When I was a girl, I loved playing with paperdolls.  Besides the "Dale Evans" I mentioned in a previous blog, I loved the bride paperdolls and one very beautiful set that was of southern belles.  Oh, those costumes!  If it was rainy, I often played with my paperdolls in the kitchen; if it was sunny and mother wouldn't let us stay in the house, I'd sometimes spread a blanket under the big maple tree and play with them there.

 

Well, here I am, all grown up.......and still in love with paper dolls.  I discovered Tom Tierney's dolls in the early 1980s.  The first book I purchased was "Queens and Empresses," and I bought it for Diana.  She loved it, and we added one book after another until she had quite a collection.  Then she grew up and moved out......and the paperdolls went with her.

 

What's a mother to do?   Of course, you know the answer:  I started buying them for myself.  I no longer cut them out and play with them, but I love looking at them. I created an album below of some of them so you can look at them too.  Enjoy!

 

I decided to add this link so you can check out all of Tom Tierney's wonderful paperdolls:

 

HGTV is my favorite channel on tv,  "Designed to Sell,"  "House Hunters," and "Design on a Dime" being my must watch shows.   When I was watching Design the other night, the host suggested a way to make inexpensive art for the home with photography.  Just find an interesting design and snap it up close.  Print it out, frame it, and voila!   ART.

 

Since I've been messing around with the digital camera most of the summer anyway, I decided to move away from flowers and grandkids into something with design interest.   The front porch bench and my bicycle wheel are now immortalized on the guest room wall.  I put them in those floating frames that let the wall color show in place of matting.  I like the effect and hope guests will also.