Young At Heart Doll Lover: Connie Lillie

N2O4Dolls:   Tell us a bit about yourself.

Connie:  I am the 11th of twelve children and grew up in the home built by my Grandfather on a farm in Bolivar, Missouri.  My husband Marv and I have been married 69 years. We have been collecting dolls since the early 1970’s. We have found the dolls at antique stores and auctions. Some have been given to me.

N2O4Dolls: What kind of dolls do you love and/or collect?

Connie:  I collect antique china head and Bisque dolls. I have about 140 dolls.

N2O4Dolls:  What got you started on doll collecting?

Connie:  A special Christmas memory of getting that first doll and how very, very excited I was to get that beautiful doll.

N2O4Dolls:   Do you have special place to keep your dolls?

Connie:  I have so many dolls but keep them in China cupboarCods and hallway closets.

N2O4Dolls:   Which is your favorite doll and why?

Connie:  It is an 1880’s large black headed china doll in it’s original clothes that I received from a neighbor lady in her 90’s at the time. It was her special childhood doll.

N2O4Dolls:  Share a special childhood memory involving dolls.

Connie:  My mom got up at 4 AM on Christmas morning to bake sugar cookies. I got up when I heard her in the kitchen and saw a fresh baked platter of cookies on the counter. After breakfast we opened our gifts and I will never forget that year I got my first China head doll. I was 6 years old.

(N2O4Dolls:  LOVE IT!!)

N2O4Dolls:   Tell us about a doll you would love to come live at your house.

Connie:  I wish I could replace a bisque doll I also received as a child that I placed by an open window in my bedroom when growing up. One night it rained and the doll was ruined. I never forgot what happened . I have looked for it but have never found that same doll.

N2O4Dolls:  Has your love of dolls inspired you to be creative?

Connie:  I love to create dresses for my dolls and have made doll clothes for some of them. I decorated a Christmas tree with miniature china dolls at our local museum’s Christmas on the Prairie Open House. I was also asked to display a part of my collection at the museum. Some of my dolls and antique doll furniture were seen at a Victorian Tea event.

N2O4Dolls:  Do you have anything else you'd like to share or say to our readers?

Connie:  Dolls are my passion. I believe that it is important to collect something you enjoy and that has special meaning to you. Everyone can and should collect something.  It is a way for family and friends to remember you.