Hi Doll Lovers,

Boy this spring has sure been busy!  What with the gardening and the spring shows…not to mention the budding rummage sales!

I have added a couple new posts under  my categories “porcelain dolls” and “shows and events” which you might want to check out.

For this post, however, I want to report on our visit to the beautiful Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania for the annual Maggie Iacona luncheon.   What a confluence of delightful experiences!

Three of my fellow doll club members and I made the 3-4 hour ride to Kennett Square, PA to join Maggie Iacona her family and over 70 friends for Maggie’s 2012 “Too Many Hats” luncheon.   Maggie showcased some of her beautiful hand sculpted and felt finished dolls.  A wonderfully prepared lunch was enjoyed by all,  including noted doll artists Alice Leverett and Robert Tonner!  Emily Iacona showed her original  documentary on Maggie’s work and premiered her stop action short about Alisa and her ‘Too Many Hats!’

We made some new friends, and I even won a hand crafted dress by Maggie herself!

After lunch we toured some of the Longwood Gardens, part of the original DuPont estate off US Route 1.  The weather was perfect and the hot house plants were in full bloom.  It was too much to do in one day, so we will probably go back next year!

Maggie Iacona is shown here holding Alisa, the 11 inch “Maggie Made” souvenir doll, along with 3 new friends (left) Janice Palumbo from Northport, L.I. (right with hat) Heather Sterckx from Oley, PA and Karen Scola, from Centereach, L.I.

My 3 “old friends” (l) Diane Mues, Gladys VanWagner both from Sundown and Karen Bartoletti, Olivebridge, New York.

The Fountain Garden at the magnificent Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA