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This blog has been retired. I won't respond to any inquiries but have retained it in case it is still of interest to anyone passing by.

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Disney's Cinderella




Like many little girls throughout the ages I dreamt of growing up to become a princess.  (Nowadays I aspire instead to a quiet life with a veggie patch, a rose garden and maybe a bee hive).

Perhaps the most accessible princesses during my childhood were the Disney versions.  I loved all the classics of the time, but Cinderella possibly had a slight edge when it came to my affection.




I think the appeal of Cinderella is the 'against all odds' aspect of the story.  She endures great personal tragedy, reduced circumstances and overt cruelty - and then just when life seems at its bleakest - fate (and a fairy godmother) step in and whisk her away to a new life of happiness and promise.







When we went to Disneyland (Paris) I chose a small figurine of Cinderella as my memento of our holiday.  

 I can't seem to photograph her successfully but she stands on my dressing table with all my other little treasures.....







.... . And then last Christmas I bought a 'vintage'ornament for the tree.  It was a bit of an impulse buy but I couldn't resist it and she looked really pretty amongst the other decorations.. 

The most bizarre thing has just happened.  I was busy adding these pictures to my blog when I saw a Google notification. It told me 'an awesome photo has been added' and someone else has included this effect of the tree sparkling - how strange is that! 




My Mom owned these two identical little books of Cinderella and she loved them.  The books are really small - like the little pocket dictionaries I used before we were able to look things up online.  As a child I could never really see their appeal.  They were not big or colourful enough for me, but I treasure them today because they meant so much to her.






Something that has always intrigued me is that Disney brought out two versions of Cinderella.  I've always found both quite magical.  Does anyone know if the alternate version was ever made into a movie?  If it was I've never come across it.

There is a well known paper doll book based on these illustrations - I've never owned a copy but have seen it advertised for sale and have often been tempted.  




When I was eight years old (don't laugh I know I was that age exactly!) one of the big South African supermarket chains gave out a page of card when you shopped there (it must have been some sort of promotional offer) that had a game on it - I think it was a bit like snakes and ladders.  It was similar to the sort of thing that appeared on the back of cereal boxes.  The illustrations all centred around Cinderella wearing the ball gown from this version of the story.  I would love to be able to see this game again but doubt any are still in existence.  I do own a book with the full story and all the illustrations - I've scanned my favourites from it and have included them here:













I've always thought this paper doll book a particularly lovely one.  It first appeared 4 or 5 years ago and looks like it is from somewhere like Russia.   The dolls and dresses are gorgeous.  I'm not going to repeat them all here but will instead give two blog links where you can see the complete set (including other Disney princesses as well)

One can be found here at Paper Doll Collections and I also spotted them on the blog belonging to Miss Missy  (a fellow OPDAG member).





Of all the blog posts I've ever done the one that still continues to be visited the most (at least 50 times every day) is my compilation of Disney love songs.  I shouldn't be encouraging more traffic to it but the link to that post can be found here.  I wanted to put the same version of the song at the end of this post to finish but can't get it to list in the YouTube search so have included another one instead.  

   
                                    


                                          

9 comments:

Barbara said...

Hello Sharon, I’m simply drooling over this post! I so want to add to my very small paper doll collection and always look for them at flea & antique markets, but they just aren’t around. I know there are some on eBay but the ones I want are always very expensive. I dream of buying a box of books and finding paper dolls inside. It hasn’t happened yet, but I keep hoping.
The twinkly lights on your Christmas tree are really pretty, how amazing to think that someone else added them. I couldn’t help noticing your wedding ‘photo on the dressing table; you look radiant.
Thank you for sharing so many pretty things. Enjoy the rest of the weekend. xx

DMS said...

What an absolutely beautiful post! All of the illustrations and paper dolls included here are just stunning. Cinderella was always one of my favorites- and the version included at the end looks like the copy I had (I had a 3D puzzle with the matching illustrations). The stepmother always looked scary to me! :)

How magical to learn that your picture was added by someone at the same time you were getting ready to post!

Reading all of your posts on paper dolls makes me want to look through my box of childhood things and see if any of my old ones are there!

The song you included at the end touched my heart because I was a reader at a friend's wedding- and she had me read the lyrics to the song. :)

Thanks for sharing this lovely post and making me think of such pretty images!
~Stephanie

CraveCute said...

Hi Sharon, I simply love your post. Cinderella has always been a favorite and I saw her a few times when on vacation at Disney World in Florida, apparently she gets around!

Any way I hate to burst your magic bubble, but the light effects on your picture was added through your Google+ account. Something called auto awesome effects or such. If you go to your Google plus settings you will find it there somewhere. They started doing it around Christmas and they add twinkle lights and snow depending on the type of photo.

Thanks so much for the splendid post. I am off to listen to those love songs now!

Darlene said...

What a charming tribute to Cinderella. Here's one of my favourite quotes, "One shoe can change your life," Cinderella.

Nora said...

I had the paper doll set based on these illustrations myself and now own the paper doll set again. I was fortunate to get a set that was complete with nothing missing and in very well cared for condition. It is a beautiful set. I also had this story book as a little girl as well. :) I loved the illustrations in it, still do. I dont know about the alternate film made. If there is one I've never seen it.

Unknown said...

I love Disney. I've often said I could live on Main Street. The Disney princesses are so sweet and delicate. I favor Sleeping Beauty.

Unknown said...

Sharon - I've been looking for a book that included the Cinderella fairy tale for a very long time. I'd only been able to find one illustration that I remembered before stumbling across your blog while searching one day. The illustrations from your alternative Disney Cinderella story are the ones I was searching for. You can find them in the 1950 Little Golden Book Cinderella or in the Vintage 1969 Disney Great Story Book as shown on this link:
http://www.northstory.ca/vintage-disney/
Although I haven't found the compilation I was looking for yet (mine has different illustrators for every story) your blog has given me new hope that eventually I will find it. Thank you.

Unknown said...

Sharon - I stumbled across your blog while searching for illustrations from a much loved childhood book. Unfortunately I haven't been able to remember the name, author, illustrator...much like you claimed in the post above (in the pictures that follow the paragraph about South African super market cards.) Using google image search I was able to locate the source of those images (the glass ball gown with roses, Cinderella in her self-made yellow dress, etc.) They are from the 1950 Cinderella Little Golden Book. You can also find them in the 1969 Disney Great Story Book shown in this link:
http://www.northstory.ca/vintage-disney/
You've given me some new hope in my search. The one I'm looking for is a compilation of fairy tales with all different illustrators and therefore difficult to find but now that I've nailed down the Cinderella illustrations it will make it just that much easier. Thank you!

sharonssunlitmemories said...

Thank you so much Kimber .... I realised from your comment that my post was a little confusing though .... I have a book with this full story in it - the scans here are all mine and taken from it. Its the game based on this version of Cinderella I remember from childhood that I would love to see again -but I doubt any have survived ... something like that was designed to play with and throw away!

Link/within

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