Creating Beauty

As a child, I was frightened by a humongous Kissy doll. At 3, it was as big as I was and when you pulled it's hands together it made a smacking or a supposed kissing sound. I was sure it would get up and get me......making smacking sounds as it neared my bed.

Now I make dolls.....some are supposed to be scary, but most just reflect how I look at beauty. To me we have a very narrow view of what beauty is and is not. I have cerebral palsy and don't think I'm whining about it I'm not. I'm lucky my case is very mild compared to some people's. But you can pick me out as different, I walk awkwardly, but my arm and leg work correctly.....for someone with a partially paralyzed arm and leg.

I look like someone with CP is supposed to and in my way I'm attractive. I try to reflect alternative beauty in the dolls I create and so in some ways I'm still dealing with fear, but now it's not my own.

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Poor Flocked Ken

Jumping into the way back machine, was how I felt when I ran into old photos of  my old Barbies and my single Ken.

Poor Ken had a rough life at my house. His first bad experience was having  my orally fixated  3 yr old brother David suck all the flock off his head.

My Mom used permanent marker to redo his hair.

Then....Christmas came! I got the sexy Black haired GI Joe... Sailor edition of course.(My Dad was in the Navy and to me he looked like my Dad.)

So Joe became my totally cool dude and Ken was relegated to the red Barbie box of boredom.

When later that Christmas we went to my Aunt's house I  got the new Barbie that came with a set of three wigs and another Joe, but with red brown hair. So there I was with 2 cool new dudes and only one new chick for both of them. In my naïveté, I thought this was a serious problem! I pulled Ken from his dungeon. The blue pencil skirt and the cream twinset looked quite nice on Ken whenhe was  wearing the brunette wig. Problem solved.

As kids do, I always wondered if Ken liked  dressing up over just wearing guy clothes. I hope he liked it... at least he got out of the red box regularly.

I probably never should have watched theToy Story movies. I have old toy angst now.  Poor Ken.







2 comments:

  1. Ha ha. Thats too funny. Your brother David sucked off all his flocked hair. Well its an odd way to get fiber into your diet but I guess that works.

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  2. David did lots of odd things as a toddler. He was terrified of his rocking horse too.....although it's unlikely any one read him the DH Lawrence story the Rocking Horse Winner.

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