Dolls at Tea Vignettes

In my study I have a few vignettes with five of my dolls and three little tea sets.

The first is on a skirted round table in front of the window. It shows two literary dolls, Alice on the left and Heidi on the right. Both are 11" tall made by Effanbee from their series of storybook dolls. They are seated in front of a stack of books that serves as a tea table surface.

A porcelain doll stands between them:

The top layer is a book-shaped box and under it are the books, Heidi by Johanna Spyri, and Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.


On a nearby bookcase a couple other tea vignettes are displayed.

The top shelf holds a lovely porcelain doll in wicker chair with her teacup on a wicker table with a crocheted topper. The teacup is porcelain by Crown Staffordshire, made in England.
This miniature teacup is one of my very favorites:

The matching teapot rests on the very top of the bookcase, since it did not fit on the wicker table.

A blue and white dolls’ tea set rests on top of books on the second shelf.

On the shelf a wooden bench with a woven seat holds a tiny doll who sits with two dog pals.


Her tea setting rests on the shelf below:

These vignettes all reflect great buys. The round table, tablecover, crocheted doilies and the doll tea sets are from local gift of thrift shops. The tiny doll cost 50 cents while the one above her cost $8.99 in a gift shop. The Heidi and Alice books were found for about ten cents each at a thrift store. The larger doll chairs and the green ceramic pine cone came from Marshalls and Michaels. The bookcase is a thrifty consignment shop find.

This post is linked to the following Tuesday blog events:

Table Top Tuesday hosted by Marty at A Stroll Thru Life .
Tea Cup Tuesday, co-hosted by Martha at Martha’s Favorites and Terri at Artful Affirmations.
Teatime Tuesday, hosted by Lady Katherine at Lady Katherine's Tea Parlor.
Tea Time Tuesday, hosted by Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage
Tea Party Tuesday, is hosted by Rhondi at Rose Colored Glasses. Nifty Thrifty Tuesday hosted by Linda at Coastal Charm

Three or More Tuesday is sponsored by Tam at The Gypsy's Corner. Please visit her for more participating posts.

Vintage Book for Literary Doll

Well, here we have another post on literary dolls. In a previous post we met Linnea, Madeline, Raggedy Anne, and American Girl Addy, and in a second post, Alice in Wonderland.

Today the literary character is the young Swiss girl, Heidi. My doll is by Effanbee from the 1980’s. She is 11" tall and has on a navy blue dress with tiny white flowers, with a pinafore over her dress, and a kerchief over her head. Her petticoat and bloomers are white and her shoes are black.
Her long blonde hair is braided and tied with red ribbons which echo the red hearts on her pinafore.
She sits in a doll-size Windsor chair.
Here is a vintage copy of the book, Heidi by Johanna Spiryi, which I found at the community thrift store. The cover is yellow printed in navy blue.

The book was published by International Readers League, New York in the year I was born, following World War II.

The edition is part of The Child’s Classics series.

Aside from the color frontispiece opposite the title page, painted by Anne Anderson,

there are no illustrations in the book. This makes it seem that, though a child’s classic, it was written for adult use. So, I’ll have to be on the lookout for a child’s edition, don't you agree?

It was good to have you visit today. Please come again soon. Leave a comment if you wish.
See more Vintage Thingies Thursday posts listed by Suzanne at Coloradolady.

Blue Monday - Literary Doll in Blue

Blue Monday is sponsored by our gracious Sally at Smiling Sally.

My post for last week’s Three or More Tuesday was on "Literary Character Dolls" and showed my dolls and related books and other items.

For today's post I’d like to share one other famous literary character doll, Alice in Wonderland.
This particular Alice in Wonderland doll is by Effanbee from their series of storybook dolls.
She is 11 inches tall and wears a white apron with eyelet border matching the collar and cuffs of her bright blue dress. A pale blue ribbon holds back her blonde hair.

At a thrift shop I found a vintage book, Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll with the original illustrations by John Tenniel. Companion Library series published by Grosset & Dunlap. It cost ten cents.

Among my books on tea and tea entertaining is the book, Taking Tea With Alice by, which presents whimsical tea parties.
In this photo I have Alice sitting in a Queen Anne doll chair with a mini tea set from England nearby. The teapot and cup and saucer are by Crown Staffordshire and have cobalt blue and gilt decorations on a cream background.

