nPostednon September 7, 2015
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nHavenyou ever seen a Raggedy Ann doll? She has red yarn hair and a trianglennose, and on her chest is a heart that says “I love you.”
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nInwould have thought that Raggedy Ann was invented by a toy maker, ornmaybe by a seamstress. Or at least by doting grandmother… Butninstead it was invented by a man – a man who was a writer, ancartoonist, and a father.
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nAccordingnto that writer / cartoonist, Johnny Gruelle, what happened was this:nIn 1914, Gruelle was working at home, facing a deadline. He wasninterrupted by his daughter, Marcella, who had found an old hand-madenrag doll in the family’s attic. Gruelle explained that it must havenbeen one of his mother’s old dolls.
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Thenrag doll had no face, and Marcella said she wished it had one. SonGruelle did a couple of brushstrokes on the doll’s head with rednpaint, quickly dabbing a smile and a nose. He found two shoe buttonsnin his desk drawer and attached them as eyes. Then he came up withnthe idea of painting that heart tattoo on the doll’s chest, under hernclothing. His daughter read the words “I love you” and said,nexcited, “I love her, too!”
Thenrag doll had no face, and Marcella said she wished it had one. SonGruelle did a couple of brushstrokes on the doll’s head with rednpaint, quickly dabbing a smile and a nose. He found two shoe buttonsnin his desk drawer and attached them as eyes. Then he came up withnthe idea of painting that heart tattoo on the doll’s chest, under hernclothing. His daughter read the words “I love you” and said,nexcited, “I love her, too!”n
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nGruellenand his daughter came up with the name “Raggedy Ann” – and soonnMarcella was carrying raggedy Ann around, everywhere she went.nGruelle began to tell her stories about Raggedy Ann. When Marcellancouldn’t settle down to sleep, Gruelle told her that Raggedy Ann wasnwaiting for her to go to sleep so that she could have her ownnadventures. n
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nNow,nI read this account of the invention of the Raggedy Ann doll severalntimes, but I also discovered an article that warned that thisnaccount is partly true but almost certainly partly legend.
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| Raggedy Ann may be the first doll ever marketed with books! |
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nWhatnis known for sure is that, on this date in 1915, Gruelle was awardedna patent for his doll character, and he began to sell hand-made dollsnand, soon, story books about the doll’s adventures. A few yearsnlater, Gruelle introduced the world to Raggedy Ann’s brother, RaggedynAndy!
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nAndnthe cheery rag dolls and their books became a multi-million dollar company!
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Checkn out some of these pictures of Raggedy Ann and her doll friends.n
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nHeren are some printable Raggedy Ann and Andy paper dolls.
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nHeren are some Raggedy Ann and Andy coloring pages, and here are somen other activities featuring the dolls.
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nDid you know…?
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| Some people collect Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls. Some people dress up as Raggedy Ann or Andy for Halloween. And there are even annual rallies for friends of Raggedy Ann and Andy! |
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nAlsonon this date:
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nLabornDay
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nLusakanAgreement Day in Mozambique
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nGeologistnFerdinand Hayden’s birthday
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nBrazil’snIndependence Day
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nPlannahead:
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nChecknout my Pinterest boards for:
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nSeptembern holidays
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nSeptembern birthdays
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nHistoricaln anniversaries in September
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nAndnhere are my Pinterest boards for:
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