CHATTING AND SNAPPING NUMBER TEN!

 

So the last Chat n Snap will be held this year on the 25th October. Lots of chatting gets done along with lots of snapping of dolls, dolls clothing, shoes and furniture etc. Raffle tickets are sold and there is always a lovely donated spread of prizes to chose from, if your number is called.

Sales tables run by our talented Sasha creatives.

My lovely friend and daughters are there to offer drinks and food and to assist to make the whole thing run smoothly, along with the long suffering husband Paul, who does all the heavy work and makes the items I need for the display.

It's the cheapest event in the Sasha doll calendar, so book early so you don't miss it.

A FEBRUARY SUNDAY SO SOON!

 On yes we are already in February! I know ! But at least it means we are getting closer to Spring.

Now I forgot to share something last Sunday and you may need to know this because it's probably happening to you too!

One room in this house we have never properly decorated is our bedroom. When we moved in the room was papered and painted in a deep coral bordering on O r a n g e ! Yes I know, it had to go, so I stripped the whole room and just washed down the walls and painted them in a colour called Mocha and so they have stayed that way while all around the house changes have happened and other walls decorated.

So we have started work finally, now it's coming up to having lived here twenty years ! So you saw the wallpapers I have been considering but I'm planning on seeing what my originally purchased  wallpaper from 19 years back, looks like before I give up on using it. 

So spying ! Yes being spied on , is what I'm sharing with you. Now last week once we'd gone up to bed, we were discussing the decoration of the room and we are intending to add some panelling behind the bed which stands in front of the back window. I was telling Paul about maybe using a deep pink on the panelling, he didn't disagree. 

Now the next day when I looked at my emails I found this

EXACTLY! in my emails , one from Farrow and Ball of deep pink panelling behind a bed!! How did they send me this the day after we'd talked about it ? 

Well that evening I had plugged my iphone in to charge on the other side of the bedroom! So it proves that your phones are listening in !! So now you have been warned ! 

Meanwhile I'm into knitting Hattie's hats for the Chat n Snap ! I had decided I could only use the 4ply wool I already had.

Most of which appears to be blues, with a touch of green and a few others. Well I did knit up a few of the plain colours. They are nice enough. 

But I have to say I do like /prefer the multi colour ones just a little more. 

So I have to confess I have bought a couple of balls of sock wool to bring in a few more colourways, I know I know, so much for not spending any money and using up wool I already have! 

However Hattie may have a small stall at the Chat n Snap to sell a few.

Speak of which I must announce it and start getting in some ticket money, so I have an idea if any one will actually be turning up this year, for the tenth and very last one !

To that end I have taken a couple of photo's for the announcement , so will probably do so tonight or tomorrow.

Today's or should I say tonight's ? Headliner is Sapphire. She kindly agreed to brave the quickly cooling evening air for a very mini photo shoot. 

On the doll front not much , apart hat knitting and wool buying has been happening, although I did pay off for one of my layaway dolls and will pay for the second in the next couple of weeks, all being well.

Then I will try not to buy any more dolls etc for the rest of this quarter !! See I don't say year or six months because I know even a quarter will be pushing it ! It's always as if the doll gods look down and nudge each other saying " Did she just say she's not buying any more dolls? " " Yes" " Really ? " " yes " " oh foolish woman, let's see what we can tempted her with !"

They see it as a challenge  and they know they can win !

So it will be the fifth in a couple of day, so get those doll photos sent in, all dolls welcome, not just Sasha's.

Now I found some wispy yarn, so I'm off to knit a Hattie Hat in it to see how it comes out. Have a lovely happy healthy week ahead.

Dee

LAST SUNDAY IN JANUARY

 

Yes that's right ! It is already the last Sunday of January which only started not five minutes ago !

We have had a sad week here. My daughter Lauren's dog Bear, a Malamute had to be put to sleep on Friday.

He was the most beautiful big softy.

He was only 6 years old, would have been 7 in March. He suddenly had trouble breathing on Wednesday, taken to the vets, they discovered fluid in his chest cavity. Referred to specialist vets, they drained the fluid , which was pushing on his heart and checked for cancer. None found but his chest had refilled by a third again within 24 hours. So yes  they could operate and maybe find a tear and repair it but no gauarntee he would survive op, they could repair and if repaired he could be back in same place in six months. They said it's something that happens with dogs.

So for his sake, the right decision was made. He was the size of a small pony, loved people and a nice long walk. Chased squirrels, his arch enemies and enjoyed the rare snow falls we had.

With his buddy Casper . So a sad time at present.

