Miss Ashton- you're here!

Becky was surprised when she saw Miss Ashton in the kitchen.

"Miss Ashton- you're back! When did you get back?? The others don't know you're here!" Becky said excitedly.

Miss Ashton put down the colander and hugged Becky. "I'm so glad to see you as well! It's supposed to be a surprise that I'm back! Give me a hug!"
"Miss Ashton, we have missed you so much!" Becky hugged her teacher. "Me too, darling, me tool" Miss Ashton said, smiling.

"We thought you might not come back....but oh, I'm so glad you did! I have loads of stuff to tell you!" cried Becky
Miss Ashton was surprised at this.

"Now what is this nonsense...me not coming back!!? Who told you such a thing? " Becky looked a little guilty."Oh no one, but you were gone so long....and, and we know how much you love to travel so, and see your friends. We thought you might like being there more than here..." Becky had a trembling lip as she stuttered this.

Miss Ashton smiled, and choked back a tear herself. " NONSENSE!" she exclaimed. "Becky Bailey, you & the other young ladies are my family...and so is the academy. And you're my friends as well!  I had a nice little trip it is true, but I missed you all! And I understand one of the new girls is here as well...have you made her comfortable and welcome??"
"Why yes, Dottie is nice. But she won't go without that sock monkey ANYWHERE..." Becky rolled her eyes.
"Well, nevermind about that....aren't you going to ask me what's in my basket I brought in?"

Becky was all curious. " What is in it?? "  Miss Ashton smiled. " Guess." Becky thought a minute. "Cookies!" "No, not cookies"  Becky thought again....." Eggs??" Miss Ashton laughed, " No, ....but you are very very close!"

" Can I peep inside...before the other girls get here? " Becky asked.

"Of course dear....but don't tell! This will be our impromptu lesson ...a fun lesson.."said Miss Ashton

Stay tuned to see more of Miss Ashton's surprise in another episode of Pumpkin Hill. To learn more about Miss Ashton, be sure to click on our labels to the right of the blog page called Residents of Pumpkin Hill.

(Miss Ashton is a 23 inch 2001 My Twinn doll, that has had alot of TLC.Dress and pinafore were by Ebay seller Dollandbabytreasures . (highly recommend, this item was shipped quickly to make this post possible ahead of schedule)

~Lisa

Let's Eat!

So the dolls are slowly getting items collected for their kitchen in gear, it is just a matter now to set up the kitchen. So far we have Molly's table & chairs from americangirl.com out of packing, and little items I have collected from my travels to antique or thrift stores. The small bowl is from Williamsburg, the plates are $1 finds from Michaels, and the small white cream pitcher and little blue & white trinket box- I have always had them. The coffee pot was a great find, and the graham cracker box is from paperminis.com newsletter. Becky is so glad the kitchen is coming together after all this time-

This is the top of the fridge, vintage Wolverine, and some of the other doll sized finds. The peeler thingy is from World Market store, the frying pan on the wall is from Cracker Barrel, the mixer is a find from my favorite antique store- same place I picked up the coffeepot & the colander is from a bargain store.

The baskets came from Hobby Lobby, haven't found anything to put in them as of yet. It needs a little rug, and of course a stove, which hopefully will come in time.  Enjoy the pics!
* I am still working on the characters of Pumpkin Hill....more characters will be coming soon, and the storylines as well as soon as I have props in place and a place to take pics. *

*Pumpkin Hill Towne News-from Gracie, our Governess-  The dolls are taking a sabbatical until Easter, so Pumpkin Hill Academy is currently closed, while Lent & Easter are observed. *

~Lisa

The Residents of Pumpkin Hill...

I am going to be adding and editing this post- as this will be the main archival post of the inhabitants of Pumpkin Hill.  Each of the dolls will have her/his bio here, or the central and main characters will, at any rate.  I hope you enjoy the storylines.

Felicity Anne Merriman

Felicity hails from the town of Williamsburg, and lives in Pumpkin Hill now with her best friend Becky.  She is 11 years old and quite the proper Colonial young lady- however, she loves to ride horses and most of all- bake cookies ! Felicity is a helpful girl and feels badly when her friends are sad, or hurt- a peacemaker of sorts.  She is still new to Pumpkin Hill and its other residents, so is somewhat shy.  She is excited to be able to attend the prestigous Pumpkin Hill Academy, a finishing school for young ladies.

