October 25, 2026, Meeting

Elaine Jackson gave a program on the history of Halloween. The name is derived from "All Hallows' Eve," which fell before All Saints' Days on November 2nd and All Souls' Day on the 3rd. She explained that the holiday incorporates traditions from Celtic culture and the festival of Samhain, which took place around October 31st, a time when the boundaries between this world and the world of the supernatural were believed to thin and the souls of the deceased would return to visit. Trick or treating traces back to the tradition of poor people and children going door to door on All Souls' Day begging for pastries known as soul cakes. Irish and Scottish immigrants brought many of these traditions to the United States. In Mexico and parts of the southwestern United States, Día de Muertos, the Day of the Dead, is celebrated at this time as well. The holiday, which may have Aztec and indigenous roots, honors deceased family members and friends. 

Elaine said that when she was growing up, children made their costumes rather than dressing up in store-bought outfits. Her brother went every year as a cowboy. The cowboy doll is made from a commercial pattern first published in the 1940s. Clowns were also a popular choice. Her clown doll was made by Eleanor Todd, a New Orleans doll artist. 

Elaine said that she would sometimes trick or treat dressed up as a fortune teller, wearing a long skirt, scarves, and necklaces borrowed from her mother. This doll, whom Elaine calls Griselda Grump, was made in the 1970s by a local doll artist, Ann Lind.

Sharon Weintraub displayed these three antique German character dolls. The larger witch is Hexe made by Simon and Halbig for Cuno and Otto Dressel. The smaller witch is an all-original doll from Hertwig and Company, and the grinning black cat was a created by Gebruder Heubach.

Myrna Loesch brought this vintage Dollikin looking like a treat tricked out in her Halloween finery.

She also shared two more of her treasures that she acquired at the United Federation of Doll Clubs Convention in New Orleans. This Cissy by Madame Alexander dates from 1958.

Also by Madame Alexander is this composition Sonja Henie doll. Myrna told the club that the doll's dress is original, but she added the skates. 

David Craig brought a bevy of bewitching beauties. The tall belle in black is American Model by Robert Tonner. The lady in red is from JAMIEshow, while the petite pair were made by Integrity Toys. He said that he enjoys dressing his dolls for Halloween. 

This sultry sorceress is a Cissy dressed by Jan Irsfeld in an outfit inspired Paris luxury fashion house Balenciaga. The silvery beadwork down the front represents all sorts of Halloween creepy crawlies, including snakes, bats, and spiders. 

New member Charlie Abramovsky-Defoor shared these two Vogue Ginny dolls wearing Halloween costumes created for Ginger by Cosmopolitan Doll and Toy Corporation.

Jenell Howell brought her latest BJD doll. . . .

with a hauntingly beautiful face.

Nancy Countryman brought this Buzz Lightyear doll from the Toy Story franchise 

 

September 13, 2026, Meeting

The meeting focused mainly on the upcoming United Federation of Doll Clubs (UFDC) Region 3 Conference, "Lariats and Lace." The convention will run from April 29-May 2, 2027, and will be held at the Hilton Fort Worth in Fort Worth, Texas.  The club has agreed to sponsor a luncheon at the conference based on the famous (or infamous) "Chicken Ranch," a brothel that operated just outside of La Grange, Texas and was the inspiration for the musical and a subsequent movie, "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas." Members came up with a number of ideas for "Chicken Ranch" themed table favors and door prizes. The November meeting will be a crafting and assembly session for these special Texas souvenirs. 

There was also a swap meet and sale.

And, as always, there was show and tell. Elaine Jackson brought this little bisque beauty, a souvenir from luncheon at the 2001 UFDC convention. She told the club that the doll resembles her granddaughter.

Guest Emily Landis shared this endearing BJD with a furry tail.

Charlie Abramovsky-Defoor has her little porcelain mascot, who travels with her everywhere.

Sharon Weintraub shared her newest acquisition, an unusual antique Japanese doll with china head and multi-jointed wooden body. 

 

August 9, 2026, Meeting

The meeting focused on the recent United Federation of Doll Clubs (UFDC) convention in New Orleans. Members who attended the convention shared some of the treasures they brought home. 

Jenell Howell brought these two beauties. The doll in the box is from a luncheon event and is Starlisse by Robert Tonner. The cloth doll she found at the Original Doll Artists Council of America (ODACA) exhibit and was created by Deanna Hogan of Blue Heron Dolls.

