For 18 years, Pat Boldt's home in McPherson, Kansas has served as both the workshop and headquarters for "Treasure House" - a home-based doll-making business. Pat shares her home not only with hundreds of miniature dolls in various stages of completion but also with the true "treasures" of her life - her husband, Kennard, and their three daughters.

          As a creator and marketer of miniature dolls and accessories, Pat is adept at all aspects of the craft - from the pouring, cleaning, firing and sanding of the porcelain heads & body parts to the painstaking painting of the tiny eyes, cheeks and lips.

          "I'm thankful for this talent, because doll-making was something I could do at home while raising three daughters. God gives each of us talents and I'm happy with what I do. I can work at whatever speed I want and I have the freedom to spend time with my family."

          Pat has accumulated more than 275 different plaster molds representing the various scales of miniature doll-making - 1" scale, 1/2" scale, 1/4" scale.

          Pat starts each doll pouring with liquid porcelain; cleaning and china painting each doll at least four times. "I can get more detail with each firing. I want to be known for my painting. My goal is to educate people on what makes a 'pretty' doll." Pat carves her name and the date into the back of each doll head she makes. She also paints a faint red line above the eyes. This line instantly identifies her dolls to collectors.

          Pat travels to an average of 10 shows a year, trying to teach classes at each show she attends. "I enjoy going to shows and meeting people who are giving my dolls a home. I keep track of every one of my dolls, where they go, how much they sell for and the date."

          Pat's "dressed" dolls wear only the finest natural fabrics. Each doll has leather or fabric shoes. "I enjoy dressing dolls. I just don't get enough time to do what I want to do. I sell more doll kits than dressed dolls. My biggest sellers are the little dolls. I carry over 75 dolls under 2 inches in size."

          Pat is an IGMA Artisan, and a member of Salt City Miniature Club, CIMTA and NAME.