connections

connections tag:bonniesbundlesdolls.com,2009-05-31:/blog//1 2010-07-22T01:36:32Z Movable Type Commercial 4.25 Renaissance tag:bonniesbundlesdolls.com,2010:/blog//1.25 2010-07-22T00:54:34Z 2010-07-22T01:36:32Z

I am high on life thanks to the many children who touch me in my life and maybe where I am in my moment right now. As Wain, the best third-grade teacher and former Chester resident said, "I think Chester...

Bonnie Watters I am high on life thanks to the many children who touch me in my life and maybe where I am in my moment right now. As Wain, the best third-grade teacher and former Chester resident said, "I think Chester is in a renaissance." So am I. It is like 1974 again when we moved to Chester, VT from Westfield, NJ with two little ones. A third was born a year to the day later - August 29, 1975. If you don't think my children are inspiration, you would be way out there. Where am I?

Three benchmarks in my doll making career were in the 1980's.At the end of that decade Ileft my dolls behind to find a rewarding career at SCA to support three treasures in their educations. In the early 1980's a Butterick employee met me on the Green in Woodstock,VT, asking me if the dolls were my design. The next Monday we had a call to come to NYC to become a licensee with the pattern company;five designs later we were in a kind of heaven. Also in the same year the esteemed travel editor for the LA Times, Jerry Hulse,View image coined my designs in a syndicated column, "Your eyes won't believe their eyes!" And finally in the middle of those college years, 1993, an article appeared in Lady's Circle View image about my doll making career. What Charlotte Dzuguna
View image wrote came true.View imageI am in a delicious retirement alongside my a fabulous husband, three grown daughters who encourage their mom still today and six grandchildren who think I am the best thing since popcorn. In your leisure read these pieces and take stock in a success story. Today is like the old days. Yes, I am in a renaissance. I thank God for our good health, our family and my many customers for keeping me on my toes!

]]> Chester's Big Little Wedding! tag:bonniesbundlesdolls.com,2010:/blog//1.24 2010-06-12T00:48:24Z 2010-06-12T15:54:54Z

How long should one allow to plan a wedding? What if the prospective bride and groom are a doll and a bear? Can you do it without breaking the bank? Will you know when it is not work but really...

Bonnie Watters

]]> Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce invited us to create a package for the New York Times Travel Show. Within minutes a dozen Chester businesses thought it a great idea and became engaged, so to speak. Chester's Big Little Wedding - a marriage of Matt, the bear designed by Donna Bjerke, and the doll, a 21-year old Bonnie's Bundles for the Hugging Bear Inn,View image became the main characters. The families of toy bears and stuffed dolls are fighting among themselves for roles as ushers and bridesmaids. Who won? So far, still pulling hair are Daisy, Suzy, Becky and Ruth.

The site of the wedding is our backyard that always produces daisies galore in mid-June. Because of our warm spring, they bloomed three weeks early, but are still going strong. Working out the little details has become a fun but exhausting challenge. These are not real people, remember! How do the principle players move and who speaks for them? How do we move them from the wedding to the Fullerton Inn View image for the reception and to their honeymoon spot, Inn Victoria? View image Should there be a rehearsal or bachelor's party? How do we keep guests engaged to celebrate--singing and dancing? The Stone Hearth Inn View image jumped on those venues quickly. What if it rains? Thanks to Newsbank there is a rain plan. Innkeepers Penny and Dan Cote found an antique four poster bed, now graced with a gorgeous handcrafted quilt by Linda Bazin of Country Treasures. There are wedding cakes by Michelle at the Heritage Bakery and Deli and flowers and balloons by Chester Flowers and Sunshine Acres, among other generous Chester and Chamber merchants.

That it is mostly free, what do we do with gifts that are brought to honor the couple? A silent auction evolved naturally to benefit Chester-Andover Family Center to feed the hungry, help the unemployed and aid the elderly. Guests will receive mementos and can even purchase a photo album celebrating the wedding of the summer. Local gift registries are at Gallery 103, JNB Country Store, and Endless Creations Pottery.

Finally, how do we manage this monster? A smart registration form.
registration form rev.pdf The wedding planners have done the groundwork. Publicity is out in magazines, newspapers, travel welcome centers and on the web. Posters and rack cards are out there. Even plans for accommondating out-of-town guests is addressed.

