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"Art, Like Cookies for the Soul" |
Tea in the Rose Garden
art by Nancy Lee Moran
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Only for happiness, repainted dolls . . . a new kind of "canvas"
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Where to find Nancy Lee's dolls: 402.274.3040 phone or nancylee@nancyleemoran.com
A Visitor Comes to Tea
Photographs are copyrighted by Jennifer, shared here with Jen's kind permission.
~ Story written by Jennifer of England in May 2009 ~
Graphic design, editing and website coding by Nancy Lee Moran of USA
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A Phone Call
The children's Guardian has just had a rather annoying telephone call from Lady Polkinghorne.
"My dear," the lady had boomed. "Are you aware that those children of yours are running round like wild things. My gamekeeper was keeping an eye on them in the woods, and says your little one climbed high up a tree and nearly fell."
"Nearly? I'm sure she was just fine. Demelza would never let Chloe do anything dangerous."
"Julia! Don't come weeping to me if one of them falls into a mineshaft or over a cliff. You know I lost poor Princess Pugkins down a hole near Ding Dong mine."
"Really? How sad! But the children are quite sensible."
"Listen! I have a suggestion, Julia, my dear. I know how wrapped up in your writing you are. You need help. And I know someone who will be perfect for you. My granddaughter Lauren is going to college in the autumn and needs to earn some money. She can come and look after your girls during the long summer holiday."
"Oh, I don't know . . ."
"Lauren is the answer to a prayer. She can drive, has her own little car. And it will keep her from hanging around with a most unsuitable boy."
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Tea Time
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Tea Party
1996 art by Nancy Lee Moran |
Soon it's Sunday . . . a beautiful day.
The girls have been playing in the garden and are going to have tea on a rug under the apple trees. Tea is all spread out, but they must wait for a visitor. Chloe keeps eyeing the iced cupcakes impatiently.
"Someone's coming, who is it?"
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"Who is she?" Chloe echoes as the figure of a girl descends the steps to the grass.
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Wow!
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"Hello, I'm Lauren, Lauren Hayes."
"Of course you are. You are head girl at our school," Esme exclaims, awestruck.
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"And pretty snooty with it too," Demelza mutters behind Lauren's back.
"I'm Chloe," says Chloe importantly.
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"Yes, I think I have noticed you girls in the lower school. Of course I have finished at Blewetts Academy now. I'm just coming in to sit my A levels and then I'm free. So Granny has suggested that I come and look after you all when you break up for the summer."
"WHAAAT? We don't need a nursemaid!" splutters Demelza.
"That's not what I've heard."
"Shall I pour now?" Ashley intervenes.
"Gardy is not your Granny, is she?" asks Esme somewhat bemused by all this but rather thrilled by developments. She has admired Lauren from afar for some time.
"No, sweetie, of course not. Lady Polkinghorne is my Grandmother. Weren't you misbehaving in her woods the other day? Oh tea, thank you, Ashley isn't it?"
"Please help yourself to a sandwich." Ashley at least recollects her manners.
The others heed the cue to attack the plates with gusto. Tea is less of an awkward affair now their mouths are full. Lauren is very gracious and praises the chocolate brownies.
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A note for the reader:
Blewetts Academy is a school founded by mine owner George Blewett in the nineteenth century in a rather grand house he bought for the purpose in Penzance. It is a fee-paying school, but George Blewett's wife was a Selby so Julia pays reduced fees for her charges. In fact Esme has won a full scholarship. |
"Oh, er, thanks!"
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A While Later . . .
"It's a nightmare, Kels. One of them is only that cheeky brat, Demelza Freeman."
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"Oh I know her. I had to give her a detention the other day for going into the orchard unsupervised."
"Harsh, but fair."
"For heaven's sake, why do it? Say no. Come and work at the Queen's Hotel with me."
"I can't, Kels. It's Granny. She's offered to pay my college fees and an allowance. If she says jump, I'm six feet in the air."
"Right. Poor you! Oh, I'm so tired of revision, all the wretched exams, aren't you?"
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Would you like to follow the girls on the next adventure, one without Lauren?
About these dolls and Story Notes . . .
Three of the dolls are Seasons (16-inch (40 cm) vinyl dolls by Kish and Company in 2003). One doll is Lark Creamsicle (14" Kish doll produced in 2008), who has a new wig.
I love Jennifer's enchanting stories and photographs, which open a window onto the beauty of the land and bring life to these dolls.
Jennifer once told me that my repainted Kish dolls inspired her stories, and that I encouraged her to create these stories by offering to design website pages for them. If so, I could not be more pleased. Jennifer and I love literature and stories and dolls, which bring joy to our lives. Hopefully the stories will add joy to your life, too!
Nancy Lee Moran's POLICY TO SHOW RESPECT FOR HELEN KISH & other doll creators is as follows:
The dolls I use were factory painted. I would never repaint a doll that the artist (Helen Kish) had painted herself, such as some of those in the Kish Signature Line. I would not paint one in a limited edition of fewer than 300 (preferably 500 or more). I consult the beautiful book I own:
Helen Kish: The Artist and Her Dolls by Louise Fecher (hardcover published in 2006). I am NOT affiliated with any doll company, creator or manufacturer.
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Please send your questions and requests to Nancy at nancylee@nancyleemoran.com
or by phone: 402-274-3040 Central Time
All rights reserved. All art and photos on the site are protected by copyright © law.
Each may only be reproduced with written permission of the artist. Site page design copyrighted © by Nancy Lee Moran.
Thank you for visiting Nancy Lee Moran's website!
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