SLOWLY SLOWLY

Well Friday was grandee day. We went to visit Clara and take her her new cot because she's growing so well she needed more room to sleep.

Then today it's been just so hot that again not much work was done , we had a lazy day since we are meant to be on holiday.

But late this evening I did move a few more things from the old studio to the new studio.

so much sun!

Still quite a lot to move.

I decided to empty this cupboard which had been hidden by other bits and pieces and i could not remember the last time I looked inside.

Looking at it now I can see how much space I was wasting .

Top shelf

Middle

Bottom.

all now in new studio waiting sorting and storing.

It slowly happening and what treasures I am rediscovering


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

SASHA VILLAGE STUDIO POTTERING

Well the great thing about having doll loving friends visit are they have great ideas. They also have great dolls which makes for temptation but that's another story.

So today, Wednesday, I have been working in my studio and one of the first things I did was get Paul to put up some cup hooks along the main roof rafter , so that I could use Jane's idea of hanging up the dolls chairs, of which I have a fair collection.

x

Unfortunately we ran out of cup hooks, so need to get more as I have more chairs! Seeing the chairs up there reminded me of a second hand / antique furniture shop and also made me wonder if I could hang a few other things maybe from the first rafter nearer the door, leaving the one nearer the shelves free due to photo shoots.

I also set the window seat between the window and doorway, so it can have a doll displayed without fear of her/him getting caught by the sun.

x

These two plaques were also put up, I love both of these by Lewis Carroll.

There were four of us inside and there was still plenty of room even with the boxes standing about, so the Studio is very spacious.

Today Thursday I've been doing a little more pottering in the Studio. Paul went out and got me more cup hooks and finished the row , the added a few to the rafter nearest the door and window.

Mabel Lucie and Valentine came to help, I've told Valentine he needs to change into summer clothes but he says he's waiting for a chance to sort out what he wants to wear!

Ollie found a very large hat and put it on ! I asked him to take off his jacket and he said the wind was getting up and best to wait a while !
Then we wanted to know who broke the chair ?

He listened while I explained that it came along with the desk for nothing because it was broken and Dad had fixed it but it appears to need fixing again... all he said was.. Mmmmm !

Belle is in what will be the 'old' kitchen for my Schoenhut dolls but she's not helping much.

"It's all very.......old " she keeps saying " how did they manage... "

Some how a certain toddler's found his way up to the top shelf and is laying on the unmade bed claiming it as his own!
"Mum I'm having thsi room and I want all my snow mens around me and snow wallpaper and ... "
I'm hoping he'll fall asleep before he finds out he's got no chance !

 another person or should I say bear is lounging about on a sunbed. " Mr Mossy what are you doing? are you going to help like you said you would? "
 " Well you see Mrs Mum... I'm helping by checking out this sunbed to make sure it's worth you keeping it "
"Really ? " I ask
" Oh yes! You'd not want an uncomfortable bed taking up space now would you? would you? "
" No but you've been laying there for over an hour 1"
Flushing a little red under his grey fur  he blinks for a minute  " Well yes.. yes.. these things cannot be rushed... "
" surely a few minutes and you'd know " I say skeptically
Warming to his story Mossy tuts " Now Mrs Mum you know what happens when you buy a new pair of shoes? " He stares smiling " You get them home and when you were in the shop they fit lovely and you loved them BUT I minute you buy them and get them home.. they pinch your toes and rub your heels and give you blisters!" he finishes triumphantly

Mrs Mum looks at him " I don't think the sunbed will be giving anyone blisters , do you? "

Mr Mossy stares back and says in his most serious voice " Do you know that for sure !"

Giving up Mrs Mum leaves him to his idleness ! She's got too much to do already without crossing words with Mossy!

"Are you okay Mabel Lucie " asks Mum
" Yes Just my stringing is bad, so I can only stand very carefully and for a short while "

It's Mum's turn to blush " Oh Mabel I'm sorry it's on my to do list. Dad may have some time now the Open gardens finished."

"It's fine mum " smiles Mabel Lucie " I sit here and help Valentine"

" Yes Mabel's helping me " confirms Valentine " and while we are on the subject of restringing I could do with a tighten up myself!"
Mum goes a little redder " I know I know I'll have to get all the equipment together along with everyone with a problem and do you all on the same day"
" Well it will be a long day then because Olivia still needs her arms setting to rights and poor Ginny's arm dropped off back in February and she's still arm less!" he giggles at his own joke!

"Well we have been busy " mutters Mum defensively " but I'll make a list " so saying Mum goes off to start emptying a box !
" Mmm another list " mutters Valentine , before raising his voice so Mabel can hear him " Well Mabbs what should we do with this enormous blue tin mug! Sometimes I worry about our mothers taste! "
Mabel giggles..

 A view of my extra cup hooks.

and I probably have enough chairs to complete this row when not in use.

The long wooden garden bench as gone in the cupboard and the smaller dolls , my Heather Maciak dolls etc , are sitting on it.

I'm not sure if this is where they will stay or come back into the house. Still a way to go sorting things out.

Well lots to do , so I'd best get on.
Catch up again soon



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

DOLL MEET

Yesterday, Tuesday, I had some friends round for a doll meet up. I had planned to do an official opening of the Sasha Studio but the day was just too hot !

So after a tour of the garden , I took them into the studio and we stayed there for a while exchanging ideas and taking out a couple of my bjd dolls that had been waiting for a place to live.
Teddy and Jane were both itching to help find places for things and tidy , I should have sat down and let them loose!

