LAST SUNDAY IN NOVEMBER !

 

So time flies when you are having fun and being naughty! But more about that later. Today is COLD, yes as next week ends in December, yes that is correct December!, the weather's decided that it's time to turn bitter! Naturally it makes me wonder if this winter will land up being as cold as the last one! 

When the weather starts turning really cold, that is when I do love the fact I am now retired and no longer have to travel down sixteen miles of twisting country lanes, very early in the mornings , on my way to work. Also when you wrap up, you don't suddenly get too hot and once back inside you get that lovely feeling of warmth. It does make me sad, however, for those people who no longer have a decent home or none at all. 

I've spent the last couple of weeks just living the life of a retired person, pottering and shopping, reading, knitting and surfing the net.  In my grandmothers time that last part would probably have been called gossiping with the friends and neighbours! I do wonder how we'd all survive if they cut the internet off for a month!! 

We had some friends round to lunch the other day and I decided to use my ' Christmas ' plates. 

Since last Christmas, when I totally forgot to use them ! I decided in future they will be used from late November onwards until the new year, that way they will get some decent use rather than just a couple of weeks over the festive season. I have to say the table looked lovely with them all set out so that's a bonus.

Last night we saw a Moonbow, a very rare sight, normally when these things happen in this country around here we'll have clouds, so miss it all but since it's so cold the sky is clear, so we got a fair photo.

The tiny dot on the right just below and to the side is Jupiter.

Now on the doll front... a doll did unexpectedly sell and was off to her new home. So the boxes of dolls and clothing etc are now much smaller. I was able to empty a very big box into two much smaller ones, so yet more space. However.... a couple of dolls have also arrived! I know I know but two of them are small non Sasha dolls, so barely take up any space... but one is a Sasha, a totally unplanned purchase ( ain't they all !) This girl just popped into my email box very late the other night and I was instantly smitten and though in no need of another brunette Sasha and especially one with falling hair, so I walking away for a while, but then before I went off to bed  I did land up asking about her and then caving in and adopting her the next morning!

Her previous mum called her Pippin but I'm going to alter that slightly to Pippa. So Pippa was today's headliner. A 1973 wider faced lass, who will fit in well with the clan.

Now I'd love to say that was my only slip down that slippery slope but I have also bought a few Charlies bears over the last couple of week too!. So now it's all got to stop! Or I'll be back to where I started hunting for space! 

So I will wish you all a lovely warm healthy week ahead 

Dee

MONDAY FOR SUNDAY

 

It's been another fairly busy week. Paul's cold is much better but it now appears that Lindsey, our daughter's caught it! So the fun of the winters started already.

This time of years seems to be all about pottering around inside and out, moving things or deciding to get rid of things etc. Since the chat n snap I'm still fighting the get it put away battle. Getting there slowly but that could be because I've been sorting out things to sell etc and rearranging things to be able to store them better.

There's been talk of replacing the old workshop with a new cabin style building next year! It would be bigger than my studio by about three or four feet and also a little wider...which makes me wonder should I move down into that one and give mine up for whatever it needs to be used for? But mine is at present close to the house, so I am able to nip out quick, if I need to go find something and dash back again. If I moved I'd have to go two thirds of the way down the garden and through a gate. So most likely I will stay where I am and just have to work on reducing my hoard!

Today's headliner is Elizabeth, who was desperately in need of a restring of the head to feet variety, so finally after she'd been left undressed for a few days and waiting for it to happen, we finally sorted her out. So she is now wearing this nice blue and pink outfit. Her dress is one of my favourites, so she's removed her jacket to show you.

By the talented Ginny of course.

Well on the doll front things have been going quite well. a couple more non Sasha dolls have found new homes and a couple of wigs, pairs of shoes and some clothing, have all also moved on , along with a lovely red dragon, who'd spent her life waiting to go to Clara but then Clara had too many soft toys! So I sold her on. 

Now one of the shelves in my doll cabinet is half empty! Result I hear you all say, well yes apart from the fact there seems always to be something ready to take up any space I manage to create or find! But the fact that the shelf was full front to back and is now only half full is an improvement. So It's onwards until enough as gone to really make a difference. But with Christmas coming, it will all stop, until the new year, at the end of this month and then I can concentrate of Bruno's Christmas story.

Today we have storm Debi blasting around the country! Plenty of overnight rain fell and now we have lovely sunshine along with gusts of strong wind. Personally I do like a windy day as long as it's not causing anyone any damage.