~More about Felicity later~

Rebecca Lou Bailey

Rebecca Lou Bailey, also known as Becky to her friends, recently arrived at Pumpkin Hill, like her friend Felicity, to attend Pumpkin Hill Academy.  She was accepted and is eager to go to the school, but apprehensive at meeting the new girls as well. Becky  is a little headstrong, for an 11 year old and has her own ideas, but is quite decisive when she forges ahead with one of her projects. Becky's favorite food is apples, whether in pie, cake, ice cream, candy, or just plain apples off the apple tree. She loves helping in the kitchen, but especially loves to sing and is quite musical.

~More about Becky later~

"Gracie" Lisa's blogging doll assistant

Gracie's birthday is December 9, 2010...we celebrate her birthday on that day because that is the day she arrived all the way from Korea via Denver Doll Emporium.  Unlike Becky & Felicity, who are American Girl dolls, Gracie is an asian ball jointed doll, created by Souldoll.  Gracie is our main 'go to' doll here at Pumpkin Hill, and works with one of the Brownies who also assists her by letting her know what goes on in the tiny domains of Pumpkin Hill- also known as the miniature dollhouses & their inhabitants- but more on her assistant Dixie later.  Gracie is about 12 years old, and loves to browse the internet and give Lisa pointers on her blogging.  Very bossy,  sometimes impatient, but is also quite reflective.  She also helps Marigold Finch with the correspondence at her elaborate desk, and also likes to dress up, with different wigs and clothes. There is much , much more to tell about Gracie- she also loves to travel and often goes out for the day with Lisa just to see the sights.  Gracie is a star pupil at Pumpkin Hill Academy and mentors the 'new' girls or dolls when they arrive for registration.

Dixie, AKA Gracie's tiny assistant

Meet Dixie, a Felix Brownie asian ball jointed doll. Dixie is quite tiny, only four inches high, and keeps Gracie & Lisa informed of all the goings on in the dollhouse section of  Pumpkin Hill. She is a major blogger, and with her tiny laptop and assisted by Mr. Teddie, she keeps the flow of the incoming tiny dolls somewhat sane.Dixie is Gracie's very tiny assistant.  Brownies are a type of fairy that is helpful, and Dixie  is a big help in a very small way at the 'Patch here on the hill. She too is bossy (I think this comes with the miniature laptop computers these dolls have) and loves the color PINK.  She is an investor in Minuette Mouse's candy & sweet shop and frequently visits there so Marigold Finch of Finch Express can get the tiny correspondence to her quickly.  She is also impulsive, curious and very smart.

More on Dixie later.

Minuette Mouse

Minuette Mouse is also a doll, but is an asian ball jointed 'anthro' doll. She stands almost five inches high.  Minuette came to Pumpkin Hill to start her own candy shop, also selling sweets and ice cream, with the financial backing of her cousin, who lives in Florida, who prefers to remain unnamed.  Since the shop is a family affair, Minuette lives with Maizie and Dixie in the dollhouse known as Strawberry Hill Manor, and runs the sweet shop across the way.  She is highly successful and the Finch Express does constant pickups and drop offs of packages that leave the shop and are delivered. Minuette simply loves to cook, and nothing suits her better than developing a new candy or a new pastry in the kitchen.  Extremely successful, her waitresses are dressed like mice and work shifts.

~More on Minuette later~

Maizie-


Maizie is also a Felix Brownie asian ball jointed doll, just like Dixie and arrived with her. She too, is just barely four inches high and full of spunk. Though somewhat shy, and something of a follower of Dixie, Maizie loves to ride her bike to Minuette's sweet shop and gorge on ice cream. She also 'helps' Minuette when a new cookie or cake is being created as well.  Maizie loves to play, and takes care of the numerous dogs and cats in Strawberry Hill Manor, but has absolutely no interest in helping Dixie with the blogging. She also dislikes school intensely and finds school and books boring...

~More on Maizie later~

Marigold Finch,  of 'Finch Express'  - Postal & delivery carrier of Pumpkin Hill

Meet Marigold, our resident Finch mail carrier of Finch Express. Marigold assists in delivering the correspondence, and small packages to the doll residents of Pumpkin Hill.  Gracie &  Dixie, our resident bloggers, also help her as well. This is the main 'drop' box, for Marigold, outside of Minuette's sweet shop, and her favorite place to hang out and hear all the gossip. She reaides in her next in one of the rooms of the dollhouse Strawberry Hill Manor, and her fairy assistant, Wren, will be arriving soon to help her by covering teh letters with fairy dust so she can fly quicker.  Marigold likes to sing songs, and also likes to assist Gracie with 'tweets' on Twitter.  Marigold is a custom artisan bird made by miniature artisan Patricia Cabrerea of Woolytales Miniatures. She measures about 2 inches high.

