bleuette doll (see that post here). As I mentioned in that post, a nice antique Bleuette doll could cost around $5,000 or more, and the artist made reproduction Bleuette dolls usually cost around $250 and up. I was so excited to find this little wooden trunk with a beautiful Bleuette head and mohair wig for just $20.  She is a reproduction by doll artist, Laura Kelley from New York.  She is marked SFBJ 247 Paris Laura Kelley 12/05. I have already ordered a wooden Bleuette body, and I can't wait til it arrives to put her together.

I also bought these two adorable Bleuette dresses, so once she's all put together, she'll have something to wear.

I found this adorable shabby chic cabinet that is about 15" tall for just $15. The seller also threw in the china tea set for just $2.

And this miniature metal doll carriage with bedding and doll for $3.

I got this sweet Mammy doll from Gone With The Wind for $5.

  

She even has her rustling red petticoat.

I just fell in love with these two antique China Head dolls, so they came home with me.

My youngest daughter got a My Little Pony Equestria Girl doll.

My two younger daughters are definitely doll collectors already. My oldest daughter, the book-loving school teacher, doesn't collect dolls for herself, but loves to help us look for dolls. But, even she found a doll for herself at the doll show, a book related doll of course, Harry Potter.

The tall doll in the back is a 30" tall walking doll from the 1950's. She is marked AE on the back of her neck, indicating she was made by Allied Eastern. If you hold on to her left arm, she walks with you. One foot on the floor causes the other foot to swing forward. 

Here is a close up of her sweet face. She appears to be wearing her original dress and matching hair bow. One of the vendors gave her to my 11 year old daughter. Doll Show vendors are so generous, and they love to see the younger generation interested in doll collecting. Junior collectors are the future of the hobby after all. 

These two little dolls are 11" Baby Mine dolls made by Ideal from 1951-1954. They have all hard plastic, fully jointed bodies with blue side-glancing sleep eyes.

My younger daughters like Kewpie dolls, and they got these two little vinyl Kewpies and this 1972 Cameo Kewpie Gal doll.

I got this Wee Patsy made by Effanbee. I think she is either Alice in Wonderland or Mary Had a Little Lamb. She is just about 5" tall, and she came with a little lamb. I don't know if the lamb came with her originally or if someone added it. I'm not sure what year this reissue is from, but probably before 2002 when Robert Tonner purchased the Effanbee Company. 

I bought some 100% silk ribbon and a pink flower trim. Did you know that craft and fabric stores don't sell 100% silk ribbon anymore? I was looking for some recently, but I could only find polyester ribbon in stores.

I also picked up some vintage cotton lace.

This little framed 5 x 7 Cream of Wheat dolly picture was just too sweet not to bring it home.

I picked up some back issues of Doll News Magazine for just $1 each. This is the official magazine of the United Federation of Doll Clubs, and is sent out to members only. These wonderful thick magazines are packed with beautiful full color doll photos and informative articles, not ads like other magazines.

Just above the magazines, you can also see a couple of cute dollhouse rugs that a vendor gave to my daughters. Doesn't the braided rug look just perfect in Hitty's house?  ♥ I love it! ♥

I strongly encourage you to search for doll shows in your area. Check the United Federation of Doll Club's Event Calendar to search by location. You can also search online by typing "Doll Show and your state or location" into your search bar to see what comes up.

We are planning a trip to Fairhope, Alabama this Saturday, March 14, 2015 for the Eastern Shore Doll Study Club's Annual Doll Show and Sale. Looking forward to another exciting doll show!!!

Hugs ♥ 
 - Lisa