YOU ARE NEVER TOO OLD TO HAVE A HAPPY CHILDHOOD

Way back in winter, ladies on one of my doll groups starting humming about the UFDC convention. I had no idea what UFDC was...how can that be...I have collected dolls for so many years and had never heard of this organization. One of the ladies kindly explained it is the United Federation of Doll Clubs and they have an annual convention. the 2011 convention was being held....oh no it couldn't be...in one of my most favorite places to visit, Anaheim, California. Apparently the last time they held it here was 17 years ago!! Usually it is more towards the East Coast. Soooo....I joined the UFDC and crossed my fingers that this might be a do able thing. The membership comes with lovely magazines that arrive in your mail box quarterly.

 Early in April my friend and doll buddy Loretta suggested we go to the convention, it might be our only chance to ever go to one. So we started doing some online checking and found an incredible deal with Alaska air (which is also our favorite airlines to fly to that area). So we booked. The next month my Mom had a stroke, my little dog died, life was awfully hard all of a sudden and I thought for sure I wasn't going to be going on this trip of a lifetime. The months passed, the social worker at the hospital told me I needed to take my trip and that my Mom would be fine while I was gone so I did get on that plane...but right until the last moment I was sure I was going to be cancelling.

The picture above is of my little Bellette Madeline who came on the trip with me, she was the first Bleuette doll I bought and she remains my favorite girl. She came out of her carrier on the plane as Loretta had brought a little treat along for her, a tiny doll size rolling suitcase with pencil crayons just her size, it was a wonderful way to begin our journey.

This is my room at the Anaheim Hilton, it was lovely with a view of Disneyland and the pool and I even had a microwave and fridge in my room. I could have lived in this particular room forever!!!!

Robert and Loretta and if you look closely or click on the picture and enlarge, you will see Yvette Marie, Loretta's bluette alongside of them. We arrived in town a bit earlier than the convention was scheduled to start but then found out that the Rowbear Doll show was being held just a short ways across the parking lot at the Sheraton Park Hotel where we have stayed in the past. We had no idea what this would be like but headed there to check it out. WOW...is all I can say....this was the doll show to end all doll shows....two rooms of vendors and an entire hallway. Dolls and doll stuff everywhere your eyes could see....

This little doll in a presentation box was complete with miniature accessories and was one of many similar displayed. If you enlarge the picture you might be able to see the tiny goodies she would come with if you purchased her.

This is the parking lot on the way to the Rowbear show. There was still a Jacaranda tree blooming it's gorgeous purple blooms in the background.

A funny thing happened while I was strolling around the showroom. I heard an announcement on the PA system and it sounded like my name. But it couldn't be, no one knew I was here. So I continued strolling....and heard the name again and decided it had to be me so I went out to the registration desk to see if it was. I won a door prize...I was so surprised...in the picture above I am holding my door prize, it was a little Madame Alexander doll and a great way to start the fabulous week ahead of us!

On our doll groups we often hear talk of all the famous folks out there in dolly land, authors, artists and experts on the dolls we love. We had no idea that this week we would be meeting a lot of people we had only heard of before. In the picture above is Sylvie Bravot, a lovely lady who owns the Bravot Company in France and she and her daughter had flown in with their merchandise to sell in a booth at this show. Her doll clothes are exquisite, her doll wigs fabulous and then there were her dolls...sigh...the one in front in the white and blue sailor suit stole my heart but I never did buy her. Enlarge the picture and you can see how beautiful her dolls are.

I had to sneak this photo in as it is of my favorite palm tree and impatience flower garden at the Sheraton Park hotel.

My little door prize Madame Alexander posed amongst the flowers.

Here is Loretta perusing Sylvie Bravots sales booth. She eventually succumbed to the lure of the fabulous dolls and went home with a lovely Jumeau doll. But she held strong right till the last day!!

These were a couple more little Bleuettes we saw for sale, the dark haired one has a very unique look to her and we both thought she was lovely.

I am not sure what this little cutie is but gosh she was cute, there was just so much cute everywhere you looked. We went day after day and I don't think we even made it all the way through.

We were on a mission that first night, we heard that The Doll Peddlar of Arkansas had a booth at the rowbear show and we wanted to buy resin dolls. We located them in the far back corner and met Judy from the Doll Peddlar and Ms Cholong from Ruby Red Galleria in Hong Kong, the company that makes the resin Bleuettes. So we did not come home empty handed (far from it actually...lol) I bought the basic Bleuette as I already have the one in the fancy dress and Loretta fell in love with the Bastille Day Bleuette and bought her. She is now known as Robinette. The picture above is a picture at the end of day one I believe. I will have to do this in sections as it was a very full week....and I have hundreds of pictures.... thanks for visiting and I will try and get the next instalment up soon!