Sunday 4 January 2015

LECTIONS!

Well it's the new year, so that means at this house, things are seen with a fresh eye and cupboards that are overflowing get sorted out and things taken to the charity shops.
The funny thing is they have probably been that way all year but when a NEW year appears you do take stock and try to make a few changes and plans.

I decided to check on some boxes that have been stored under the stairs for nearly TEN years!! They came with us from our last much bigger house ,where there were some lovely glass cupboards to display them in.

But when you move , you normal land up changing what you want displayed  and since living here I have sold on quite a few pieces of china and figures that no longer had a home.

These however I have had for around 25 years? or so and the girls all love them and remember them from their childhood.

So I thought I would take some photo's as I checked them before I re-boxed them and they are put up into the loft.



These are the boxes that they are stored in and these boxes are in the original shipping boxes which are a nice thick cardboard for protection.


 They contain a set of Diane Effner designed dolls, this is of course Little Red Riding Hood.


A closer look at her worried face!


Next is Cinderella in her rags.


Her bird's come loose so is just resting on her hand.


Next is Goldilocks with her bowl of porridge.


a very sweet face .


Goldilocks back in her box.



Next we have Rapunzel with  hair brush singing.


She loves to sing!


A rear view showing her long hair.


And Snow White with her poisoned apple !



A close up of Snow white. One of my daughter Lindsey's friends looked very like this doll, same colouring and features.

Well while checking them I wondered why there were only five , surely they should be a set of six? I could not after all this time remember , so we checked the internet and found that the sixth one had been Cinderella in her ball gown, I can only assume that they wanted a larger price for her or I decided that I did not need both so therefore I only have five of this set.

But I do have two others from different sets.


The box for one of the others.


Mary Mary


a closer look at her Contrary face!

and then one doll from another set


Her box


 Polly from the rhyme Polly put the Kettle on.She holds her kettle ready to make tea.
My eldest daughter Lauren as a tot would sing the rhyme finishing with  " we all have tea cup!" rather than we all have tea!"


A closer look at Polly. I do remember getting this one and thinking she had a face that only a mother could love! and after that I stopped collecting any more.

The first six shown are Diane Effner's design and she still designs dolls today, her range being wide and including The Little Darling dolls and also Maru and friends.

I have had a little darling on order for the last nine months and still have another three to wait before she'll arrive, so maybe I should get myself a Maru ,after all I have been a fan of her work for a very long time!

Well these will now be put up safely into the loft , so another job done and some space made. I have also already been to the charity shop with the small green painted unit I had for my Sasha's that's now been replaced with the bookshelves Paul made and also took along a few unwanted pottery tankard's and things that have been acquired over the years from holidays or Christmas/holiday gifts from family.
So I am feeling very pleased that so far we are making a start on clearing some of the clutter that's built up over time.


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18 comments:

  1. It always feels better to clean and organize after the holiday. Giving to charities is an especially good feeling . Then having cleared away clutter in the house, which also helps to clear clutter from our minds, we can move onward with a great 2015 to look forward to and much Sasha fun to enjoy! :) xxx

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    1. Very true Ginger a de clutter is a good thing...nice to see that Dee is having a DEE CLUTTER too :)

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    2. Yes inDEEd Ronnie, it is DEE lightful to see!!! :)

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    3. :) ; ) Very clever play on words there Ginger :)

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    4. I agree Ginger, it does help to have a clear out at the beginning of the year,Mmm de-cluttering the mind? that would be good if only I could do it!! :)xx

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  2. I have been 'going to' start an early spring clean since the 1st, on the grounds tht I might not be up to a real spring clean, even if the Welsh weather decides to actually offer a spring this year.

    Note I say 'going to!' I actually started today, leaving myself only 2 days before I'm in hospital and I've discovered that two rooms piled high with all you own, take much longer to clean thoroughly than a whole house in normal mode! In 8 hours, I've taken the house from awful to so chaotic that I want to go and live in a large hole in the ground ;0(

    So, I'll do less harm to the comfort of my lovely husband if I stop now and play dolls, don't you think? I'll bring in a buldozer at some point in the future. The Gregors will love that.

    I like the Little Red Ridinghood best! Her expression is wonderful.

    Did you find things you don't remember ever having owned? I did when we finally emptied the boxes 6 years after we moved here - Mum says those (hideous) dishes were mine but I think they must have come from her house. Whatever, some poor soul was desperate enough to buy them from the charity shop!

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    1. Please make sure you take some photos of the bulldozer Jen...can't wait to see that :)

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    2. I would say you need a team of helpers with all the work you had to have done on house due to movement! I should imagine it looks like my smallest bedroom, which is the Sasha storage room! I go in and try to find things and come out depressed due to how much stuff is in there!
      I need to be hard and just get rid of all the things I do not use or need and I am always finding things I have totally forgotten about!
      I found a lovely red leather satchel and brown pencil case just the other day! Who knows what else is waiting to be discovered!
      I must confess if they were ugly and someone insisted they were mine they would be straight down the charity shop or the dump!! :)
      If you are having trouble with your Dolls just box them and send them here and I'll sort them for you, photo's descriptions and washed clothed ( send them too) and returned ready for play!! :)
      see how helpful I can be! :)xx

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    3. I'm surprised you did not offer to drive the bulldozer Ronny !!! :)

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  3. Thanks for reminding me on the clutter, I stored in this much to big house!
    Time to jettison -or buck off ballast (?)
    It feels good after done it.

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    1. We are all the same, much too much stuff! and feels good when it's gone and space is back! ;)

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  4. I often see these on Ebay, they're cute, I particularly like the Little Red Riding Hood and Goldilocks. The last one is a little on the plain side, isn't she, bless her!!!!
    I need to do a lot more clearing out, yet again....how does it all accumulate again so quickly, that's what I want to know!!!!
    Big hugs Sharon xxx

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    1. I like Goldilocks and also Mary Mary despite her pout! They are now safe in the loft , so a small space which no doubt will soon be filled with something else!! :) I agree how does it all accumulate so quickly!
      hugs Dee xx

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  5. I find it too hard to actually PART with anything these days so I've just given up completely and become resigned to live with the piles sprouting up everywhere. After a few months you luckily get not to notice it quite so much as it blends in and becomes part of the furniture.

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    1. I have trouble too but when I have a strong moment I have to go with it or I may find myself living out in the workshop due to the house being full up!!
      If I was truly going to go for it, I would take some of my 300 plus books in the loft down to the charity shops but i go with the belief that since I have put them in the loft they are acting like insulation !! :)

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    2. Very good thinking there!
      My loft space is absolutely empty nowadays as it was all transported into the POOR garage some years back when they came to see if I needed any more loft installation adding when they were doing the cavity wall filling for 'the elderly!' Guess being OLD has some uses as it never got put back again!

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  6. Your 'face only a mother can love' comment made me laugh! :) x

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