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 ...

2026 Cloth Easter Bunnies at Michael’s  Who’s that hopping down the bunny trail? Why, it’s the Easter bunnies at Michael’s! The 2026 set comes with a boy bunny wearing blue and white stripes and hiding an Easter egg, and the adorable girl rabbit in her hot pink dress holding a flower bouquet. Michael’s Cloth Rabbits 60% Off  The cloth Easter bunnies can be bought as a set or individually. Originally $19.99, they are already 60% off. Somehow one of them ended up in my Easter basket with the other girl bunnies I somehow have a small collection of  The others were Goodwill finds. Here is a slightly closer shot. She’s adorable! I couldn’t help myself!  Hop on into Michael’s to see if they have any left. At 60% off, they won’t last long! Related: Easter Gnomes Out at Walgreens 

My local Publix apparently carried these little cloth and “straw” (rafia) dolls this year, because I received one as a gift. Not quite a gnome, she fits in well with my fall gnome collection, and for only $2.99, her price tag also fits in well with gnome prices!  Gnomes for fall Here she is with her new eclectic fall gnome family, and she can stay there with them until Thanksgiving because I went with a fall theme instead of overtly Halloween.  Cloth dolls and straw dolls, much like corn husk dolls , are so sweet and old-fashioned and lend themselves very well to autumn decor. So head over to Publix and see if any of these sweet cloth dolls are still on the shelves! You might “fall” in love with one! Related: Barbie “You Can Be Anything” Minis Celebrate Fall Día de Los Muertos 2025 Figures at Michaels Halloween 2025: Articles, Poems, Events & More A Very Minecraft Fall

~ Cute seasonal gnomes are taking over for fall & Halloween decorating ~   Gnome for the Fall Festivities A few days ago I wrote about some of the cute new fall and Halloween gnomes showing up at Dollar Tree .  They have had quite the variety on their shelves this season. and each Dollar Tree I have visited has had a different group of gnomes.  I mentioned that I wanted to go back for the little trick-or-treating dog, and I did! But when I got there, they had added this handsome fellow to the assortment.  Of course I got both, so the little dog has a friend. See photo at top.  Which ones do you like best? Let me know in the comments below.  Related: What’s the Spiritual Reality Behind Halloween? Autumn Gnomes on Shelves at Walgreens, Dollar General  Halloween Gnomes & Critters at Dollar Tree Patriotic Gnomes at Walgreens Michael’s: 4th of July & Pumpkins!  Patriotic Gnomes Celebrate July 4 with Groovy Girls Vanessa Summer Gnomes

If you thought nutcrackers were just for Christmas, Michael’s would disagree! The craft store has a small selection of patriotic nutcrackers out on its shelves just in time for Memorial Day .  Dressed in both camo and formal attire, the formal nutcrackers hold the American flag. They only come on one height, two styles and two skin tones.  Also on display are these cute patriotic cloth animals dressed in their red, white and blue stripes.  Michael’s has other patriotic figures for sale, from gnomes to everything else. So if you need the perfect patriotic figure for Memorial Day, Flag Day, July 4, Veterans Day, or our nation’s 250th birthday, you know where to go!  Related: The History of Memorial Day: Sacrifice and Remembrance Faith of Our Fathers: Quotes from America’s Founding Fathers America Indebted (Memorial Day Poem) Patriotic Trivia Fire up the Barbie (doll) for Memorial Day - National Barbie Collecting Examiner