Doll Bookmarks

Doll bookmarks by Karen Oyekanmi of Kissing Kousins

These doll bookmarks by Karen Oyekanmi of Kissing Kousins, who is also the founder of American Black Beauty Doll Artists, have stuffed velour heads with beautifully painted faces. Different types of yarn were used for the hair. The heads are attached to an inner support, which is covered with flat cloth clothing. They have velour arms and flat glittered cardstock shoes. 

These were gifted to doll friends.

The clothing worn by the two above was custom-made according to my specifications. The artist surprised me with the third one as a generous gift, and unknowingly dressed it in a hue of my favorite color.

Being a blessing often generates blessings. 

This is my packaged bookmark.

A certificate of authenticity is included in the package.

My bookmark is shown with the certificate of authenticity outside the package.

This is a full view of my bookmark.

In the last two photos, my doll bookmark illustrates how it can be used for its intended purpose, but I doubt that I will ever use it this way, unless it is for display.

This is how my bookmark looks inside a book.

This is a perfect way to display it.

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All photos and text are copyrighted and cannot be used elsewhere unless permission is granted by the author.

©Black Doll Collecting/dbg

There are countless items to collect and write about. Black dolls chose me.
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Forever First Lady Michelle Obama Boomark

After purchasing Becoming by Michelle Obama as a Christmas gift for a friend and needing to add additional items to Friend's gift package, I asked doll artist, Karen Oyekanmi if it would be possible (at a very late notice, mind you) to make a  doll bookmark in my Forever First Lady's likeness.  Karen has made other doll bookmarks that I have purchased for myself and as gifts.  So, I thought it would be wonderful to include one made in Mrs. Obama's likeness in my friend's gift package.  Karen was able to honor this request and have the bookmark mailed in time for me to include it in the package that I needed to ship for arrival prior to Christmas.

Selected photo choices

Initially, I submitted the photo on the left to Karen to use in the creation of the bookmark.  Later the same day, after deciding it might be easier and quicker to create a closed-smile likeness, I submitted the photo on the right.  I told Karen I would leave it up to her as to which image she could recreate the quickest.

Preview photo prior to mailing the bookmark to me

Karen replicated Mrs. Obama's image as close as possible including the one-shoulder blue dress she wore in the closed-mouth photo.  She emailed the above preview photo prior to adding the final touches and mailing.

Portrait of Forever First Lady Michelle Obama bookmark is shown inside my first edition, first printing copy of Becoming (I had already wrapped my friend's book.)

The portrait doll bookmark is 12-1/2 inches tall, made of cloth with synthetic hair and painted facial features.  The head is slightly stuffed.

A head-shot close-up was taken with the bookmark leaning against the title page of the book.

In the photo of Mrs. Obama in the blue dress, she wears triangular shaped earrings.  As shown in the head-shot photo above, the bookmark has Christmas-tree-shaped earrings that are embellished with blue sequins.

The feet point to one side, making it easy for the bookmark to lie between the pages of a book.

The blue pumps are painted on and have a blue gem at each toe.

Upon receiving the bookmark, I was pleasantly surprised to discover a mini version of Mrs. Obama's New York Times best-selling memoir, Becoming, attached to the hands!

Before wrapping the bookmark with Christmas paper and mailing it to my friend, I took the following additional photographs to add to my documentation of this one-of-a-kind bookmark of Michelle Obama.

This head-shot photo was taken with the bookmark lying flat.

This photo provides a closer look at the memoir and mock two-piece, one-shoulder dress.

Full view from the back

Close-up from the back illustrates the hand-applied synthetic wig.

As always, Karen did a fabulous job creating this portrait doll bookmark of my Forever First Lady Michelle Obama.

dbg
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The Making of a One and Only Toddler

This 18-inch felt doll by Karen Oyekanmi of Kissing Kousins inspired the creation of another doll.

After visiting Karen Oyekanmi's Facebook (FB) page, I fell in love with one of the dolls in her cover image. The doll was not clearly visible, but her complexion and mounds of curly dark hair caught my eye and I needed to know more about her.  The 18-inch felt doll had been made quite some time ago and had since been sold, Karen explained.

My daughter, circa 1980/1981 wearing a dress my mother purchased for her.

After purchasing a bookmark from Karen in March, with her FB cover-page doll still on my mind, I asked Karen if she could make a smaller similar doll, around 12 inches, with the same complexion and lots of curly hair. The doll was to be my birthday present from me to me.   Karen agreed and asked me how I would like for the doll to be dressed.  I sent the two following photos of a dress my daughter wore at around age 4 and asked if she could make the doll a similar dress.



These front and back views of the dress my daughter wore circa 1980/1981 illustrate the orange appliqués at the empire waist through which the now missing green satin ribbons that tied on either side had been laced.  The ribbons are visible in the above photo of my daughter wearing this dress.

