HATTIE'S HATS WITH HATTITUDE

 

I my quest to use it or lose it! I found Hattie's box of cottons, she used to make her hats with Hattitude from.

There was lots of different colours still waiting to be used up and even a couple almost finished hats.

Mm so much!

and for some unknown/ remembered reason there was all this pink ! Hattie is convinced she would have had a reason for several balls of the same colour but it's been so long, she cannot remember!

So I told Hattie she had to use it or lose it. Hattie is not one to lose anything!

So she set her worker , me, to start making her summer brimmed hats. I told her I could only work evening which she agreed to. These were the first couple of evenings offerings.

I was allowed on evening off this week, much to my surprise! But then was asked could I make up the shortfall! Cheek !

Now she's getting photos taken with the hats, ready to start listing over the next few days!

Seeing her with the hook and start of the latest hat, I ask if she was going to start helping? I was informed that she's management not shop floor !!!!!

This is why her skin is as smooth as the day she was born and I'm looking my age, 25 in case you wondered..

So below are the hats made so far and there is still lots of cotton still to use, she did try suggesting we buy some other colours!! I had to explain that we are supposed to be reducing the box to empty, not adding more to the pile!

On that note I'd best go finish the one I started before she says I'm slacking!!

ANOTHER JUNE SUNDAY

 

Another week of hot sunny weather but also with a few sudden thundery downpours, which were great for the poor garden that's been baking in the sun.

Paul's spent the week working on the garden, with very little help from me ( too hot for me to get out there) and he has now finished repairing/placing the wood for the raised bed. You can see what he's done on the garden blog posts. He's worked like a pro, getting out there whenever the weather allowed and moved loads of soil in order to fit the boards across what were rounded ones.

Above is the new end to the raised bed, where Paul reduced the length, so we can now get round to the back gate, front of greenhouse from this point , which we could not do before.

Still lots to do, filling in the area's that will now be part of the path and also through to the new opening. Plus moving the earth now on the raised bed to fill in some of the gaps between the new boards and the bed. Plus of course some replanting/designing of the bed. We do have plans for it but I'll keep that back until it happens.

The new bench arrived and looks lovely on the stone circle. Just needs a nice seat cushion. And as much as I would have liked to make one, I was good and ordered one in a waterproof fabric, weighting up that buying some thick foam and then some snazzy fabric, I'd be spending three if not four times as much as just buying one to fit, yes I don't know either where this taking the cheaper, easier way is coming from..

And finally after 19 years plus the tapestry I started back when we lived in Hertford and left at this point is now

Finished! Yes all done. Now it just needs turning into a cushion cover. But it's already off the frame and the frames been dismantled, for now. I really enjoyed working on it, so may start another one in the winter, hopefully I've got another eighteen years to get it done ;)

This definitely feels like the year for getting the long awaiting jobs done!

Elsewhere a few items have sold this week, so ticking over slowly. But we are now going into holiday season, so sales will peter out and I can stop hunting for boxes to post things in.

On the doll front Ginny, our headliner today, was changed into summer wear.

No dolls left and none arrived but I did buy a couple of pairs of Shorts from Ginny at A Passion For Sasha, on Etsy, for the boys.

Today it's 31.8 in the shade! So with these sorts of temperatures, we are now into mid to late evening for doing anything, especially garden related.

On that note I will wish you all a lovely refreshing ( she says hopefully ) healthy fun filled week ahead

Dee

A HOT WEEK

 It's been a week for hiding from the sun! It say it's been hot is to put it mildly and it's only June! I tried to encourage the dolls to come outside to play but they refused ! mumbling about melting, hydration and that fact they were still waiting to get out of their winter wear!!!!

Elizabeth R is the second to finally escape her sweater and kilt! Of course the weather's changed this evening and we are having the rain they promised us. Luckily we have not got the thunderstorms, just gentle showers now and then. So it's cooled down and garden will be refreshed.

Over the week , Paul's been working on the garden's raised bed, replacing the rotten wood with nice new thick planks. Which is allowing us to redesign that area of the garden. One of the things we have decided to do, is buy a metal bench to go on the stone circle in the back corner, which allows us to look back at the folly, now that several shrubs have perished over the hard winter.

