SUNNY SUNDAYS OF SUMMER

 

So it's the last day of June, half the year gone already! And what a year it's turning out to be! We've spent the first half of the year getting things in the house and garden sorted and we are still carrying on, with changes.

The latest is I am going to move up into what was Paul's workshop, that for the last few years has just really been used to store his tools, wood and other things. But naturally since it's been basically a dumping ground, it's taking a while to clear the space but it is happening!

We can now see all the floor! and most of the sides!. He has been very good at also advertising things and selling them on, so some big items have gone straight into the back of someone's car or van and not been left in the carport. Which make more space for the other bits and pieces.

Of course being us, we ordered a new small shed, to replace our garden tool shed, where the lawn mower etc is kept, so that some of these items could be stored in with them. So now we need to remove the old small shed and put in the new one! When really we should be carrying on with the clear out! But it sort of makes sense ! At least to us!

I've been working on my side of the workshop, moving things out and clearing some space. So it's happening if only at a slow pace.

The Sasha festival finished a good time was had by all and much money raised. I had asked Gill to get me a couple of pairs of Rosie's shoes  and she bought me back the colours I had asked for.

A nice dark green and a sunny yellow.

Also Gerry M, had a while back asked if she could use one of my garden photos for a Sasha display she was doing for the festival. She very kindly sent me a copy of her water colour she'd done from it.

Which will make a nice little backdrop for the dolls and she came third in her section of the doll display competition. Well done Gerry!

And Gill gave me this union jack suitcase on wheels. She had bought one to take for her dolls to the festival and then received one as a festival gift. which meant I was the lucky receiver of her now extra case.

So not a bad haul for someone who did not get the chance to attend.

Todays headliners are this months arrivals! Yes four! I know but last month it was six!!! So we have from the left Tiffany, Mitzi, Perry and Daisy. All looking nice and summery.

On the doll front, it's been three out and two in. A couple of other items have also gone, so slowly making a tiny difference. In fact another doll did leave but has part of a swap for a different doll by the same artist. I swapped one of my Roche in part payment for another more expensive and hard to find Roche, a doll which I love and have wanted since I started collecting a few of them. However it did mean I've had to swap another I loved and sell another Roche doll in order to get this other doll. So in her case it will land up being something like three out and one in. So in a way that's another reducetion in dolls.

I also decided that I'm going to sell even more of the non Sasha dolls I have and try and keep my collecting down to just a few types of dolls. Which meant I have listed both my Carpatina boys and a Ruby Red girl with other dolls to follow. 

On that note I'm off to make some lunch, then box up a doll and move some more things around in the workshop.

Have a lovely happy healthy week ahead and remember doll photo day on the fifth.

Dee 

A DAY AT THE HAIRDRESSER'S

 So yesterday we went to visit at Chez Nash where Toyah was taken in hand, quite literally.

before photo.

She was taken into the care of the head stylist , Miss Gillian, where she was conditioned within an inch of her life , had a boil fringe rinse or two and some crimping with the scissors.

Finally some large rollers were added and she could adjourn to the garden for some natural hair drying in the sunshine.

I have to say she looked considerably sulky while she was getting all this five star treatment!

Several hours later, he fringe is behaving and she's finally happy ! 

She is still waiting for her hair to settle a little more.

So a name change was in order after her transformation! I gave her a couple of choices and she settled on Mitzi , which was the name of one of my much earlier dolls, who went to live with my sister.

Mitzi thanks Chez Nash and top stylist Miss Gillian, for all her hard work and apologises for her sulky behavour during the process.

DAISY DAISY

 GIVE ME YOUR ANSWER DO! 

She said yes!!

And here she is ! Daisy, my latest and last adoption for a while.

She arrived to complete? my spending spree of the last two months.

When a lovely friend offered her to me how was I supposed to say no! First she's a no navel , second she's a full brown eyed girl and third she's just plain gorgeous!

She came in this lovely Dolly doodles outfit and I just had to add the shoes. Which is a worry since I have a lovely green spotted dress new and waiting.... 

