Forgottonia's Doll Crowd

It has been a long time...

2011-10-06T13:17:00.000-05:00

I've been neglecting this blog for more than a year, now, and I do apologize. There is no excuse. However, if you're interested in the goings-on of the Warren County Doll Club, there is news. There is no more Warren County Doll Club. No, the club has not been disbanded, it's only changed its name to reflect the fact that we have members from more than just Warren County, IL. Currently, we represent five counties, and hope to expand to as many more as are willing to travel to join us. In keeping with that reality, the club is now known as the West Central Illinois Doll Club. We even have a facebook page by that name, which is better-maintained than this blog, so, please, check it out.

The members are also preparing for a December 3rd show and sale at Sandburg Mall in Galesburg, as we have done the past three years. It's not only a great opportunity to meet the members and find out more about what we are, it's a perfect time and place for a little Christmas shopping for the doll-lovers in your life. The variety of dolls and related items -- and their prices -- shown last year was great, and promises to be equally varied, this time. Not only will there be regular members, but a few tables have been opened to other individuals and groups, including an interfaith organization who will be offering doll clothes all sizes and styles... please consider coming to see and shop.

If you can't make it to the show, we'll also have a "meet-and-greet" open meeting at the Galesburg Public Library, February 7 (contact the library for time, but it will be in the evening, likely after 6 p.m.). Our president will be showing a video on French Fashion Dolls, and there will likely be cookies and coffee, tea, and/or cocoa.

Upcoming meeting: June 1

2010-06-01T11:56:00.003-05:00

Anybody who would like to join us tonight, the meeting will be in Galesburg, at 6:30 p.m. Contact us via e-mail before 4:00 for information and/or directions.

Meeting notes, 04 May

2010-05-06T17:43:00.003-05:00

Members met Tuesday, 6:30 p.m., at Jan S.'s house in the country ( a few miles outside of town, on her farm).

Attending were the hostess, Jane E., Joyce F., Marilyn & Rebekah (c'est moi), Karen R., Jackie K., Kathleen M., and Krista V and her guest Bonnie H.

First order of business, Joyce moved that we attempt to schedule a meeting in Keithsburg, IL, to accommodate longtime member Esther, whose health does not allow her to make the long drive to Monmouth alone, especially if it will require driving after dark. The suggestion was that Joyce talk with Esther about what weekend afternoon might be convenient for Esther, and we will use that information at the June meeting to schedule the members' travel to Keithsburg. Movement and amendment seconded, carried. Looks as though we might have a nice luncheon somewhere 'way up north. ;-)

Second order of business: the doll show and sale for next fall... Mary, who is making contacts with the manager of Carl Sandburg Mall, has been out of town this past week, so we have no news of the status of those negotiations. So far, all we know is we're aiming for a short Saturday (that is, we would not stay for the whole 12 hour day the mall is open, but only 9-5) towards the end of October or the beginnning of November. It is unknown whether the actual date is set or not, and it is unknown what the Mall will do for advertisement, although the last time, the manager promised to handle all publicity, and did a fair job (except for on-site notices).

Members absent (and missed) included Reuben, whose job has started back up again, and he does not yet know what his shift will be; Ginger, who is suffering from health setbacks; Maxine, also suffering from health woes; and the aforementioned Mary, in California for a short visit.

Report from treasurer: account unchanged from last month. We aren't rich, but we can still afford to make annual donation to Jamieson Center at Christmas, and pay for postage.

Karen suggested that the June meeting, to be held at her house, include a cook-out and pot-luck supper. Other members agreed that would be a spiffy idea, as she has an enclosed garden room for indoor picnics, in case of poor weather.

Informal suggestion arose of perhaps scheduling another winter meeting at a library, inviting the public (especially children). Perhaps offering a craft or activity... hmmm. As we don't meet officially in January or February, the idea of a late January date -- similar to that we had this past year at the Galesburg Public Library -- had considerable appeal.

