A Simple Life, Helen Pringle and Doll Making

A few months ago, I received an email from Helen Pringle, commenting about a doll she made in 1988 that I own and had shown on my blog. The doll is Mary Mason-Dixon, shown below. To see more pictures of Mary Mason-Dixon, you can click here. Helen gave me the back story on the creation of this doll, and then mentioned that she is writing for the magazine A Simple Life.

 1988 Helen Pringle Doll

I first heard about Helen Pringle dolls through the Vintage Cloth Dollmaking Yahoo group. but have since seen many discussions about Helen Pringle dolls in other groups as well.  Helen Pringle dolls captured a sense of the early cloth dolls I love and admire so much.  Helen retired from her business of doll making a while ago, but not from study of early things and other creative endeavors.  Jill Peterson, the publisher of A Simple Life, says this of Helen, 

"Helen is so much more than a writer for A Simple Life!! She never wants any credit for anything, but honestly, the magazine would not  work without Helen!!  She is a contributing editor, Editor, my right arm, my antiques expert, my daily dose of laughter .... I could go on an on.  She works COUNTLESS hours for the magazine - and there would not be a magazine, if not for her."

An article by Helen Pringle on early dolls will be featured in the next issue of A Simple Life, along with a story by Christine Crocker entitled, "Song of the Dollmaker."  This will be of interest to people who enjoy making antique inspired dolls.  When I saw that Christine Crocker was also writing for the magazine, it inspired me to order a subscription.  The mission statement of A Simple Life is:

"When your magazine arrives in the mail,

it will be like getting a letter from an old friend."   

I don't know about you, but the winters in Maine are long, and a letter from an old friend is always heartwarming.     Check out the contents of the winter letter below.