Nestle Poupees reproduction

An excellent reproduction on Kodak paper of an antique advertising paper doll. You'll find this lovely copy on the freebie table in Morgantown.

British Pathé News, "Sees All, Knows All"

"The First News Reel - The Real News First"

Before radio, before TV, before cable, before social media, there was the newsreel. This is not a post card, but a card distributed outside the movie theater, I would guess, so that viewers could see the reel from the beginning. This could date from the 1920s. 

It's hard not to be nostalgic for the days when news was not ubiquitous. The upside was not being bombarded with news 24/7. The downside: being in the dark, and not learning about consequential events for days or weeks or months after they occurred. 

British Pathé News was in operation from 1896 to 1976. In 2014, the company uploaded its entire archive -- 85,000 films -- on YouTube. You can browse the archive here.

My Birthday Wish for You, ca. 1927

A Lucy Leary for Peggy Ell

I first learned about the Lucy Eleanor Leary paper dolls from the late Peggy Ell, who was an avid collector of this paper doll artist. Above: "Emily,"1956.

Peggy was a regular at the Morgantown Paper Doll Luncheon; last year her husband Bill joined her, too. I loved learning about Peggy's work and varied interests over the years, when we would sit and chat about paper dolls and everything else under the sun. 

On Sunday, the New York City paper doll group met, and my friend Carol mentioned that she had just been in touch with Peggy via email and did I know that Peggy was performing in a community theater production of The Glass Menagerie? I didn't! But I did know that Peggy had caucused for Bernie Sanders in the recent Iowa Caucuses. I couldn't wait to ask Peggy what that was like, and now I also wanted to know all about her theater work. We had a lot to catch up with at the next luncheon.

As so often happens now, the terrible news was conveyed on Facebook, where her family called for prayers after she was felled by a stroke during a Monday rehearsal of the play. There was a glimmer of hope that Peggy would pull through, but she died early Tuesday morning.

I will miss her fellowship, generosity and knowledge. I'll treasure the conversations we had during our paper doll reunions. 

Just a Little Valentine, 1928

Absentee Registration for the Morgantown Luncheon

Can't join us April 16? You can still get the souvenirs by sending a check for $15 to Sheryl Jaeger. You'll find her address on the registration form. Souvenir artists: Jayne Keller, Sandy Vanderpool and Linda Hoerner.