Members discussed a few of the dolls they brought (mine was an unidentified early 1960s 18"ob ballerina, nobody recognized & nobody had books on hand to hunt her down. Someday, I'll know who she is). Hostess Jan served brownies, lemon bars, ice cream, iced tea and raspberry drink, and offered a large variety of magazines and pull-out paper doll pages for members to take home with them.

No further business, meeting adjourned.

Y'all should consider joining us. We actually laugh a lot during these gatherings.

Upcoming meeting: March 2

2010-02-01T15:04:00.001-06:00

Just to let you know, the next Doll Club meeting will be Tuesday, March 2, at 6:30 p.m. Current location is in Monmouth -- we're trying to negotiate a public site, such as the armory, but if all else fails, it will be held at the home of long-time member Marilyn K. (my mom). As the day approaches for the meeting, we'll update you on what we have coming down the pike, & send out maps, if necessary, for new members' ease in finding the location.

We generally skip formal meetings in winter due to the number of members who are (a) reluctant to drive on our miserable roads in the snowy months or (b) snowbirds, already in warmer climes for the season. We also hold no formal meeting in July, for weather and holiday reasons...

One thing we do know, in advance of the March meeting: we'll need to elect new officers. (If you're not comfortable with participation at this early stage of your involvement, you won't be pressed to offer your vote, time, or anything else on this. I just thought you might need to know what's on the agenda other than dolls, this season.)

If you have any questions I can help you with, don't hesitate to e-mail me. Just put "Doll Club" somewhere in the subject line & I'll get right on it. (I check that e-mail account at least twice a month. Heh.)

Looking forward to seeing you next month!

Upcoming meeting: 26 January, in Galesburg

2010-01-19T21:48:00.002-06:00

The Warren County Doll Club is having a meet-and-greet session next Tuesday, for any and all doll lovers, collectors, or those who love those who collect. If you'd like to get together with a few like-minded people, come to the Galesburg Public Library between 6:30 and 8 pm.

Most of our members aim to be there, so you can get a sense of the variety of dolls and the diversity of styles within our little group, and, perhaps, you might make the little group a little bigger.

I hope to see a few new faces, so I'll be looking for you!

Oct. meeting notes, plus news on upcoming show

2009-10-06T20:19:00.004-05:00

I just returned from our monthly meeting, held at Member Jan's house in the country. Just a few quick notes on it. First, Jan's theme for the meeting was The Wizard of Oz, and Jan has a rather extensive collection of dolls, books, and memorabilia to fit the theme. She even wore a dress and shoes to match that of Judy Garland's, from the film. She had refreshments ready for the end of the meeting -- cupcakes, candy corn, mixed nuts, juice and Weir's Orchard fresh cider.

Now for the meeting itself. Business at hand was about our upcoming doll show and sale at Sandburg Mall in Galesburg, IL. It's scheduled for Saturday, 1 November, 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Non-members who may be interested in setting up an 8' table to sell or show are welcome, the rental price per table is $25. Please contact me through the e-mail link here, if you are interested in joining us in display and sale, or if you have any questions at all regarding either the sale or the Warren County Doll Club (please use "DOLL CLUB" or a variation of that in the subject line). We will, however, need table reservations by 14 October, in order for the mall manager to make arrangements. The tables will be set up and covered with cloths, provided by Sandburg Mall. The plan is for us to be set up in the central court, surrounding the permanent model train display.

Second order of business, the members of the club will cap the day with a celebratory dinner at one of the nearby restaurants (to be decided on that day). We will hold our formal November meeting then, too.

December meeting, scheduled for 7 Dec., location as yet undetermined (but fall-back location is always Mom's house, info available via e-mail), proposed as light pot-luck supper. If you wish to join us, contact me, & I will e-mail you with further information when it gets to my doorstep. Donations for Jamieson Center's Christmas Store, of new dolls from members, to be collected at Marilyn's (my mom's) house up until that date (or, if the folks at the Center say so, a little earlier), so that we can make sure they are delivered in time for the holiday shoppers. Contact either Mom or me for details, if need be. At the meeting, members will still have a wrapped ornament exchange.

