Mary Agnes

Hello I am Mary Agnes...I am the 4Th child of Phillip and Marie Robinson, Some say I was born the lucky child cause seem like nothing but luck just follows me everywhere I go. Momma says it not be luck just pure blessings. Today was first day back to school at the old school house. This be my second year going there I met a new friend who name be Willow. Looks like we going to be real good friends. Willow she a funny girl all she do most of day while teacher give the lesson was fidder around with her dress she say it be a new dress just made for her. First time she had new dress of her own nobody else wears. I guess that is where my blessing be cause I always had a new dress. My Momma she be the seamtress for the small town we live in. Willow she lives outside town few miles back, we made plans to meet up each day by the large tree near the Picketts. I can't wait to meet up with her again first time I had a friend my own age most kids here lot older than me. Some not as near smart as I am. Momma sits and helps me with my lessons she coulda been a teacher herself but they don't allow that for our folks so Momma says she use to have to even hide the fact she could read and write. I am going to be a teacher one day times going to change this I know Mister Hill always talking about change. I heard him and some men talking one day I couldn't hear all they was saying I didn't want them to catch me ease dropping on grown folk conversation. Mammy Smith says keep yourself in a child's place bad things happen when you don't.

Hey everyone I am just about finish working on Mary Agness and I need a break I think I am going to just work on more slips and bloomers take a break from stuffing dolls. My shoulder and neck is killing me today might be the weather. We have snow here and it is COLD lol. Hope everyone is having a relaxing weekend
Peace and Blessings
Cheryl..Snatch JOY~!

Arrie

Hello my name is Arrie I was born 1853 for many years I have worked for the Pickett family doing laundry. Mrs Pickett says that I am the best laundress in all the many lands. I held on to a secret of making my whites be as white as pure falling snow. Many days I stand over a hot kettle while stirring the clothes in my homemade lye soap. When the sun is blaring I hang the clothes out to dry. See the secret is the sun shines through killing all the stains that I am not able to scrub out. That sun makes the white sheets so white they could almost blind you. Mrs Pickett loves the smell the laundry has. I always tuck some lavender flowers down in my basket. She says she can smell it's freshness soon as I come in the door. I likes folding all her pretty things and sometimes Mrs Pickett she gives me pretty linens after Mr Pickett comes back from travels bringing her new cloth. I don't know how much longer I will be traveling down that dirt road to do laundry for them. My sister tells me that I could start my own laundry business here at the house and let folks bring their laundry to me, I just laugh but maybe it is something I can think about after I sleep on it little longer and see what the Good Lord has to say about it. I knows my feet is tired of the long travels many days I walk 12 miles. My Sister Juda always a dreamer.

Hey everyone this is my buy of the month I found this chair and just had to have it I think it is perfect to sit one of my dolls in as a display. The chair is over a 100 hundred years old wow I grabbed this beauty up quickly!


Also I had to redo Rebbeca legs lol she just didn't look well being barefoot. I also changed out her collar with this vintage lace. I don't want to cut it but it just seems to work nice with her dress.




Here is the information on a show that I am preparing for in May. This show is held every year in May. It is a very nice show with doll artist from all over the United States. This will be my first time doing this show and I have to admit I am so nervous.

BLACK DOLL SHOW PHILADELPHIA CONVENTION CENTER MAY 29, 2010 PHILADELPHIA PA.
Join the fun with the Philadelphia Doll Museum for the annual International Black Doll Show and Sale at the Pennsylvania Convention Center on May 29, 2010, 10am-5pm. Collectible and original dolls for you and friends. Doll raffles and prizes for everyone!

I will try and post more often but right now it is hard with all the sewing I have to get done. I appreciate all your comments you all are keeping me inspired and motivated to keep going. I wish each of you Peace and Many Blessings
Cheryl...Snatch JOY~!

