Dorita Alice - Presenting Limited Edition Edwina Leona Doll Ensemble
Why I designed, sewed and put together the two Limited Edition Edwina Leona Doll Ensembles shown here.
Dorita Alice, editor of Doll Castle News Magazine
I found old photographs of mother as a child and young girl. How different life was then, not only the clothing styles but the ways children spent their time. Children often went to school in a one room schoolhouse from 1st grade on. They played with dolls or simply made trucks and toys and interacted with their friends, siblings and pets using their imaginations to create fun times.
My mother lived with her mother, father and grandmother until her mother died of cancer when Edwina was only 9 years old. They moved to different house many times, Nana paid the rent and Edwina’s father paid for food and the bills. He was the conductor on the Washington Trolley.
As a child, Edwina like to play dolls and walk the babies of the neighborhood in their baby carriages. She had a pet canary named Dickey, a big chicken, a rabbit and ducks.
The family went to the Jersey Shore to cool off in the ocean and play on the beach, during the hot summer months.
I decided it would be fun to try to bring some of the pictures to life by designing, sewing outfits and creating accessories for a doll to represent my mom as a young girl of the early 1900s. It required researching to find the correct clothing styles and lifestyles of that era, then finding the most authentic materials in today’s market to make my creation as “real” as I could. I spent many many hours working on this project but would you believe they were some of the most enjoyable hours of my days. I’ve completed a Limited Edition of 12 Edwina Leona Doll Ensembles and thought that was the most memorable time spent, until I received letters and phone calls from the women who purchased the dolls telling me how beautiful they are and how their new “mommies” could see and feel the love I had for my mother through these dolls. How cool is that! The first set is SOLD OUT.
The second Limited Edition Edwina Leona, Summer and Fall Ensemble is now ready to order. Seven of the ladies who purchased the first set have already contacted us to make sure they can receive the 2nd set. This 2nd Edition complete set is available for $95.00 plus 19.95 shipping and handling.
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