MisChief is Born

As the sales manger of a shop in the Riverwalk in New Orleans, Connie Born looked for locally made dolls to sell. All the dolls she found were made in China. After a three-year search, Born experienced what she calls a “moment of insanity.” “I quit my job cold turkey and began designing a Mardi Gras doll using Mardi Gras beads. I wanted a unique doll that captured the fun spirit of New Orleans and did not have the dark connotations associated with a traditional voodoo doll.” Born called her little doll “MisChief,” a nod to New Orleans’ fun-loving reputation.

“We have such a rich cultural history here in South Louisiana. Such a joie de vivre and respect for the past. You just don’t find that in other places. I wanted the MisChief dolls to reflect our uniqueness and our heritage. I also wanted to create something that would allow those not fortunate enough to live here to bring some of the Louisiana spirit home with them. In a way, the MisChief dolls have become little ambassadors for our culture, heritage and way of life,” says Born.

In a stroke of luck, or pure New Orleans magic, Born’s first MisChief doll was spotted at a craft show by Mardi Gras mogul Blain Kern, and the company contracted her to make MisChief dolls. Unfortunately, most of these dolls were sent out of Louisiana to Las Vegas and Orlando. After two years of making dolls for Kern, Born took another chance and went out on her own, opening her Front Street Mardi Gras MisChief Gallery in Slidell in 2000. “I wanted to make these dolls available locally. This was my original intent when I created them, and I wanted to do business in St. Tammany Parish,” says Born. A resident of Slidell since 1980, Born chose to open her gallery there, instead of in the larger New Orleans market. “I love Slidell, and I very much wanted the gallery to attract more visitors here so they can see how much we have to offer on the northshore.”

Today, Born offers more than two hundred and fifty unique dolls. Like our New Orleans cuisine, there is a MisChief doll for everyone—from jazz, doctor and lawyer dolls to political and military dolls. She also creates custom Mardi Gras dolls for many Mardi Gras Krewes, including the famous Krewe of Zulu.

MisChief makers

All MisChief dolls are handcrafted by Born and her twenty-two-year-old daughter, Jennifer, in their Slidell gallery. A visit to the gallery carries visitors away to the whimsical world of MisChief. Her creations, ranging in size from five inches to five feet, and in price from twenty dollars to more than two thousand dollars, inhabit a magical world of imagination.

They can be seen frolicking on French Quarter balconies, marching in Mardi Gras parades and riding in pirogues in Cajun swampland. Visitors to the gallery are also treated to an inside view of how the dolls are made. Adjacent to the gallery is Born’s workshop, where you can marvel at the array of fabric, ribbons, beads and buttons that go into making each doll unique, and watch the artist at work. The dolls are soft fabric-bodied, adorned with Mardi Gras beads and hair made of feathers, raffia, flowers, pine sprigs and even grapes. The faces are made with buttons, and each is one-of-a-kind, made, signed and dated by the artist herself. On Sundays, you can find Born on Royal Street at the Crab Back Gallery, signing her creations and educating tourists on New Orleans. Dolls are also available online at www.mardigrasmischief.com.

Born also designs custom dolls on request. One of the most interesting is a four-foot-tall MisChief doll with grapes for hair. Used by a New Orleans attorney for entertaining, you just may see this magnificent MisChief enjoying herself at posh New Orleans eateries like Commander’s Palace and Martin Wine Cellar. Local and national celebrities also have a penchant for Born’s mischievous creations. She counts Pete Fountain, Percy Sledge, Angela Hill, Andre Trevigne and local politico Mayor Nagin among her famous collectors. She has just completed a doll for the House of Blues and is currently making licensed dolls for Tabasco.

Red, white and blue MisChief

In October 2003, partnering with Louisiana’s “Gumbo Krewe,” Born sent her handcrafted dolls to the Baghdad Air Base to help our troops celebrate their Mardi Gras parade and ball. “That was the most important thing that I have ever done with my dolls,” says Born. “It was so gratifying to give our troops a little piece of home.” Since her dolls’ military debut, Born has been commissioned by several Marine and Navy families to produce personalized military MisChief dolls for members of the armed forces returning from overseas tours of duty. Using military issue uniforms and medals and buttons provided by the families, she creates custom keepsakes that will certainly become cherished family heirlooms honoring those who have served our country.

A true local success story, Born’s vision of a locally made doll representing our Southern culture has achieved success beyond her wildest dreams. One look at these magnificent MisChiefs and you will see why. Their fanciful whimsy lifts your spirits and reminds you of how lucky we are to share the history and culture that makes New Orleans and its surrounding areas such a great place to live.