Miss Ashton Brown~ Schoolteacher & Headmistress of Pumpkin Hill Academy

Meet Miss Ashton Brown, schoolteacher & temporary headmistress of Pumpkin Hill Academy, the prestigious school she started on a plantation farm. Miss Ashton had an unusual and sophisticated education, but alas, never married. Her parents,however believed in culture and the arts and as a result, Miss Ashton did the Grand Tour with her family, was received into society and had her debut. She excelled in school, and went on to study languages and the arts in England, France & Italy. Miss Ashton was highly influenced by a chance meeting with Florence Nightingale and even considered becoming a nurse because of her meeting with that notable lady- but decided that young girls, especially those who were less fortunate, might benefit more from education. Her ideas were scoffed at and so she raised funds and started a school with funds from her savings, having a building built that would house her school as well as a small apartment for herself so she could monitor the young ladies closely. Miss Ashton inspires the girls to always keep learning, which they do.
Age:29
favorite instrument- piano
favorite pastime- writing letters to her friends




*I will be adding more doll bios later, but this is mainly to give you a synopsis of the characters and their individual personalities as they participate in the various photo stores coming along. * enjoy!~Lisa

Coming soon- in the upcoming months-

Pumpkin Hill Academy

NewThings happening in the Pumpkin Patch...on the Hill

New things will be happening inthe Pumpkin Patch, here on Pumpkin Hill. For one, my main girls decided to band together. On American Girl Playthings forum many of the participants write about their dolls, their dolls' personality, characters, and more with in depth story lines. Well, my crew wanted to get in on the act. So I will be creating a Doll Dossier  with the story behind the dolls who live here, and the main storyline.

It has long been my intention to explain a little more of the Pumpkin Patch, or Pumpkin Hill. Each of the dolls has her own personality, whether developed totally by me or as in the case of the American Girl dolls, their characters are based on a historical character. For the AG playthings forum however, only these dolls will be featured- Becky Bailey (originally Rebecca Rubin, American Girl)Gracie (Soulkid Katie A. bjd), Dottie (Goodereau Wizard of Oz bjd) and Felicity Merriman (American Girl) Eventually, they will be attending Pumpkin Hill Academy, a finishing school for young ladies. The dolls were excited about this and decided to have cookies to get to know each other.

Do you like Cookies Dottie? my name is Felicity Merriman. "Why yes I do. That cupcake looks yummy." "What is your sock monkey's name? " Toto, I don't have a REAL Toto, so I never go anywhere without sock monkey Toto.."

"My name is Gracie, what is yours? "Uh, Becky Bailey is what the human has decided....she says I'm supposed to go to school with you & the others????"  Gracie laughs. " Don't be worried, you'll like it here in the Pumpkin Patch? "Pumpkin Patch????what kind of ladies school is that-- are we going to grow pumpkins????" Becky is worried. "No, of course not. Pumpkin Hill Academy will be our school's name, simply because it is here in Pumpkin Hill. Miss Lisa (the human) calls it the 'Patch for short, as a joke."  Becky frowns, and says"Oh, ok. I guess that will make sense later?" Gracie smiles. "Don't worry- Miss Lisa is always worried we wouldn't get along, since all of us are so different."

The dolls seem to be getting along, and enjoyed their cookies, and were looking forward to more about their doll dossier. Stay tuned for more!

~Lisa

A special day at Pumpkin Hill...

March 9th, 2001....is a special day for me here in the Pumpkin Patch. This is the day my husband Chris & I were married, ten years ago. I still have special memories of that day, as does Chris, & our wedding we planned together. Pictured above are two photos from our wedding pictures. Shoes have long been one of my passions, and the pictured shoes above were from Peter Fox of New York...the bouquet was designed by me, and created for me by Coleman brothers. It was huge! pink roses, baby's breath, lily of the valley, and blue ribbons (color blue symbolized loyalty). My dress was a simple dress, so the bouquet which was so large would be more dramatic- the bouquet went from underneath my chest down to the hem of my gown. I did not wear a veil, as this was both of our 2nd weddings, but only a tiara headpiece, from Swarvorski. The comical picture at right is of me changing my shoes into gingham Tommy Hilfiger sneakers so I would not get my wedding heels dirty...
It is hard to believe it is 10 years later...and every day has been bliss with my husband. Even the dolls have found a way to celebrate for us....