Also I do know that they are not Daisy's but it's 27 degrees at the moment and I don't do above 23! So too hot to go into the sun for daisies.

x

So is she the last for a good long while? Who knows! Never say never cos it never works!

ALL CHANGE!

 Well the 'hippy' girl I bid on arrived and she was in need of a good wash and something doing with her fringe! 

Her fringe is all over the place!

Photos taken before she had a good wash. But her hair length was all over the place much like her fringe!

When I said to Paul I was going off to give her a wash, he said who Toyah ? referring to Toyah Wilcox a singer from the seventies who had wild hair that stuck up! So that's her name, well at the moment anyway.

She spent some time wearing this to help with her fringe.

Hair slowly drying but looking bad.

so out came the scissors!!

So once dry she looks like this!

Her fringe appears to be coming from all over the top of her head!

So at the moment she looks like this but I'm going to condition the sides and back again and try and get rid of the frizz and I'm thinking I may cut it again to just under her chin!

And she'll be getting the boiling water fringe treatment on Thursday when I see Gill. 

To be continued ...

SO SUNDAY SETTLES IN

 

So Sunday's arrived and the Sasha Festival is nearly over. There have been some great photos on the two FB Sasha groups and some marvellous Festival and table gifts. Wish I could have attended but alas it was not to be. However I have enjoyed it from afar.

We've been very busy this week with family events and the usual house/garden jobs. However we have added to that by me deciding that I will move my studio up into what was Paul's workshop! 

This as meant Paul's had to start clearing it out and I have to say ' how many tools does a man need! ' it would appear masses by the amount of things needing moving. But he is on it! and has already sold off two of his machines, which is great as it means they don't have to go with the 'shed' load of stuff being moved into the carport!

Paul painted the door in purple pansy for me and added an antique letter plate, not useable in truth, but lovely in looks :)

So he's been sorting his side and I've been sort of sorting mine! Well I have put a couple of things up on ebay and opened the door a few times, looked stepped in gazed around and stepped out again! lol

Lola is todays headliner, looking sweet in her green floral dress by Ginny.

On the doll front.... mmm well it's been some what busy! Three dolls left BUT three arrived and all were Sashas / Gregors.

I fell for Perry who I have posted about and didn't expect to win, so he arrived and was given a spa and new clothes. 

 

However I did look at a Sasha in a Hippy style outfit which I really liked, she also looked like a nice doll but grubby and in need of a spa.  She was being auctioned, so I placed a bid and went off.

Of course what then happens is the 68/69 brunette none falling hair shows up two days later calling my name! I did dither for a while, at least ten minutes!! Then I was pressing the buy it now button and she was mine!

So Tiffany arrived. But in order for her to be adopted I did have to part with three other dolls to cover her fee. 

Which meant, Pippa, Chloe and Peter all went off to new homes! Now I can hear you asking but what about that 'hippy' you bid on?  Exactly what about her! Any other time someone would have come along and outbid me and I'd have been sad but resigned but no, no one arrived and made that bid, so I won her and she made the journey all the way from bonnie Scotland via steam train and finally arrived yesterday.

I was over with the grandchildren, so she was waiting for me when I returned later that night. Today she's had a good clean and a hair wash. So she's not quite ready for her debue but is looking so much better. 

While all that's been going on I was also paying for a short layaway on another Sasha, who will arrive next week....

I also sold 20 balls of yarn and then after speaking to my eldest daughter about it, she had the rest along with the large plastic box it was sitting around in, so a good result , yarn gone and one less empty box! A few items of dolls clothes also sold and the last of the ships I bought for the treasure island chat n snap display is in the process of selling, so another larger item will be gone. I also took the Sylvanian windmill and canal barge with me, when I visited the grandchildren, so that freed up even more space.

On another front, a lovely friend, who I actually met at the 2012 Sasha Festival in Stratford upon Avon,  who is also into the Roche dolls that I also collected. Contacted me about one of her dolls that is on my dream Roche doll list, to ask if I was interested in buying her ?  Was I? Mmmm    when I could stop smiling ! I worked out what I would have to do to obtain her. So I'm swapping one of my other Roche doll with her towards the cost and moving on a couple of others hopefully to complete the deal. 