This dainty damsel is an all original all-bisque doll made by the German firm of Simon and Halbig for the French market. Jenell won her at the Theriault's auction, held in conjunction with the convention.

The Doll Dreamers Market was another doll show held at a nearby hotel. There Jenell discovered these two early mohair kittens by the German company Steiff.

While there, she also purchased this early closed-mouth doll by the German Company J.D. Kestner. The mold number is 189.

This reproduction French type all-bisque was created by doll artist Darlene Lane and was the souvenir doll for the luncheon event "High Tea with Rosalie."

Another luncheon souvenir is Beltha by Ruby Red Galleria.

Both Jenell and Myrna Loesch brought home this delightful diminutive doll and trunk by artist Maggie Iacono.

Myrna won this elegant Gene doll at a doll bingo event. 

Both Jenell and Myrna shared their bargains from the UFDC boutique, which offered for sale hundreds of dolls donated to the UFDC for fundraising, with the prices being discounted throughout the week.  This lithe lady is Vita by Horsman.

An all original composition Princess Elizabeth by Madame Alexander.

Also by Alexander is this composition bride in her original bridal attire.

Jenell loves the character of Alice in Wonderland and she found two composition examples by Alexander. 

Three adorable eight-inch children; the seated sweetie in a romper is Quiz-kin by Alexander. There are buttons on the back that allow the doll or nod or shake its head.  

Sharon Weintraub shared her single purchase at the convention, this black Jumeau 1907 model, Size 1. Sharon noted that the style of her clothing precedes the doll by a couple of decades, but the frilly frock is beautifully sewn out of antique materials and perfectly suits the little doll.

Members who did not attend the convention shared some of their dolls. Kenneth Reeves brought this doll by artist Susan Wakeen. Her dress is original, although Kennth added the tights and hair bow.

This is his 15-inch Miss Revlon by Ideal Toy Corporation. She wears an outfit made by a friend of his.

David Craig shared this doll from Integrity Toys, which had traveled with him on a recent trip to Portugal. He noted that her dress closely matched those he saw being worn by Portuguese women. 

Nancy Countryman brought this Nancy Ann Storybook Doll in her original box. Nancy Ann Abbott began her company in 1936, but this doll with a vinyl head and rooted wig is probably the last of the famed Storybook line, made sometime in the late 1950s to the mid-1960s.

 

July 12, 2026, Meeting

The theme for the program was "Patriotic Dolls. It would be hard to find a more patriotic outfit than this sparkling red, white, and blue ensemble worn by this doll brought by David Craig. He told the club that the doll is by JAMIEshow USA and that she is wearing an outfit made earlier for the Gene doll line created Mel Odom.

Kathie Tovo shared several examples. This tiny trio of all-bisque dolls by the German firm of Hertwig and Company play vintage American flag party favors.

An antique bisque-headed doll with a composition body is decked out in red white and blue with her original matching box, but Kathie stated that the doll may be in fact be a representation of France.

However, there is no question that this paper cutout represents the all-American Miss Columbia.

Sharon Weintraub displayed this bisque Uncle Sam. He is actually a German naughty novelty known as a squirter; one time he had a rubber bulb on top of his top hat and when he was filled with water and the bulb squeezed, the water came out of the appropriate orifice.

This sweet boy in a sailor suit belongs to Sylvia McDonald. He is a reproduction of a character by Gebruder Heubach and was made by Jenell Howell. His outfit is based on an antique costume and was made by the Gabriella Doll Clothing Company.

She also shared this doll representing Betsy Ross by Madame Alexander.

Also natty in her nautical-themed outfit is this German bisque-headed doll on a ball-jointed body. She is Florodoro by Armand Marseille and belongs to Myrna Loesch.

Jenell shared this all-original doll made by Effanbee and designed by the American doll artist Dewees Cochran. 

Elaine Jackson brought this cloth doll, Miss Columbia. She is modeled after the Columbian cloth dolls manufactured by Emma Adams from 1891 to 1910 and was created by doll artist Connie Tognoli as a souvenir doll for the United Federation of Doll Clubs annual convention in 2000. Her straw hat was purchased by Elaine at a Native American reservation.

Nancy Countryman brought this supersized Barbie doll by Mattel in patriotic apparel.