![A Timeless Doll Hospital banner [includes pic of owner, Sheila Callen, company name and logo, and pic of a broken doll merging into its repaired state.]](images/TDH_header.jpg)
Visit our doll case histories page to view before and after photos of some of our projects.
Read what many of our happy Customers have to say about our doll repair and doll restoration services! These comments are not the exception, but the rule. We pride ourselves in providing the best service possible.
"Our dollies are absolutely beautiful!! I had no idea they'd end up so wonderful! You have absolutely mastered your craft!!"
"My mom's doll arrived last week and we were so excited we couldn't wait until Mother's Day to open the box. We were not disappointed. The doll is beautiful! Her bisque face is exquisitely painted; her little fingers perfectly restored. Her new playdress, stockings, bloomers and slip are perfectly sewn. What beautiful work, Sheila. My mom's doll now occupies a special place in the living room, where she is sitting in the child's rocking chair. Her blue dress matches the decor of the living room; her auburn hair matches the wood color of the rocker. What a memorable Mother's Day gift - and in my mom's 90th year. The doll is a treasured keepsake of my mom's childhood, and one that we will pass along to the next generation. Thank you, Sheila!"
"Just wanted to let you know that Barbara arrived a few minutes ago. She is absolutely beautiful! Thank you so much for restoring her - she looks exactly as I remember mine looked many years ago. Thanks, also, for the wonderful service."
"I was telling some friends about Marjorie and her journey to recovery and my friend, who runs a ladies’ bible study at our church, wants me to tell it (the story of my doll’s recovery from severe damage) to the group as an illustration of how we can move from great damage into health again when we go to the right Healer."
"I am sitting here with tears running down my face. You have no idea how happy I feel seeing my little doll look as wonderful as she does now. That is how she has looked in my minds' eye for the past 60 years. Thank you so much Sheila, you have touched my heart."
"I received her today and I've just unwrapped her. She's lovely....what an amazing job you've done. I can hardly thank you enough!!!!!! You are a miracle worker!!!!!"
"What can I say? This might not sound like a guy-thing remark but she is beautiful. You really brought her back to life. I can't wait to see her. I am really speechless as I cannot come up with the right words to express how I feel about what you did with this doll. I will never be able to thank you enough.
We are eager to come up and pickup the dolls as well as see the pram.
Thanks again Sheila, we look forward to meeting you and having the opportunity of expressing our thanks in person."
"The doll arrived yesterday in great shape... packing was perfect and the restoration flawless. You are a true professional. The sight of "Dollie", as you christened her, was enough to bring tears to my wife's eyes and she said "GOD BLESS THAT LADY!
Thanks for your great work and service!"
"The doll arrived safe and sound this afternoon and I have now got her in my bedroom and she looks wonderful there.
Thank you for doing such a wonderful job. I won't hesitate to recommend you to several of my friends who are also considering doing what I have just finished doing."
"My Mom died when I was about 2 years old. All that I have left is the doll she picked out for me and I sorely abused her for years. I can’t tell you how much it means to me to have Pearl looking so lovely. So….not Pitiful anymore. You are truly gifted. Your work brings tears to my eyes. She is just more beautiful than I imagined."
"Mom couldn't believe her eyes! The pictures I sent you show Mom opening the package with her Mom. She is seeing her doll for the first time since she was in a million pieces on the family room floor.
Your ability to heal traumatically injured dolls has given her the second best Christmas she ever had...of course, the very best was when she received her for the first time that Christmas morning as a little girl.
We can't thank you enough!"
"I received 'Alexandra' on Friday. Her legs are fantastic. You are a miracle worker! She doesn't look 'fixed', that is, her repairs blend perfectly in with her original skin tones and look. The skin has a flawless finish. You are truly an expert craftswoman. I didn't doubt it from what I have seen of the little dolls you make, but to see your ability at work in something you have to match and restore is incredible. Her lips are defined again and her hair styled rather than looking like she had been caught in a Vancouver windstorm."
Thank you so much for the beautiful work you did on my doll. I always remembered that doll being in my great grandma's toy chest. Growing up, I felt a bit sorry for it, but was somewhat afraid of it as well.
My grandma died about a year and half ago, and for some reason I wanted to rescue the doll. She really looked like something that could have been in a horror film with her screeching eyes which knocked the back of her head, her chipped paint and plaster, and missing fingers.
I was so thrilled to see her transformation! She's beautiful and the work you did on her was far beyond what I imagined possible. I took her right over to my granny's house, and we put on another new dress, and laughed at her crier. My granny said that sound brought back a lot of childhood memories for her. Then the other side of my grandparents came over in the evening to see the new member of our family.
And finally I gave the doll a name- Rosa; after my great grandma.
Thank you so much for your work."
