Happy Halloween!!

From Shop 66 Land! xoxo Gretchen

Magical Forest Friends

Now that my fatigue has almost disappeared, my magical world of vintage dolls and toys is inspiring me once again. New things will arrive in the Shop soon - as well as daily blog posts!

Some Doll Room Friends

I'm still on an exhaustion break but feel so disconnected from my Shop 66 world, I've stopped in here today to share and show off a few of my little Doll Room friends.



This is my new friend, an adorable piggy squeaker toy from Japan - found and won on Ebay for just a few $'s. I love the little baby pig on his back.

I'm hoping to be back in the swing of things very soon... might even have another sale... maybe a Halloween Sale!?! See you soon.

Happy Birthday Blog!!

I somehow missed my Blog's 2nd Birthday! Here's a link to my very first post:

My Newest Obsession: Kitschy Christmas Elves & Friends

Where have I been???

Hate to say it but I'm terribly burnt out. So I've actually been taking a Shop 66 break for a number of days now. After the BOGO sale activity, I needed a big one. Plus my creative/artistic history is like a roller coaster. Find me one creative person that does not over do it...

So to take my mind off stuff, I started working on my Family Tree on Ancestry.com. For me, it's like playing the ultimate puzzle game - but better. I've been finding out all sorts of information about my family. It's very exciting. It's also validated my British Isles lineage. It's no secret - it's a Public Tree I have not problem sharing - above is just a snapshot. (Note: "Willhite" is my maiden/surname.)

And speaking of "family". Above is my daughter's new blog! She left a comment on my last post letting me know she started it. She's starting out slow because she's working on tons of stuff for next months Detroit Urban Craft Fair. I can't wait to see/watch her progress: Little Men Blog

I hope to be back by Friday or sooner... Shop additions are just waiting to be added. Plus I have two new sticker sets to debut (all above).

xoxo Gretchen

Find of the Day!!

This morning I found this vintage craft book for $0.50 USD at a local rummage/charity sale "The Woman's Day Book of Soft Toys & Dolls" by Joan Russell. (1975 edition - original copyright 1963 - ISBN 0-671-22085-3)

My sister had the Alice doll - I think it was a gift from a Christmas craft fair.

I remember vividly this style of sock bunny (above). My best friend's Mom (in first grade - 1972) made bunnies similar to the taller one. She sold lots and lots at craft shows. We (me and my sisters) had 3. I think I have the baby bunny somewhere in storage.

More inside photos are uploaded on my:

Flickr
Find your own copy of the book on Ebay:

Woman's Day Book of Soft Toys and Dolls

Pose Doll Stickers - Edition III

Here is a peek of the 3rd edition of Cute Vintage (Pose) Doll Stickers! They will be available in the Shop this weekend. (There will also be a magnets edition.)

I've been very busy! So sorry for the lack of blogging. Hoping to return to a regular routine very soon!!

My Fall Friends

If you didn't know already, I collect vintage Holiday dolls, decorations, ornaments and stuffed toys. For me it started accidentally while hunting for vintage dolls. I'm already in love with 1960's made in Japan dolls, and many Japanese toy manufacturing companies, made cute Holiday items in addition to dolls and stuffed toys. They are made out of the same materials and have similar styling to vintage Japan dolls. Above are my Fall Friends - Halloween and Thanksgiving themed dolls (except for one adorable Boopsie Daisy vintage-inspired witch).

For more photos and other Holidays see my brand new Flickr set: Holiday Dolliday. In addition see my Flickr Group: Holiday Dolliday! featuring new and vintage Holiday dolls.

Fun in the Doll Room

It is a dark, rainy day here. We've had lights on all day. Needed a fun break from work so here's some photos of my Doll Room adventures.





Valerie says "Hello Mister Sun! Where are you?"

Show & Tell: Cute Little Cups

Today's Show & Tell is easy... favorites of my cute little cups collection. They speak for themselves why I collect them. Only a couple are actually used as real cups because the majority are used for holding things on my desk and worktable.

"Eyes" in Control

I'm out for the day. I've got a wicked, allergy induced eye and sinus headache. First bad one of this season. It's my eyes that are the problem - it hurts just looking at the screen right now. The eyes are in control. So... "see" you soon!! (Once the Zyrtec-D kicks in, I'll be back.)

Fall Treasures

All for the Shop! Find late tonight. Hope you like my new photo backdrop - vintage 1970's fabric.

Pose Doll Experiment: Polly

This is Polly. She is part of my new "Pose Doll Experiment" project. A real pose doll brought to "virtual" life. She is my first born... more to come.

"Playing Dolls"

Remember "playing dolls"? Sitting on the floor with your doll suitcases and containers and sorting through dolls, clothes and their accessories? This is what it felt like when I opened my container of small dolls in the Doll Room. Made me smile thinking that I've been doing this for decades. Here's just some of the dolls in the box I was looking through today.

Kitschy "Smiley" Face dolls; circa early 1970's.

Vintage German dolls.

New Kewpies from Japan.

Box of Micro Kewpies (from Japan).

More vintage German dolls.

Turn your frown upside down...

With vintage 1960's "Pack O Fun" magazine crafts! This is my "pick me up" today. I've had a couple of days of dreary Fall weather and lots of stress overload plus I have tons of things to do... and it's only Tuesday afternoon. (This is going to be a long, long week.)




This is how I -we- felt earlier. Like Jack and Jill down the hill...

What's in the Box!?!

Yesterday I received this huge box of things from Japan. It was my first box in months and months and months... and months. So it felt like a special Holiday... let's call it "New Dolli- Day!!" (I know many of my Shop 66 friends know what that feels like.) Check out it's contents here: Afternoon Doll Room Fun.

Return of Cute Vintage Japan Stickers

They're back! A Shop favorite "Cute Vintage Japan" circle stickers. In packs of 56 - but improved with 14 new and favorite different images. Find them in the Shop now: Cute Vintage Japan Circle Stickers. Available through 12/31/2009.

What's New at Shop 66?

Wow!! I'm super busy because the first ever Shop 66 BOGO sale was a huge, HUGE success! Thank you, thank you, thank YOU for all who stopped in and participated. For those of you who want more or missed it, I will be having a BOGO section (starting this weekend) through the Holidays on my bigger, over $20 USD items.

What else is up? I'm about to debut the return of my Cute Vintage Japan Circle Stickers (above). I hope to have them listed by Friday or Saturday. A Holiday version will debut late October.

My next Kitsch-tastic/I Love Vintage sticker set is almost ready. My "Thanksgiving" edition will debut next week. I also have several other little projects in the works, all related to your requests. Remember, if you wish for an item you think I can create, please contact me. 50% of my products are because YOU wished for them.

Shop additions will resume Friday!! Though I'm still in a sea of orders and shipping, I've got some items ready to list. Hooray!!