Thursday 31 March 2016

CALICO GOES WITH THE FLOW

  Of wearing dungaree's .


Just time for a quick photo tonight of Calico in her Vintage Sasha dungaree's. Luckily she changed into them last night, so she could go straight outside for a photo, her sister Sansa had also changed but forgotten to get her shoes and socks on, so she had to stay indoors!


*******************************************************************************

Monday 28 March 2016

DUNGAREE'S....


On the face book group it's dungaree's week , luckily Ollie was wearing the ooak Nepalese earthquake dungaree's, so he was able to pop on and take part.
Now his sisters are searching through the clothing to find the Vintage Sasha sets and arguing over who will get to wear what !! 


***********************************************

For those who asked.. The tale of The Nepalese Dungarees.

Last year when there was the terrible Earthquake in Nepal, people were looking to for ways to donate to this worth cause.
One of the fabric houses, could be clothkits?, offered to send their off cuts and remnants to people for them to make items to sell to raise money for Nepal.

Ginny of A Passion for Sasha  took them up on their offer and received some of the red fabric you see that the dungarees were made in.
She made the set you see above and lovely pinafore dress set and also a baby set. She placed these all on ebay to sell at auction. I was luckily enough to win the dungarees set which you see and The Nepalese earthquake fund received a very nice sum down to the generosity of Clothkits and the talents of the lovely Ginny. so a win win all round.


**************************

CATCH UP MONDAY !

I know it should be catch up Sunday but since yesterday was Easter I delayed. Well Spring's arrived and with it my desire to make some space... always a dangerous time for my dolls and their possessions!

My problem is I can be a bit of an impulse buyer and before I know it I have dolls of all kinds filling the house and fighting for space ! Also TIME! I just do not have enough time to give some of these dolls attention, some have just sat staring forlornly(if they have even come out their box ) waiting for that touch or to be loved. So where as in the beginning I would be near to tears if I sold a doll I had had for a while , now I am much harder and can sell them without a tear!

Now my smallest bedroom that was supposed to be getting cleared and sorted is now if anything fuller but with more boxes amidst all the bags that have started to turn up again! It will never become our bathroom at this rate, so I am on the spring warpath... looking at dolls and listing them either on my sales page or on ebay.

At the moment only a couple of Sasha's have found themselves on the adoption list , it's mostly other dolls that are having their photo's taken and appearing for sale on ebay.

This year I will be 60! Yes I know you all thought I was no more than 55.... pardon? 65? what a cheek, your off my Christmas card list ! and there are changes coming at my place of work that could mean I'll be expected to work longer , due to lack of staff, for no extra pay, now there's a surprise.. not! I may be wrong and staffing levels will stay the same...... mind that flying pig....  and I'll continue to work happily but who knows what the future is bringing. and so to that end I need to get myself sorted.

On another front we have lived in our house now for 11 years, this month and after doing a few things came to a grinding halt a few years back and the house as sat waiting , a little like some of the dolls, for us to stop spending all our time in the garden and come back inside to finish everything, so that's what we'll be spending our time on this year , the house.

My studio now has light and is just waiting for the slightly warmer weather, so that I can go claim it back from the spiders , that have spent the winter sheltered in there. I am looking forward to having more room settings to use in my stories!

Now a few updates. Due to my lack of energy etc the T shirt comp , fell to the wayside, so I have extended the deadline to the 10th of April for you to send in your photo of your customised white t shirt to win a pair of Ginny cords in colour of your choice.

Also a reminder that you can send your April doll shelf photos in now ready for showing on the 1st April, I already have some great ones sent in but we like to see lots, so what are your dolls doing? take that photo and sent it or them in, it's the first at the end of this week ! The time flies when we are having fun!!

So now I am off to take some more dolls out and give them the once over.... and Mossy's mumbling something about carrots?


*********************************************************************************




Sunday 27 March 2016

A BUNNY'S TAIL PLUS......

Easter Sunday and everyone, well the adults and the children but not the toddlers , babies or bears are off to church.
So Trudy and Esme are looking at pictures in a board book in the family room.


Trudy's talking quietly to Esme about the pictures in the book.


Mossy comes in and crosses the room ignoring Trudy and her bunny!


He's soon back again heading through on his way , who knows where...


He catches a movement from the corner of his eye but he refuses to look , it will only be that Bunny wanting to WINK at him again and he cannot let that happen...


He's BEARly made it to the other side when he has to lean against the sofa, his emerald is glowing softly and his knees feel weak as if things are happening!


He goes back to the middle of the room and takes a deep breath and waits... he can feel the emerald warming and pulsating against his fur... what can it mean.... he wished he'd paid more attention to his dad when he was telling him about the emerald powers instead of trying to get the last honey sandwich off his big brother...


He feels something behind him, so turns quickly but cannot see anything strange ! just some books standing on the sofa, probably left there by the toddler!


He pauses looking inward trying to workout what the emeralds trying to tell him.....


What could it be?.... a storm coming?.. No... a visitor from a strange land?....No.... Mrs Mum making Honey cakes?........ mmm maybe he'd best go check on THAT one.... he hurries off towards the kitchen...