Well I'm off to continue making decisions and finding homes for things, so I'll wish you all a happy healthy week ahead.

Dee 

IN REMEMBERENCE

 

LEST WE FORGET.

A NEW ADDITION TO THE SASHA FAMILY

 Well yes I am supposed to be downsizing and not adding to any of the doll groups, although Sasha's are not really on the going list. 

So I was talking to a good friend and she mentioned she was going to sell one of her dolls and sent me a photo. After chatting about the doll I decided that since I really liked her I'd buy her.

So this is Henrietta or Hettie for short. She was called Hattie at her last home but naturally there can be only one Hattie in the village, so she agreed that Hettie was the next best thing.

Such a sweet face, with real hair wig, her plaits are behind her back

She came in this lovely lime green dress and Petrana shoes.

Here she is at her last Mum's house in a lovely blue dress set.

Now have you been thinking, she's been selling all those things so she could buy a Studio doll? Well you'd be.... wrong!

This is not actually a studio doll ! This is a hybrid! Yes she's made with an old course doll body that the head was damaged, Chris then using a Sasha studio doll mould, recast a face in clay , painted it and sent it off to Shelly to paint the eyes, then it was fixed to the body. It's all signed and dated on the back of the head. She's wearing a real hair wig and is just so sweet.

So all the look of a studio doll with none of the expense and worry. Result say I as it's about the only way I'd ever have such a doll with the look.

I've been looking for some clothes she will also fit in and found this dress.

I also knitted her a nice warm red sweater after I bought her a new pair of trousers, it was ready and waiting for when her trousers arrived today.

Looking nice and warm, she's enjoying her new outfit and her new home.

HOW DOES YOUR MIND WORK?

 So Chat n Snap over for the year! Everything almost returned to where they were before the day, apart from ,of course, the new items.

Now how does your mind work? I ask because this is how mine does.

I bought the double sided working clock for the station platform, which I don't want to just put away in it's box until it may be needed again or not! It would be a waste and it's a nice little clock.

My first thought was to put it up in the doll studio and then I'd be able to see the time easily. Then Paul says " What about fixing it to Granny's shop front ? "

Good call but...

Ah ! I say there is a edging that the clock bracket is too big to fit between!

" Oh I'll add a bit of wood and fit it to that!"

" What! Add some old piece of wood to my beautiful shop front , sticking out, looking naff!" I reply

An hour later the minds worked and I say " I know! You can make me another shop front and it can go on that one "

How his mind works " You don't have any room for another shop front! So no "  Don't people who think practically annoy you?

So the cogs start twirling and result ! " I know you can make the shop smaller in length, a door and a small window, after all that Granny could do with some competition ! A nice older gentleman I can see him now! From Greece, George Popodopolous, green grocer and gentleman, who takes a shine to Granny who is having none of his wily ways , though secretly pleased at the attention " It may not be a green grocer, there are many other shops that could be needed in the village..

Seems I may get a new shop front next year... maybe.... 

CATCHING UP IN NOVEMBER

 Well the end of October was busy with the Chat n Snap finally happening, a lovely buzzing day of fun and then it's over and all but a dream! Apart from, of course, having to put everything back where it came from. My house looks like burglars have rampaged through it, leaving boxes and goodness knows what else scattered about the downstairs rooms.

I always manage to forget something but luckily the hall is literary just down the road and round the corner! So Paul tends to spend the day, after helping set up, travelling back and forward between hall and home collecting items needed and taking care of the dogs. Dog's still need their walk, they don't care about some old doll event!.

This year I had a sales table and managed to sell a few things including a couple of non Sasha dolls.

We've spent the week sorting things out in the garden, once the storm had passed, foolishly went to the garden centre, so a few plants did come home with us! But only a few! 

This days headliner is Valentine and Toby

When I was sorting things out before the chat n snap, I found all the scout and brownie uniforms and since some of the boys were still in shorts and no top I started dressing them in the uniforms. Yes I know it's now November but hey back in the day, small boys wore shorts all year round! Plus I thought the boys could have a last minute adventure camping! So they are still waiting for a nice dry clear day.

Valentine is still refusing to wear proper shoes or boots, his troop leader Percy has told him red sandals will not cut it and the troop will lose points if he doesn't change them! Zac needs to find his uniform and get ready for the trip and Toby needs to stop complaining that they will all freeze to death if they are not eaten by a Yeti first! 