If you are fans of dolls and bears and own one, dress them and yourselves up and join this community celebration in beautiful Chester, Vermont. Make or get your gift for the darling couple at one of our gift registry businesses and get your reservation in right away.

]]> Rainy Day Fosters Creativity tag:bonniesbundlesdolls.com,2010:/blog//1.23 2010-06-11T17:23:17Z 2010-06-12T15:57:31Z

Bonnie Watters Chester, VT. We prepared our porch, now rescreened and ready for solar, thanks to our son-in-law Andy's fine carpentry work. Silvio was thrilled to see the "Eddie wicker furniture" that he remembered so well. He has several favored stations to manage comings and goings.

But more important that day, we put into practice what we learned from our friend Cindy who urged us to read "Clutter Busting," a book which reinforces the notation that if your creative space is "a mess," your creativity is at a standstill. I was in that place. So I listened. And I acted.

And the result was phenomenal. Doing what I had to do worked.

]]> Ella and Owen, formerly Lexi and Teelin, featured at Open Studio this year. Just referencing the book catapulted me out of my own personal nightmare: cleaning my sewing room. It took a whole day! It reminded me of cleaning my toy chest as a child.
I organized my space to be welcoming and user friendly (especially with the afternoon sun) and Lew hung the curtains in the creative space, once daughter Kara's room - creative in her own right as an actress, a ballerina and now inspiring mother.

What's in there?View image

Remarkably I found the fabric intended for three new designs two years ago. I carefully "filed" 32 pounds of fabric by color into the white chest. I set up a worktable with a small portable light table from a friend. I managed to squeeze into a wooden cradle 56 bags of fabric for those designs always created in the same fabrics - Emily, Holly, Grace. There's a tote hidden which holds white and ecru complimentary go-withs, important design elements. A little green chest holds all my laces and trims. Another holds felt, gingham, fancy whites and solid broadcloths, all critical to my creations. My wigging gadgets were put together. And finally there was a place under the worktable for my binder holding the face templates, directions and embroidery floss for nearly all my dolls. My sweet sewing bench that each daughter hopes one day is hers is happy, and so is Penny Penncrest,View image my $15 sewing machine in its treadle cabinet. Now you can see the lovely quilt made by Carol, signed by my SCA friends when I retired, along with art from Doadie, Lisa, little friends, and daughter Kate. I was envious of her creative space View image out there in Flagstaff. See her work here. Now I am well pleased with the outcome of the mine. Keeping it tidy is the challenge.

What this is all about is friends, family, listening, acting and finally doing. I am ready to design the wedding clothes for Matt and Myra for Chester's Big Little Wedding.

]]> The Benchmark - Raggedy Ann tag:bonniesbundlesdolls.com,2010:/blog//1.22 2010-05-16T00:25:20Z 2010-05-16T00:59:05Z

The first dolls I made were from patterns and sewing books. I was not confident enough to design. There was Samantha, an old fashioned quilted doll, calico animals in frames, stuffed animals, Christmas tree ornaments and the standard, Raggedy Ann...

Bonnie Watters

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Those first Raggedys are pictured on our home steps in Bronxville, NY, 42 years ago when my love for making dolls began. I'm not sure who owns those sweethearts today. It was before I registered and signed my dolls. And the Raggedy is not mine - they belong to Johnny Gruelle View image whose original copyright drawing was given to me by sweet husband back in the 1970's.

Fortunately, dolls became my mainstay, and to be honest, Raggedy was my inspiration for perfection. The construction especially catapulted my ability to design jointed bodies; embroidered faces were essential; and attention to wigging was paramount. One of my most heartfelt sales was to the Xerox salesman who serviced the equipment at the Jesuit seminary, Woodstock College, where I worked before children. He was about to become engaged and asked me to make him a Raggedy to which he could pin the engagement ring. I wonder if they are still married because Raggedy lives on.

Recently a young woman visited. She told me the story about how her Raggedy disappeared, I think, in a fire. On her visit to the Vermont Country Store she found one with button eyes, another with embroidered eyes -- $60, made in China. No thank you. She found her way to us and picked the hair color and the dress fabric. Turkey stitched hair took 3.25 hours. Conservatively, the clothing was made in five hours. The hand embroidered face and heart are done to perfection. She's $155, two feet tall, guaranteed for life, washable and oh so lovable! A benchmark, indeed.