Formal decision: no official business meetings in the "difficult months", January, February, July and August. We may still have lunch meetings at, for example, McDonald's, if travel conditions allow, but we won't do business or have programs. It will be strictly social.

Proposed: move meetings to Monday evenings, 7 pm, to accommodate more potential members. Also proposed: meet at Galesburg Public Library at those times, to allow for greater comfort zone for potential new members -- meeting at a stranger's home can be a bit intimidating for some. Both discussions set aside for future meetings (but the Monday thing is going to be offered, if you do your math, in December).

Now some bad news: Member Mary suffered the loss of her mid-40s-ish daughter, died of unknown causes, 27 Sept. Our condolences to her and their family.

For further info, again, contact me via the e-mail linky thing with subject line "Doll Club" or some variation on that theme. I usually check my mail at least 3x a week, but as the holidays approach, it gets a bit busy, so be patient.

Update: Forgot to mention, member Jane brought one of her Dal dolls -- one dressed in Monkey King outfit, because it was the closest thing she had to a flying monkey. Jane helped establish an anual convention of collectors, in Chicago, & brought a couple of magazine articles about the dolls & the events. Those fully articulated dolls are awesome! I wish I could afford to get them. Wish I could afford, also, new Mme Alexander dolls -- Joyce says they're going to have 18-inch dolls for under 40 bucks, carried exclusively at Wal-Mart. That would be cool. Mom points out that Colonial Williamsburg's Christmas Catalog has their own series available, too. Those I really want.

Dolan Diehl, R.I.P.

2009-05-02T10:19:00.004-05:00

In news of members, the husband of member Esther (and longtime meeting attendee himself), Dolan Diehl has passed away.

According to his obituary,

[s]ervices will be 11 a.m. Monday, May 4 at the New Boston United Methodist Church. Burial will be in the New Boston Cemetery....

Visitation will be from 4-6 p.m. on Sunday, May 3 at the New Boston United Methodist Church with Masonic services at 6:30 p.m.

We will try to arrange some carpooling for members to attend one or the other.

Esther has been in our prayers, and will continue to be so.

Upcoming May meeting

2009-05-01T13:17:00.003-05:00

For those who are interested in joining the Warren County Doll Club, we will be having our next meeting at the home of a Galesburg, IL, member, Tuesday, 5 May, at 5:oo pm. We do make arrangements to carpool from Monmouth, in much the same way the G'burgers ride together fairly often when meetings are here in M'mouth. For details, please send me an e-mail (click on "about me" for linky goodness) and I'll give you what information is available, and forward news to the hostess, Mary, so that she has enough sandwiches, salads, dessert and supplies to go around.

Doll show and sale a moderate success

2008-11-25T15:20:00.003-06:00

The Warren County Doll Club doll and toy sale is now over, (probably) until next year. We saw a few familiar faces -- a couple of ladies who attend the same auctions I do, a few folks who had made it to our doll show last year, and a few family & friends -- and quite a few new folks came by.

Our main purpose in having the show is to let people know we exist, and to talk a little about what we are... the hope is that we might entice a few more to join us. We don't require a lifetime commitment, and, indeed, we encourage folks to come get to know us, and, if you like us, to stay.

Warren County Doll Club is, as it stands right now, a mostly-social club with a focus on dolls and toys. It isn't a big crowd; currently, I think we have fewer than twenty paid members, from four counties so far. We are not affiliated with the national group, and haven't been since the 1970s. We meet during the spring and fall, with a Christmas meeting scheduled (weather permitting) and an August meeting (under similar circumstances), in members' homes or at one of the many convenient restaurants nearby.

In the recent past, we have taken a trip to Chicago to visit Colleen Moore's Fairy Castle, the Thorne Rooms, and the American Girl Place (just before they moved to Water Tower Place). We've also traveled to Peoria, IL, to the Amana Colonies in IA, Macomb, IL, all to visit doll or miniature makers and shows. Each year, the club donates funds and toys to our local charitable organization, Jamieson Center, for their Christmas store and regular operations (in reverse order). But we're always open to new ideas for how to spend our time, energies, and scant earnings.