Aunt Rebecca

Hello I am Aunt Rebecca the oldest living relative of the Whaley Family I was told I was born 1751 not sure my birth it was documented in the Bible left by the woman who raised me on Mista Whaley Plantation. Mista wanted all of us to have proper names so he gave us him last name. I born 10 children some left me soon as they was able to work the land. So I guess that make them be around 8 or something. One day I pray before I leave I see my children again. I still can remember the cries as I had to stand and watch them be carried off somewheres. There cries stay in my dreams at night. That was many years ago. Now I just sit and rest while dreams come to me how life was back then and now. I don't have much but Miss Lilly, Mistas second wife she gave me my papers tell me I am free to go live in my own place now. Mista gave us this house it set just below his big house that sits on the big hill with promise that we still be willing to work his land. It not big but room enough for me and rest of my kin who stay here with me, there is Seven of us here now. Today Willow my sistas, daughter youngest left for schooling it is a proud day.

Willow

Hi my Name is Willow I am the 7th child of Hattie Mae. The youngest born from what is told January 20, 1892. I sitting waiting patiently while Mammy Sara finishes up my dress. For I will be the first to go off to get schooling. Everyone is so happy and proud that I was offered this oppertunity for not many get that chance. This is the first time I had a new dress that was not worn by someone else I know I am going to look as fine as the girls who live in the big brick house that sit up on top of the hill. Mammy Sara been working on this dress for two days now she says everything is almost done. Mother thought shoes would arrive but none came Mammy Sara said dont worry child your going to be prettier than any picture ever taken.

So I sit and wait..

I am soooooo tired but I must keep on working. I am still waiting for some wool to come in. Today I am going to working slips and bloomers, can't have the girls going around without the proper undergarments. I love the fabric I have made this dress from it is a reproduction coloinal fabric. I was so happy when the fabric arrived I brought several different colors. The brown I am using now is almost 3 shades darker than what I have been using before and I like this much better. I need to get busy will show the finish doll later
Peace and Blessings
Cheryl..Snatch JOY~!

TIME IS GETTING AWAY

I need 4 more of Me's lol my this month is flying by so fast and it just don't seem to be enough hours in a day for me to get done with all I have to do. I manage to make another doll and from the looks of things I am no way going to meet my 30 doll quota. It took me all day yesterday to finish up one doll. Today I am going to be cutting out another doll and getting it stuffed it will be another Mammy. My new fabric came yesterday and the brown that I ordered is a much deeper brown than what I am using now for the bodies, can't wait to see how one turns out from it.

I still have to make slips and bloomers for all the dolls which I will do this weekend. The doll I made yesterday dress is made from a light denim fabric. The pinafore I used a yard and a half of fabric. I purchased this polka dot fabric last year sometime never knew what I was going to use it for because it seem to look a little too updated for the style of my doll but I think it look great on her.

I still clearing out things in my workspace, that is another job I will be so glad when it is over. Gosh I just have too much STUFF. Let me start dinner now before I wait till it's too late and get it over with. Until tomorrow Peace and Blessings
Cheryl...Snatch JOY~!

Mammy is a busy woman

Back in Business

Yes I am in business now I went shopping today and picked up three 5lb boxes of fiberfil and fabric, paint, pastels, brushes also a storage bin. I finally came up with an idea on how to organize this closes I called a studio/office lol. The walls are coming down on me. I don't know how many of you have been watching the show hoarders.
Just the thought of it make my belly want to flip flop. I know they say these folks have a sickness and I don't wish to ever contact that illness. So the more I sit in this closet lol I think of that show. Now as craters we do accumulate alot of things and some you have to ask yourself do you need it can you toss it out. At one point I was saving scrapes. I was putting them in baggies oh lawd I had to stop and rethink that one. So I been spending some of today tossing out things I don't need, some things I had forgotten I even had. At first I was going to purchase some counter tops and put up a L Shape workspace but later on today after looking over everything it would be alot cheaper for me to but two more of those fold up tables and use one as a desk and the other as a cutting, painting and ironing area. Then for the rest of the things on my desk and drawers *desk is falling apart* I can buy a few more of those rolling carts they fit perfectly under those tables.