Johnny Gruelle's Raggedy inspired me to be a doll maker. It is a beautiful simple design. But I think he might be impressed to meet my one-hundred person family, each uniquely one of her/his own and like Raggedy, to endure forever.

]]> The Promise Room - A Sweet Layaway Plan tag:bonniesbundlesdolls.com,2010:/blog//1.21 2010-03-01T18:27:50Z 2010-03-01T18:45:21Z

I have always loved that my work is all around me; not only the messes I make, but my inspirations, my work in progress, and my finished products. There are dolls everywhere since our Gallery is in our home, but...

Bonnie Watters

There are some real winners like Grace, Emily, Anna,Daisy, Eva, Courtney, Meghan andCamilla. From May to December, they are in and out the door with visitors, quickly replaced with a new one, usually in the same version. That's why they go; everything about them is good - size, color, price. Then we have hang-on girls like Greta, Darla, Peggy, Olga and Granny Gert. The good thing is visitors can pick and choose the best of these designs to create their own doll and find the best elements in these-stay behinds! Our trunk and birthday sales do move these people - some out the door, others to the Promise Room.

Happily, when children come to a craft workshop, they look around at all the choices that lead them to design their project. Sometimes they fall in love with someone here, but it's not their birthday until October. The solution is that doll is bundled and brought up to the Promise Room (a daughter's old bedroom is a sanctuary for gift giving) until the birthday celebration. Keep in mind some children change their minds; but in that pretty room, in the company of a couple other promises, nothing is lost. They move in and out just like children.

Some children are so hooked on dolls, that their collections almost number their age. Margie doesn't have 14 but she has 7 if she counts one her mother has. Ciana recently gifted me with a portrait of her collection - count them - six - with one more for summer giving, you know where. Don't tell her! One special selection has been stowed away for nine months.

We can a accept check on deposit and then in small monthly increments, however it works best for you. It is especially nice for moms and grammies to know that gift giving is this easy and is a well-kept secret. The Promise Room, a sweet layaway plan, isn't it?

]]> What I did during my school vacation - an essay! tag:bonniesbundlesdolls.com,2010:/blog//1.20 2010-02-21T23:44:36Z 2010-03-02T17:45:11Z

Joyfully, the week began with a Valentine's Day party with our special SCA families - calzones, pizzas, two salads and a heart shaped white chocolate cake with strawberry icing. Yumm. Both the food and the company. Don't forget the pretty...

Bonnie Watters

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We started off the week with a couple surprise visitors and a sale, unusual for us in winter because the skiers rather be on the slopes. Then on Wednesday we had a flower doll workshop with Zoe and Eva. Very special doll maker friends.We designed and embroidered and chose fabrics and took a lunch break. Then we washed our hands and sewed our creations together and stuffed them. Aren't they fantastic?

Did we forget this was the day that Olive View image came back for her second vacation? She loved the girls because she has two girls who love her too, but they are in Florida and she is our girl for ten days. Silvio reunited with her instantaneously with a kiss through her carrier door, and the rest is mellow time. Yes, there is evidence of run-throughs where rugs are turned up, but generally, it is a good report to her family.

Thursday is always homeschool day for Grammie and Poppy. Up and at 'em for the hour and a half road trip, arriving with mom multitasking with five children and a sixth fast on his little feet. We do science and social studies but first listen to readers, enforce grammar lessons and do flash cards. They devoured a veggie pizza and then onto our projects - a timeline on George Washington and some portraits. At recess Grammie was doing notes, Poppy was capturing the snowballs and smiles, and the children were collecting grasses, twigs, dirt to build a bird's nest. We added hair from our various heads (including Silvio's but not Beatrice's) and dryer lint. We added a couple strings of dental floss into the mud since birds do not have a sense of smell. Shiloh and Samuel checked on the green bean seeds we planted a week ago, and those in eggshells sprouted versus those simply planted in the egg carton. We returned home exhausted but smarter!