So it's not just Sasha's on the move around here! 

On that note I'm off to open the door to the old studio side of the workshop and hopefully this time, sort some things out!

So I will wish you a happy sunny fun filled healthy week ahead.

Dee

OH THE RUNAWAY TRAIN..

 COMES TRUNDLING DOWN THE TRACKS.....

Oh yes and there is another new arrival here in the village .

What should appear on Ebay but a 68/69 brunette Sasha with non falling hair! Was I actively looking for one , no , did I want one .. yes! Even worse she was a good price and a BIN, there was no time to lose!!! At least that's what I told myself!

So this is Tiffany , a new member of the family.

I do love the brunette's.

I'm calling her my consolation gift for having to miss the Sasha festival because it' in the wrong weekend for me. That's my excuse!

Plus  I did have this lovely new pink dress by Ginny , just waiting to be used. It was in the packet with the shirt Perry's wearing , oh and there's another two dresses in that pack........ all together now...

The Runaway train came traveling down the track.......  

IN PIECES !

 So I was minding my own business just looking at ebay when this boy just kept calling to me! I did at first ignore him because I was trying to be good.

But then it got to ten or so minutes before he was due to end and I caved and put a small bid on. Assuming I'd probably get out bid but no worries.

I was surprised to find I'd won! So it was meant to be! Now the lad had one leg unattached and when he arrived I was hoping it was just a re-hook it back on job. No such luck ! The elastic, showing him to be a 1970 boy, was broken.

So I took him apart which was probably just as well since his arm elastic was almost ready to break.

So he had a good clean and a hair wash while I found the elastic to restring him.

I have to say I hate restringing dolls! I can never work out just the right amount of elastic to use which then involves attaching and then un-attaching legs , head etc multiple times so that  by the end the doll is lucky not to have had a flying lesson tacked on!

Eventually after a good hour or so, he was back together and holding up well!

He told me his name was Peregrine but everyone calls him Perry ! So Perry it is.

I must have known he was coming on some level since there was a lovely new shirt from Ginny waiting for him.

I'm beginning to think this is definitely the year of the Sasha/Gregor here in the village ! I'm beginning to wonder just how many are going to arrive this year!!

JUST HOW MANY DOES A PERSON NEED?

 

Cardboard boxes that is!! It would appear that I may have got carried away on keeping boxes for when I'm selling on things! It may have helped if I'd actually broken them down and folded them up!  I have now broken down 16 , yes 16 of them, thrown out another half a dozen and left a couple as is!! 

before 

after !

Difference? I've moved the bench cushions and taken out all the empty boxes and already there is more space! I've now removed one of the tables, you can see it in the photo above. It used to belong to my grandparents on my dad's side and my middle daughter wants it kept for her. 

I appear to have my sensible head on and I will go through and list loads of the wool I have kept since the last clear out , that's just stayed in the box and not been used. My left wrist is a nightmare and along with the arthritis in both hands, am I likely to ever use it? 

Probably not, so I'm biting that bullet and getting it gone! I'm also looking at what else can go! It's going to be a big job! 

SUNDAY SUN AND SHOWERS

Oh yes we have been having truly British summer weather this week, sunshine and showers, along with a chilly breeze some days. People will no doubt be blaming this on the climate changing but I can remember lots of summers like this back when I was going up. Sitting on the beach in June or July with a cold breeze battering us as we tried to shelter behind a windbreak ! The sky darkening and dropping a short sharp heavy downpour to be followed by brilliant sunshine! Aww those were the days! When you returned home from a week or two at the seaside with as much rust as suntan on you! ;)

We've spent the week doing the usual things like working in the garden between showers and also in the house.

We have also been discussing Paul's workshop. It's around seventeen foot long and ten foot wide and he does not use it. When we removed a small brick building near the house, it also removed the electric cable that ran underground to the workshop ( put in before we arrived) So since it's been powerless, Paul always uses the carport if he's making anything. A few years back , he sectioned off six foot for my first doll studio and then since I bought the bigger log cabin for a doll studio, my sections been used for storage and some of my overflow.