Moving on, I have been doing some knitting in the evening, in order to use up some wool and so have so far made a few beret's for the chat n snap.

I found a ball of grey wool, top right hand beret, which should make up a few and since it's grey I'll have to knit one grey then one more colourful one to keep me from giving up with that grey ones, although it does have a stripe effect, so not too dull to knit with.

Saskia tried this one that matched her clothes but it looks a little on the large side, so adjustments may need to be made before I knit the next one. But I am enjoying knitting them as I don't need to refer to the pattern once started.

On the doll front, another doll left and one sent to US finally arrived. So that was good , a few other bits sold that had been sitting around, although that's just a dip in the ocean on amount of 'props' clothing etc that is in this house. I could probably fill a stall at a doll fair with the amount of items that I don't really need but are cluttering up the place.

A small doll did arrive, an impulse purchase 

I do love small dolls. 

Plus 

and Nina, Bruno's cousin, finally got a nice warm dress, although the poor girl needs some tights to finish the job.

Well the weather's gone south and it's started raining and the temperature's dropped, so I'm off to do some more knitting and to put the heating on for a couple of hours. 

Wishing you all a happy healthy doll filled week ahead

Dee

BUTTONING UP

 

The button nosed ( No Nosed ) girls, agreed to a small photo shoot on Sunday and they appeared on the Sunday round up. But naturally they had a few photo's taken, so they wanted them used here today.

Arabella naturally had to be first up.

Beatrice , Bea, is a little younger than the others , so Arabella looks out for her.

Saskia is still settling in although Arabella has thawed slightly, she's not quite accepted another girl with lovely ochre eyes and a button nosed at that! is living in the village.

And then we have Magda, who takes no crapped from anyone having lived here the longest out of the button nosed dolls. She is easy going but she has that red hair for  reason !

Arabella holding Bea's hand to reassure her that having her photo taken is fun.

Arabella with Saskia, no hand holding here !

Arabella and Magda , who have known each other for years and therefore know the limits each has. They are the best of friends 

Bea's wanting to find some black shoes to go with her dress and not the white, she says she needs to remind mum to look for some.

Arabella recommends she find some red shoes, which would blend in like her green tights and shoes. Mum likes the sound of this as it means she may not have to buy more shoes!

But then does Saskia need blue tights or pink shoes? and Magda white shoes or pink tights !! 

Arabella, how come you keep getting your photo taken on your own?  Oh I see , if you have got it flaunt it! and you have it in spades . . okay then 

Well I think that's all we need girls, you can go get a biscuit and a cup of milk or hot chocolate.

BUTTONING UP FOR SUNDAY

 

Sunday so soon! And a chilly one at that. It is definitely winter now , that old sun only getting through now and then to brighten up the day if we are lucky. Morning's of misty grey invade the country.

Even though it's been quite bitterly cold by the afternoon, I do like that we have seasons, and wrapping up against the cold then returning home to warm up is lovely. 

We, as in the royal we, ie: Paul, have been pottering in the garden, replacing a trellis for a fence panel and making one to fit an odd sized space.

Looking very cold and bleak but come some warmer weather we'll give it a proper makeover. But for now the bones are there. 

At this time of year we also discuss what needs doing and what we'd like to get done over the coming year, some things will happen, some things will change and some things will be forgotten or decided against. I am a list maker and love nothing more than finding a list years later and making off things that were done long after the list was made . 

I need to get the tenth and last Chat n Snap underway. Hopefully we'll get a nice take up to finish the event off.

Paul will have a few things to make for this one, so once the warmer weather arrives, I'll need to remind him to get cracking! He'll need most of the year to get things done.

Arabella, Beatrice, Saskia and Magda, my button nosed girls together .

On the doll front, I have sold two dolls and bought two small dolls ! I know, but one was a doll for the dolls and cost £7. So not bad.

The problem I seem to be fighting against at the moment is buying fabric!! Yes she who owns loads of fabric and did last year sell loads of fabric to reduce her stash , is buying more!! The problem is I was looking for a certain weight of fabric and got side tracked as I searched ! 

Now providing I use this fabric when it arrives and it doesn't go the way of most things and go on a back burner, then it was fine but if it lands up being moved around the downstairs rooms until it lands up in a box which then lands up in the studio and not seen again for a couple of years , that will not be good.

So once I have finished this post, I will be going off to make a pattern, so this fabric gets used and not left about!

And on that note I'd best finish or no doubt I'll get side tracked  . . . again

Have a lovely healthy warm week ahead

Dee

IF YOU WENT BACK

 On the Sasha study group, the theme this week is , if you could go back would you change / collect your dolls differently.

