A Just Because Gift

Beautiful white dress and photo of dolls in background wearing dresses using the same material

Last year's birthday gift from me to me will be a year old in June.  Smiling Debbie (Smilling Debbie) arrived a couple of weeks after last year's birthday.  She made her first appearance on the blog here.

Smiling Debbie has been redressed a few times but has not enjoyed a redress since the Christmas season of 2013.  I recently shared photos with fellow collectors and made a note during the share that she was long overdue for a redress.

This past Wednesday, which was my birthday, I visited the post office to retrieve mail and was pleasantly surprised by a package.  The contents consisted of a letter, a photograph, a gorgeous white dress sewn from the most beautiful ribbon-accented fabric, a length of yellow ribbon as an extra sash, and a pair of white lace anklet.

Dress with blue sash, white lace anklets, and photo of two of Betty Ativie's dolls

The package was from doll friend, Betty Ativie, who made the dress without the use of a store-bought pattern.  Her letter indicated she made dresses from the same material for her favorite doll, Leleti (by Annette Himstedt) and Janelle (a Lorna Miller Sands creation) and had enough fabric left to make one more.   The dress I received was the additional dress.  Betty ended her letter by writing, "I hope you will enjoy this 'Just Because' gift."

I read the letter while seated in my car on the post office parking lot.  After admiring the dress,  I immediately knew who would be the lucky recipient.  So I rushed home to "play dolls."  What a perfect way to spend the afternoon of the anniversary of my birth.


After Smiling Debbie's redress, I telephoned Betty to thank her for her kindness.  She had no idea that day was my birthday.  We were both fascinated by the coincidence of her making the dress and it arriving when it did.  We both agreed the act was inspired by God.  She said, "He wanted you to have that dress!" 

Since Smiling Debbie did not have shoes to complement her new dress, I traced her barefoot on a piece of card stock to create a pattern before going shoe shopping later that day. 

Tracing of Smiling Debbie's foot, which was used to measure shoes for her extra wide feet.

At the store, the tracing served as the doll's foot.  I was able to insert the tracing inside shoes to ensure a proper fit.  I already knew she would require a toddler size 6, but due to the width of her foot, unless the shoe is a wide cut, not any size 6 will fit.  I found white ballerina style shoes at Marshall's.  A day later, I purchased an extra pair of infant's lace ankle socks.

After the redress, Smiling Debbie took the following photos to share.

A grosgrain ribbon rose accents the toe of Smiling Debbie's new shoes. She holds the anklets Betty sent, which are too small for her.

She models her new dress, shoes, and anklets while holding Anisha by Heidi Plusczok.

The yellow ribbon sash prompted an exchange in doll companions from Anisha to Jamilla by Wendy Lawton.

The final photograph was taken outside with a brown bear companion who has lost one of his yellow slippers somewhere in the doll room.

Isn't this dress lovely? 

Thank you again, Betty for your thoughtful generosity and for brightening my day.  Smiling Debbie thanks you, too!



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She's Here! She's Here!

Who's here, you ask?  My birthday doll from me to me.  The doll that traveled from Germany to America.  My smiling beauty, who was formerly unnamed (I thought), for whom I solicited name suggestions was picked up from my PO box this past Saturday, June 1st.


In my haste to examine my smiling beauty and to try on the three dresses that doll friend, Betty A sent me for no particular reason, I did not take a full-body photograph of her in her original fashion, a deep coral colored, butterfly print, silky sarong.   A full-view photograph in the sarong was really not necessary because she looked exactly like the full-view picture shared in my original post.

As indicated, initially I thought my lovely girl was unnamed, but her accompanying certificate bears the name given to her by Woelfert-Puppen, "smilling beauty Debbie."  So that is her name.  (Smiling is spelled with two l's on the certificate.) 

My birthday doll holds her certificate from Woelfert-Puppen, which bears her company-given name and other vital information.

Before her arrival, I had settled on the name Destiny Zipporah.  Destiny was suggested by doll friend, Janice Larsen-Tyre, which seemed appropriate to her and to me because I was destined to own her.   I wanted to use a biblical name as her middle name.  Zipporah, was inspired by Moses's wife.  As it turns out, Debbie is a short form of a biblical name (Deborah).   

The two Debs

I love everything about Smiling Beauty Debbie.  Her human hair wig has a beautiful texture and feel.  Her mouth-blown brown glass eyes are beautiful!  Her broad-like-mine nose is adorable as is her toothy smile.  What I love most is her soft and supple, but sturdy all-vinyl composition.  I initially imagined the vinyl would be rigid like that used for most artist dolls.  For those familiar with John Nissen dolls, Debbie's vinyl is comparable, making her less weighty than a Himstedt.  She is jointed in the usual areas in addition to the waist and knees. The only thing I would change about my namesake would be the addition of elbow and wrist joints.  That would increase her pose-ability. 

Debbie and I spent most of Saturday afternoon deciding which of the three dresses from Betty A. she would wear.  I also tried one additional outfit on her.  Surprisingly, the dress I thought I would enjoy most on her has now changed to another.  Her photo shoot is below.

First we tried on the brown and gold African-print dress.  The brown suede sandals belong to Matoka by Annette Himstedt.

Since she already had on Matoka's sandals, I tried Matoka's original fashion on Debbie.  The wrap skirt is a little big on her waist, but it can be adjusted.  I think she wears it well. 

Next we tried on the brightly colored yellow dress with red circle-print pattern and red and white polka dot sash.   The child's size 6 white sandals are a little long (but this gives her some "grow" room.)  She looks ready for a warm day of play. 

Debbie looks adorable in the red and white polka dot sheer dress.  I used the sash from the yellow dress as a headband and added a white satin ribbon waist sash.  The white sandals also pair well with this dress as will white or black patent-leather Mary Janes that she can borrow from Matoka's shoe stash.

Debbie poses with Himstedt's Matoka.  The two dolls are about the same size, 33-1/2 inches and actually could pass for sisters.  Matoka remains my favorite doll by Himstedt and now Smiling Debbie is my favorite doll in this size range.

I love her!  For me, she was well worth the wait and the cost.

Which of these dresses is your favorite on Smiling Beauty Debbie?  Did I write that I love her?  Well I do!

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