Letting the door slam behind him disturbs the room and many head pop up over the books on the seating.


Edwin looks at Esther who shrugs


They settle back down to their books , well all apart from Effie who decides she'd rather look at what Esme and Trudy are looking at.


I've no idea what Mossy was worried about when he saw Esme the Bramber bunny and her winking ! Do you?



to be continued.....


********************************************************************************


WISHING EVERYONE A HAPPY EASTER.




***************

Saturday 26 March 2016

A BUNNY'S TAIL.....

So far the Easter weekend had been a busy family affair , but one young bear had managed to find a place to have forty winks while others cleared away the chaos from so many visitors staying for a couple of days.


Of course ! It's Mossy the Green snuggled up on the sofa in the family room, gently snoring off the many honey sandwiches he'd managed to eat !


He'd been happily dreaming for some time when a noise awaken's him.... for a moment he's unsure where he is and what he heard, then a small cough sounds.


Pulling himself up , he see's the new toddler Trudy across the room, he'd not yet met her having been busy signing photos for his fans and eating honey sandwiches and cakes.
" Hello " he says " I'm Mossy the Green, no doubt you've heard of m....." he stops stunned..


He moves to the edge of the sofa , a look of disbelief on his face


Finally he finds his voice " Is THAT a Bramber bunny? " he asks in horror
Trudy picks Esme  up, not liking how the bear is looking at her " Yes Esme " says Trudy
"Well she'll have to go! " says Mossy " We don't want no bunnies here and especially NOT Bramber ones!"


"NO GO!" says Trudy sternly and turns away with Esme safe under her arm. "No like YOU!" mutters Trudy heading towards the door.


Esme moves up so she can look over Trudy's shoulder at the funny silver grey bear that's muttering on the sofa and watching them.


Seeing the bunny watching him Mossy calls out " Don't you look at me rabbit, you cannot stay, no! no way! Scram back to your warren... keep moving and don't come back!"


At first Mossy thinks the bunny's crying... then he realises she's LAUGHING! Then she WINKS and WAVES at him!


Mossy leans back moaning and groaning and muttering .. " Its' too late it's too late.. she laughed.. she WINKED !!! it's too late!"


and that's how Edward found him, muttering and groaning .


Hurrying over Edward climbs up onto the sofa " What's wrong Mossy lad ? " he asks gently
"It's too late.. she's here and she WINKED!"
Totally confused Edward asks "Whose here and whose winking? Make some sense lad "
Just for a moment Mossy stops muttering and takes a deep breath , he whispers looking left and right to make sure noone else can hear.
" a Bramber....Bunny..... "
Edward starts to laugh but then stops looking back at Mossy and his horrified face... could the lad be correct.. " A BRAMBER Bunny ? " he asks again.. " Yes " sighs Mossy " and Edward... she WINKED!"
Edward suddenly finds his throat is very dry and it's hard to swallow....


Who on earth would let a Bramber Bunny into their home? Why? have they no sense? Why only someone who played with dolls and bears and believed they could talk  might be so foolish... no one here would be so stupid......


suddenly the penny drops  " MRS MUM! "


to be continued...
*******************************************************************************

Monday 21 March 2016

THE WANDERER RETURNS





ADAM !


I have to say this is probably one of my favourite's of the later Gotz dolls.


and my Adam has always appealed to me.  Three times I put him up for sale and then removed him within days but then I did it, I sold him!


and I do not usually look back once a doll as left, so on I moved.

 I have always thought this is the best boy's outfit along with the 68 shorts boys that these Gregor's were ever dressed and sold in. For me there is not a girl's outfit that comes anywhere near those two.


Where was I ? Oh yes, so I was amazed when I saw him on Shelly's , I read the description and knew I was 'my' Adam. So I sat and watched and thought,  no I don't need to buy him back, he's moved on been out in the world seeing new places , meeting new people and dolls , I was sure there were places he still would want to go.

So I left him , standing.... waiting... patiently.... for me to send that email ... asking....then requesting...until finally on his Gotz name day ( David ) St. David's day he came home to the village.



I looked him over.. was he really MY Adam ? He waited patiently ... a small smile hovering , was his hair like this? is that the face I remember? and then I saw it.......... that different colour button on his coat , just like my Adam had ! YES it was him, I cannot believe how happy it made me to KNOW I was right and this was my Adam.

So he's back, with tales to tell and new family to meet and he'll not be going anywhere for a very very long time, if ever.





********************************************************************************

Sunday 20 March 2016

SUNDAY CATCH UP

Well I confess I have let things slide this last week or so. There is a lot happening at work at present and I have been working five days a week for the last few weeks although I did managed not to work the Friday just gone, but have been feeling very tired , I think a cold is rumbling round my body but my body is not letting it take hold, which in one way is good but another not, as it means it's harder to get over it! So I seem to have lost a little of my Mojo but hopefully it will return soon.

On the Sasha front, I have been wheeling and dealing , getting this , selling that , plans in motion but unfortunately no energy or will to actually get things done!