And we're always open for new members.

November meeting notes

2008-11-06T10:41:00.004-06:00

Tuesday meeting was held at the rural home of one of our members, Jan S. The primary topic of discussion was the upcoming doll and toy sale, only a couple of weeks away now. We have squared away details, including table allotments (there are still a few available for non-members, at $25 per 8-foot table, so if you are interested in raising a little cash for the holidays, drop me a line & I'll get you in touch with our prez, & she'll take care of the details), raffle items, and door prizes. Most members remembered to bring our contributions to the raffle, and they include (among others) several very fine modern porcelain dolls, a sweet baby doll or two, and a commemorative Barbie.

Raffles will be held throughout the day, each item will be marked with a specific time for its drawing, and we will not ship or hold, so you must be present to win. Tickets for items will be $1, with a discount for buying a book of tix. There will be giveaways at some of the tables, as well, and a few straight door prize drawings (no purchase required to win).

It is my understanding that the folks who operate The Oaks are going to provide some lunch-type foods and drink, which is likely to be restricted to certain areas where there is no risk of damage to merchandise.

Our club made a scarce quorum Tuesday evening at meeting, so we elected new officers (sort of). Rather, we elected a new president, and the previous secretary and treasurer were persuaded to remain in their posts, as they seem to have been competent at the tasks at hand.

We also discussed methods for expanding our base a bit, inviting new members. It was suggested that we have a sign-up page at the sale, and offer a "signing discount" on that day. Our membership dues are largely going for charity each Christmas, to the Jamieson Center programs in Monmouth, so we hope to draw as many as possible to help with the gift and other events. Dues are still fairly cheap, as we're an unaffiliated, mostly social club about dolls -- $12 per year. It has been proposed that for those willing to sign and pay up right there during the doll show and sale, it will be only $10 per year. We're also hoping to invite families with children to join, and anyone under 18 years of age accompanied, to meetings by a parent, will be welcomed free of fees.

Dolls are, after all, best shared with those you love, and who love you.

After the business end of our meeting, Jan served a lovely dessert of apple dumplings a la mode, and glasses of tasty apple cider. She sent each of us home with a copy of the dumpling recipe, as well as a cute little kewpie pilgrim magnet per member (donated by absent member, Maxine).

Our next meeting (Dec. 2) will be hosted by Ginger. For information on time, place, etc., please use my e-mail, and I will forward relevant data to you. Remember to type in the subject line "Doll Club", as it is my personal account, & I get mail on other subjects, too. I don't want your message lost in spam.

Members, if you have any additions or corrections to this page, let me know & I'll fix it.

Meeting scehduled

2008-10-06T10:18:00.002-05:00

The Warren County Doll Club meets on the first Tuesday of each month (excepting January, February, July and August). Therefore, we will be meeting tomorrow evening. The time, 6:00, the place, La Tapatia Mexican restaurant on South Main Street in Monmouth, IL.

If you have an interest in doll and toy collecting, and would like to share the company of others of a like mind, please make room in your schedule to join us.

We're having a doll show

2008-09-13T18:01:00.003-05:00

It's confirmed. The Warren County Doll Club will have a doll and toy show (and sale, just in time for the holidays), in Galesburg, IL, at The Oaks, 176 N. Farnham Street, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturday, November 22, 2008.

If you like dolls and toys, especially collectible sorts, please be sure to set aside some time that weekend to come visit us.

If you have a mess of the same you'd like to share with the world, and you really don't want to join the club, the official word is, there will be tables available for non-club-members for a nominal fee. Contact me through the e-mail link above, and I will forward information appropriately. Space is limited, though, to a maximum of 2 eight-foot tables per person (The Oaks is a building of limited dimensions. It is not a TARDIS).