Karen began making my doll in early April and shared photos of the doll-making process through which I enjoyed seeing my commissioned toddler come to life.  Some of Karen's photos follow:

She's waiting for hair, facial painting, clothing and shoes.

Look at the dress!  It is an almost exact replica of my daughter's!

Take a closer look at the fabric used for the dress.  Just like my daughter's dress, it has two little oranges at the empire waist with a green satin ribbon laced underneath.  The ribbon ties on one side.

Tried on for size; it's a perfect fit!

So much detail went into making the dress (and the doll).  The dress has a slip of contrasting colors, and matching panties.

She has a face now and it is adorable!

With her black hand made, faux leather Mary Jane-style shoes, the toddler wears lime green socks with yellow stripes and white lace accents at the ankle cuffs.

Guess what!  The completed, 13-inch toddler has her very own doll!

After I viewed the first photos of the completed doll, I asked Karen if she could possibly make a doll for her.  She already had the perfect 3-inch doll, which the toddler holds in the above image.

To better illustrate her detail, upon arrival, I took the following additional photos of my birthday doll from me to me.

I love her! 

I love her dress, too, the back of which has the orange appliqués mentioned previously.

Her separate fingers allow her to clasp them together, and her body construct allows her to stand without the assistance of a doll stand.

Isn't her little doll adorable?  No detail was spared on this one either.  Made of cloth, she has wired arms and legs.  She wears a fancy straw hat of polymer clay, a blue and white gingham dress and has painted-on white socks and black Mary Jane-style shoes.  Her little dress has ruffles in back and a large bow.  Too cute!

The toddler's certificate of authenticity verifies that "Toddler Baby" is a limited edition of one.

Added surprise extras were a blanket and pillow made by Karen that were sent along with the Toddler Baby and her doll.  One side of the blanket is cotton blend print of orange, peach and white (I love peach!); the back is made of orange felt.

Here she is, the one and only 13-inch Toddler Baby and her one and only 3-inch doll.  Have I written how much I love them both?

dbg
Check out my eBay listings here.

Black Beauty Bookmark and Kissing Kousins Dolls by Karen Oyekanmi

Black Beauty Bookmarks by Kissing Kousins are 12 inches, made of felt, have hand-painted features, and wear cloth dresses, each a one of a kind, $20 each.

After seeing the above image of  bookmarks in the shape of dolls, I contacted the daughter of the woman who made these and ordered one as a gift for a friend. The bookmark arrived last week and I love it so much that the doll collecting reader in me has unapologetically decided to keep it.


The bookmark, as you can see from the above images, is quite unique and works much better than the Cheerios coupon I had been using as a bookmark for the current book I am trying to decide if I want to complete.

The coupon had been the first thing I grabbed from my nightstand when I was reading another book.  It transferred over to the current book prior to receiving the Black Beauty Bookmark by Karen Oyekanmi of Kissing Kousins Dolls.

Of course I have other bookmarks and some of them also have a doll theme, but none are quite like this one and none of the others came with a certificate of authenticity signed by the artist.




Along with the bookmark, as a most generous gift, Karen sent a mirror compact, the front of which she has decorated with sheet music and the bust of a woman sculpted in polymer clay who appears to be in song.  On the back is written:

Donna
Summer
by K-K
2015 1/1


I love it!

In my Facebook and email conversions with Karen, who, according to her daughter, began her Black doll journey in 1982, she shared photos of some of her doll creations, some of which are in shadow boxes.  Most of the photos she shared are of dolls that are currently on exhibit but they will be available for sale after the exhibit closes on March 26, 2016.  See these photos with associated prices below.

Drink up Alice, a 14-inch, fully posable doll of felt is a one of a kind (OOAK) with shadow box (positioned sideways).

When asked if she works only in cloth or in mixed media Karen replied:

I make porcelain baby dolls on request... I also sculpt dolls in polymer clay. I love working in felt so the majority of my dolls in the past five years have been felt dolls. The doll, Drink up Alice (shown above), is in the shadow box sideways as shown. She can be removed from the box; she is attached with Velcro . She is fully jointed and would love to stand or sit in a chair!

This doll and the one immediately above it are Mama's Babies, 8 inches, felt, $85

My Angela, 14-inch  OOAK felt doll, fully posable with chair $100

Presentation is a 6-inch fairy with frog, $85.

Sitting Pretty is a 3-inch fairy on a 3-inch clay pot, $100

Spring Arrival, 12-inch wooden jointed doll in shadow box, $90

Karen is working on additional bookmarks and plans to launch her website soon.  If you are interested in purchasing a Black Beauty Bookmark or any of the dolls shown above, Karen may be contacted through her Facebook page here.

dbg

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