Fashion Dolls 101

  The  Wilson Bank & Trust Oktoberfest took place on Saturday, October 15, in Lebanon, TN, and it was full of cute and creative figures and dolls.  From Mexican cuties to whimsical little fairies, to soft cloth Christmas dolls and figures, there was something for any doll collector at Lebanon’s Oktoberfest.  But there was a lot more to see than just dolls: arts, crafts, wood, jewelry, fall and Christmas crafts, kids inflatables, food trucks, patriotic goods, pumpkins, scarecrows and more covered the expansive grounds around Wilson Bank & Trust   Best of all, it was also an America250 event. White better way to celebrate our nation’s heritage than with a small-town Oktoberfest with homemade, handmade arts and crafters.  Check it out next year. It’s worth the trip.  Related: Corn Husk Dolls: The Traditional Fall Craft with Deep Native American History Publix Cloth Doll for Fall What’s the Spiritual Reality Behind Halloween? A Very Minecraft Fall ...

 The inexpensive holiday elves from Christmas House are already out for sale at Dollar Tree to wish you season’s greetings, and some come in red now! The green and green and red Christmas elves have been holiday staples at Dollar Tree for years, but I haven’t seen the red ones until 2026.  At only $1.50 or $1.75 apiece, they make cute Christmas decorations. So head over to Dollar Tree and snap up an elf or two for some happy holidays fun. Related: Hear Hear! The Elves Bring Christmas Cheer! While Santa Sleeps: the Elves of Christmas     Celebrity Elves Make the Holidays Celebratory Snoop on the Stoop Accessories Elf on the Shelf Falling Out of Favor ? Mariah Carey Plush Doll Is All I Want For Christmas  The Elves of Christmas Decorate the Tree  December The Elves of Christmas 2022 Celebrate the Holidays  2022 Dollar Tree Elfs 

One of the figures I have had on display this year as part of the semiquincentennial celebration is this historic Betsy Ross figurine from Avon  Fifty years after she was released in 1976, she has been a part of my America250 celebration all summer   The 1976 Avon Betsy Ross Sonnet cologne figurine remains one of the most recognizable patriotic collectibles from America’s Bicentennial celebration. Issued by Avon to mark the 200th anniversary of the United States, this charming figural bottle combines vintage perfume history with classic Americana design and continues to appeal to collectors of both Avon bottles and Bicentennial memorabilia. Design and Details of the Figurine The bottle depicts Betsy Ross in colonial attire, typically shown with the early American flag. Many versions feature the flag draped across her skirt or lap, highlighting the traditional story of her sewing the first Stars and Stripes. Standing about 5.5 inches tall, the piece held 4 fluid ounces of Av...

  There are tons of cute toys in the new 2026 Walmart “Let’s Go to the Toy Shop” catalog but my eye was immediately caught by the Barbie holiday offerings. I think it is nice that they offer a Hanukkah sweater in blue tones with the blue checked pants, but I am really diggin’ that adorably festive Christmas sweater with matching red checked pants. It’s super cute for the holidays. And take a look at Ken! I like the formal red dress for Barbie, but I LOVE that tux for Ken with the snazzy red jacket. Guess I better start counting my Pennie’s now, while Pennie’s are still around.  It looks like it is going to be a Happy Holiday Season in 2026 with Barbie. 

  We are only two small gnomes, red-white-and-blue from tip of cap to toe of boot, standing with our little flags. One of us holds the Stars and Stripes. The other holds the America 250 banner. One a simple sign that reads USA, the other a heart of red, white, and blue. We keep to our humble hearth and home, and we have long memories. We do not understand why so many of our countrymen—especially the young—have been taught to look away from the deliberate terrorism of September 11, 2001. Nearly three thousand souls were murdered that morning when airplanes were turned into weapons against our towers, our Pentagon, and the seat of our government. We said we would never forget. Yet twenty-five years later, many have forgotten, or have been carefully instructed to forget, or have decided that speaking plainly about what happened is somehow racist or “Islamophobic.” We remember Todd Beamer and the brave passengers of Flight 93 who rose up, fought back, and forced their plane into a Pen...

  You may have heard about the dog days of summer, those last summer days where the weather is just too hot and no one has the energy to do anything except lay around like a dog. Well, let me introduce you to the “troll days of summer.” It’s that odd season between the Fourth of July and summer picnics and the opening of school where it’s still summer but somehow it doesn’t feel like the carefree days of summer… it just feels hot. But our trolls are here to tell you that if you find a shady spot and a few friends, you can still find some summer fun! For one thing, it’s America 250 until the end of the year so any time is a good time for a patriotic picnic or a festive gathering with friends. For another, Fall is just around the corner so it won’t be hot for that much longer. Find a shady spot or a pool or a lake or a creek and put out your favorite picnic blanket, invite some friends, and just relax. The Summer of America 250 won’t last much longer. Enjoy it while it’s here like ou...