But whether you want to buy, sell, or just look, we want you to come meet us. Mark your calendars.

The fall season opens in La Harpe

2008-09-02T16:57:00.004-05:00

I just returned from our first official business meeting, held at the home of member Joyce, in La Harpe, IL. Before the meeting, we gathered for lunch at a local diner, where the menu included such offerings as sliced beef, soft or crisp tacos, or the famous port tenderloin platter in a basket, as it were. We were overstuffed before we sat down to discuss the issues for our little club -- we barely made quorum, but we had some serious plotting and planning to do.

For starters, in November, we will be having a doll and toy show (sale). The Warren County Doll Club is in the process of reserving a space in Knox County (we hope at The Oaks senior citizens' community center), for 22 November (the Saturday before Thanksgiving), or, failing that, the weekend before that, or the first weekend in December. If things go as planned, we will even have a few tables available for non-members to reserve, at a nominal fee, to show and sell their own toys and dollies. There isn't going to be a lot of room, so we'll likely set a maximum number of tables for any non-members (probably 2).

Last year's sale had a wide variety of items, at all levels of price and quality – from simple $1 dolls to Barbies and lovely antique porcelains, dollhouse furniture, playhouse furniture, stuffed animals and even a few Tonka trucks and Ertl tractors. This year's assortment looks to be equally diverse, including some hand-crafted and/or hand-decorated Christmas figures.

We plan to have a series of raffle items and possible door prizes, to award throughout the day (must be present to win. We aren't rich enough to ship, and don't expect that people coming from 50+ miles away will want to drive back down to claim a prize the next day). It is my understanding that members of The Oaks are happy to sell inexpensive sandwiches and sody-pops, and such, around lunch hour, too.

Anybody who wants further information on the sale, I hope to post more here as we come closer to the date. If you seek personal updates, or would like info on how to join the Warren County Doll Club, link through the e-mail doohickey in the top bar, and include "Doll Club" or some clear variant of it in the subject line of your message. I try to respond promptly, and can forward as necessary to others who may have more information than that to which I, the lowly blogger, am privy.

Or, if you just want to have a chance to decide if you want to hang around a social club based on the common ground of an interest in children's playthings, our next meeting is to be held in Monmouth, at La Tapatia restaurant in the 200 block of South Main Street, 7 October, at 6 p.m. Come and meet us. Most of us don't bite.

Dolls will play in the park

2008-05-21T09:28:00.005-05:00

The Warren County Doll Club met at the home of member Emmy*, on the edge of Galesburg, on the evening of May 6. We were shy a few members, but made up for it by having a pair of enthusiastic guests from Monmouth -- Kay and Tea.

As we gathered in Mary's living room for the meeting, we discussed our plans for the next year, including a trip to Chicago, by train, for either a visit to Merchandise Mart's open days (two of our members are also licensed interior designers, so they have legitimate passes for the event, and are allowed to bring as many guests as they wish), or to spend the day at Water Tower Place, especially the American Girl store. We will likely make the final decision at our August meeting as to which site will be our target.

Also discussed is the upcoming doll and toy show (and sale), to be held in mid-November. Location will likely be in Galesburg, again -- possibly their American Legion building, unless a better site (at a better price) comes up available before next meeting. Aside from location, we discussed and approved opening room for tables for non-members, at a small rental fee per table. If you are interested in setting up a table with us, please use the e-mail link available via the top of this page.

At the end of the formal business meeting, Kay brought in a doll she had received a short while ago, having questions about its identity. Mary had a collection of collector's/price guides, so we leafed through the pages of dolls which had similar markings, until we arrived at a "best guess" identification of the charming older bisque doll - a Simon & Halbig, but not an exact match to any in the book (not necessarily a bad sign).

Tea brought up a few good suggestions for fund-raising, similar to those of a club she had once (a few years back) belonged to. I, personally, liked nearly all of them. I wasn't exactly paying attention to the reactions from the rest of the room, but I gather she was received favorably.