On the doll front

Once I'd finished putting everything away, well almost everything, I started listing a few things, here on the sales page, on the fb bazaar and also on Ebay. I'm please to say I sold a bunch of unused shoes, some dresses and a few odds and ends along with another three dolls! Yes three, so five in total over the last week. One doll did arrive, a Sasha of sorts, more about her another time. 

So a slow steady stream of items leaving but not really anything big, from the props side of things but then I've not really sorted those things out to sell apart from one horse! However I have cleared out several drawers from the tall plastic units and hopefully will at some point go down from four to two.

I did buy some fabric for some clothes for a non Sasha doll but apart from that and the Sasha doll who arrived with me back from the CnS plus the three items of clothing, nothing else. I know I'm on a mission! It's normally called Mission impossible but maybe at present Mission in progress?

These fabric's will actually get used as I'm sending some off to be made up, just to make sure it does happen!

On that note I'll wish you all a happy healthy November and week ahead

Dee

REMEMBER REMEMBER THE FIFTH OF NOVEMBER

 Gunpowder treason and plot! Or doll photo day !

Yes November already and the fifth, so lets get these photos on the screen.

From Gregoropolis we have two evacuees waiting patiently for their host or hostess to collect them and care for them until they can return home to their families.

Here in the village, Stevie is still in her Halloween outfit, saying she doesn't need to change quite yet!

Chris's girl is looking so warm and snug in her purple clothing, thank goodness the rains stopped!

Two of her sisters stayed indoor in the warm, much too blowy to be outside they think.

Although I think the rest of the family would like to be out and about! Apart from the lad still in his Pj's!

From Michelle we have her babies all sitting watching the tele tubies, it does keep them quiet , well for a little while.

Elsewhere on the shelves these sweet dolls are also standing but they look like they are planning an escape if you ask me! 

From RoRoPo Sherlock and Dr Watson, may just have met their match in Clara, who is insisting that they go and find summer, she doesn't care if they think it's almost winter, she's got a Hattie Hat complete with the Hattitude to argue !

Thank you to everyone taking part , still time to have your photos added, just send them in.

Dee

OOPS IT'S THE FOURTH

 Seems I got a day ahead of myself and published the fifth's post today!!! 

So Stevie's rushed on to show you the dress with bought at the chat n snap from Janet MD, a gorgeous purple print with tights and velvet ribbons.

She still needs some shoes but I saw one of the other girls eyeing the dress up, so there may well be some wheeling and dealing going on later.

THE PLATFORM

 Despite totally forgetting to take any photos of the station platform in situ on the day. Lots of others did , so I asked Judith E if I could use a couple of her photos on the blog and she very kindly agreed.

Not quite the whole length but way more than I took! It shows the clock which is a fully working model and will probably land up on the wall in my doll studio.

and another with all the children waiting for their hosts for their stay in the countryside.

Even I have to admit it was probably one of the best, if not the best, displays we have put on over the years.

We were told if we did do a tenth one, how would me manage to top this... 

But it's as much about all the people who dressed their dolls to suit the theme and placed them on the platform. So thank you to all of them.

CHATTING AND SNAPPING THE TAIL END

 Some early photos of the raffle prizes.

By the time the raffle was ready to call there were two Sasha's , two babies and one Gregor!

more

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and this was just the beginning, the three tables were overflowing by the time the raffle took place and a wonderful £684 was raised on this alone.

A couple of the dols up for adoption.

Now I just loved this wigwam, that Jane W put into the raffle and it was speaking to me, telling me stories I could weave with it and there were many. I mentioned to Dawn that I wanted to win it and the next thing I knew she'd mentioned it to Jane and she withdrew it from the raffle and gave it to me as a gift! 

I felt a bit guilty that it had happened, so when my number was called for a prize I didn't take one, counting the wigwam as it. I will also be adding a donation to the final total being sent to the charity.

Now unbelievable as it will sound I only bought three items ! Yes just three, a pair of Gregor shorts, a dress set for a forever friends doll, both off Ginny and then right at the end a beautiful dress by Janet MD. I would have loved to have bought more but I needed to move things on, not add to the piles. 

So another chat n snap over and done, hopefully there will be just one more in 2025 to make the ten, then someone else can run an event yearly and I can just attend maybe.

PS. Lots of bits and pieces for sale now on the sales page