It would have saved my several days of work but instead I was a good hostess and we retired back indoors to talk and show dolls.

But I will be using Jane's tip of hanging my dolls chairs from the ceiling/roof of the studio to free up more space on the shelves and in cupboards.

There were quite a few Sashas present but for some reason I only appear to have taken a photo of these girls.

Teddy had bought along his new green eyed twins and I was sure I took their photo but it appears not!

We did have a slight issue , in so far as Casper ,our retriever puppy , was very interested in seeing the dolls plus all the space for dolls was outside where it was way too hot! The bjd dolls had been quick to gather in the available spaces, so the Sashas mainly stayed in their bags.

I'd asked Teddy to bring along his little fees that he'd taken to the SCW and Alice also brought some of hers, so there was a lovely group to look at and admire. The taller red head on the right is an Iplehouse girl, from the kid range.

She is called Daisy and I love how Alice had dressed her, her top/dress is a Sasha baby sandy dress it fits perfectly. Beside Daisy at the back is Pip , Teddy's little fee elf, I so need one of these to come along and annoy Elfine my elf princess.

Speaking of which, Elfine was chatting along to her good friend Tansy, while Tansy's friend Primrose tried not to be jealous that Tansy's attention was elsewhere and Faith at the end listened in to them all, being only a human and not an Elf Princess or Faun like the others, she knew it was best to keep quiet !

Meanwhile January  was over chatting to Phoebe with the Dollstown group of girls.

Dorrie was in deep conversation with Jane's new girl Jillian , while Alice's girl listened carefully joining in when  necessary.

There was so much chatting by dolls and their owners that the time shot by and it was time for everyone to make there way home and it was still hot!

It was the most lovely day of friendship and dolls and I thank them all for coming to make it so.


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

REFLECTIONS

Last night I sat out on the garden sofa in the cool, after such a hot day and with a promise of more to come this week.

I looked over and saw the house lit up from inside and noticed the dresser reflected in the mirror opposite, so I went inside and retrieved my camera.

It looks very far away in this photo but is in fact much closer than it appears.

Zooming in you can now see what I saw , well not quite as close as this.

Zooming yet closer

Zooming in yet again  I could see the three dolls that have waited patiently for attention.

 I had to move closer to get this photo of the dolls clearly.

and a final photo of the reflections of the dresser in the mirror opposite.

I'm so glad I went outside and looked back at the house and saw this ! Dolls and Emma Bridgewater pottery, on a lovely pine dresser Three of my most favourite things!


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

MONDAY A DAY OF REST..

sort of! Well it's pretty much have to really, as need to let my leg recover from all the work we've been doing and its just so HOT outside!

The twins are desperate to get out into the garden and get it ready for their friends who are visiting tomorrow but I think they'll have to wait until this evening when, hopefully, the temperature will drop!!

It's now this evening or really this night! No chance for the twins to get outside so they will have to wait until early morning! before the sun gets too hot.

Reflecting on how nice everyone was , Paul and I chatted about what people said to us. Paul was stationed down on the patio with Casper , who was very well behaved only growling when woken up because people kept coming up the gravel drive and walking into his garden! and disturbing him!

In the end he gave up trying to sleep and just accepted his constant complements on what a good dog he was and how old was he ? and so well behaved etc.

He was giving them his sad eyed look, seen above and lapping up the praise.

I was stationed further down the garden trying to find some shade, so moved from the flower garden bench up onto the Lych gate which was lovely and shady and by late afternoon a small breeze could be felt.

We'd not allowed them to put anything about the folly in the details of our garden, it just said there was a surprise at the end.
After people had seen it they asked things like
Lots of people asked us why had we built it ? were we going to put a roof on? what was it? Some even asked if it was an actual old church etc !
A couple asked had we sourced the stone from a reclamation yard, believing it to be old stone.

We explained it was something we'd wanted to do for at least twenty years and that finally last year we'd decided to go for it. Some asked if we were building it for religious reasons believing it to be an old church but we explained that it was more a medieval building that a religious one.

Some asked was it finished ? if not what was left to do?, so we explained our plans which they all agreed with, at least to us.

Some had no idea what it was and had never seen or heard of a folly or even knew what a folly was.


Lots of people loved the Lych gate and were impressed that it was built from mostly 4 x 4 fence posts.

A couple of people had visited before and had made a point of coming to see the garden again this time round as they remembered it fondly from before and wanted to see if we'd changed anything.

A few told us they were now inspired to go home and change their gardens so you could not see it all in one go.

Which is what it's all about really , sharing your garden so that it can give others ideas that they can take and use or adapt to their plot.

Some of our visitors also gave us some tips on certain plants that we shared, which is also what it's all about. Sadly we never get to see the other gardens that are open on the same day as you need two people in the garden at all times and we are usually so tired by the day we don't have the energy to walk round to them.

A couple of visitors said they'd been to almost all the garden when they arrived at ours and it had taken them three hours! And we couldn't be away from the garden that long! Which is a shame as there were a couple we'd have loved to see.

But maybe next time we'll just visit and not open.

Dee

THE OPEN DAY DAWNS..

Well the weather was wonderful , if not a little too hot at one point. These are some photos I took just before the open visitors arrived.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

The day went very well , lots of visitors , who were very complimentary about the garden.

The time passed very quickly and it was  all over in a couple of blinks! Very glad we did it as the garden is now looking lovely and clear of clutter, so we can potter about and enjoy the summer.

1

2

3

4

5

And finally I can get back to setting up my Sasha Village Studio !

Have a great week and be careful in this hot weather!

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