In the late 60's an artist/writer named Denise Holly Ulinskas Hobbie
submitted a few of her illustrations to the American Greetings Corporation.
A.G. liked her pictures of a little girl in a patchwork dress and bonnet,
and decided to put "Blue Girl" on a line of greeting cards.
And with that, the sweet and spunky character we now know as "Holly Hobbie" was born.
Then the world went crazy for Holly!
She was made into dolls, games, bedding, dishes and calendars
and just about everything you can imagine.
I have several Holly Hobbie paperdoll cards which show a bit of her
evolution towards the modern day Holly she is now.
She was redesigned in 2006 to appeal to a whole new generation of little girls,
and now wears blue jeans and t-shirts.
(I must admit that I like the old Holly best.)
and now wears blue jeans and t-shirts.
(I must admit that I like the old Holly best.)
(American Greeting/Forget Me Not 1969)
(American Greetings 1972)
(American Greetings/Laurel 1974)
(American Greetings /Forget Me Not 1976)
(American Greetings 1977)
(American Greetings 1978)
(American Greetings/ Forget Me Not 1979)
(American Greetings/Forget Me Not 1983)
(American Greetings/ Forget Me Not 1987)
Did you (or your kids) have a Holly Hobbie doll?
My daughter had a Holly Hobby doll and I found a ceiling light cover recently that she hung in my g'daughters room.
ReplyDeleteSo she wears jeans now. I wonder how sells are going with the newer version.
I love it when favorites from one generation can be passed down for a new generation to love. :-)
DeleteI never had a Holly Hobby but always wanted one!
ReplyDeleteI didn't have a doll. But I had lots of stationery with "blue girl" on it. Always loved the illustrations.
DeleteOur daughter was an avid Holly Hobbie fan. And when Holly's friend Heather arrived on the scene our daughter's loyalty shifted to Heather because our daughter's name was also Heather. :-) Your cards from about 76 on through 79 bring back a LOT of memories! Thanks so much, Gayle, for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI would have wanted the doll with my name, too! :-)
DeleteI was in college when Holly Hobbie was popular and I remember doing several embroidered projects with the cute little girl.
ReplyDeleteDo you still have any of them?
DeleteThese are adorable and I love them. My kids would have played with them....except for the face that I had four SONS! heehee! We played with legos! lol Sweet hugs!
ReplyDeleteYes, HH was a girl thing. We loved playing with legos, too. (So did my son.)
DeleteI agree with you...I like the original Holly Hobbie better. My mom embroidered a pillow top with her on it. I must look for it...I know it is packed away someplace.
ReplyDeleteI hope you find it!
DeleteSão lindas!
ReplyDeleteNo brasil não temo Holly Baby
mas outros tipos de vestidinhos
adorei
http://zizisantos.blogspot.com.br/
Recordo jogando com alguns paperdolls Dinamarquês quando eu era uma criança no Brasil. Seria bom ver alguns paperdolls Brasileiros.
DeleteI loved my Holly Hobby cloth doll. I even had Holly Hobby bedsheets and a night gown. Love the trip down memory lane. Your sweet paper doll collection makes me so happy.
ReplyDeleteBedtime would have been fun with HH sheets and night gown! :-)
DeleteOh how lucky you are to have so many Holly Hobby things. I loved Holly so much - and so did our oldest daughter. When she turned 8 I made her a Holly Hobby birthday - the cake was a sunbonnet - and each little guest got a hand made sunbonnet - they all looked so cute in their bonnets. It was a grand party.
ReplyDeleteMy grandson Ben (his mom is the Holly Hobby birthday girl) loved HH on the computer when he was 4 - he loved to make up the rooms and all the decorating - and all the outfits - then he would want to print it out and take it home - we had such fun. I like the old Holly Hobby best.
That sounds like a really wonderful birthday party! And I really do think the computer HH does appeal to the kids of today.