"Hi Sheila: I received my doll in very good order, and she looks beautiful!
I cried when my dog damaged her, and I cried harder when I saw her come back looking the way she does. You did an absolutely fantastic job with her, and I do appreciate all your help you have given me with getting her to you , repairing her, and having her returned to me in such a short period of time.
Again, thanks so so much. God Bless You Sheila"
"Hi Sheila, Shirley is with me now and I showed her to the neighbour who had her from 1937 and she was completely amazed. It is a perfect job, and she is the treasure of my humble collection, that's for sure. Million thanks."
"I received the figurines yesterday in perfect condition. They look wonderful. Amazing work! Thank you so much. I will keep your information for future requests."
"Just received Snoozie today! I am so very pleased with the job you did. She looks and feels just as she did when Santa brought her to me over 50 years ago. I cannot thank you enough! It does my heart good to see her as she is now. Thanks so much!"
"We arrived home yesterday and picked up our beautiful little girl. Thanks so much for everything you did... she looks so beautiful!
Your instructions were perfect, and I greatly appreciate all the effort you put in to shipping her.
Many thanks for a job well done."
"You should have told me to sit down when I opened her! I swear I was gasping. My husband asked me if I was okay. I sat the box on the table for fully an hour before I could work up the courage...
I guess the greatest compliment I could give you is 'Sheila, she literally took my breath away!' I cannot believe how incredibly fine every detail, how stunning her shoes, outfit, features and characteristics are. I had no idea that dress had a lovely little matching 'onesie' attached. Isn't her outfit amazing? The shoes I examined in every detail. I thought her dress would be faded and her pinafore yellowed, but they aren't at all. That was a most pleasant surprise! Her socks are perfect, too. Her eyes so clear and blue, the eyelashes are excellent, the detail freckles just as I imagined them. Her mouth....well, there are not words enough.
Click to see before and after photos of this Maggie Muggins restoration project.
I must say, though, her crowning glory really IS her hair, so soft, perfect, the bows so endearing. I did not realize her hair was quite that nice, but I'm sure you worked your magic and made it even better than it originally was.
You truly have a gift, and must enable the dreams of many to come true. I know mine has :)
I am in the process of moving and have repacked her until we are re-established. I promise pictures of her new surroundings, her accessories and her quilt in mid-September if all goes well.
Sheila, thank you from the very depth of my soul!"
"Thank you so much for the superlative work you did on the Museum's doll. The damage was devastating and the re-created head was a beautiful and seamless piece of art. She once again has pride of place in our historical collections.
I know that the work shops you offered the public [through our museum] have continued to attract interest and comment. Registrants left with a new knowledge on how to care for their beloved dolls. For those with broken dolls, they left with hope and a lighter heart. We still hear back from these participants and I am sure you do too.
Again, thank you for sharing your artistry and skill. We are lucky to have a Master Doll Maker in our midst."
"It was with great anticipation that we received our Royal Doulton figurine. Thank you so very much for the wonderful and flawless work on repairing "My Love".
I may apply to be president of your fan club. Thank you again and God bless you and your skills."
"Sheila, having our dolls restored at A Timeless Doll Hospital has been an absolutely wonderful experience. It is just over a year since I came to you with the four dolls that we found when sorting through my mother's things after she had passed away.
The dolls were in very poor condition and showed the wear of many playtime hours. Knowing mother's history, these dolls were approximately 80 years old and had traveled with Mum across much of Canada, from her birthplace in Montreal to her final residence in Langley, BC. At first it almost seemed hopeless, but you did a marvelous job: restoring a head that had broken into several pieces, replacing feet and hands that had worn away, creating a new body for a doll with only the head remaining according to the original design, as well as many more details involved in the complete restoration of each of these four dolls.
You also created beautiful outfits, suited to each doll using heirloom fabrics belonging to our mother such as a satin scarf, an embroidered pillowcase, monogrammed hankies as well as pieces of lace and silk. Every detail was carefully considered and we now have four beautiful dolls wearing clothes that are made from fabrics once used by Mum.
Sheila, thank you for your excellent restoration work and your unique ability to understand the desire of our hearts to create a lasting memory of our Mum. Four worn out dolls have come back to life and will be treasured by us and our future generations. These dolls are an enduring final hug from our Mum. We highly recommend your service for doll restoration or to commission a new doll to create a family heirloom."
Janet wrote an article about this project. It was published in the Wallasburg (Ontario) Courier Press on May 4, 2005, and the Langley (British Columbia) Times on Mother's Day, May 8, 2005.
"Do you remember the interesting story in the Vancouver Sun last fall about Sheila Callen and her Timeless Doll Gallery and Hospital? After reading it and noticing that the doll doctor would be at the Tradex in person, I then had two good reasons to go to that show!
