Hazel Twigg
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A Colossal LOVE
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A pierced-ear Parian with leather arms. Have you ever SEEN anything more beautiful?
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I am the America of doll collecting. “Give me your tired, your poor, your broken limb, your hole in the head….”
I added fresh sawdust, made earrings for her from a necklace and a dress from old lace.
I never, ever buy mint. Not because I can’t afford it (although I can’t!), but because I’m just so tickled pink to actually have these old treasures right in my hands that I don’t care WHAT’S wrong with them. You must understand, I lived in a world before ebay! Hard to imagine, but there once was one. The only time I ever saw my future loves, old dolls, was in antique stores. There they sat, behind glass doors, out of reach in more ways than one, faded, frustratingly turned upside-down labels attached to their wrists.
Bad acrylic wigs, but sweet as can be turns into…
“Ooh! Does that say $25.00?” I would eagerly think to myself, contorting my body into the oddest of positions trying to see that elusive tag. I would contain my excitement as I made my way to the front of the store. Contain it as I followed the helpful store lady back to my find, dutifully stepping back and not lunging as she unlocked the case.
,,,FLAPPERS!
“Here she is,” the lady would kindly say, laying this glorious treasure in my arms.
“Oh, hmm…” I would nonchalantly murmur as I surreptitiously take a look at the tag, only to have my heart sink. $250.00 – NOT $25.00. I would give the doll one last squeeze before gently handing her back to the woman. “I’ll have to think about it. Thank you.” I would say.
These little girls had all sorts of problems! No hair, cracked and reglued heads, no clothes. No matter, because now they’re PIRATES. And a Jester.
If that happened once, it happened a hundred times. To this day I do not care what shape an old girl is in, I’m just honored to hold her and have her for my own, even if it’s just for a little while.
This summer I had to change my tactics a little and sell some of my dolls quickly to get by. My older dolls that are monetarily worth more – except they’re once again dolls I could afford, that were therefore very flawed, that I loved to distraction nevertheless.
This is my machine. It’s literally STEEL. Well, it’s some kind of metal. It’s old and only goes forwards and backwards, but it’s a tank and I adore it. Kingston Royal Deluxe Precision. (The machine in back is for winding bobbins.)
I intended to simply sell them quickly, like ripping off a bandage. But when it comes to dolls, sometimes me and fabric are a magnet, and my sewing machine is STEEL. In some cases, I just had to do SOMETHING.
So I sewed for some of them. The ones that I could, that I had time for.
I learned a LOT this summer, like how to string a bisque head, composition body doll. Or how to make a jester hat, or how to easily make a reticule (little drawstring purses like the ones the Flappers are holding. I’m thinking of doing a video on them, they’re super easy – now that I figured out how).
A reticule.
I’ve shown just a few of these girls here, and now there are three that I have left. That for whatever reason didn’t call out to anybody at the “Buy It Now” prices I set. But I’ve already said goodbye to them in my heart, and while I work on the next O.L.D., I’m sending these girls off auction-style. Now I know for certain as do they that no matter what, they’ll be going someplace new very soon. I’ll miss them! But you never know when there will be another knock at my door when another doll arrives…
HERE ARE THE THREE. As you expect, one has a hole in her head, another some broken legs (I made new ones), and another is the one I learned to restring on. It was TRICKY. She’s the closest thing to a Hazel Twigg-style doll I’ve done all summer.
MYSTERY DOLL. You can see her HERE.
Rosy-cheeked China head. See her HERE.
Armand Marseille School Girl. See her HERE.
MARVEL was adopted by…dearest JANEY J. Oakland, California! Isn’t it wonderful when O.L.D.’s and old friends collide? Oh sure, I’ve never actually MET Janey, but she feels like an old friend all the same! THANK YOU, JANEY!
And with that, I leave you! Happy cooler weather and popping walnuts, you’re my favorite.
FORE! Auld Lang Part Deux!
Ah, my fine featured friends! How I have missed you, and yet! This here shall be a quickie post that shall yet say so much if you follow This Link.
Hazel Twigg & the Hollyhock Hideaway Part 2, featuring chapters 10 thru 18 with NEW art in full color will be up at MIDNIGHT TONIGHT!
ForGET the pesky parties and fizzy drinks and smooches! Harken to your computers and READ. *OR* you can wait ’til morning. In the meantime, I shall sing to you.
In my research I discovered that “Auld Lang Syne” means “Times Gone By” and that the lyrics to the song beyond the first bit that everyone knows are quite lovely.
*Clears throat and a melodious sound issues forth*
Also, here is a picture for you to color! Is there no END to my giving?!
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne?
CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
And surely you’ll buy your pint cup
and surely I’ll buy mine!
And we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
CHORUS
We two have run about the slopes,
and picked the daisies fine ;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,
since auld lang syne.
CHORUS
We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine;
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne.
CHORUS
And there’s a hand my trusty friend !
And give us a hand o’ thine !
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne.
Thank you! Thank you! I meant every word. And with that, I shall see you soon, My Trusty Friend!
The “L” Word…
…As in “LIKE” of course! Today’s the start of the drawing. But first!
I would like to thank the fairy that graced my porch last night. My dog Teddy has three barks: The Ballistic Bark when a stranger comes to my door, the Bark of Greeting when my sister Julie or Brother-in-law Scott come knocking, and lastly, the Something-Invisible-to-the-Human-Eye-is-Out-There Bark. These are the barks that I never check out, because when I do there’s nothing there. What is Teddy barking at? A leaf? A fairy?