Some of you have mention the shelves I have in here on one side of the room well they are nice but not functional for me. The previous owner left them here and you know trying to decorate around someone Else's idea is sometimes kinda hard. For one thing it is not all that great for storing my fabrics I figure I get a couple of book cases from Ikea and that way I can eliminate the fabric baskets I have on the floor *which is a bad idea for storing fabric* found things stored in there I plum forgotten. Another problem I have is I love pretty boxes and containers but what do you do with all of them.

I wanted a pretty work space that makes me feel happy to be in but after awhile you sit among all this STUFF you dont see pretty anymore I see JUNK. I visioned this room done in Pink, Black and White and I just love toile and believe it or not there is lots of it in here you just can't see it for all the STUFF lol. So along with making dolls my mission is to Clean up, Decorate, Organize and SHOWOFF my new space once it's all done.

Does anyone else have this problem and Madame Samm you are ordered not to respond to this question. Her space is just NEAT, ORGANIZED and FABULOUS...sigh
Until tomorrow Peace and Blessings
Cheryl...Snatch JOY~!

Mammy dusting up a storm

Screaming

This morning is starting off on a bad note. I don't know if anyone else is having the same problem I having in finding Fiberfill or Poly fil lately. Since Walmart has just about eliminated their craft department it is getting harder and harder for me to find it. Jo Ann Fabrics stock it but that too is hard for me to even get to since the nearest Jo Ann's is about 30 miles from me they are closing down stores left and right. Hey who can make a doll with no poly fil. I mean yes I could do it the old fashion way and stuff these girls with a rags but umm your not going to get the same effect.

So this morning I went on a mission in search of Poly fil online and off. I found some from one distributor AirTex well it's at a good price but by the time I pay for shipping not too much of a deal after all. Hey I guess I have to do what I gotta do. So with coupons in hand I am going to JoAnn's tomorrow and buy up every box of 5 pound poly fil they have in stock. I guess later on I will save up and get one of those 25 pound boxes from Airtex which comes to a round off figure of 96.00 dollars with shipping >SCREAMING< So until then I am around here cutting open old spare body parts I had stuffed taking the poly fil from them. I am going to have to some major calculations now because I can make around 3 dolls from one 5 pound box. *I stuff my dolls almost brick hard* lol

OK now that I have vented for the morning off to tearing open body parts
Have a Great Day all Peace and Blessings
Cheryl...Snatch JOY~!

Wonders What Mammy would have done in a situation like this....

Lookie Lookie

Today is My Birthday yippee!! I am whole 53 years young bursting with energy of a young woman lol whew lawd me. I did manage to almost finish up a doll today I thought I give you a peek at her before I leave out. Can you imagine I am actually leaving out the house today escaping from my sewing machine I hope it doesn't try and follow me lol. Everyone have a great day until later Peace and Blessings
Cheryl...Snatch JOY~!

Just a Few

Today I thought I would share a few of the new dolls I have been working on, they still have a little more work left to do on them but so far I love how they are turning out. The one with the braids I am going to call Penny that is my Nic name since birth. My Mum use to love a comic strip back then called Penny and my Dad said I had the color of a copper penny. Wonder what happen to my coloring lol. During the time I was making her it just came to me that she reminded me of myself in someway. This is the first time I have done feet or hands like this for that matter on any of my dolls I am still drawing more and pattern for feet and hands till I can get the right ones. Also, this is my first attempt at braiding wool. I love using wool but it is hard at times just to find the right kind. Some distributors give you a nice amount then others barely give you enough I use a full ounce or more on my dolls.

Well I thought I share a few photos today now time to get back sewing
Peace and Blessings
Cheryl...Snatch JOY!

Welcome

Today is such an exciting day my new Blog dedicated to my Journey in creating dolls. This is my first post and it will be short I am still working on this page. Friday is my Birthday and I am going to let that be my Blogs Grand Opening hehe. Until then I wish you Peace and Many Blessings
Cheryl...Snatch JOY!~