You see, Coquitlam's Mackin Heritage Home and Toy Museum in historic Maillardville had just that week acquired a collection containing over 400 dolls, dating back to ca. 1915.
We've completed many doll projects for the Coquitlam Heritage Society since our initial meeting a few years ago. They have a special room in their museum for their doll display. Visit their site for more information.
We were in desperate need of finding a knowledgeable, trustworthy and experienced repair service. After describing our dilemma, Sheila invited me to make an appointment and to bring one of our damaged dolls along. Well, not knowing what to expect I was immediately impressed by the large, well equipped workshop and the very professional approach extended to me. This was a serious business run by a caring expert. I was pleased and relieved that we had found exactly what we needed, no doubt about it.
Soon thereafter, Sheila and her partner Brian came to the Museum one afternoon and kindly offered to review our entire 400-plus doll collection. We agreed on a repair schedule and the four most precious dolls have already returned from the "hospital". They now look stunning… fit for a museum.
Would I recommend their service? Without hesitation! But, you have to be patient. Sheila and Brian are in high demand and rightfully so. It may take four months or longer, but believe me, it's definitely worth the wait…
P.S. In case you are wondering… I wrote this letter of praise out of my own volition because I believe excellence deserves recognition."
"Thanks again, so very much for the emergency repair on the 1930's doll for my Mum. You really made her Christmas, and mine. Mum just loves the doll and was truly surprised and overwhelmed. It was a special occasion made more so by being able to restore lost memories and dolls. My sincere appreciation."
"When we gave the restored doll to Mother, who is now 88 years old, she was overwhelmed at first. She now sits and looks at the doll and says "she is beautiful". You did a great job - thank you."
"Just a note of appreciation for the excellent job you did in restoring my Buddy Lee doll. He is my prized possession and I am so thankful to have him encased and on display."
"I recently had my mom's childhood doll redone for her (hoping to surprise her). Her doll was about 50 years old and in really bad condition. My husband said it reminded him of Chucky. It looks so great now that she has been reborn.
When we gave it to my mom I thought she was going to have a heart attack. She opened the box and started crying and couldn't catch her breath. She grabbed her chest and kept saying oh my, oh my. She was so excited she remembers the first day she got it. Every time she thought about it that day she got tears in her eyes. It was a surprise like no other and I am so glad I met Sheila. My mom's doll now sits in the living room and is beautiful. Mom enjoys her everyday. Thanks again to A Timeless Doll Hospital."
Barbara Ann is a frequent visitor to our doll hospital; these dolls are highly collectable. The Coquitlam Heritage Society has one. They have contacted Barbara Ann who donated for the museum's display, her autograph and photos of her: one when she was competing and the other a recent one.
"You recently repaired a Barbara Ann Scott doll that my daughters gave me for my 56th birthday. She was a doll that I could only dream about when I was about 5 years old because my parents couldn't afford to give me a doll which cost (at that time) the very high price of $5.98. Fifty years later, I don't recall ever receiving a gift that thrilled me more. Thank you for being a contributing part of a very special event. Thank you."
"I received my beautiful doll today. You are amazing and are a wonderful artist. Thank you for repairing her. It's good to have her back home. Her eyes were perfect. She is all dressed and sitting in her child's rocking chair. She is beautiful and very special to me. Thanks for returning her to her beautiful state."
"Barbara Ann Scott arrived home safe and sound and she looks MARVELOUS!!! It must give you great joy to have the talent to do such wonderful makeovers. I will treasure her forever and she is back in her showcase in my bedroom. No extremes of temp and no direct sunlight for her. I will be singing your praises at my doll club meetings and may even request we put a short story about this great makeover in our newsletter if the gals agree to it. Merry Christmas and thanks for making such a nice one for Barbara Ann and I."
"Honey is home safe and sound and looking as if her stay at your spa was just what she needed. Just returned from hanging my art show to find this gorgeous baby waiting for us. And furthermore, the sun is shining in Seattle! I'll get your check out right away. Pictures later. She did look dreadful, didn't she?"
"You have no idea how many Brownie points that [repair] made for me. She [my wife] cried a good portion of Christmas morning. She could not tell the difference and I cannot either. You did such a great job of the repair and I want to compliment you. If anybody ever needs anything done that remotely resembles a doll, you are going to get my recommendation.”
"Barbara Ann Scott arrived safe and sound this afternoon and she is beautiful. You did a great job on her face and hair. Looking at the before pictures I didn’t realize how the marks showed. Even my husband was impressed and he doesn’t usually say much when it comes to dolls. Now he wonders which daughter will claim her (we have 3). I have her on display on the coffee table so she will be seen by all. Thanks so much for making Barbara look so beautiful that she can stay out of the trunk."