Jules came home for Christmas

Merry Christmas Dear Friends, We wish many blessings for each of you, and we ask for a ray of light on the path to peace which seems so distant.
Here in our home, we are preparing to cook the traditional turkey and all trimmings for 20. We have already started with candy and pumpkin bread laid by and today will make Rose Ellen's cranberry relish, adding lots of Texas pecons. Daughers will bring some of the foods and grandchildren will bring large helpings of joy. Elizabeth, 9, is knitting a scarf for me here at the last minute, I am thrilled however it may come out! We plan to start a weaving project together after Christmas. You will see it here soon. I am overjoyed to have another textile artist growing up in the family! Her older cousin, Hailey, 12, can also rug hook and knit.
A warm surprise came this past week, with a telephone call from Dorothy P, owner of Stonehill, the wool shop here in Fredericksburg. A gentleman had left a bear there for me with a tag, and it was Jules! The tag reads Merry Christmas, Jules wanted to come home for Christmas. Here he is:

I made Jules in the mid 1980's, on a July 4th, and loved him so I could not put him down! Jack and I went to a very up scale dinner party that night served on a hill top out in the country, at a long table with a white cloth and wines and steaks, with both fire works and stars to see in the night sky. I kept Jules on my shoulder like a baby all that evening, never mind who thought I was strange! (I am still). Some months later he went to live in Houston with a sweet friend. Here is the letter I wrote back to his Houston mama: Dear Dell, thank you! He is a ray of pure joy to see sittting on a small sofa in my bedroom! A feather tree is nearby for him to enjoy. Jules was always one of my favorite bears, I am glad he was with you instead of me when the fire happened. I am amazed at how well you have kept him, he is so clean and fresh and the little white romper suit is just like a baby boy would wear, giving him such an innocent look. It is hard to believe he has helped raise 3 girls! I will think of you each time I look at him!!"

Jack and the bean stalk?

Here is Jackie, rewraping the brown tissue paper on the trunk of a nice old feather tree we bought at the F Burg antique show 2 weeks back from friend Ann. We cut inch wide strips of brown tissue paper from the craft store, and put a small amount of elmer's glue all along the paper strip. Then we wrap the trunk and squeeze the paper together every little bit and it all goes together like paper mache.
Years ago we made some trees and he turned nice wooden bases for them. We sold several dozen and learned a bit about the simple ways to restore them when branches come loose or something else minor happens. So 20 years later here we are with our box of tree mending supplies helping another one go for more Christmas times. We lost some nice ones in the fire, but have several back now. Penny gave us a good replica tree, which we have put on an early base we had, and that small one is just right to fit in the doll case. It is fun to get out the old holiday things and repair and straighten them up to enjoy them yet another year. The elephant on wheels (who spent a miserable year in the attic) is watching all this carefully, I am sure he plans to stand beside this tree this year. Best, Edyth

Doll Note cards ready for giving

All images copyright Edyth O'Neill 2007.





For the past few weeks I have had a great time painting some of the dear little 18th century wooden dolls called Queen Anns. Four of the little heads just called out to be used on note cards, so here they are, in very limited supply, and printed on the finest Hammermill ivory card stock. For $12 you will receive six cards and envelopes (four different). That is $10 for the cards and $2 per set for mailing them. The cards are 4 1/4 by 5 1/2 inches. Each one represents my copyrighted painting of an 18th century doll. My friend Hellen has been urging me to make note cards from some of my doll paintings for a long time, I hope you enjoy them! You may send $12 by paypal to joneill816@austin.rr.com or send a check to me at 2155 Lightstone, Fredericksburg TX 78624 Texas residents must add $1 sales tax. Thank you, E

Here come the Holidays

Once I made a great many rag dolls and bears! The Belsnickles had quilted beards and were fully dressed under their long coats so they did not feel out of place the rest of the year. I think toys know they look their best around a Christmas tree, my present doll family has already put their tree up and are clamoring for me to get out the box of tiny old ornaments.
We are planning a nice family gathering for Thanksgiving, everything is more fun with so many of our young family members about. I wish a sweet holiday for each of my friends. Edyth

I have spent a happy day working on the elephant, he was oxford gray to begin with before the fire. I have him painted back to an approximation of that, just a tad darker. On one ear see the little hole where he lost his precious steiff button? He had it when we bought him. I made him a new blanket of my rug wool and a bit of paternayan yarn to chain stitch and briar stitch the trim. I like the way his eyes are mounted, black shoe buttons on a little circle of cream colored felt. Now he will go on top of the doll cabinet, and be out of the gloomy storage room, a happy thing indeed! Edyth

There are still a few burned toys in storage that I plan to try to bring back to presentable toys. One was a medium large Steiff elephant, with the beautiful heavy metal wheels. My boy dolls used to ride him! I had Jack bring him home from our storage area yesterday. The toy has been treated in an ozone chamber two years ago to help with fire smell. All of the retreived dolls were treated with this big commercial ozone machine.
My thought is to hand stitch a covering on him, another skin over the blackened one. He is intact, just scorched dark, even black in some places. His stuffing is excelsior, (wood wool) and is strong. But if I take off his fur he will fall apart. I have considered using velveteen to cover him and make new velveteen ears and tail. Would a very low pile mohair be better, OR?? Jack suggested that I simply paint him, and make a fresh wool blanket. This would preserve his shape best of all and that is what is so charming about him. The original gray color shows on his side where the blanket is moved aside. This elephant used to always like to be under our Christmas tree with other old toys. Christmas is coming! Edyth

The new man at Penny's house!

Earlier this year Penny selected one of my paintings for her home. Jack framed it for her this week. I photographed it in our dining room before she took it home to her wonderful big log two story house!