GINEVRA GENESTRA

I haven't talked about my dolls for awhile. I was trying to be more circumspect with sharing them. But here is one story about a doll.

This is one of my big lady dolls. She is 24" tall. One of the last of my very tall dolls. After her I began to reduce the size. I also used a different head style. It has less needle sculpting. She came out completely different looking. The Clothing style is based on the Edwardian Period from the beginning of the 20th. Century. I made her in 1993. That was also when I had first started to work for a local Conroy's Flowers. I had been talking about my doll making and the dolls I had made. So, the other floral designers asked me to bring in one or two of my dolls to show them. Now, I am usually very careful when it comes to sharing what I do, to people outside. But, I always try to be optimistic. Silly me, I said, "oh, if you are really interested". They said, " yes". Later that week I brought in my newest doll I had told them about. I had set her on a back counter out of the way, so everyone could see her. I had told them, don't expect something like Barbie doll or anything like a porcelain repro doll.. I don't make idealized model type fashion dolls. Mine are all one of a kind and they have a lot of character. Well, they were most polite and they found things about my doll to compliment. The quality, the size, the professional look. How nicely made. The lovely clothes. She must have been a lot fun to make. I just left the doll there until I had a break to take her to my car.
Then it was time for us to get busy. We three designers were arranging away.
Timothy our youngest delivery guy came back. He walked in and started to check in, when he looked up and saw my doll.
He blurted out loud, "my @@d that is the ugliest doll I've ever seen. Where did this ugly doll come from?". "Jeez, but she is really awful, etc." Cathleen, Lenore and John all looked at me to see my reaction.
I just turned around and very blandly said to the kid, "Those remarks have to be the most diplomatic, sensitive I ever heard. It was so kind and genteel of you to be so conscious of the person's sensibilities, to couch your observations in such thoughtful terms." The other three, just sort of gaped at me. The kid wasn't quite sure what I just said. But, he began to catch on he had made a terrific gaff. He then asked, Who made that thing?"
Cathleen turned to him, pointed to me and replied, "She did. We asked her to show us one of her dolls."
(The kid thought to himself I'm dead, I'm fired.) He looked at me and asked, "You did?."
"Yes." I said. Now it didn't hurt my feelings, such a thing was not unexpected, because I had to consider the source.
He is somewhat deminished to start with. He had suffered a head injury at one time and it damaged his impluse control part of the brain. (and no of course he didn't get fired. Only Chuck or John could do that. But, he did learn to be more careful what he said. Sometimes.)
It was somewhat of my own fault. I never should have brought any of my dolls to share. After that, I only brought in some photos. Not that my dolls are pearls. They are more like Baroque pearls.
I have put my dolls in shows and competions and won ribbons. Including one big purple one.

My dolls keep me company and make me happy. Because all of my dolls are pretty and are smiling.