latest: Entries from February 2009

Sometimes I feel so nostalgic for my own childhood. I love to see my special toys and reminisce over the carefree days spent playing with them. I thought it would be fun to share a few of my favorites with you here on my blog...

I collected Ginghams Paper Dolls published by Whitman in the late 70's. I must have had every set ever published and spent many afternoons setting them up, punching out their little dresses, and folding over the tabs to dress them for winter play and birthday parties! A few years ago I was so fortunate to find the entire series unopened all fresh and new in the box! This one is Becky, she is all about getting ready for the Winter Carnival...(you can click on any of the images to enlarge)

This set features Becky's friend Carrie...she is having a birthday party!

I adore the graphics on the boxes...the cheerful gingham and sweet little drawings! Don't you love the 70's old timey "Victorian" design? Even the Whitman logo makes me smile!

Ohio Art manufactured tin children's toys...Santa brought me a Little Red Ridinghood themed tea set in the early 70's.

Isn't the attention to detail fun? Even the bottom of the teacups are painted!

I don't know if it was a 70's thing or what, but do you remember having a lot of fairy tale themed toys? Here are a couple of really neat dolls that belonged to my brother and I...he had Jack and the Beanstalk and I had Little Red Ridinghood. Each doll had an outfit that opened up into a little storybook.

I have saved my favorite for last...she is my favorite of all of my dolls. Sometimes she was named Melissa sometimes she was named Brenda - those were my two favorite names in the 70's! To this day whenever I meet anyone with either of those names my heart smiles and I remember all of my barbies and dolls I called by those names!

She arrived on Christmas morning 1977 with the prettiest silky brown hair and bright blue eyes. She had tiny ponytails with pink bows and a pink striped dress very much like the dress she is wearing today. There was a little crier in her back so when you turned her over she sounded like a real baby! She was so well loved and she still wears her little yellow washcloth diaper that I pinned on her all those years ago.

Santa gave her a cute little set of toys...

She was manufactured by The Eugene Doll Co. The back of her neck reads "Korrie Doll c.1966". Her bonnet is probably older than she is. I picked it up for her at a local flea market.

So there you have it...I am "hooked on childhood". I love my job as a photographer because I get to spend my time photographing children and their sweet childhood days. For your next session you might consider getting out some of your old toys...they will really add a lot of color and charm to your portraits!