With the conclusion of old and new business and general discussion of dolls, the meeting was called to a close, and Mary served us a light supper.

Our next meeting is strictly a social picnic, to be held at Monmouth Park in early June. The club's treasury will supply fried chicken (and, perhaps, another meat option, for those who can't eat the chicken), and the members will bring choice of side dish or desserts. If you are interested in meeting us, joining us, again, please contact me through the e-mail provided via the blogger page.

*All names will be altered, unless a member or guest wishes to have his/her name plastered all over the internet, perhaps for business reasons. Otherwise, we intend to protect the privacy of meeting attendees. For further information... email us.

Meeting tonight

2008-05-06T10:16:00.005-05:00

For any and all in the western Illinois region (yes, Forgottonia) who have an interest in dolls, toys, and other such collectibles, the Warren County Doll Club will be meeting in Galesburg this evening at 6 o'clock. The meeting will include a light buffet supper and discussion of upcoming activities and events, such as trips to Water Tower Place in Chicago and our autumn Doll Show and Sale.

If you would like to find out more about the club, its members, or our activities, please contact us through the e-mail address provided by blogger link -- and include "Doll Club" in the subject line. :-)

Wishing Well

2008-04-26T15:52:00.003-05:00

Our members have been hit, this past year, with quite a few health woes -- the least of which would be the little influenza virus which made its way through some of our ranks.

But today's news is reported that Karen R. of Galesburg fell and broke her ankle yesterday morning. Fortunately, her kids were home for a visit, so there is somebody in her house to look after her during her recovery. Still, she could use a few good thoughts and kind prayers, if you can spare them.

We hope she can be back up and fully on her feet in time to make our next club road trip. Karen's usually the most lively, most fun one of the bunch of us -- and that's saying something!

Illustration: page 16, Yourself and Your House Wonderful, by H.A. Guerber, published by Uplift Publishing Company, Philadelphia, PA. Copyright 1913.

And so it begins...

2008-02-08T13:55:00.000-06:00

In the beginning, there was the Doll. And the Doll was alone, and wanted company. So the Doll created a group of women out in the Void known as Western Illinois, and the women were friendly and of good spirits. And it was good.

Warren County Doll Club has been meeting, now, for more than a quarter century, with members coming from places inside and outside Warren County.

I've been a member of the club, now, for roughly seven years, and treasurer, now, for three. I'm not the most orderly person on the planet, but, since we're a small group with small income, I don't have to worry about major accounting issues like taxes and investments and the like.

It is, indeed, my pleasure to be a member and officer of this little group.

For the record, my name is Rebekah. I'm middle-aged and collect a narrow field of dolls -- mostly those representing the more embarrassing elements of our history as regards native Americans. In other words, the dolls and figurines I have gathered under my roof are the sorts which would once have been labeled as "Injuns," or even "Redskins." I started collecting them because I didn't want our decorative history whitewashed or adulterated in any way. Some people collect "pickaninny" art. I collect "Injun" art.

Some of the members of this club have known me since I was a schoolgirl, just past the days of playing with my Barbies (actually, Mom never encouraged me to have an actual Barbie doll -- that one was too misshapen. I had Casey, Francie, and a half-dozen others of that Twiggy-style, as opposed to the Jane-Russell-to-the-nth-power girl everybody else knows and loves). Even then, I was actually more interested in cowboys and Indians.

Now that I'm older, I prize a handful of toys: the Lone Ranger and Tonto (with his tipi and accessories, and both horses -- Silver and Scout, with tack), Annie Oakley, and a fifteen-inch skookum, among others. I also have an obscenely extensive collection of glow-in-the-dark crap (and I do not use the term lightly. Most of what is in that collection is toys and tshatshkes originally valued at under a dollar apiece, some at under a dollar per gross. Very little of it has increased in value over the past few decades). None of these has a high market value, right now, but I don't really give a hoot. As one may gather, I'm not inclined to spend lots of money on the finer things in life. I like stuff I can play with, even in the bathtub.

I'm remarkably mature, that way.