Then there’s Red Nose Day and World Book Day
But I also like ‘virtual’ dressing up. When I was a child, we used to buy “Cut-Out Dolls’ for pence from the local toyshop. They were printed on thin card, and you could cut and fold the tabs to hang the clothes on the dolls. My Dad would paste the doll onto a thin piece of plywood, and cut it out with his fret-machine [from Hobbies] so that it would stand up properly, and I spent hours trimming the clothes [with the tabs] and tracing round the dresses to make my own fashions…
They have great paper dolls on the Internet now. Simplicity patterns produce a whole range to match their children’s wear…
And then there are these from oliver+s which can be printed out, or you can play on the website [there are loads more lovely clothes]
Dover publications do paper dolls based on real people – like Shirley Temple, Michelle Obama and our own William and Kate
So I am not doing the real dressing up thing. I am quite busy dressing up teddy bears in school sweatshirts at the minute.
But just for the fun of it, and because my Finding Fun in the kitchen last week degenerated into Mess and Muddle, I am going to spend a while cutting out Keesha and her Kitchen Outfit from the Simplicity website.
Cutting Out and Colouring In is such a relaxing activity!
PS - Message to Anon. If you are still reading my blog [although you keep promising to go elsewhere] you’ll notice that I am not posting your comments.
But to answer the question you persist in asking “How old do you think your readers are?” I am aware of regular readers who are grannies in their eighties and of children at Primary School, and in between, a lot of young Mums. and childcare professionals.
I write for all of them
There’s a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance. If you don’t want to join our laughing and dancing, that’s your choice, but we plan to go on having fun here.
[another Jessie Willcox Smith picture- Ring Of Roses]
I used to love the paper dolls, so much fun mixing and matching, and I still love cutting and colouring. When I was a playworker at Breakfast Club , my colleague and I regularly joined in with the colouring activities, and I still enjoy cutting and sticking - wallpaper onto drawers to pretty them up etc. Scarlet - aged 47 years and 3 months. x
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a kid (an only child with no children of my age living nearby), my mother was often ill and so I spent a lot of time on my own. I read voraciously but I also spent countless hours designing dresses for my collection of paper dolls. I can remember using bits from sweet wrappers as trims and begging scraps of lace from anybody who might give me some. You have brought back so many memories today.
ReplyDeleteI loved the paper dolls that came in Twinkle comic. I used to get a bit carried away with the cutting though and often cut the fold over tabs off!!
ReplyDeleteIt is good to relax and enjoy child like things again. Keep on keeping on with the good stuff, Ang.
L.x.
Glad you enjoyed this Angela, I was thinking of your teddies when I was coming with the dressing up ideas! There are so many wonderful paper dolls out there aren't there.
ReplyDeleteAnd well said to Anon, I'm 44 and know that life is far to serious to take without a good helping of fun.
I loved paper dolls as a little girl and still love them! I even sat in the floor and played paper dolls with my daughter when she was little. It's the simple pleasures that keep us young!
ReplyDeleteMae's outfit is the one for me!! I do think you make a fabulous pirate, Angela!!
ReplyDeleteJane x
Dear Anon, I'm 50..and have as much silly fun as possible. Laughing is good for the heart and soul. Linking up with fabulous incredible women to have some fun... what is wrong with that?
I love your blog...so yah boo sucks to anon!!! (And that mature comment comes from a 52-and -a-half year old!)
ReplyDeleteI'm enjoying myself here.
ReplyDeleteLove from Mum
xx
I have to admit to a secret desire to play with one of those toys that's currently advertised on TV in France - it's a plastic doll and you wrap bits of fabric around her and fix them into a slit into the back to create all sorts of novel clothes. It's truly the only advert that makes me want to buy!
ReplyDeleteI think that Mr Anon (I am hazarding a reasonable guess to his gender) is a bit put-out about your campaign against bad punctuation. It's a good British hobby, indulged in by any number of responsable adults, Lynn Truss first amongst them! The internet is a funny place.
I remember carefully cutting out and colouring these dolls as a child. Kids at school still love this type of activity I'm pleased to say. I also often join in and make my own in class, the children seem to appreciate it. I love to read Tracing Rainbows even though I am not talented in crafting or cooking. Anon should do what we teach children at school "keep unkind thoughts and comments to themselves" Keep up the blogging Ange.
ReplyDeleteOh my word I remember these. I spent hours sitting with my Grandma cutting these out - what happy memories xx
ReplyDeleteI remember having paper dolls like these.
ReplyDeleteI loved the paper dolls from Bunty when I was young - I sometimes drew my own dresses for them. It kept me busy for hours but I suspect young girls nowadays would not get the same amount of enjoyment from something so simple. I tried on some clothes in charity shops this week for fun.
ReplyDelete