June Bride, Ginny

Last night I really pushed myself to finish the first trunk set of the holiday season, a Ginny Bridal Trousseau. I've had this idea in the works forever. Last year I completed a June Bride Ginger set and still have a June Bride Jill to do. It's just like me to finally finish these in October, rather than June! Oh, well. I know you longtime readers know of my love for trunk sets, despite that I can make much more money selling the dolls and outfits individually. It's not a financial pursuit as much as a creative one. I so love imagining all the scenarios and setting up each little vignette of a doll's "life." It's a gift to the childhood me; I desperately wanted a doll with a trunk full of clothes like the one in a favorite book, A Is For Annabelle by Tasha Tudor, but I never got one. I hope my trunk sets go to little (or not so little) girls who will love them as I would have and as much as I love making them!

Ginny arrived filthy but otherwise in good shape, except for her wig. "Wig" is really an overstatement; it was more like a few strands of hair clinging to her head! I made her a new wig from strawberry blond mohair. The original wig looked like it was lemony-blond, but the color I chose matches her eyebrows almost perfectly. After cleaning and re-wigging Ginny looks close to mint. Her sapphire blue eyes stick open but they are easily opened and closed manually. Her head-turning walker mechanism works perfectly.

Ginny's handmade flannel robe

Her pajamas are handsewn from seersucker.

The elastic has a spot.

Ginny gets ready for the day in her handmade seersucker pajamas and flannel robe. These are actually sewn by hand, not machine-sewn, and the technique is exquisite. I got these in a big lot of beautifully handmade Ginny clothes. The pajamas' elastic has age spots I couldn't remove.

Ginny's veil is handmade.

The dress is tagged.

Dress #64 of 1955

Ginny is all ready for her big day in her gorgeous bridal gown, #64, of 1955. This is satin with lace overlay. I made her a lace and tulle veil and bouquet from vintage velvet flowers and gave her new gold satin ballet flats to complete the ensemble. The dress is just pristine and it is tagged with  crisp tag. It does not look as if it were ever used. I added a pink modern plastic wedding cake to her wedding set.

Coat #6180 of 1956

Ginny stays cozy through winter fun in her knitted wool skater dress with matching panties and beret topped off with coat #6180 from 1956. I'm not sure if the skater dress is handmade or factory made. It's very well done, in any case. The coat is another pristine piece, tagged, and made of twill collar and cuffs trimmed with tatted heart-shaped lace. Ginny's shoes are side-closure blue squishy plastic without heels or maker's marks.

Tagged summer set, unknown number and year

Ginny's summer set is the outfit she came wearing, so it's the one I know was used. The tag has a little fraying on the edges and the ribbon ties of the horsehair hat are faded and frayed. The set is still adorable, however. I added a new paper parasol, socks, and new pink satin ballet flats.

The monogrammed brooch

A while back I got a doll lot of Ginny and competitor's clothing and it contained this metal bow with a heart charm monogrammed "G". I can't find anything about this piece, but it certainly looks like the vintage Vogue Ginny and Jill jewelry, except larger. I wonder if it broke off a metal trunk or piece of furniture or something. One side has deep scratches and corrosion. Some rhinestone sets are missing. I glued a pin back to the piece to make it into a brooch. I thought it would be fun to add a brooch which either Ginny or her owner could wear.

The trunk has some wear.

Ginny's trunk set

Ginny's trunk has expected wear; nothing too bad. It fits all her clothing and is complete with its drawer to hold small items. I think this would be a wonderful set for play or display. It certainly has several outfits which could be used to outfit a Ginny collection. Besides this set I have several Ginny tagged and untagged and even some boxed outfits in my shops. I hope you will check Atelier Mandaline on Etsy and eBay.