Happy Hallowe'en

Pat Corte Rooney drew "Little John" for today's UFDC regional Halloween Dinner, hosted by the Young at Heart Doll Club of N.J. in Cape May. The theme: "A Victorian Holiday in Cape May," a shore town here in Jersey famous for its Victorian houses and flair.

"Little John" is based on an actual souvenir doll designed and handmade by Rosemarie Snyder. Pat tells me that "Little John" is upset because his Trick Or Treat bag has a hole in it: "This happened to the artist's son and he wore a devil costume…which also made him upset!"

Rosemarie Snyder's doll is an antique reproduction; the clothes are not removable and his body is stuffed. For her paper doll version, Pat kept "Little John" trim in order to place the tabs, "and he had to look good in his undies!" She generously sent me a copy in the mail, and allowed me to place it on the blog today. Thank you, Pat!

I'll be interviewing Pat Corte Rooney soon about her paper doll art for an upcoming issue of Paper Doll Review.

Colorful cards

Paper doll people send the nicest cards and letters...

Jan's Convention Photo Album IV

I believe this is a nerferkiti (Debra Van Dyke) display.

Brenda Sneathen Mattox, Deanna Williams, Jan McKay, Jenny Taliadoros, Kwei-lin Lum.

Jan and Jo Ann and Don Reisler. This was the Reislers first convention, and they had some wonderful items for sale. Their specialty is works on paper and art from children's books. Check out: www.joannreisler.com/

Margaret and Howe Brown, and Scott Jorgenson.

David Wolfe, Leslie Ann Stockton and Diane McBurnett.


Me (looking relieved, and no doubt with a glass of wine on that table!) and Jan.

Jan's Convention Photo Album III

Peggy Ell, Pat Motley and Brenda Givens.

Mel Odom, Jan McKay and Samy Odin.

Jan and Kathy O'Tierney.

Mel Odom, Samy Odin and me. (That's Bruce Patrick Jones in the foreground, left.)

Karry Fuller, Gregg Nystrom and Bruce. That's me, foreground left, this time.

Helping out in the Raffles Room

My husband Rob and his mom, Lois Gebeloff keep track of the tickets and cash in the Raffles Room on the Saturday Sales Room Day. By volunteering to monitor Raffles that day, they gave a break to Grace and Katherine Keene and Ron Fong who did a lot of work setting up the room, selling tickets and standing guard over the raffle treasures. (Many experienced paper doll convention organizers told me how important it is to have trusted family and friends involved as volunteers, so that collectors won't miss out.)

Lois and Norman and my extended in-law family were a great help during the event, including their grandchildren Marissa Rozenfeld and Rachel Gebeloff, who along with my sister-in-law Cindy and her husband Steve Rozenfeld helped deliver the goodies when raffle prizes were called. Rachel, the daughter of Rob's brother, was visiting from Florida.

Marissa and Rachel in the lobby of the Embassy Suites, Piscataway. They attended Saturday's banquet, and now they both know who Ethel Merman and Mary Martin are!

Lois, her grandson Joshua Rozenfeld, Rob and Steve.


Joshua (back to camera), Steve, Cindy and Marissa (Rachel just outside the frame).

Scenes from the Sales Room

Marion Creamer (in pink, right) walks purposefully through the Sales Room with some found treasures, as my husband and I browse the goodies on the far left (taking a break from the Raffle Room, hence the aprons). On my right, Valerie Fahey.


Sheryl and Ralph organize their corner, as Beverly Micucci and Sandy Vanderpool make their way through the room.

David and Sandy

Emcee David Wolfe and Sandy Vanderpool on the verge of distributing one of the convention's six souvenirs.

Ralph, Sheryl and Patti

Ralph Gallo, who with Sheryl Jaeger runs eclectible on eBay.

Sheryl on the phone, and Patti Fertel.

Jan, Paula and Tom

Jan McKay, Paula Sherrick and Tom Tierney.

My thanks once again to Jan and Sam McKay for creating a splendid photo album of the convention, and sending me a copy on disk to post on the blog.

Mary, Norma Lu and Judy

Mary Meehan Firtl, her mom Norma Lu Meehan and Judy Johnson.

Elaine, Mary and Peggy

There's a lot of knowledge about paper dolls sitting at this table: Elaine Price, Mary Young and Peggy Ell.

Jenny from our block...

The birthday girl holds court.

A touch of the wand to Ron Fong.

That 70s gal and Sam McKay.

Parting shots...

Bruce Patrick Jones lines up his shot at the N.J. Historical Society in Newark. The portrait is of the artist Anna Lindner, whose exquisite watercolor paper dolls were on display just for us.


Hitting the big town: Katherine Keene, Jan McKay, Sondra Leeds, Laura Cushing-Kidney (Debra Ann Earls is hidden behind her), Grace Keene and right behind her, Paula Sherrick.

The Ephemeral

Collecting ephemera is such a joy. There is the sense with each discovery of rescue, something saved from the dustbin (or these days, the garbage compactor and recycling bin). Webster's dictionary defines ephemeral as "lasting one day" and "short-lived; transitory."

The doll on the left, found at convention, is played with, incomplete and shows wear. Cut-out paper dolls are the ones I love best -- usually less expensive, and always dear because they were well loved by some child long ago. They hold all the dreams and fantasies of childhood play.

My new blog, The Paper Collector, will launch Nov. 1, and will feature ephemera, paper dolls and toys, information about conventions and parties and much more. I'll post a few more convention items here within the next week.

Below, some of my father's favorite movie stars: Clark Gable, Ava Gardner Rita Hayworth and Charlie Chaplin. I found the Chaplin pantin online years ago, and made a copy to cut and assemble for my father. He also loved Jane Fonda, and she's on my search list for the next convention in Las Vegas.

Dagwood

My memories of Sunday morning as a child include reading the funnies, something I know my father also enjoyed when he was a kid growing up in New York City in the 1930s. Today was my father's last Sunday, and I know he would have enjoyed seeing this Dagwood cut-out, one of his favorite comic strips.

Jan's Convention Photo Album II

Marilyn Henry, who did the Jane Powell souvenir, and edits Paper Doll Review to boot; and collector Jane Alfano Rasor.

Far left, partly obscured, is Jayne Keller, who organized goody bags; Mary Meehan Firtl, Norma Lu's daughter and also an artist; and the wondrous collectors, Garth and Diana Lax. Garth did a great job with a difficult task -- organizing the Competition, and protecting valuable antique paper dolls and toys from around the world.

London calling: Marion Jennings, Lorna Currie Thomopoulos and husband George. In the foreground: a Deanna Williams centerpiece. I look forward to hearing all about Deanna's Fall Frolic, which is being held today in Los Angeles.

Jan's Convention Photo Album I

Ralph Hodgdon and Maria Pereira.

Ron Fong -- who did a great job organizing the raffles room -- and Laura Cushing Kidney.

Valerie Fahey, Sylvia Kleindinst's daughter; Sheryl Jaeger -- who was not only in charge of the sales room, but gave me invaluable assistance in many other convention tasks; Ralph Gallo; and Jan McKay.

Convention Souvenirs 5 & 6

Saturday's souvenir: Ethel Merman and Mary Martin, by David Wolfe. Sunday's souvenir: An Affair to Remember, by Norma Lu Meehan.