I decided that I'd find some items we no longer need or use, sell them on and use the money to get the bench. I don't know if this is an age thing but I used to 'need' to keep all my lovely things I'd bought over the years and resisted selling things on. But I decided that I really didn't need my beloved garden table set, which we have not used since we bought our much bigger one a few years back.

It was at one point on the back circle for a few years, which it filled but was rarely used so it was brought down to the patio a couple of years back and lots of plant pots, filled with plants have covered the top. But that was really a waste, especially with four chairs doing nothing. So Friday I decided to sell it towards the bench purchase and it went within a few hours of being listed! No doubt at some stage in the future I will wonder where it is ! But hopefully seeing the new bench will remind me it was sold off in a good cause. Paul donated a few of his unused electric tools to the fund and all were sold between Friday and Saturday and the money raised for the bench, which I've ordered, and extra towards buying the paving and granite setts we'll need to infill the spaces due to the new bed shape.

So five unused items that were just sitting about gone and a nice new bench on it's way.

Elizabeth, who I need to restring the legs of, was happy to find this nice white spots on white dress. I do love dolls in white but do love a bit of colour, so she's kept on her blue shoes!

So now it's a bit cooler, well for a day or so, I will have to get the dolls changed. Problem is now they are at the top of the cupboard, they are too high to reach the ones at the back. So I may also be moving shelves of dolls about so the Sasha's and their brothers are on the bottom shelf and easy to just get hold of. It will at least stop Toby telling me, he is so high up he's getting a nose bleed !

On the doll front, I have to confess a couple of ruby red forever friends have arrived. But much to my surprise, since it's now summer and getting quiet as people start going out and about and going off on holiday. I have sold two non Sasha dolls and a couple of Sasha outfits along side a few other non doll items. Normally I'd not bother to list anything over the next couple of months. But since their boxes are filling up a corner of the bedroom, I decided I'd carry on for a little while longer.

Some space is slowly starting to appear in both the doll studio and the over flow shed, so a positive.

So on that note, I'm off to list a couple more none doll items.

Have a lovely healthy fun filled week ahead

Dee

A HOT SUNDAY IN JUNE!

 

Yes, I am back... well sort of. It's been nice not having to think I should be doing a story post but I still have ideas about them. While I was 'off' the weather was cool even cold at times and June did not come in with a roar but a cold breezy overcast day. 

However today is hot ! Too hot naturally! 

Arabella who greets you at the start is the first Sasha whose been changed into summer wear! Yes the others are baking as we speak! So once I finish I will be carrying on with changing them all.

I planned on sorting out the studio and the overflow old studio and did make some headway but not nearly enough. But I am pleased that I managed to sell on a few quite large props, this ship for a start.

I was sad to see it go, it was a beautiful ship and if I had an enormous house with a playroom, it would have stayed but it's gone to a good home to be enjoyed and played with.

Remember the tapestry that's been waiting over 18 years to get finished? Well while sorting out the old studio I found the wool that belonged to the kit for it.  So it's almost become a bit of an obsession to get it finished!

So almost every time I sit down anywhere near it, I land up starting some and several hours later I stop! But at least I am now on the second half so hopefully it will be finished soon and I can get on with other things.

Well it will depend on just how hot the weather is over the coming days, as to what I can get done, with regard to starting a Sasha/Gregor tale.

So wishing you all a happy healthy doll filled week ahead.

Dee

IT'S THE FIFTH SO DOLL PHOTO DAY

 The fifth seems to have arrived while my back was turned this month! So I forgot to remind you all. Luckily the lads at Gregoropolis were ready and waiting, so lets get this day started..

"Hey Mrs Mum ! Glad you got back in time to show us wearing our cool new summer gear" Ciancarlo says.

" You know that's dad behind the camera right? " Paul whispers, his brother smiles " Just say Burrata "

Here in the big village clear out, Toby's decided to make himself comfortable in the big box of yarn that's being kept. He'd best be careful he doesn't get stored away!

"I may ask Mum to let me use this for my bed, it's so comfy!" calls Toby " I think I'll have a nap, night"

Holly was so busy chilling out in the garden with her book, enjoying a cosy seat on the swing, that she nearly missed saying hello!

Many thanks to Steve for remembering, it's not to late to have your doll photos added. Just send them in.

I'll be back on Sunday for a catch up and then some proper story blogging

Dee