I have loved dolls, history, and the Victorian Era since I was little and can credit my grandmother for that. As a young girl she gave me a Godey’s Fashion print for August 1870 from my great, great Aunt Flossie. I was captivated by the dresses and became hooked. I just love to research everything and anything about the Victorian Era. I also love to design Victorian dolls. I hope you enjoy my Victorian Dolls, Victorian Traditions,The Victorian Era, and Me blog.

Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Grandma Aurora May and Grandpa Lewis - On An Expedition!


A little while ago I asked the readers of my Linda's blog what kind of dolls they would like to see me design. Well, one of the responses was to design a "Grandmother and Grandfather" couple. I liked that idea and decided to make my Grandparents a Victorian couple.

I also decided that my "Grandma and Grandpa" couple should have marvelous gray hair so they could join the "Gray Is Beautiful" series of dolls. Of course, I had to ask all the "Gray Is Beautiful" dolls if this was okay with them. They thought about it for awhile and then told me they would be thrilled to have new members to their exclusive club. So, "Grandma Aurora May and Grandpa Lewis" were born and became the newest members of the "Gray Is Beautiful" series of dolls.

"Grandma Aura May - On An Expedition!" is ready to go. She's been ready for over a year and is anxious to get started on her expedition with "Grandpa Lewis - On An Expedition!"

"Grandpa Lewis - On An Expedition!" isn't as anxious to go. He loves to please his wife, but is really more of a homebody and would prefer to stay home working on his coin and stamp collections.

Grandma Aurora May loves a good adventure and loves finding new places and new venues to explore. She'd rather spend all day looking for a great site for a picnic and always looks forward to their annual expedition to the beach.

Her main reason is that she loves to spend time with her grandchildren and loves cooking for them.

It's not that Grandpa Lewis doesn't love his grandchildren - he adores them. It's just he doesn't have a lot of patience for his grand children's boundless energy and "ants in their pants" inability to sit still. After one day at the beach with the grandchildren he's ready to go home.

Grandma Aurora May tells him to lighten up a bit. That's the way children are. Full of energy. Exploring everything. What's wrong with that?

Well, Grandpa Lewis doesn't mind enthusiasm and willingness to learn. He just can't stand little idle hands playing with the cherished coins in his coin collection and touching all the stamps in his stamp collection.

And he can't leave his collections at home while he's on a three month expedition to the beach. He'd go stir crazy without something to keep him occupied all that time.

Grandma Aurora May really does understand her husband and knows that she has to keep him happy or their won't be anymore expeditions to the beach. And, that she wouldn't be happy about. So, each and every year she tells the grandchildren that Grandpa Lewis's stamp and coin collections are off limits. Most of the time the grandchildren listen. Sometimes, however, there are those idle hands.......




"Grandpa Lewis - On An Expedition" is a 15" Victorian Grandfather cloth doll with watercolor penciled face. His boots are cross-tied and painted black.

Grandpa Lewis is wearing his favorite plaid suit with his favorite blue collared shirt. His plaid pantaloons are gathered and his plaid jacket is lined with a gathered bottom section. His lined jacket with lapels has two buttons and is tied with a plaid sash. He has a gray mustache and his gray roving hair is long and thick and tied in a ponytail at the back of his neck.

He fancies himself quite the gentleman and expert on rare coins and stamps. Now if he could just keep his grandchildren away from his coin and stamp collection. He loves his grandchildren but thinks they need to learn the value of a rare coin and stamp collection and how destructive idle hands can be.


"Grandma Aurora May - On An Expedition" is a 16" Victorian Grandmother cloth doll with watercolor penciled face. Her boots are cross-tied and painted black. She is wearing gathered and lace trimmed bloomers and a gathered slip.

Her fancy Victorian expedition outfit has a dress bodice with a lined lace trimmed front band, double rowed lace trimmed over sleeves, and lace trimmed neck edge. The dress skirt portion of her fancy Victorian dress also has a double row of lace trim and is made of a coordinating striped fabric. Satin ribbon is tied around the waistline and a stain ribbon bow adorns the front of her dress.

She has a full head of gray thick roving hair fastened in a puff. Her bonnet matches the bodice of her dress and is lined and lace trimmed. She is carrying a wicker basket with lining and ribbon trims.

Designer - Linda Walsh of Linda Walsh Originals



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