VINTAGE POSE DOLLS

My sweet, little God-niece has been visiting with me over the summer and she has truly fallen in love with my odd little collection of dolls. Seeing as how God blessed me with sons and not daughters, it is very likely that I will end up passing my collection on to her someday. Her interest level is high as she enthusiastically questions me about the different dolls.

I shared with my God-niece that during my journey from childhood into adulthood, I lost several of my beloved dolls along the way. One type of doll that I have lost that my sister and I both collected as children (by way of my Father's purchases for us) was the VINTAGE POSE DOLL. These dolls were usually crafted in Japan and sometimes called BOUDOIR DOLLS. Many of these dolls were also made by the Bradley Company in the 60's and 70's. I always thought the most intriguing thing about many of these dolls were the way most of their eyes had been painted. Each eye was such a masterpiece. The eyes on these dolls were like little works of art.

In my quest to find pictures of these dolls to show my niece what they look like, I have decided to share a few pictures with you as well. "Why" you may ask? I don't know why but if you just happen to be a doll enthusiast or a lover of vintage, kitschy things, you may appreciate the view. Enjoy!

MOVE OVER HELLO KITTY.......IT'S TIME FOR A HUG

As many of you Hello Kitty fans know, she is one of the world's most famous stuffed characters and beloved by children and adults everywhere. She is also a form of kawaii. Kawaii is a Japanese adjective that basically translates into today's pop culture as meaning "it's so cute" or "cuter than cute". Well move over Hello Kitty...... there are some new kawaii softies in town. Make way for the Hug E. Bitsies. I created the Hug E. Bitsy Bears late one evening. I wish that I could make hundreds of them to send to comfort all of the children that are suffering in Haiti. I'm sure that all of us can remember hugging a beloved teddy bear as children during times when we needed comforting. So many children have been orphaned by the earthquake and I would imagine that a lot of them are alone, afraid, hungry, thirsty and possibly even injured, with no one to watch over them......but God.

Aside from the usual financial offerings to the Red Cross and other organizations that will be sending relief to the devastated people of Haiti, there is another way to send them our love and our hugs. This is through PRAYER. In this life, there will be times of pain, suffering, sorrow, natural disasters and other things that appear to be unfair. Why? Jesus warned us about the thief (Satan) that likes to kill, destroy and steal. John 10: 10-11 What does he want to steal? Everything and anything that will harden our hearts or steer us away from learning about God's love for us. Jesus said that he came to bring us abundant life and eternal life through him. He also said that he would be our peace and our comfort in times of trouble. Isaiah 26:3 Even in moments of suffering, we are never separated from God's love and his desire for us to draw closer to him. Romans 8: 35, 36, 37, 38 To those of you who are willing, please join with me in PRAYER for the people of Haiti and for all people who are suffering everywhere for any reason. Prayer is even better than sending them a hug. No matter what tragedy has occured, God still loves them and he desires for them to know him better. To those of you who are reading my blog and YOU would like prayer, please feel free to email me at hugsandkeepsakes@yahoo.com . I would count it as an honor to pray with you or for you. Blessings and big hugs until next time.