Raggedy Ann and Andy

When I was a little girl, one of my favorite dolls was my Raggedy Ann and her brother Andy. I remember Mama saying that every little girl should have a pair of these happy little rag dolls. They had a special place on my bed pillows where they would sit and wait for me to come and talk to them. I didn't really 'play' with them, but I loved to talk to them and tell them all about my day. I just knew they understood me because they had hearts. All true Raggedy Ann's and Andy's have hearts stamped or sewn on their chests. Some even have candy hearts sewn in them. They would also sit with my friend and myself, on my canopy bed, while we played paper dolls. When I got in trouble, or was sad, they were always there to help make me feel better. Their soft rag bodies and happy little faces made the perfect cuddle companions and always lifted my spirits. After I got older I thought that I had gotten too old for them, so they were packed away with some of my other dolls. Years passed and then I had a little girl of my own. One of the first dolls I got her was a set of Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls. She loved them and almost wore them out playing and cuddling them. I even got my son a Raggedy Andy doll when he was very small. As with myself they soon outgrew their Raggedy dolls, and they were packed away too. Now, many years later I have come across the box holding our Raggedy dolls! What a wonderful find! Seeing my dolls, now with no clothes on, don't know what happened to them, brought back so many warm and happy memories. My son's little Andy was in there and the first tiny Raggedy Ann I made my first granddaughter was there along with a pair I had made several years ago for the spare bedroom. The one pair that wasn't in there was my daughters, not sure what happened to them. The creator of these wonderful dolls was Johnny Gruelle, he was an illustrator of children's books. Here is a good link to go to that gives the history of these dolls,   http://www.raggedy-ann.com/patty.html.

Here is my little crew of Raggedy Ann and Andy's

The little Ann sitting on the chair is the one I made my granddaughter and the other one is a prayer Raggedy Ann she got at a christian camp.

This picture was painted by my Aunt Bonney for my daughter after she was born. She was a published artist at the time.

Two of the little books that my children and grandchildren loved to have read to them. We had a couple of really nice hardback story books too, but haven't been able to locate them. 

Hope you will go to the link I provided and find out more about the story of these wonderful little dolls.

Blessings to All,

Jan