What Is It About Red Heads?

I recently read a Maclean's Magazine article about how some cultures and societies have an aversion to red headed people. Throughout history, people with red hair have been viewed with contempt, scorn and even fear. Today there are still small pockets of maladjusted people in the world who have personal agendas to make life miserable for those with red hair.

This article baffled me.

I certainly have nothing against red heads. Quite the opposite in fact.
My gorgeous sister is a gorgeous red head and I too would be a gorgeous red head if it looked gorgeous on me.... but I've tried it... and it does not.


really not.

But Ava Grace has a thing especially for loving red heads. Actually she also has a thing for her Auntie and is always showering her with compliments about her beauty and how her hair is long like a princess I have also tried to grow long hair like my sister... 

It also does not work.

Whether the initial inspiration came from her Auntie or not, it's pretty safe to say red heads are the beauty ideal for every character that comes into our home.

It all started with a little French girl named Madeline who lives in an old house in Paris all covered with vines....

Ava and Madeline Christmas 2009

 

I found a gorgeous rag doll of this sweet little character along with half a dozen gorgeous little outfits all at a community garage sale for 25.00, brought it home, "googled" it and found out the lot was worth about ten times that amount.
Yipes!
Alas, I had already ripped off the tags and my little 3 year old was having a great time dragging her around everywhere,  including to the beaches of Hawaii.

Then came Strawberry Shortcake... a doll she doesn't own but a character she likes so much that we have made MANY MANY paper dolls in her likeness and shortlisted her for next Christmas or birthday, if I can find a nice enough version to spend money on.

Then of course there was Raggedy Anne whom we rescued in an abused and neglected state from the Salvation Army, and whom occupies the most honored place in Ava's bed between the mattress and the wall, since she was installed there roughly 5 months ago. We've since collected a couple of story books about the lovable dolly which Ava Grace loves and she was so proud the day she took "Raggedy" (as she calls her for short) to preschool to present for show and tell.

Ava and Raggedy wearing one of Ava's old dresses.

 

"Jesse the Yodeling Cowgirl" has taken our family completely by storm and I must say I like Jesse too. She's spunky, smart and helpful in the saving of "critters" and those in need. In some ways her over enthusiastic conversation skills remind me of myself, so perhaps I'm leniant and biased (some of us are just excited about life). Ava's heart belongs to Jesse almost completely and the dolly she received from her other Auntie is the one she tells all her secrets too and whom has her own peg to store her cowboy hat on at bedtime.

Taking Jesse on a road trip adventure

 

Lastly there is princess Ariel, of whom this mother is less fond. When Ava Grace first saw
"The Little Mermaid ", Kevin's reaction was priceless; "Of all the princesses, of course her favorite has to be one who disobeys her father and doesn't wear clothes."
hmm....He has a point,
But in Ava's innocent world, she is simply a magical mermaid to be imitated in the bathtub, ( you know that little scale song she sings in the movie... oh ya, that never get's old) and of course she's a red head so that's really all the criteria needed.

Santa delivered the long awaited Princess Ariel.

and then...

Today we walked into the Salvation Army (looking for something else entirely, I swear) and she beelines to a cloth red headed doll that I instantly recognized; Anne of Green Gables.
Something about it actually choked me up, and then I almost squealed when on closer inspection her tag read 6.00, she was in mint condition and still had her complete outfit (the greenish-grey wincy dress and carpet bag!!!!)
Ava was in love and so was mommy so of course we brought the poor orphan home.
 

Upon reaching home, Ava needed to inaugurate the newest "carrot top" with a photo shoot ( which needed to include all her ginger dollies). I found in Anne's carpet bag a tag of authenticity stating that she was hand crafted IN AVONLEA and that her costume was designed by award winner, Martha Mann who designed the costumes for the Anne of Green Gables movies.
Along with this was her original sales tag from an upscale doll collector shop in Edmonton with her serial number and original sale price of 44.95!

But of course Ava cares only for the fact that she's lovely to hold and play with, has a jaunty straw hat and she is (as Anne Shirley herself would say) a shade of "Auburn" that Ava can't seem to resist.

 I say welcome to the family Anne!