Ellowyne made a celebratory wedding cake for us....

And here is my W Club, High Tide Vanessa, posing in wedding attire with my tiara....and pieces from my 1:6 scale Bespaq...
I hope everyone enjoys the pictures!
~Lisa

Meet Marigold Finch- of Finch Express..

Things have been so busy here at the Pumpkin Patch on the Hill. With moving our shop inventory back home, displays, packing up miniatures, and trying to create items in the chaos, I have had no time to introduce our newest member at the Patch- Marigiold. One reason was I very particular about the story of Marigold, which was inspired by Tasha Tudor's 'Sparrow Post'. Here in King William county where I live, however, finchs abound all over the fields, our yard, and reside in the trees. They are quite small and perfect, a variety of little birds that are quite friendly. When I came up with the idea of my own 'Sparrow Post' I did not want to necessarily copy Tasha's idea and thought of Finches- hence, Finch express. The dolls needed a friendly little postal person, not necessarily another doll, to deliver their correspondence.
Another inspiration of the bird was the little bird from Stuart Little, who he goes in search for when she runs away. So Marigold Finch came about- with the masterful sculpting skills of Patricia Carabera of WoolyTales Miniatures who was pleased to send our little bird. She came with a little mailpouch and cap, but currently before taking on her duties as delivery of news both written & verbal to the dolls, she is settling into her home. I placed her nest, a find from a craft store, in the spare room of Strawberry Hill where the tinies are currently living. Marigold's room was originally the train room set up in the dollhouse, hence the clouds and background painted on the walls. I haven't yet stacked books and letters about her next, since she is a packrat- and likes to save letters that are 'lost'. The above pictures are of her in her nest, in her new room and on the back of the chairs in the dining room.

She likes going to Minuette's sweet shop and looking down on the customers, and getting to know her 'route'....

Her main place of pickup is the antique post office box next to Minuette's shop, we haven't decided the times she should pickup as of yet...

She also likes to make friends with the current residents of Pumpkin Hill, hence one of our new residents, Happy. He was quite 'happy' to meet Marigold, and likes to receive news of the other dwarves.
I will be including Marigold alot more on the stories when our new tinies arrive- Marigold's co-hort will be a RealPuki Soso from Fairyland by way of  Denver Doll Emproium. The patch will be overrun soon with Tinies, but the Realpuki Soso, whose name will be Wren, will be Marigold's fairy assistant and help make sure that the correspondence is sorted correctly and packed well for delivery. (Marigold has wings, but no hands) I will probably put a little bed in Marigold's room for Wren. Marigold & Wren will be our postal system team at Pumpkin Hill...

Until later, Marigold says 'Have letters, will fly!"

~Lisa

My items on Pumpkin Hill Studios at Etsy

I have begun to sell some of my items on Etsy. Pumpkinhill Studios on Etsy is where I have been posting my new handmade artisan items. Currently I am working on more, but I now have a 1:4 scale wedding cake for Ellowyne or Gene, as well as a 1:3 scale Lemon cake for American Girl, as well as some 1:6 scale items.
I will be working on replicating more 1:6 scale items, that in the works. Please visit my Etsy shop for more of my artisan scale creations!~Lisa

New resident in the Pumpkin Patch...

We have a new resident at Pumpkin Hill...meet Annabelle, my french fashion doll, a reproduction 12 inch fashion poupee. She is a reproduction Francois Gaultier mold, on a Seeley body. I have always wanted one of these dolls, ever since I studied about them when I was twleve or thirteen or so. They were so fascinating! These dolls were the original 'Barbie' of the 1850's to the 1890's and the best,  the creme de la creme of these dolls were French.
I loved the book A is for Annabelle by Tasha Tudor, and decided this little beauty by Sylvia Butler of Tarhill Studios would be perfect for my Annabelle. She has such a sweet face, glass eyes, and pearl earrings. I hope to do more sewing for her- as of today I finished her negligee taken and modified from a Gildebrief pattern. I think the simplicity I used on this gown /wrapper was better than what I saw, it accents her face mold more, and compliments the furniture props of Bespaq about her.
We will probably be having more residents come to live at the pumpkin patch, but more on them when they arrive later!
Lisa