The Camera Loves her Poppy Parker...

I had received my payment notice and shipping confirmation a few days ago on this Poppy and she and she is lovely. She just arrived yesterday and I just de-boxed her this morning, as I wasn't feeling well yesterday but she really brightened my day. It has been hectic here and my dryer has pooped out, luckily we have another one in the garage we use that can put in the regular dryer's place in the utility room. My doll room is still a MESS, so I set up a photo shoot on my dining room table and I thought these pics came out great.

This Poppy brings to mind for me, the late 60's and early 70's when Doris Duke was collecting Islamic art for her Shangri-la estate out in Hawaii and bringing these outlandish outfits into vogue. Of course, she and Barbara Hutton who had an estate in Morrocco could afford it. Here are some photos of Poppy.

Aren't those earrings just amazing? And the ring and bracelet are just wonderful.
I can't decide what I like better, her amazing shoes, hairdo, sequined outfit, or jewelry. I love it all. I love the makeup matching her hair and gold on the jumpsuit too. She looks so exotic. Someone on one of the boards said she would look great in the Barbie jeannie outfit and I think she would, I am tempted to get a nude one to play with. Or make a jeannie outfit for her. 

I mentioned this doll reminded me of one of American's richest heiresses and her over the top outfits. Here are a few of them playing dress up on the world stage...

First up is Doris Duke at her estate Shangri-La, 2nd is CZ Guest, a well known socialite back in the day, and then, Barbara Hutton, the Woolworth heiress, wearing one of her famous tiaras. This Poppy brings back those times of excessive partying, shopping, over the top outfits- where else would you wear a gold moo-moo with an emerald tiara except at an excessive party at your house?? I think the same would be said for Poppy's hair- where would you go with 2 or 3 inch high hair?? probably only at a photo shoot or a party at- your house! With a miniature Truman Capote in tow and lots of booze...lol.

By the way, if you'd like to see more photos of the above excessive heiresses, my Pinterest boards on Debutantes, Heiresses & Haute society  &
 Doris Duke are clickable.. 

More on this Poppy, she is so lovely-

I hope you have enjoyed the pics!~Lisa

*And the Camera certainly does love her....

Through the Garden Gate Antiques Open House finds...

I had a great morning antique/yardsaling/thrifting this morning. The hubcap needed to buy some batteries- REALLY expensive batteries for his big worktruck, (not ordinary batteries mind you, since this is a heavy duty worktruck for LeoPaul & Associates and he needed two of them amongst other items. We then had breakfast and were off to the church yard sale which had a slew of stuff and people. Our church has a huge yard sale this time of year for the support of the Haiti people and it takes up several rooms of the church. I found a couple of items. 

First up was this cute little baker's rack for .50 cents. I knew it would work in one of my dioramas, especially with some of my foods on it. 

Next up was this wreath for $5 ...it is a little large for the front door, and in good condition. I might hang it over the fireplace instead as it is a tight fit when we shut the door between the storm door and inside door. Thinking of adding a bow of some sort or maybe some feathers for Thanksgiving. 

Next up was Through the Garden Gate Antiques . I have given the link to their facebook page here. They were having open house today with refreshments. Garden Gate is a conglomerent of shops/booths and one main artist shop and the whole building is owned and operated by either a group or one lady who is a designer, kind of boho. Through the Garden Gate is the main shop where all the action was happening and she was there signing white pumpkins if you purchased one. You don't always see her there. She is known for her what I refer to as 'grunge' boho jewelry and clothing but the shop is just fantastic. The women were fighting over spray painted furniture, skeletons, upcycled clothing, you name it. And elegant-upcycled Halloween always brings out the crazy buyers! LOL..I am one too. lol. Here are some photos of her back room...

This was a cute table, painted white strewn with glitter painted spiders and owls and tea stained books tied with twine...

A side chest also distressed white and done really spooky halloween. 

Two mannequins were dressed in tulle as ghostly witches, everything in the room was white, beige with soft shades of cream and then black.

This was the bed, with backdrops of tree branches nailed up on the wall, and shutters and you can't see it in the photo but angel wings made out of tin roofing and rusted with a heart in the middle . The pillows are made out of burlap! and she sells them. I think these are new ones she just sewed up. It's a hoot how these people from D.C. and Maryland and New Jersey and Charlottesville come to this store and snatch this stuff up. 

This was on one of the night tables..the old photo, crucifix I guess she thought looks creepy, which it does. She tea stained an old lace tablecloth and draped it over the lampshade rim.

I thought it was really cool what she did with these old vintage pics- she photo copied them and then cut the shapes out on wood. They were going for 14.95

I loved this sign, in rust above the antique baby clothes..

The chairs on the walls with the ancient teddy bears and the old dolls were some of my favorites. She doesn't use old dolls much and sometimes when she does she tears them up and uses their body parts in weird ways like using the arms on a piece of jewelry or something. 

So I didn't buy anything in this shop...but I did get something in another booth in the consignment part. I found American Girl Felicty's bed, which had been retired about five or six years ago, and it was cheap!

I remember seeing the lady bring it into her booth about two weeks ago when I had absolutely no money for extra stuff. I thought for sure someone would snatch it up. She had put $75 on it at that time and it was a steal. It has never been played with, of if it has, it might only be missing its tie backs, but I'm not sure. It has its mattress, pillow, the ties on the canopy appear to have its original bows from the factory! Nothing broken or damaged! I was told she came in and marked it down to $65 so I paid $68 when you figure in sales tax. I was so bummed when they retired Felicity I purchased as much as I could of her collection. I could not afford Elizabeth and her garments or the horse or this bed. When I saw it was still there today, I snatched it up. Some other doll furniture I had wanted for Annabelle had already been purchased so I wasn't leaving this lovely. 

I set up a little diorama for her...it looks awesome with my bjd Gracie as well. I know it isn't 1:6 scale, but hey they're dolls. 

And here it is with Gracie...

Since these props are so incredibly big, I keep them stored for obvious reasons and I can't keep my big displays up which hopefully will be rectified when the barn studio is done. Then my big girls will have shelf displays or I hope to have some shelf display in my new doll room. This bed is HUGE. I know now why I lusted after it. The toile and gingham are gorgeous. I would have loved to have had something like this as a little girl, now I can indulge myself as an adult. Gracie looks beautiful beside this bed. Her dress is a little slip shod but this was a quick photo shoot. Right now this was set up on my dining room table which is folded down to its smallest size and I set up my largest foamcore sheeting around it, with my Bespaq pieces. Enjoy!