Which naturally made me think, what would I do differently , if anything ?.

Well I love the 68 dolls, so If I had my time again there are a couple of my early 68 girls I would now keep.

Bella, a girl who should have stayed for one.

I would also keep quite a few of the Gotz dolls, that have come along and then moved on to pay for a different doll. 

Some of the early Button nosed dolls I owned and the No navel's plus a few of the early slated eyed Gotz buys.

But if my collection got too big, I'd feel the need to downsize it , only to months later , start buying again. Or if I wanted a doll, I would and still do sell other dolls to pay for them.

Funnily enough I have never thought about selling these boys towards other dolls.

And Arabella I sold a few years back and she had a couple of owners but I had seen her about and was able to buy her back even though her mum at that time did love her.

I think I have owned four NP dolls over the years but they come in and almost straight away go out again! So now I know they are not for me, so no more will arrive unless I come across one dirt cheap, then she/he may stay . . . . . well for a while ;) 

But I don't miss the dolls and if I'd not sold them I would have missed out on owning others. So really it's been an interesting journey , where you learn as you go along.

At the moment I'm not looking to buy more Sasha's but if one came along and started singing to me , well what's a Sashaphile to do ! 

CATCHING UP SUNDAY

Well what a week it's been out there in the big wide world! What an earth is going on with the weather, all the floods, now massive snowfalls in one part of US followed not long after by raging fires sweeping in and destroying chunks for a major US city.

Seeing all the streets of destroyed homes makes you wonder , where do you start? What will it look like if it's rebuilt? Will it become new houses all modern and similar or will people try to recreate the home they lost? Will your neighbours still be your neighbours or will they have moved away for fear of it happening again? Once it's been rebuilt will it still be home? or the area around so changed you decide to move? 

And that fact you have nothing but a few items you had time to save? That old box you had sitting on the side, the wonky bowl your child made at school, the quilt you made from vintage fabric you gathered over years, that wonderful dresser you found in a secondhand shop, those items you loving gathered over time to give your home it's unique to you look. Never mind the photos etc. Yes they are only 'things' and peoples lives are more important but it must still hurt that when all is replaced your 'treasures' will still be missing and you home can never look the same or similar.

 Of course this is worse for those poor people in the world having their homes blown apart by war mongers, intent on achieving their mains, never mind the innocents destroyed along the way. They have nowhere to hide or go while this continues on and on and are losing not just their homes but their lives or those of their families.

It's a new year, lets home things will improve everywhere . . . . 

A photo of my gorgeous Claudia from the summer ! and don't we need a mention of summer with this cold spell that we here in the UK are having at the moment.

The dogs small water trough up by the folly , frozen in this strange way ! 

So since it's been either 0 c or minus the last few days , Granny's been refusing to leave the house and is tucked up in front of the telly watching reruns of homes under the hammer and escape to the country while sipping tea and eating chocolates. Much to the annoyance of the children who want to watch a film and wouldn't mind having a few of those chocolates themselves ! I believe the children are off making plans for a take over ! Good luck with that!!

So it's been a bit of a week of not doing much really. Having to put a coat on just to pop over to the studio and not staying more than a couple of minutes grabbing something and dashing back indoors.

 

I also finally caved and bought a Wifi printer ! This will be a relief to my daughters who I am forever sending a pattern or other item I need printed ! Now I can print it up myself and not have to wait about for days. 

The main reason I didn't get one before was having to find somewhere to place it ! So I thought on the bottom shelf of my little vintage writing bureau but thought that would be too low to use there. So we tried it on a stool to the side of the bureau but that meant the armchair would stick out into the room and the plug wouldn't reach. So we then tried it on the sideboard in the living room by the window but although yes it fit and was by a plug point, it just looked out of place. So it eventually landed up on the bottom shelf of the bureau. . . .mmm . . . .

Another thing by using the shelf on the bureau meant it had to be moved away from the wall for the plug to go into the socket behind it, which meant an early spring clean of the whole thing.

Just a few of the smaller items I'd forgotten about that were in the bureau ! Amongst other bigger items

The printer's already been used to print a pattern and a label, so a good buy, even if it's taken years to actually do it!

On the doll front 

I asked Michelle before Christmas if she'd make me a Santa sweater, just sent her a photo of one I'd seen which we then lost, and this is what she made me. I then of coursed asked for a hat and then a beard! lol . She came good on all of it. Unfortunately it didn't get much of a look in the story this year, but it will at least be around for next year. 

I have sold two Sasha baby dolls, who have been just sitting about being ignored. But not much else as it's just after Christmas and January is always a very slow month because people are recovering from their Christmas spending.

