Thursday, July 24, 2014

Throw back Thursday brings you...HOLLY HOBBIE :)

Today for throw back Thursday, I bring you Holly Hobbie!  As a young girl I came to love Holly Hobbie!  I have always been intrigued by her innocence and her calming nature.  I owned a few signature Holly Hobbie pieces as a child including, The Holly Hobbie Rag Doll.


The Holly Hobbie Record Player


I had  holly Hobbie bedding


A T.V. tray


and My Most favorite prized possession My Holly Hobbie Lunch pail!!


Who was Holly Hobbie?  Holly Hobbie was born (Denise Holly Ulinskas) in 1944.  She is an American writer and Illustrator, and the name of a fictional character based on this person. She grew up on a farm in rural Connecticut.  In 1964 she married her high school sweetheart and writer Douglas Hobbie.  They made their home in Massachusetts.  Holly used her children, Brett, Jocelyn, and Nathaniel from which to draw inspiration.  
 In the late 1960's, Hobbie sold her distinctive artwork of a rag dress wearing girl with a giant bonnet to American Greetings.  This series of Illustrations became popular, and her originally nameless character became known as "Hollie Hobbie".  In 1974 (the year I was born) Knickerbocker toys licensed the Holly Hobbie character for a line of rag dolls.  This was a popular toy for young American girls for several years. 

 In creating the character which bears her name, Holly Hobbie has captured in great detail the serenity and innocence of a world long ago.  Her designs possess the quiet pleasures of a simpler, gentler way of life.  Hollie Hobbie states, "While I was not deliberately, trying to denote a specific time or person, my style and subjects bring back memories of a more tranquil and charming time period".  "for younger people, they seem to evoke 'the good old days' captured in books or on film...a time beyond memory."

 Holly Hobbie products are now once again being marketed by American Greetings in association with Carlton Cards.

Thank you Holly Hobbie for the memories...Have a peaceful day!!


40 comments:

  1. I can't say that I grew up having anything that was Holly Hobbie, but I have heard of the name!

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  2. Sad to say but I was actually named after Holly Hobbie. The year I was born the IT toy for Christmas was Holly Hobbie and her friend Heather. Thanks to my sister, Heather, she had a little say in naming me.

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  3. I remember her being huge when we were kids.. all the girls had to have something or everything from her.

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  4. I had a pillow with Holly Hobbie embroidered on it. I think I might have had that lunch pail too.

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  5. I remember Holly Hobbie! I didn't have anything with her on it but she is a memory from childhood for sure.

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  6. I don't remember Holly Hobbie but this was a neat post to remember something from when you were a kid. Great idea for a post! :)

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  7. What a cute little doll. I remember having one when I was young.

    Michelle F.

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  8. OMG Holly Hobby!!! Now there is a blast from the past. I had everything. Lunchbox, doll and pajamas. I loved my holly Hobby stuff.

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  9. While the Holly Hobbie images are familiar, it was not a big deal in Jamaica where I grew up.

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  10. What a cute little doll. I had never heard of Holly Hobbie before.

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  11. I had a Holly Hobbie oven as a girl. I loved that thing!

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  12. I had that doll and lunch box. I think the doll is still around in the girls' room now!

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  13. Awwww I think my Mom would love this! So classic :)

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  14. OMG my sister and I had that very same lunch box. What a different time that was.

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  15. I've never heard of Hollie Hobbie- I'd probably have to ask my Mom about it! Good memories for you though.

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  16. I have never heard of Holly Hobbie, but I think that my mom had one of those items in her old room at my grandparents..or at least something similar!

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  17. This must have been before my time. I was part of the Lisa Frank generation....lol. I can see what this would have been popular however. Its always fun to take a walk down memory lane.

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  18. Oh wow, Hollie Hobbie was around when I grew up. I'm not sure I had anything with her on it but I know friends did.

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  19. Wow you really did take me back. I remember Holly Hobbie, she was big when I was young myself.

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  20. You are really throwing it back here! This brings me back to my own childhood- late 80's/ early 90's filled with Littlest Pet Shop and My Little Pony :)

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  21. I never had any Holly Hobbie stuff, but I can see why she was so popular.

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  22. I feel like I must have blocked out part of my childhood, because everyone else knows who Holly Hobbie is except me.

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  23. I have to say you did a great job of bringing me back to my childhood. What a great post. Thanks

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  24. It's nice to know the origins of Hollie Hobby. I see her character a lot on American greetings.

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  25. I never had one??? Or I think seen one until now, but the name is familiar

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  26. This post takes me way back. I had that tray. I've got to pin Holly. :)

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  27. very cute! reminds of a lace store here inside the mall near us!

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  28. I've never heard of Holly Hobbie before, though she looks very cute!

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  29. I never knew that she was called a Holly Hobby.. my aunt used to have postcards and posters of this with nice quotes but I never knew her name.

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  30. Absolutely precious. We love that kind of decor for our bedrooms.

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  31. I don't remember much of Holly Hobby growing up. I have heard of her but that was about it. Thank you for sharing.

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  32. Holly hobby was not my era, but I do remember seeing stuff in my Grandma's house. Cute anyway! Fun post!

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  33. OMG My aunt totally had something like this. I used to play with it at my grandmas. So cute

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  34. While I didnt grow up with Holly hobby, the images look familiar. Nice to know a little history behind the name and hear they products are still being made for Holly Hobby.

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  35. Whoa I can't believe that the character/toy has been in the world for so long and this is my first time learning about it. The rag doll looks so cute!

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  36. I have heard of this name before from my mom. I believe she had some items like these when she was little.

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  37. Oh my gosh, that record player is so cute!!! I've never heard of that character though...

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  38. These are so cute! My grandmother used to collect this line!

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  39. I know the name of this, but didn't really know much about her or the doll. Nice to have a flashback

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  40. My Sister and I grew up with Holly Hobbie, too... so we had two of just about everything! From the TV tray to bedding, dolls, cards, lunch boxes, figurines, and well everything (if only we'd have had the internet then!) we could find! We loved Holly Hobbie!!! Still do! She will always be so meaningful to my sister and me! Thank you for sharing! God bless, Net

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