Friday we had another workshop here at the Gallery. Kai and Bella came to finish their

Decorator Dollies started at Bella's birthday party in the company of Grandma Diana. She'll be proud. This family is our neighbor at the Quechee Hot Air Balloon Festival and we can't wait to be together again. Kai's "Lew" had handcut black squares to make the hunting jacket. I asked him to eat a graham cracker in the shape of a gun to add to his hunter! Pizza, chocolate chip cookies and hugs. Joyful. Late hat afternoon we took an hour walk on our favorite Main Street and picked up a Yankee magazine to design our ad, a birthday journal for Margie, and a fan for spreading the warmth from the woodstove into the kitchen.

Saturday we opened up and cleaned our heritage room View image (the old Bundle showroom) for the season and lit off a cozy fire. Bonnie, Lew, Silvio and Olive all enjoyed dinner and the evening together, finally catching some Olympic moments. Did you say this was a vacation? Weren't we in Arizona recently?

]]> The Two Doll Birthday tag:bonniesbundlesdolls.com,2010:/blog//1.19 2010-02-12T19:11:24Z 2010-02-15T14:27:43Z

Bonnie Watters

We brought our mascot cat Silvio for his vacation so we stayed over, had afterchurcheggs, went to church and then came back to the house to wrap, make cards and prepare Bea's special dinner. The announcement was made: "I'm opening my presents!" All the siblings rushed to help. First was Nana's package, a DVD, a book, a colorful fleece and Gracie, (View image) a Madame Alexander doll with a lovely face, pretty hair and "hard" skin, authenticated by a certificate. Nicely made, quite pretty, but not inviting to hold. I met Madame Alexander's assistant year's ago on the Woodstock Green, and she complimented me on my design work. Mmm. Maybe I ought to issue an authentication certificate along with care instructions in 2010 since my registry goes back over 35 years.View image

Back to the party. Next opened were plastic horses, one each from three brothers and a giraffe from Samuel. Then came the big, big box, supposedly a shop vac for the little momma's helper; but nope, it was a huge fabulous furry horse, one to be ridden. Black Beauty, that's her new name. Silence. The birthday girl came over to me to see what I might have. First I handed her a little tissue package. In it was an eyelet dust cap,(View image) trimmed in lace, suggested by mother to control the child's blonde tresses while she slept. It fit perfectly and she wears it nightly. More? Yes, it was Bernadette, just the way she wanted her with the purple dress, brown hair, special butterfly eyes, the golden cord on her overskirt and the purple bow. Her eyes lit up and she was one big smile. Bea tucked her Bernadette under her arm, hopped on her horse and rode off in her own sunset.

Baby sister Shiloh told me she now changed her mind about wanting Claire, switching to Judy for her summer birthday. Guest Catherine was caught inspecting Bernadette. She explained to her mother that she didn't like hard dolls, but she loved this soft doll with the beautiful eyes and pretty clothes. Good taste, Catherine. Hope to see you again, maybe for your birthday doll!

]]> Done! tag:bonniesbundlesdolls.com,2009:/blog//1.18 2009-12-22T18:26:11Z 2009-12-22T18:42:59Z

Bonnie Watters look alike doll was cumbersome and unappealing, and grammie wanted the child to relate and love a soft likeness. Teelin's mother knew how much Monet loved her doll and little brother ought to have an Irish fellow look alike. I provided both gift givers with sketches of the faces for approval, and then my embroiderer Eileen did just as I asked, even to the two little smile lines over Teelin's lips.

For Teelin we decided black watch plaid pants, beret and a green sweater.Thank you, BonnieJohnson, for stepping up to these knitting tasks. His body fabric is shamrocks, his legs snowflakes. His hair is soft and brown and he is just a sweet boy. I encouraged Aunt Amy to pick what she thought Lexi might like: Tillie's clothes, Olivia's face shape but Virginia's coloring, Eva's body, and Grace's colors. Her hair was to be black with little piggy curls on the sides. A new level of hairstyling was achieved. This all explains why the Irish fellow fell head over heels with Lexi when they were in the living room together awaiting a photo shoot. Right now they are dubbed the Sweethearts of 2009.

So what does Bonnie (and Lew) do now? We prepare for our Christmas. Silvio has his own plan. He's nesting. We chatted with the mother of our six sweet grandchildren and got THE LIST. (She was cloistered in the bathroom with the phone to prevent any leaks.) Imagine, 10-year-old William wants Morgan, our Bundle monkey. Maybe a birthday buddy, because he loves the Hardy Boys and carries wood and needs gloves, as do his brothers. Beatrice gets a durable horse and a fashionable belt. Shiloh is everything princess, and Isaac is done. The Lake school needs art supplies, so off we go to Michaels and other good places in Keene, NH to find those creative things that made their mother and her sisters such fabulous artists!