However being me, I have a layaway to pay for by the end of the month, so must find some things that hopefully will sell in that time.

On that note I will wish you all a happy healthy week ahead and in the words of Hill Street Blues ( a golden oldie ) Be careful out there 

Dee

THINKING OF YOU ALL

 

Thinking of all the American people, who are being effected by the terrible fires California and also the heavy snow falls in Washington and surrounding states. You are going through it at the moment and we are hoping for your safety at this time.

IT'S JANUARY IT'S THE FIFTH, SO. . . . IT'S DOLL PHOTO DAY

 A new year and so a whole new year of doll photos. Remember the doll does not have to be a Sasha .

I always add each photo as it's received , so first up this year is

A sweet little Helen Kish doll with her pram and teddy and cat from Gill. I love Helen Kish dolls.

Blown in from the bitter winds of Gregoropolis we have Steve's 68 boys, looking handsome and dressed warmly. Although the lad on the end could do with a jacket ! 

Some of the red's also wanted in on the shoot. Now I know I have the memory of a goldfish but I'm not sure that lass in the middle isn't a new member of the Gregoropolis crew? Steve will probably be back to tell me she's lived with him for years ! but will that be real years or don't give the game away to John because she arrived last week years? Mmmm 

NB Steve says Sylvia has been around three years but not appeared on the Gregoropolis site much .  That's his story and he is sticking to it. . . . . ;)

Over in Germany at RoRoPo, the dreaded white stuff has arrived ! Otto and Caleb are learning to toboggan, their sister Clara is calling out instructions but I think the boys are not listening properly! 

Such a sweet sister to stand in the snow and help !

Overnight here in the village, the dreaded white stuff appeared ! Valentine and Saffy went outside to check it out but it was already raining, so it won't be around for long !

Lillian also popped outside to see the snow at least she was wearing a coat!

Today the 5th January, is Casper's 7th birthday, so he insisted that he was a 'doll' and should therefore be added to the photos ! You can see that he's not a dog to take any backchat from the servants ! 

Many thanks for those sending in photo's for todays post. There is still time to have your photo added, just send it along.

2025 ARRIVES WITH A BLAST OF VERY COLD WEATHER

 

YES ! Winter has arrived along with the new year ! We have been pretty much spoilt up to now, with only the odd very cold day now and then. It was more about storms , following each other, in the last few months of 2024.  

So for now the completion of Granny's tale will have to wait since she's moved out of the shop and is sheltering in the house because , in her words " She is just an old lady whose heating allowance has been stolen by Rachel in accounts ! So until the weather improves Bruno, Nina and herself will be staying in the 'big' house and using our heating "

I told her I was more than happy for them to all stay and keep warm , for as long as needed. That took the wind out of her sails, much to her annoyance :)  So she's had to try and be nice to everyone, which she trying her sorely !

But Bruno and Nina are loving staying over and sleeping in the kids rooms and chatting into the night.

Naturally I have started the new year with a couple of non Sasha dolls on layaway! So I'll be selling things towards their purchase. Most will be listed on the sales page and also on ebay. So worth a look if you want something for the dolls.

This young lad is in need of a new family for a start. He is in almost new condition. I will add more over the coming days. 

I actually do like winter, if it's crisp and cold, you can wrap up warm against it, if you need to go out or you can stay in the warm and find things to do because there is usually something that needs doing. And there will definitely things you have left to one side. So I'm hoping to get a few of those things that have been waiting a long time to be done over the winter months.  I have to say I did the little puzzle for the Christmas photo's of Hattie in her bed room.

Tiny little puzzle but took me a good twenty minutes due to all the odd angles used ! I have another three , I think, of these little puzzles , for the dolls! But I'm going to actually do them, not wait for years and then have a go ! I also have a big puzzle, I haven't got round to doing so that can come out too! Then that one can be sold on.

I have a bag of craft items that need making from the Sasha Celebrations weekends, that have not yet been done. I did get them all gathered together a couple of years back and intended to work my way through the bag , well it's now a couple of years later and they are all still waiting. 

So I am thinking I should declare this year, the year of . . . . Use it or lose it ! or maybe Get it Made !  I think I'll wait a month to see which way the year looks like working out!

I also need to get fit and thinner, so that will involve getting out and about, well once the weather improves! 

Like Ginny here, I'll be wearing my 80's Dynasty shoulder pads and ruling the doll roost !  lol

Well tomorrow is the fifth, I will be carrying on the photo day but no one needs to join in unless they would like to. The photo day makes me have to take a photo or six of a doll/dolls which for me is good.

Wishing you all a happy healthy new year and month 

Dee