1938 Toddlin Sue by Ideal

When you find an old doll, it is not easy to identify them when they have no markings. So you start the process of what you THINK they are and go from there. I bought this doll on EBay for a small amount. I KNEW she was a mess.  The lady selling her did not know really what she was selling. Valuable? No not in that shape. But to me she was valuable for the practice I could get on her.

 the dress is a real child's size 5 made by Cinderella Company. I am going to try and clean it up a bit and see how much I can do with it.

 The eyes are cloudy with dirt, the skin dull and minute crazing all over the face.

The compo has come loose on the back of the head, but I could tell she had a wig at one time.

That helped when I went searching for who she was. I knew the arms and legs were a rubber/new skin type vinyl that did not last as long as most things used for the arms and legs. Usually when you see them like these , they are rotted or discolored badly.

 So first I took her apart and cleaned the head. VERY pretty. Used a filler on the gaps where the compo flaked on the back of the head to stop it from going further. But the face I only cleaned it .

Wow, look at those eyes now!   She is beautiful.  So I looked for a wig in my collection and that was what helped me to find her.

this same head mold was used for close to 20 years by the Ideal toy company for baby dolls to toddlers. You can see it on some with the molded hair being spray painted.  But since she had a wig I wanted to go to what she was. After hours of pouring over pictures on the net, I found this one that is closest to any I saw.

Called Toddlin Sue and put out in 1938.

My goal is to get my little lady as close to this as I can.  I slip covered the body in a pale flesh to retain the size and shape of what she had.

Now to replace the arms and the legs. I found some on EBay and have to wait for them.

I now have some composition arms and legs to restore and then put her together and dress.



Taking New and making it better

I went to Wal-Mart to find a doll like I had gotten for my granddaughter. But they did not have one there. But they did have this one.

 She is cute but not cute enough. I added eyelashes, eye brows, wet mouth and eyes...then went shopping at  the baby department in Kmart and got her headband and jammies... NOW she looks closer  to  a real baby. She wears Newborn size.

 

Hug Me, Kiddie Play Pal 1930s

I was on Ebay and saw this baby just crying out for attention.

I was using a new compo product that I had not tried and I do not like the results...but good thing though. I can always do this over as she is mine...but she is now stabilized and not going to deteriorate further....

 I had to decide from these pictures to purchase her.  I just HAD to have her.

 To me the face was not that pretty. They weren't always imaginative then when doing mass produced.

 Okay so not the smoothest job in the world but now she has character.

 Did NOT want to make a new body so I chose to slip cover it.

 the arms that came on her were too small. so I found bigger ones. I like my dolls to be in better proportion.

 These shoes are vintage rubber and just the right size

 the original dress and bonnet she came in. Look different don't they.

 I made the bloomers for her.  I think it was better then the onsie thing that was on her.

Got a Sally Stanley Smocking Pleater and tried it out...the dress is entirely hand sewn.

She will do for awhile...



Betsy Wetsy

When I was very young I had a Betsy Wetsy doll. This was back in the early 1950s. I was staying at my cousins house one night and I had my doll with me. She fell from the bed and hit the hard wood floor and her head split right in half. My mom was not one for gluing things like dolls and she got thrown away. I cried over that doll. Just recently I was given a Betsy Wetsy. Janet in PA thank you so much.  So  one of my projects is to clean her up and eventually reset her eyes and give her eyelashes again.

 How she arrived

 Wild eyes and dirty face

 her "hair" washed

And her face too!

Original Bonnet, vintage shoes , new socks and new outfit.



Sweetie Pie EFFANBEE

It was during a rough time in my life when I first happened upon this baby. Our church had aquired some property to use for a camp for our members. There was an old trailer that I was helping to clean out when I found this girl in a plastic bag. The mice had been at her but it was love at firs sight. My pastor said I could have her if I did not sell her. No problem there.  She was the start or rather the renewal of my love affair with dolls...As far as I can find out  she is from the WWll era.

These last few days I have been working on her and another compo doll. I guess it is about time too!

 face washed

 legs washed

 by EFFANBEE

 first layer of paint over compo fix

 the legs with new color and sealer

 should have flipped the photo

Now she has new hair and ready to dress...

Today 3/18/2013 I decided to dress her

 she needed her booties and bloomers

 Then of course a slip

 The dress!

And finally her bonnet... She is complete and I am happy. A good day's work.