That done, we will worship at St. Luke's, clean this house, celebrate Christmas and New Year's with our Vermont family, plan our RVTC adult education classes, create our Epiphany card and then catch some sun, hugs, and have a second Christmas in Arizona in January.

Done? We're never done! Merry Christmas.

]]> Sales just for you! tag:bonniesbundlesdolls.com,2009:/blog//1.17 2009-12-12T19:52:00Z 2009-12-13T22:04:31Z

I think it was Grace K., a realtor in N.J. who was trying to sell us a house in Bergen County back in 1971. "Remember, Mr. Watters, the house priced right will sell!" On Norman Rockwell's print the saying goes,...

Bonnie Watters trunk dolls sale. The fact that they are here after two years says they ought to be removed from active inventory, especially on the web and here in our gallery. Why are they still here? Probably color. Maybe not a great design. Sale prices equate to 1990! We need the trunk for our sweaters!

Secondly, there is the next tier of those who should retire, about a dozen, to the attic with their other buddies. These are $25 off listed prices or early 2000 prices. Call them the attic dolls. The patterns will not be destroyed. Keep in mind Tess was reborn better the second time around. The dolls can always be custom ordered. Silvio says he needs a place to nap.

Finally, three Camillas, the calico cat with the magical face, are ready for adoption. She is this year's best selling item at $41. Check out the three little decorator dollies at $32 -- price break is just right.

Simply use our search window on the Doll Galleries page to find these sale values. Enter: "Take $25 off" to view the attic dolls; "Trunk Sale" for the real bargains, and "ORDER ME NOW" for those ready to ship from inventory. Remember those 10% Grammie awards apply too.

Look and compare the savings. Then simply choose and call to place your order at 802/875-2114 to ship immediately or come by to take one away. Happy Holidays.

]]> Remember Snow Days? tag:bonniesbundlesdolls.com,2009:/blog//1.16 2009-12-11T01:39:44Z 2009-12-11T02:12:50Z

Heavens, when I was a kid I loved them even if I had to clean my toy box and play with my little brother, John. As a adult, I loved the cancellation of school to spend quality time with my...

Bonnie Watters View image

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I was thrust into my seventieth year on December seventh. My immediate and extended Chester families surprised me with a party of parties. Love kids? I do. Eldest grandson William did the math with Poppie: seven candles times ten years means Grammie is 70! I needed all the help I could get to blow out the candles, including Gurion from across the table. Sunday the family went with us to breakfast and church at St. Luke's. Father Paul got our two granddaughters "mixeded up" at the Eucharist. He was confused, they giggled all the way back to the pews. The children wrote letters and drew pictures for soldiers.

No school buses today. Only snowplows, which means Eileen might just be embroidering

those last three doll faces. Last night we dined with a dear friend in Grafton whose cottage I rented to show and sell my dolls in the eighties - an incredible time in our history. Besides the birthday dinner, she gave us a freezer full of leftovers. That all meant that cooking tonight (and for the next week is so easy). Today I was able to sew all the components of the traditional Santa my loyal customer Caroline ordered last January, and shipped him from the Chester Post Office.

We finally wrote my proposal for the River Valley Technical Center cooking class in February, and began to think seriously about booking our tickets to Arizona in January. Thank you, Arizona Kate, for sending us a big snow for mom's birthday.

]]> Green is Good tag:bonniesbundlesdolls.com,2009:/blog//1.15 2009-11-30T19:32:25Z 2009-11-30T19:58:53Z

Bonnie Watters trunk doll (Virginia) is gone; one Attic Girl is gone (Erika). Two special pickers and choosers are the subject of another blog. But first... ]]>

Lots of Calico Paper Dolls left the building; inventor Gurion (now eight) will be thrilled with the commissions. You might be happy to know the ongoing sale continues until Christmas. There are three special weekends ahead - the St. Luke's Christmas Tea and Sale and the Overture to Christmas on Saturday, December fifth, both listed on www.ourchester.org as must go-to events and two weekends to follow. A part of that weekend on December fifth, the Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce will offer a scavenger hunt featuring Chester and Ludlow businesses where gift baskets will be awarded hourly to visitors to the participating merchants. We are one of them. And you may still come to pick and choose from inventory for giving.