But it's also SPRING! well so it says but still getting cold afternoons and evenings , but Spring always fills me with the need to clear out and tidy and get things done around the house. Spring for Paul usually means he's out in the garden, which means the house gets second if not third place but this year we have decided that the house must come first.
Which will be great to finally start putting some of our many plans into action. I will search them with you , if you'd like , as and when they happen.

One of the things we have always wanted to do is change our front door and this year is going to be the year it happens, however we have widened that plan to actually moving the front door out into the porch and making the porch part of the hallway. This will enable us to have a full sized coat cupboard and a much nicer hallway.

On the doll front , I am selling some dolls, non Sasha and also some Sasha's and still trying to clear out some more of the clothing, it might help if I actually stopped buying clothes and dolls , but it may be worth a trip to my sales page every now and then to see whats on offer.

Now on St David's day an old clan member returned to the village. He'd gone off to France a few years back and I'd asked the lady to let me know if she ever decided to sell him , which she did and at the time I said no as I had decided not to go back , having sold him but then a few month's ago I saw him on Shelly's , I was sure it was him , I read the description and was convinced but I resisted and watched him for a few months then his price dropped a couple of times until it was what I'd sold him for... well what's a mum to do but bite the bullet and let him come home.

It was really strange as when he arrived I was not sure at first it was him, my boy but then I saw his coat and knew I'd been right, there was the odd button that was on the coat when I owned him , it was him !

Well tomorrow I'll  let him come and see you all , maybe you'll have worked out who it is by then.

So enjoy the coming week and I'll be back tomorrow with our old friend and clan member..... :)


******************************************************************************



Friday 18 March 2016

KNITWEAR

Well where as this week gone! I cannot believe it's nearly a week since I last posted. This working lark does get in the way for enjoying myself playing with the dolls.
But then if I did not work the dolls would be few and the clothes fewer! On the subject of clothes I did buy a couple of beautiful sweaters for the Sasha's.



Now Caitlin's raided the spring cords so she can wear this white cable sweater by Rosie Laird.


Looking very like the colours of ice cream.

also Tatty got first dibs on a Diane Duke set.


Jamie and Tatty .


a closer look.

Well a reminder that the photo's of your white customised  T shirts need to be in soon, I'm going to extend the deadline to Easter Sunday for receipt of the photo's and the post to be added on on Easter Monday.

Will do a catch up post on Sunday but hope to do another post tomorrow but have to work , so it may not be much of one.



*********************************************************************************

Saturday 12 March 2016

OUTSIDE IN THE GARDEN

After a week of cold icy weather today the sun has finally made an appearance bring some warmth along with it.

So finally little  Trudy and her pal Esme get a chance to go outside into the garden. Trudy needed some new clothes of her own, so I bought a lovely coat from Ginny at A Passion for Sasha.


Trudy enjoys looking about the box garden from the bench.


Esme's very interested in the outdoors too!


They move on to the Lych gate photo shoot place , for a few photo's.


Once I bought the coat I asked Ginny for a pair of dungarees with the pockets in that same fabric as the coat .


It's quite warm in the sun, so Trudy removes her coat.


and hat but whats that? Trudy turns quickly and looks round the post up that garden... she can hear a young voice calling " Socks! Come here boy! Socks!" she strains to see but the voice is too far away and after a few minutes she hears the back door slam shut.


By the time she's turned round again Emse is clinging to her leg!


Esme peeps round... "What's wrong Esme ? Oh you don't like being out doors ? but your a rabbit and rabbits live outdoors in burrows in the ground"
Esme looks shocked! " Pardon? you don't 'do' burrows and definitely not in the ground , far too dirty! Oh I see.. your an indoor rabbit....yes yes that's fine.. no.. no.. you don't have to live outside in the dirt "
Thankfully that seems to reassure Esme that she'll be safe and warm.


Trudy asks " Why was him calling for his socks!" she giggles
"Oh that's the name of Lucas's dog " Trudy smiles "That's a good name "
Surprised I ask " What Lucas? "
" No Socks!" she giggles again..... mmm she does not seem worried by the name Lucas? when normally a toddler would look shocked and anxious upon mention of that name..... one of two things must be.. either she's never heard of Lucas OR she's not afraid of him..... mmmm....interesting...



********************************************************************************

Monday 7 March 2016

ANNIE


This is the lovely Annie, who I must confess I bought as much for her beautiful outfit as for herself. She is a waif and much to my surprise I won her and so asked the seller to send her off to Shelly's so she could have her eye's repainted before she came home.


I asked Shelly for maybe a green? and she decided that Aqua to match her beautiful dress would be the order of the day.


So Aqua it was, a perfect choice !


Annie very kindly agreed to do the Mother's Day shoot and then we took some more photos so Annie could have her own post.


 A very photogenic child is our Annie.


x



Annie is holding some sunflowers to help brighten this winter day.


x



We did manage to find some colour in the garden.


amid the tiny blue flowers.


Deep rose Hellebore's stand tall beside annie.


A perfect match!


x


Some sun to make for light and shade


x



a splash of golden yellow sunflowers...

x



So that's our Annie in her Frances Tricket studio style outfit, I hope you enjoyed meeting her. She's an old fashioned girl at heart :)




*********************************************************************************