DeleteI loved Holly Hobbie and the best gift I ever received was the Holly Hobbie oven! I was like Ralphie wanting the Red Ryder BB gun. In the end my brother ate all the cake mixes and I only ever made 2 cakes. My mom then bought regular cake mixes and made cakes and gave me enough batter to make my own cakes in the HH oven.
ReplyDeleteMoms always save the day!
DeleteI still have a Holly Hobbie mug with my name on it!
ReplyDeleteYou kept it! :-)
DeleteDear Gayle,
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful trip down memory lane. These pictures are so sweet. Loved learning about Holly Hobbie's start and reminiscing over each picture. I remember buying my mother an extra large mother's day card with Holly on the cover which she always saved.
Oh yes, old is best!
Have a lovely weekend, Ruthie from Lady B's Time for Tea
http://www.ladybstimefortea.blogspot.com
So sweet that your mom kept it all these years. :-)
DeleteI never had a doll, but I did have the Colorforms.
ReplyDeleteI remember Colorforms! Those came along after the felt craze. (you are too young to remember the felt pieces)
DeleteAhhh I so enjoyed seeing those there wonderful love all the styles and colours of her dress. They would look lovely framed up. I dont have a doll but I do have coaster set with her on and a little wall plack. Dee x
ReplyDeleteThey would look sweet in a frame, on the wall of a little girls room.
DeleteThese are all so sweet!! I have a Holly Hobby vase from my childhood, but that is about it. Love all the different outfits she wears! xo Heather
ReplyDeleteI love the soft color palette and the simpler time she represents.
DeleteI decorated my daughter's room in Holly Hobby wallpaper. She had a Holly Hobby dress, doll and playhouse. Yes, our house was full of Holly Hobby!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds very cute! I bet she LOVED her room!
DeleteI didn’t, but I wish I had the early outfits are adorable. I can see the new Holly Hobby appealing to today’s youngsters but like you I prefer the originals. How lovely that some are still complete, if they had been sent to me (as a child) I would have got the scissors out instantly.
ReplyDeleteYes, I was very lucky to find these uncut. I did cut out ALL the paperdolls I received as a child.
DeleteQuite the collection you have! I loved playing with paper dolls when I was young, my daughter did too!
ReplyDeleteWell you know me, I love paperdolls of all sorts.
DeleteI don't remember having anything to do with Holly Hobbie. I do like your cards with the paper dolls. I had a different paper doll set with two sisters (their names escape me) who were opposite in character. One had messy clothes and the other was neat and perfect. There were stories to match the outfits.
ReplyDeleteOh, I wish I knew which dolls those were. If I see any that match that description in my paper doll searches, I will contact you.
DeleteHi, forgot to include my email with my comment.
ReplyDeletevalspierssews@gmail.com
My goodness, I LOVED Holly Hobby as a kid! I had a Holly Hobby lunch box, bed shirts and bed spread, and a doll! It was so fun to look at these paper dolls. Brought back a lot of memories. :)
ReplyDeleteGood memories!
DeleteI loved Holly Hobbie as child! I did not have a doll but I had some dishes and other things. I like the old Holly better also.
ReplyDeleteI think we all prefer the one that is more familiar to us.
DeleteHolly was sure popular! My mom made several decoupage plaques using Holly Hobbie images from wrapping paper. I have a couple of them.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, Holly Hobbie and decoupage were popular at the same time! :-)
DeleteWhat an amazing collection! So lovely to have so many and still uncut. My daughter (b.1978) had some Holly Hobby stuff, some of which she has kept, her favourite being a cup and plate set. Gill x
ReplyDeleteGill, you know how people are. They purchase cards thinking they will send them for a special occasion, and then they get busy and forget. So the cards sat around for a long time, safely tucked into a desk drawer. Very cool that your daughter still has her Holly Hobbie cup and plate!
DeleteI love Holly Hobbie! I recently got a really cute decorative plate at Goodwill with Holly Hobbie on it. :-)
ReplyDeleteNice to know that went to a good home! :-)
DeleteI love Holly Hobbie. How fun to see these.
ReplyDelete