What I enjoyed in reading Alice in Wonderland is her character and personality, as revealed in her curiosity, constant matter-fact viewpoint and insistence on people making sense when they uttered a statement. The doll’s face shows a curious and determined young lady indeed:

"And what is the use of a book," thought Alice, "without pictures or conversations?" Well the John Tenniel illustrations are whimsical and Lewis Carroll’s text is fullof charm.

Artist Robert Sabada made a pop-up book of the Alice in Wonderland story, and I bought a copy on Ebay:

I am happy you visited today, and would enjoy reading your comment. Enjoy more Blue Monday posts at Sally’s blog, Smiling Sally.

Three or More Tuesday – Literary Character Dolls

Three or More Tuesday is sponsored by Tam at The Gypsy's Corner. Do visit her for more participating posts.

Dolls were always a major feature of my childhood years. I loved to dress them, play with their hair, and set them up in domestic settings I contrived. Recently I foound myself with a few dolls which are characters from books.

My Three or More today is just a sentimental collection consisting mostly of items I found in thrift shops or otherwise very inexpensively.

The first one I got was a 12" Linnea cloth doll which I found in a consignment shop. Her smiling face is so appealing. I love art and art appreciation and art history. Thus this doll is very much like the young girl I once was, who enjoyed visiting places about New York City.

The book which introduces Linnea is "Linnea in Monet’s Garden" by Christina Björk and illustrated by Lena Anderson.
Here is the Publisher’s Weekly review: "Linnea, a fresh-faced European girl with a mop of black hair and a white smock, gives a solid lesson in art history in the gentlest way, through a first-person account. Her story is like a scrapbook, reliving a trip she took to Paris and Giverny to learn about Monet's water-lily paintings. Airy, light-filled watercolors showing Linnea in Monet's environment are juxtaposed with period photographs of the artist and reproductions of the paintings themselves. The focus is always on the specific. Monet's brushstrokes are examined (Linnea terms them "splotchy").

A section is devoted to expressionism: "Even stone walls could shimmer sometimes." Also included are Monet's biography, a family tree and a brief guide to Paris. But, it is the sense of being there, and Linnea's own enthusiasm, that carries the book."


I learned about the sweet little French girl, Madeline, from a program on television, an animated feature titled "Madeline’s Christmas." It was based on the book of the same name by Ludwig Bemelmans. I was captivated with the little girl and her upbeat personality, her creativity, and take-charge attitude. Here is the 7" vinyl doll with her own cup and saucer.

At a thrift shop I found a copy of the book, "Madeline’s Christmas" by Ludwig Bemelmans, and two videos, "Madeline" and "Madeline at the Dog Show: A Story about Bravery," both narrated by Christopher Plummer.

While attending a convention of the American Library Association in Dallas, TX I came upon a publisher’s booth for the American Girls Collection. I was attracted to the concept of introducing girls in different periods of American history. Each doll has a six-book series, beginning with a Meet… volume to introduce the character.

The doll, Addy, presents a story of a life in a time of transition. The American Girls website states, "Addy Walker’s story begins as she and her mother are escaping slavery to find Addy’s father and brother, who’ve been sold away. But their escape means leaving Addy’s baby sister behind—her cries could cost them their lives. Once Addy takes her freedom, can she re-unite her family?"
"The Addy book series present "stories of growing up in 1864 Philadelphia."
This 7-inch vinyl doll is Addy dressed in her escape to freedom outfit.
I found these three books at the thrift shop:
"Addy Learns a Lesson: A School Story" (Book two)
"Changes for Addy: A Winter Story" (Book six)
"Addy Studies Freedom" from the American Girls Short Stories series

I bought this cute little doll because the design is based on the long popular Raggedy Ann doll. She is 5" tall of cloth with a vinyl head. Her hair is of fabric strips instead of the customary yarn hair.
This book tells the story of the Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls and of their maker, John Barton Gruelle.
"Raggedy Ann and More: Johnny Gruelle's Dolls and Merchandise" by Patricia Hall.
I chose this other book because I love tea parties and books about tea parties: "Raggedy Ann’s Tea Party"by Laura Francesca Filippucci.

Thank you for stopping by and viewing my literary character dolls and related books and videos. Please come again soon and do leave a comment.