Here at the Bundle factory, we are down to the last five commissioned dolls. Tess is done and quite beautiful. Pressure is building for two birthday celebrations for the doll maker, shoving her head-first into year seventy! She is trying to go with grace.

We have accepted the prospect of winter. The gardens are bedded. The picnic table is secure on our screened (to become solar) porch, thanks to the King Family; and the wood is stacked, thanks to Margie's 'rents. We plan to escape for 10 days in January to hug our Arizona daughters. Besides Christmas, there are some special celebrations in January. Bring on those creative workshops! First Saturdays are a thing of the past. We'll do what you want and when.

Meanwhile, Ruth, our Red Hat Society lady, is being "planted" at the Fullerton for the ladies' luncheon as a surprise guest on December first. I think they will adore her!

]]> Retrospective tag:bonniesbundlesdolls.com,2009:/blog//1.14 2009-11-20T00:38:58Z 2009-11-20T01:20:38Z

What a week! Grandson Isaac celebrated his first birthday with lots of help from siblings opening packages and blowing a candle! We spent the night but left before being awakened by the children to attend a workshop through the Small...

Bonnie Watters

packages and blowing a candle! We spent the night but left before being awakened by the children to attend a workshop through the Small Business Administration lead by Jane Applegate. Driving there Lew and I sipped daughter Kara's great coffee and talked candidly about business. How do people get lost from Main Street? Should we say we're in Chester Depot, not Chester? Do we need a state directional sign? Should we offer a rainy day special next year? Do we have too many dolls offered on the web? The answers?]]> Holly doll for wood! Yes, I know and love my banker. We refresh the web site nearly daily. Am I ahead of last year? Customer ten percent appreciation discounts make the difference. We have many new customers and old ones keep coming back. However, no Yankee Magazine boosts this year like in 2009.

Off to the attic to find the pattern for Tess Teapot for Stephanie's order. She had seen an old photograph. There were bags and bags of patterns of dolls I no longer make, not necessarily filed! So with what I had, I redesigned the face and clothing, and the doll will be even better than 25 years ago! Finding our first Bundle Bugle newsletter from the fall of 1989 was revealing. Downsizing then was necessary as I was going "out" to work; and now in retirement, I simply picked up where I left off. So cutting down on the offerings again makes good sense.

So Jane insists, go out and come back in refreshed. We raked leaves and blanketed our

flowerbeds for winter. Waiting in the living room for a photo session were a dozen dolls who just won't leave home, so now the sale page on our web site takes you to the trunk sale. And I can tell you that our Annual Holiday Sale Thanksgiving weekend will be a perfect venue for discontinued dolls at special prices. Our dolls won't go away forever, just like Tess didn't. Over four decades I've designed nearly 400 distinct dolls, but the fabulous sixty will stay. How will I choose? Some are very dear to me, and apparently to you as well. Stay tuned for the outcome. Thanks, Jane, for making me play outside.

]]> Pretty in Pink tag:bonniesbundlesdolls.com,2009:/blog//1.13 2009-10-26T13:58:56Z 2009-10-26T14:28:17Z

Bonnie Watters View image

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flowing dress. Frank's Bargain Store in Charlestown had the ribbons and gingham. A neighbor had food coloring to dye the lace. Ruffle and trim came from the depths of my cache; and with the perfect pink calico, the design came together. But what about the hair? Myra insisted it had to be pink to make the statement. Found it, yes, in the bottom of my yarn chest. Eileen's first try on the ribbon eyes didn't fly so we elevated the pinks and changed the style of stitch and their direction. Bingo.

Keep in mind, I thought the delivery date was October 26. Just as the pink girl was dressed, pressed and ready for her photo shoot, I had an emergency call from Myra. She needed the subject the next day. What followed, in the midst of preparation for a 10-guest dinner party, was I signed, registered and boxed the doll. I went to Main Street with the box to fill out the paper work with Matt's Fedex number to leave in the drop box by 4 p.m. Oops. She needed weighing, so off to Chester-Andover Elementary School I went. The secretary opened the nurse's office for me to use the scale. Two pounds. Done. As I departed the school, there was the Fedex truck! The box was on its way. What luck! And coincidently I was greeted by two close friends named Kathleen in the parking lot.

