Rosie was smashed against the back of the shelf behind the trucks and castles. Her hair was tangled and had in it little sticks and pieces of grass That is how I knew that she had been playing outside. I wasn’t sure if all of the dirt would come off, even with a magic eraser but I glimpsed something sweet and wonderful in the face behind the crayon marks and so I decided to take Rosie home.
I spread out a towel on the kitchen counter and washed her with a magic eraser. First I washed and then I wiped off all of the dirt that had been brought to the surface by the eraser. It continues to be my most successful way to clean dolls. Off came the dirt and the crayon marks too, and out popped a wonderful, smiling face.
I had my doubts about Rosie’s hair. I hoped I wouldn’t need to cut it. It had been neglected so long that it was knotted in places and quite uneven. I filled a bowl with liquid fabric softener and laid Rosie on her back so that her hair was submerged in the fabric softener which was in the sink. I left her hair to soak for an hour or so. Then, I rinsed her hair over and over and left her on the towel to dry.
This morning I dressed Rosie and fixed her hair. I twisted two pony tails into tight buns and secured them with bobby pins. I looked through the doll- clothes-basket until I found the perfect dress and sweater. Next, I found a necklace with a little heart and a tiny pearl bracelet. The last thing I did was trim Rosie’s bangs. I think that it was the residue of a gummy bear that lingered after her shampoo that prompted the trim.
Always look at the back of a doll’s neck to find out where she comes from. Most dolls in the thrift stores are not unusual dolls but some are. I always look with my fingers crossed.
Rosie is a wonderful addition to my assortment of rescued dolls who spend their time together on the playroom shelf. Perhaps they do some talking when the lights are low.
“There is comfort in a doll.”
-Grandma-
She is really cute. I like how you did her hair.