Honoring Vets and Dolls!

Travel Celebrate Vets Love our Dolls

Harriet Brinker’s

 Dolls Etc. brings us

 VETS and DOLLS Together!

Two terrific programs to honor and benefit our veterans as we indulge in our favorite hobby, doll collecting!  Here is the schedule:

VETS

 “Walk Across America” March 17

Mr. William Shuttle worth, The Walking Vet, will present “3300 Miles Across America”

DOLL ENTHUSIASTS

Doll Show March 18 and 19

Dr. Ellen Tsagaris, Doll Expert and author of With Love from Tin Lizzie, A History of Metal Dolls . . .  will present “Love Tin Lizzie - Metal Dolls”

For Registration and Travel Reservations please contact

 Harriet Brinker • (954) 292-7758

 hnatalan@gmail.com

 OVERNIGHT GUESTS

 Register

 10 November to 10 December 2019 Contact Harriet Brinker

 DOLL SHOW EXHIBITORS

 Register

 10 December 2019 to 10 January 2020 Exhibitor Information Sheet and Registration

 Contact Harriet Brinker

Dolls Etc. supports Marion County Veterans

Veterans Helping Veterans USA, Inc.

DAY VISITORS

Doll Show and/or Walking Vet

Advance Ticket Sales Only

10 December to 1 March 2020

no tickets sold at the door

Ticket Purchase available via Travel Bug Florida

DaySpring Conference Center

Parrish, Florida

16-19 March, 2020

Transportation from/to Ocala via Private Coach and Driver

Private Rooms and Baths

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Golf, Charter Fishing, Museums, Chihuly Glass, Asolo Theater,

plus Special Presentations by

Doll Expert and Walking Vet

Topo Gigo and Museum Progress This Week

Museum progress continues, despite the fact that I fell out of my car at the thrift store and really hurt my left hand.  Typing is very hard, these days.

From our friend Jill, who restored table and chairs.  She also donated the
boxed doll to the left. 
Dolls in chairs donated by Clara Caldwell.

We hung pictures last week, and I bought a fire extinguisher.  Not climbing ladders after my accident!

I furnished another doll house with sixties furniture of my childhood.  It’s a great house, and is also a puzzle that fits together. The best part of this adventure is that I get to unpack dolls and relive a lot of memories.  I’d like to say that I am clearing space at home, but I think it’s worse.

Jeri McClod

Today, I set up one case with predominantly Greek dolls and metal dolls.  Another case has a dolls wardrobe and accessories displayed.

Now, some doll potpourri:

Topo Gigio’s creator Maria Perego dies  at 95. I have several dolls of this little mouse; I find him endearing.

Lady of the Camellias; Thanks, Karen!

We the People by Mary Whyte;  I got interested in portraits, dolls, photos, and figural art early in life.  They seem to be related. Whyte has done fifty portraits of veterans, one from each state.  She used watercolor, just fantastic.  See the Sunday Morning website on CBS for more.

Happy Collecting!

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A Museum's Progress

So, I’m back!  Trying to keep up, but setting up the museum takes all I’ve got these days.  It is a small, but temporary space, a chance for us to begin while we pursue a larger building for our permanent home.

My friends have stepped up in unimaginable ways, from Michele, who made the building available, to Diane, her business partner who has helped with supplies, and costumes, and doll accessories, to Dick and Nancy who have offered their help in so many ways. 

Gloria, Caroline, Clara, Jill, Marie, Kathy, and Nancy S., and everyone else who has donated dolls to us, to the Friedken family for the little trike, and to everyone at Good Will, Salvation Army, Erin at Rescued, Dennis of The Treasure Chest, and our many friends in the antique and thrift community who have helped me, and given me encouragement and advice.  I wish my Mom and Dad were here, and my doll friends now gone, Mary Hillier, Stephanie Hammonds, Mikki Brantley, and so many more wonderful writers and doll artists, my friend and pen pal, R. Lane Herron who currently writes for Doll Castle News, and so many others.

Believe in your passion, follow it, and you will be happy.  Success is measured not by monetary gain, but by true happiness.  It has taken me my entire life to get here; I started collecting when I was three, and I never met a doll, or toy, I didn’t like.  I studied, my folks helped me travel, my Dad carried home dolls from all over the world, even one given to me from executives of Mitsubishi.    My mother made them, repaired them, dressed them, and put up with old things, which she really didn’t like.  At least, not at first; she changed her mind later.  My husband, Dino, has been a huge help, my editor, my best friend, my navigator in this journey. Our friend Greg, gone too soon, believed in me, and Mark, our other friend, contributed a lot.

I’ve had antique adventures with my friends Rosie, Lori, Nancy T, Danyelle, and more.  My Aunt Rosie and Uncle Tony looked everywhere for old dolls for me, and Rosie made them in her ceramics studio for me.  My Uncle Tom brought one home each week for me, and my Uncle George cruised Berkley and Lost Gatos looking for stores that sold dolls. My grandma’s collection of international dolls inspired my collection; two of them began it.  She also dressed dolls, sometimes over night.  Doll nudity offended her.

We hope to open November 30, 2019, Small Business Saturday; for the first time in a long time, I’m looking forward to something, and the sun is shining again.  Thank you to all who read me blogs and postings, and to those who have bought and read my books.

Thinking outside the Doll House, A Memoir, will be out soon.  You can read my entire doll story there.  Thank you, and I love you all!

Native American Dolls & Dolls of Color

Hankie Dresses and Huret Shoes