Christmas Party

On December 12, 2016, Bette Birdsong generously opened her beautiful home for the club's annual Christmas Party.  Every room was festively decorated. 

Bette's home is adorned inside and out!

Members brought a wide variety of tasty treats for the potluck buffet.

Members enjoying good food and company!

Some members added a little extra holiday spirit by distributing special goodies.  Here Brenda Kay White passes out presents.

Myrna Loesch shares some holiday cheer.

The evening ended with the club's gift exchange.  

This adorable angel, made by member Faydra Jones, is dressed in vintage materials and lace.

October 15th Doll Show!

The Austin Doll Collectors Society held its 41st Annual Doll Show and Sale on October 15, 2016.  Here are a few scenes from the show. . . . 

Even a teddy bear needs a little caffeine first thing in the morning. . . . 

Bevies of antique bisque beauties. . . .

cuties in composition. . . . 

big bright-eyed babies. . . . 

a flirtatious flapper. . . . 

boxes of Barbies. . . . 

unique artistic creations. . . . 

bjd belles. . . . 

bargain bins. . . .

and dolls of every age and description.

There were colorful curls, couture clothing, and haute hats for any doll that needed a new look.

The club's charity booth offered donated dolls with proceeds helping support local charities.

This dealer shared some Halloween spirit (and candy!).

This year the club sponsored hourly "Doll Secrets" presentations, which covered a wide range of doll-oriented topics.  

Member Sharon Weintraub began the day with a presentation discussing how to differentiate authentic antique all bisque dolls from modern fakes coming out of Germany.  Can you tell which two dolls in this picture are the only authentic antiques?

(Answer: The little boy in the yellow and red outfit at the bottom left and the little brown and white cat in the upper right.)

Eno Manley generously gave two talks on bjds.

Member Brenda Kay White updated us on the latest in the popular American Girl dolls.  Other presentations discussed doll restringing and hat making.

It's a Set Up!

On October 15, 2016, the Austin Doll Collectors held its 41st Annual Doll Show and Sale. These pictures are a sneak peek from setting up of the show on the evening before.  Here members fill up the club's charity booth with a vast array of donated dolls.  Proceeds from the charity booth go to SafePlace of Austin, a domestic violence shelter, and the Austin Children's Shelter.

The dealers start setting up their booths.  What treasures are currently hidden in those boxes?!

Dolls begin appears on shelves.

A bevy of beautiful babies looking for new homes.

A Night at the Opera

The first of the KMFA "On Key, OffBeat" promotions picturing our club's very photogenic Mary McKenzie (as well as many, many dolls of our members) was spotted at the Long Center's production of the opera, "The Manchurian Candidate."

October 3, 2016, Meeting

Member Pam Wolf gave a program on the history of dollhouses.  Here she is sharing a favorite book, Big Susan by Elizabeth Orton Jones.  Written in 1947, the book tells the story of the Doll family, a family of dolls who live in a dollhouse that belongs to a little girl named Susan (or "Big Susan" as the dolls call her).  

Pam brought a large variety of doll-sized and dollhouse furniture from her collection.  

Two diminutive dwellings that could serve as a dollhouse for a little doll or in a larger dollhouse.

Pam brought photographs of the Faith Bradford dollhouse, residing in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, as well as pictures of her own dollhouse.

Member Myrna Loesch shared some marvelous miniature furniture that was purchased in 1930 from the Marshall Field's department store in Chicago.

Member Beverly Evans displayed some diminutive dolls that would certainly be at home in a dollhouse.