Now after the pandemic the price of wood etc went through the roof but now things have calmed down again and prices have dropped back. So we spent part of yesterday discussing if we should replace the workshop with a six metre long log cabin and for me to move up to that and my cabin to be used for his stained glass making and maybe a computer room. We are also looking at whether we could use the existing building for my doll studio , as it does have insulated walls and my section has an insulated ceiling. However my studio has an insulated floor and roof. So keep the old workshop and gain three foot or buy new and gain six? 

I think the only way to make the choice is to empty Paul's workshop and the overflow studio and 'see' the space but if we try that we have only two weeks before the sale offer on the log cabins ends. Plus not sure if we'd need planning permission for that extra couple of feet! Decisions decisions! Ten years ago I'd have made it within an hour , done and dusted! 

It's only me dragging my feet, Paul's all for getting a new log cabin !

The Uk Sasha Festival starts this week on Thursday, wishing everyone a great time, so sad I've had to miss it due to it falling on the one week I have other commitments! One week either side and I'd have been there! 

Today's headliner is Ragnor, who is looking smart in his scout uniform, he is a sea scout, on account of the fact that he believes he IS a Viking warrior!

On the doll front, no more dolls have left but one did arrive! An impulse purchase! I only bid in the last ten minutes then walked away. But it seemed it was meant to be because I won. So more about that tomorrow.

There has been a steady stream of sales, so things are slowing going, again it's all small stuff, like clothing , shoes etc, so no massive amount of space appearing but it is going in the right direction.

Well the sun is out, so I'm off down to the old studio, to open the door, look at the mass of things dumped , I mean stored inside and consider what to do!! A sneaky peak below of the issue!

x

x

It's actually not quite as bad as it looks! Honest! The bench cushions have been thrown in when it's started raining and there are two small tables and a small cupboard unit in the middle and to the side of the room. I just need to get in there and start tidying and moving out the things that have been left in there instead of being found a proper home. Well I'd best be off to start the tidy before another shower heads this way!

Have a lovely adventurous healthy fun filled week 

Dee

SUNDAY SUMS UP WELL

 

Once it was called Flaming June due to how hot the weather was after the cooler spring months. But it seems we are to have temperatures five degrees or more below what is normal for this time of year.

With a chill wind, naturally! However as long as it's dry, you can easily wrap up against the wind and still get out and about.

It's been a sad weekend here due to the death of Dr Michael Mosley, a lovely man who spent his life trying to make all of ours healthier and better. I followed his 800 diet just after lock down and it worked really well for me and my daughter. It's so sad that he nearly made it back to safety and no one saw him before it was too late. He left us how to make our lives healthier and better, it's up to us to use that information.

Today's headliner is Valentine, who does have the uncanny knack of being able to stand at a slight angle and not fall over!

On the doll front things have gone very well, three dolls left and none arrived!! Along with various items of clothing and more shoes! Yes I have that many of the things! I'd best confess that they did receive eight pairs of new shoes/boots last week but all for the Sasha's / Gregors, so they will never be bare foot! Well not for long!

I really should be trying to sell off the bigger stuff but it's such a pain having to find suitable boxes and work out best postage costs etc. But sooner or later I'll have to bit that piece of the bullet and do it.

x

x

x

x

x

So that's what the doll studio is looking like at this minute in time! No good! Too much stuff, especially big stuff! I did even discuss with Paul about adding an extension on!! But that would not really work, I also discussed about getting a new bigger cabin to go down where his workshop is but I thin it would only be another three or four foot long and Paul reckons I'd just fill that up!! Honest some people have not faith! ( Especially has I would need to sell half my stuff to buy a bigger cabin for down that end!)

On that note I am off to buy stamps as a few more things have sold and I've now run out of stamps for them.

I wish you all a lovely happy healthy week ahead and stay safe, one never knows when it may all go wrong

Dee