Sometimes our dolls take us on an adventure. That’s what happened this week as I was ‘playing’ with Anika, our Dutch miss. Through the power of the internet, she first took me to the gorgeous tulip fields of Holland. This involved a bit of time travel too, as they are not in bloom at the moment! And, then, she took me even farther back in time to the abundance of quirky Dutch-themed valentines of the 1920’s and 30’s. There is wordplay with sentimental phrases using tulips/two lips and things like “Wooden shoe be my valentine?” They’re quite charming and signify an interest in Dutch culture at that time. Then, I stumbled upon the Boston library’s collection of digital postcards which showed the vibrant Dutch immigrant community in none other than Holland, Michigan. I’ve placed Anika in some of these scenes along with beautiful pictures of tulip fields. Who knew a tiny doll had the magic to transport me to all of these places?!

If you would like to make your own Dutch miss, you will find the pattern in It's a Small World, along with patterns for over 20 colorful internationally inspired doll designs.