Send in the clowns.......

I don't usually like clowns but I found one in the thrift store today and just had to rescue it, poor thing.  First of all, it's a happy clown, not one of those sad-faced clowns that make you wonder what's really going on behind that upside-down grin.

This particular clown-doll caught my eye because I knew it was old..... hand painted porcelain face, porcelain arms and legs, and a tightly stuffed body, not a doll that you can bend into a sitting position.  He was wearing a Halloween costume, which is why I noticed him at all.  Even though I keep saying I don't need one more Halloween decoration in this house, that silly little 14-inch clown was just calling out my name.

His black and orange outfit had been hand sewn, along with a cute little lace ruffle around his neck. Pom-poms down the front of his clown suit, and curly red-orange hair.... very happy, smiling with his red clown mouth and his blue eyes.  I think he was missing a hat, and his hair was coming unglued, but underneath his wig was a 'Made in Japan' label.  Bingo.  I knew he was old.  And for just three dollars, he came home with me.

I had good intentions on the ride home.... I figured I could sell him in the antique shop, being that I found him just in time for Halloween.  But of course, when you get these treasures home, sometimes you just can't part with them.  I dusted off his clothes, cleaned up the porcelain..... and then..... decided to fancy him up a little bit.

Out came the craft box..... and wonder of wonders, I had orange pom-poms in there....... he's now sporting those on the cuffs of his shirt and pants.  I re-glued the front of his hair so it would stay put, and then decided he needed a hat....... a large black button on top of his curly hair made him look like he was wearing a beret....  a French clown?  On top of the black button, I glued an orange pom-pom.............. he instantly turned into a French clown with panache. Magnifique!

My three dollar clown is now in the dining room, looking very Halloween-ish, very happily pom-pommed, and he's introducing himself to the witches and black cats in there.  My name is Pierre.... I was kidnapped and attacked with a glue gun....

As for my rule about one thing in, one thing out...... being that I kept the clown, I went through my Halloween stuff and took out all the feathered Mardi Gras masks that I'd saved through the  years.  The masks are already marked for the shop.......... one clown in, seven masks out. 

I hope that doesn't mean I'm going to find six more clowns.... I'm all out of orange pom-poms.