I decided to name the doll Kathleen in memory of my dear friend Kathleen Whalen who struggled with cancer. Seeing the two Kathleens reinforced my choices. Lew emailed a jpeg photo to Myra who immediately called back. She loved her! Eileen said: "I think she looks great! She is all about the pink and Kathleen would be proud! Thanks for letting me a part of her." Thank you, Myra, for the idea. Thank you, Kathleen, for your life.

]]> Happy Home Town Days! tag:bonniesbundlesdolls.com,2009:/blog//1.12 2009-09-25T14:59:18Z 2009-09-25T15:12:32Z

After 35 years, is it really fun to pack up the Bundles and trek them over the hill to The Green in your favorite Vermont town for two days? You bet, especially that the portage could be made in two...

Bonnie Watters After 35 years, is it really fun to pack up the Bundles and trek them over the hill to The Green in your favorite Vermont town for two days? You bet, especially that the portage could be made in two trips and under ten miles. Who did we see?

Families I love dearly came by to chat and hug - the Bodins, the Pennells (three siblings and their families), Eileen and Randy, Myra and Matt, the Svec family (Zoe was the winner of the raffle and has great Bundle Birthday party in her future), and the L and M King girls; neighbors, and then the dozen or so local people who tell me their Bundles live on in their families.

Perhaps the best was the discreet hug on the leg from a Chester-Andover kindergartner who simply said, "Hi Bonnie." There was the special moment when Michelle, one of my former Girl Scouts and classmate of daughter Kate, who was selling her famous fudge, Mo's Fudge Factory, hugged me.

We had the pleasure of introducing Blueberry Sal, a logo doll for Chester's Heritage Deli, who will work, not baking muffins, but sending their clientele to our doll shop this autumn.

Lew was multitasking at the St. Luke's Annual Tag Sale and sold our Detroit Iron Works antique parlor stove, allowing us to solarize our beloved porch and still visit Arizona daughters a few weeks this winter!

The sweetest story is about a rescued doll named Shy Anna from the Springfield Recycling Center by the Thomas family. Made in 1986, her condition was perfect save her hair that looked like an eagle's nest. I restored her, now with brown braids, ready to be loved forever as a birthday gift in this family.

We chose Chester and love this village. I want our local children to learn to create, to embroider and to sew in the schools, and do craft activity workshops, engaging children and parents. I know too that local products produce local customers. I can imagine Bundles under several Christmas trees. How about Camilla being the star (like our cat Silvio) and bestseller in these tough times.

In Chester, Bundles rule!

]]> Bad Hair Day tag:bonniesbundlesdolls.com,2009:/blog//1.11 2009-08-21T16:18:05Z 2009-08-21T16:41:01Z

Bonnie Watters

During the summer months Lew and I have the pleasure of being entertained by nine and four year-old girls on Wednesdays.Bonnie meets their mom as she heads to her park ranger job and their dad works at Bonnie's former employer. This pleasant duty gives the parents a break and us a perk. What did we do last Wednesday?

]]> Destry is 19 years old. She belongs to a Chester lady whose granddaughters fondled the doll's blonde hair to the point of dirty hands do dirty work. Mind you, these girls are now in college. Angela came back from a Connecticut owner who never explained why this girl, 12 years old, seemed to be caught up in a horrific fan episode. Her brown mohair tresses were a mess. Then there was Agatha, another teenager, who needed a hair repair and elastic replaced on her dress sleeves and pantaloons. A couple spots on her face needed attention.

I turned Eva and Zinny into hair salon experts. Since they own Bundles, they know how to love them and care for them.Destry had a "Head and Shoulders" experience, and later had to go into the washer and dryer (with a towel and other towels) and came out nearly perfect. Agatha measured up to Bonnie's facial and wardrobe repair. And Miss Angela, whose "do" was ensconced in a ski hat as the brown mohair tresses dried with careful glue applications, is a new woman.

These enduring ladies, attended by young doll lovers and a loving doll maker, are now returned to their rightful owners, repairs free of charge - our lifetime guarantee.

I imagine that Audrey who owns a hair salon in Connecticut decorated with Bundles would love this story. Wish you all could have been here!
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