Jean T. Littlejohn is native from western North Carolina where she lives in the shadows of the Appalachian Mountains. She delights in the time spent in her downstairs workshop creating limited edition, seasonal, and holiday hand-made items and characters from the late 1800s to the early 1900s era. Self-taught, she boasts that her creations have adorned simple homes and Victorian mansions for over 45 years.
Just after the war and the great depression at a time when families had little to nothing, Littlejohn learned to amuse herself by designing and making her own dolls and doll clothes. It was this beginning that gave her the spirit of design that has remained with her throughout her life. Her creations are like therapy, each one giving a sense of joy and excitement as it is brought to life in its own special way.
Part of making her one-of-a-kind creations is searching antique shops, thrift stores, and estate sales for the vintage materials, accessories, trims, antiques, and replicas that become part of her creations. Littlejohn loves the old look of the late 1800s and early 1900s. Her handmade dolls are sculpted of papier maché. Some designs might also include antique dolls and toys repaired, repainted, and clothed by Jean, depending on the piece. Most are featured with old carts, pull toys, candy containers, or animals of nature. She also takes special orders if you have an antique or family heirloom you wish to have displayed with her work.
Littlejohn’s work has won numerous awards and has been featured throughout the years in: Southern Living magazine, The NC State fair "Village of Yesteryear," Better Homes and Garden's Santa Claus Edition, the Biltmore House in Asheville North Carolina, the NC Governor’s mansion, the Official Guide to Christmas and Other Holiday Collectibles by Random House as well as "Your Carolina" TV feature and various newspaper articles.
The entry deadline for the 2023 Directory of
Traditional American Crafts has passed. We are now processing entries and submitting
them to our jurors. We will contract entrants after the jurors have made ther decisions.
BACKGROUND
