Mrs D. Mullins Owns 375 Dolls

Press, Volume C, Issue 29515, 17 May 1961, Page 2

Mrs D. Mullins Owns 375 Dolls

To amuse children who came to her from the Child Welfare Department, Mrs D. Mullins, of New Brighton, began making and dressing dolls. That was 12 years ago and now the hobby has become almost an art and Mrs Mullins has a “family” of 375 dolls.

Her home in Keyes road is a children’s paradise. All the characters from their story books are there in authentic costumes and can be picked up, cuddled and talked to, at any time. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the Pied Piper of Hamlin, a 22-piece Maypole scene with dolls dressed as boys and girls, dolls in costumes fashionable over the last 100 years and dolls dressed in clothes of every nationality, have delighted children from many parts of the South Island. Mrs Mullins will lend her collection to aid school fairs in New Brighton, and last year she gave her first really big show when she filled a hall with dolls and backdrops as part of the West Coast centennial celebrations. Foster Parent Mrs Mullins has been a widow for many years and her own daughter is married with children of her own. In order to give less fortunate children the happiness of home life. Mrs Mullins has taken them to live with her from the ages of three months to 12 years Some of the children stayed only a few weeks, others stayed a year or two and one has lived with her for 12 years. She has had 16 foster children in all. “I am well up on the fairy tales.” Mrs Mullins told "The Press” yesterday. "I had to be. If I made a mistake in telling a story to the children they would correct me at once”

Perhaps some of the characters in the stories seemed real to her after a time and she became intensely interested in creating the features and dresses on all available toys. Many of the dolls have been made entirely by hand, the heads modelled on a mould and the limbs built Up from wire frames, plastered over and painted. An Eastern figure or a gvpsy would have features characteristic of the country Complexions vary from the light oink and white of the English to the swarthy Arabic. “I model all my heads in plasticine first and then place a piece of silk over this.” she said. “I cut the holes for eyes, mouth and nose ■with a razor blade. I leave the silk to harder under a heavy paste and then cut it from side to side carefully pulling away the two halves of the head share.” Mrs Mullins said she would nermanentlv wave the hair of any of her friends if they would let her have the pieces cut off tor makin? hair for the dolls. Man* women have given her haiand she has successful!*' made all sorts of hairdos for them and for the dolls Ever eye-lashes on the dills’ faces are made of this hair Many of the costumes are delicately embroidered and this is another of Mrs Mullins’s specialties. She has always enjoyed doing fine embroidery work on tablecloths and other household appointments. An Indian doll’s sari and baby doll clothes are examples of her talent in this field. Over the years Mrs Mullins has painted a targe number of pictures and has experimented in all form'' of art She likes to sketch while on holiday trios and has done nortraits of children who have staved with her and of family pets. She is a member of the Salvation Army Home League and with other members entertains elderly folk and welfare organisation meetings with humorous sketches. Around the home she does

all her own painting, household repairs and gardening She always has time to entertain many visitors and to support the league in its activities, "More than anything else I like to give people pleasure. If I am doing a sketch I love to see people enjoying the nonsense and with these dolls, I love children to share my hobby,” she said.