It is so good to read messages from all my old rose friends. It is amazing on this forum how you really feel a friendship with people you have never seen. Of course, it was a pleasure when I did get to meet some of you. I really enjoyed going to the rose gatherings. I never made it to California to meet any of that group, but have always wanted to make the trip. Okay, let me see if I can remember what happened to some of these roses. Remember, I was having an anit-rose season last year so I was acting like the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland with her, "Off with their heads" comments and actions. As an excuse for my behavior I was hyper-thyroid on synthroid, I got a bad deal out of the overseas order, then I got a bunch of mislabeled roses from my favorite vender who admited I got roses bought from a second vender and probably were mislabeled but never appeared too concerned. Some of the roses came in a late fall (November) shipment and didn't get established before winter. Then to top all that off, we had a lousy spring and summer for roses. Patricia, I never though about nematodes because the roses all seemed to have different circumstances and roses next door to them did well. I will do some reading to make sure I haven't missed watching for nematodes in a rose with a problem. At least 50% of my loss is likely my fault. I took the approach that I wanted only roses that grew with little care and frankly would have turned the garden back to pasture grass except for DH. How glad I am he sided with the rose garden because the roses that survived my brutal treatment are looking great this spring. Angels Camp Tea --grew to about four feet, but got severe winter damage. Alexander Hill Gray---maybe lack of water and care Alliance Franco Russe ---maybe lack of water and care Antoine Rebe died as a band Arcadia Louisiana---beautiful, but couldn't handle the winter Blumenschmidt---healthy, but had green centers and I needed the space Catherine Mermet----just looked puny compared to neighbors Clementian Carbonieri--moved and probably didn't get water Comtesse Emmeline de Guigne---don't remember--just died young Devoniensis---pampered and died anyway Etoile de Lyon---didn't handle winter Frances Grates Tea---didn't handle winter--blackspot Freiherr Von Marschal --just slow an puny Isabella Sprunt ----too much blackspot La Pactole---pampered and died anyway La Sylphide---I had two one white blooms and one pink--blackspot proned, didn't know real name--just removed them Lady Hillington---a band that just never got more than a foot tall, had winter damage Miss Atwood---loved this rose, got too much winter damage Mme de Sombreuil-- loved this rose, got too much winter damage Mme. De Tartas ---never got started Perle des Jardin---never got started Rosette Delizy ---never got started Safrano --blackspot Second Street Tea ----too much winter dead Souvenir de Victor Hugo ---don't remember Susan Louise --winter died, came back from roots never took off, may have been mislabeled. Thomasville Old Gold---winter damage Tipsy Imperial Cocumbine---moved and died

Here are the top performers in my relatively new rose garden, so far: Pink Cracker M. Tillier Mutabilis John Paul II (on Fortuniana) Mr. Lincoln (on Fortuniana) Europeana (on Fortuniana) Le Pactole Duchess Du Brabant Caldwell's Pink Alister Stella Grey Teasing Georgia (on Fortuniana) I'm sure that this list will change next year, as my Vintage Gardens bands mature. Also, I really don't expect the ones grafted onto Fortuniana to live very long and I will not be purchasing any more grafted roses. Reason: Graft separation/failure, too many of them have died.

So pretty! No, these aren't Dolls of All Lands, they're Duchess Dolls and the box would have read "Dolls of All Nations". Hopefully, whoever wrote the country names on the cardboard are all correct, it looks like they are. They're in wonderful condition, but without the full box lid & bottom, the value does go down some. I just sold Gibson Girl and Cowboy in box on ebay and got $15.00 (plus shipping), but I think I just got lucky. It seems they're not as desirable these last few years. But if it were me, if you do use ebay, start around $10.00. And yes, all from the 50's. If you can, gently pull down at the back of their tops and you might be able to see their mark, I've attached a picture of that, but note, this date is a copyright date and those first ones had painted eyes, the sleepy eyed ones came out in the 50's

Hi Jenn I am new to this board too - hope you get to see this. For the face I would use a cotton bud (I think you guys call them Q tips) and diluted soapy water (dishwashing liquid) and start somewhere away from her face and gently rub in little circles to see if it cleans and does no damage. If it works - move on to the more sensitive areas - little circle movements and a little area at a time. Hope this helps Sorry - i'm in the wrong country and wrong era and wrong material type to be of much help with the style and sock/shoe question. And besides - what would a bloke know about style :) Peter