No, I only look when his bark is Ballistic or Greeting, otherwise I would spend my days going up and down the stairs to see.
So a dainty and sneaky fairy put beautiful Fall treasures on my porch, right next to the door, and Teddy didn’t go Ballistic. Therefore I am SURE: FAIRIES!
THANK YOU, FAIRIES! What a fun surprise!
*****
And now for The Contest:
The GOAL:
for the “Hazel Twigg” page on Facebook. We are slowly but surely gaining and currently at 81. Can we get to 150? YES!
The PRIZE:
A vintage cup and saucer from the 50’s FILLED with mini Cherry Mash. Why Cherry Mash? Because one thing Julie and I noticed as transplants to this fair state is that Iowans love Cherry Mash candy, and no wonder! Why, in 1918 it was the favorite candy in the whole country! Iowans are simply a loyal bunch!
Also attached to the handle is the very first printing of our “Hazel Twigg Original” tag with our official logo. The FIRST! Tied with vintage ribbon, because I’m all about vintage. The tea cup represents what the Hazel Twigg series is all about: a simpler time with simpler pleasures.
THERE ARE TWO SETS AS SHOWN! ONE WILL GO TO A “CURRENT” LIKER, AND ONE WILL GO TO A “NEW” LIKER!
What to do to enter:
For those of you who have already “Liked” H.T., SHARE the clearly marked “Old Friend” post and you will be entered.
For “New” Likers, comment on the second clearly marked “New Friend” post and you will be entered.
Random drawing to be held when we reach 150! This cup and candy and card could be YOURS.
Any questions, feel free to ask in the comments section.
Mini pumpkins courtesy of Spencer’s Pumpkin Palooza, which is this Sunday at 3:00. I KEED! It’s October 13 from 11:00 to 3:00!
LET’S DO THIS THING.
Presenting…the Official H.T. Logo!
Logo…logo…hmm….What to do, what to do?
Thank goodness for my brothers! I mean, before all this I’d written TONS of books. Okay, maybe ONE. And only in my head. And actually, only the cover and the title – which I actually didn’t quite finish deciding on, so…
Anyway, if you have a company, you need a logo! What it would look like was decided on by consensus, and then I helpfully did a mock-up, visions of “This is the one thing for Hazel Twigg that is all mine! I drew the original art for the logo and it was so good we decided to use it!”
Hmm. Not so much:
Enter my ADORABLE niece Sophie, who happens to be the same age as Hazel:
She always wears a flower in her hair and is one of the most enchanting little creatures I’ve ever met.
And now, for Nina’s take. It took her a few times too (seriously! Try drawing a little girl – or anyone! – looking down!) so we sent her the Sophie picture, and here’s the final:
You can kinda see my niece’s face in there (I think so at least)!
This shall heretofore be known as the FIRST version of the Hazel Twigg logo! So that lo, these many years into the future at the millionth episode of “The Antiques Roadshow,” the appraiser can say to his hopeful appraisee, “This is the earliest logo! Before they did this or that or something-or-other and changed it!” and the crowd in the background will weep with shared joy.
And you saw it here first.
Oh, That NINA!!
She is AMAZING. Of course, she had good inspiration. Heh. As we wait for Chapter 3, I thought you might like to see part of the process.
Nina Khalova is the very talented illustrator hired for Hazel Twigg & the Hollyhock Hideaway – once it was discovered that I actually couldn’t draw very well. My siblings at least let me do the initial design! And then Nina takes over from there. For example Chapter 1, Hazel in the backseat (see if you can guess whose is whose):
Or at the ticket counter. Mine (in case you couldn’t guess):
And NINA’S:
She adds so many wonderful details.
For some reason I didn’t save Nina’s final illustration of Chapter 2’s Smith and Jones on my computer, but glass half full! Now you can see another part of the process. Here’s my sketch:
Smith and Jones’ “hats” are made from umbrellas that have been stripped and taken apart.
It was a tricky angle to capture. Smith and Jones’ corners are far apart, but we wanted BOTH of them to show up close. Here’s Nina’s initial sketch. It’s a VAST improvement (of course). Just a few changes needed to be made before it went to color. Can you guess? Answers below:
1. Smith is playing a metal garbage can, not two pipes.
2. Taller chain link fences surround, with stacks of boxes behind (okay, that one’s not too obvious, it’s just how I pictured it in my mind. Nina is very obliging. And PATIENT).
In the end, NOT TOO SHABBY. We’ve loved Nina from the start. She can take a simple scribble and embellish it and add life and things we never would have thought of. Viva la Nina!
Chapter 3, Freedom, Fear & Fireworks – Coming Soon!
And GOOD NEWS: The main techno Wizard has made it so the illustrations will load much faster – without compromising the quality! About a third of our respondents had slow load problems (including myself), so, yay!
Don’t Say It!
The 1985 Oscars. Almost 30 years ago, and still I cringe. Sally Field, up for Best Actress for her role in Places in the Heart. She wins, and in her acceptance speech uttered those immortal words…
“You like me! You really like me!”
It was the recoil felt ’round the world.
I vow to never utter those words myself. And, yet! Could you, pretty please, go to Hazel Twigg on Facebook and “Like” me? I mean, really like me?
See? DIFFERENT words! Not the exact ones!
I wish I could think of something clever to say so that you would chuckle in delight as you go to Facebook. “Oh, that Ruth!” you would say to yourself as you toddle on over and type into the search window. H-a-z-e-l-space-T-w-i-g-g, enter. LIKE!
I wish I could! But my mind, it is
Seriously. I came this close to writing another Haiku. Happy Tuesday!
D5 Creation