AUGUST'S LAST SUNDAY

 

So it's almost September! Autumn is just round the corner ! The evening's will start getting cooler and the days are once again drawing in. I always love autumn, the days are still warm but the nights are now cool enough to sleep well. The trees and shrubs start to put on their autumn colours which brings another feel and look to the garden.

This month's been spent pottering about and doing this n that. Paul's been working on the playground items for this years Chat n Snap theme. 

And so far we have three completed items, one just waiting to be finished and another in progress ! I have to confess this is almost unheard of for us. Usually it's October and we start dashing about getting all the things sorted, that should have been done a couple of months before, even up to the night before the actual event.

So this is lovely being so far along. That will actually gather some dust !! Although still a few things to do. Paul of course managed to strip a couple of layers of skin from the palm of his hand by not turning off the sander before trying to knock some dust off it! It's starting to heal thankfully but is naturally quite sore.

I have made a couple of pinafores , using a Petrana pattern, but for my Roche dolls. I landed up making them completely by hand ,since I was still having issues with both of my sewing machines. 

And although I do enjoy making things by hand, using the sewing machine as well helps make it much quicker. So one of my sewing machines I have had for 20 years or so, the other I bought off my daughter who after buying decided she didn't want it a few years later so I had it. However this is one of those machines that you press a button to start it sewing !! I find that makes me a little panicky ! and no in control.

So I decided to buy a new sewing machine  and get rid of my oldest one, get the panic making one repaired and go from there. The new machine arrived at the end of the week and I'm getting used to what it does etc and then will start making a few things come Monday.

And it's got the foot pedal control, thank goodness , so no panicking when wanting to start and stop and speed control.

Today's headliners are Ruairi and Scott, who very kindly allowed me to take their photos.

Now on the doll front, it's been like a slippery slope , almost really a slide, with me whizzing down , climbing back up , only to whizz right back down again !!!!!

So while some more dolls have gone, some others have galloped over the horizon and bounded into the village at a screeching stop!

One who arrived is Cilla, now she was not a screech but a slow traveler. Since I saw her back in April on the bazaar and asked her seller about a layaway. This was agreed and then it was a very slow move due to the doll market going quiet along with me wandering off all over the place finishing off a couple of other layaway's.   But finally she's arrived and is wearing a lovely Petrana outfit, I treated myself to.

Then there is Scott Walker, an unexpected purchase. He'd been restrung many moons ago, his arms with a rubber band that looked like it would just melt at any minute. I think he's a later 68/ early 69 boy due to his clothing. Well he needed restringing because his string between head and legs was way too tight and his arms lucky the rubber band was still working. So that's what we did restring him ! Nightmare trying to get his strings tight but not too tight. So at present we need to take him apart again and just tighten his strings up a little more !

and as to just how many babies have arrived this month , I would rather not say ! However I will introduce the lovely Irka, who I love the hair of. 

But there is another Sasha still on her way here !! But more about her another day.

So on that note I will wish you all a lovely healthy happy week ahead and just remind you all the tomorrow is the first of September and then on the fifth it will be doll photo day.

Have a great week 

Dee

IN A ROUNDABOUT WAY

 

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A NEW OLD WAY TO CHANGE THE VIEW

 So I have been very good and selling things left right and centre, so things are now much reduced and I'm now more on to sorting out the non Sasha items. However I have fallen back in love with the babies ! 

Yes I know been there done that more than once ! However seems I'm back there again.

Now I didn't have any spare money when a friend told me she was going to sell a re rooted baby ! What to do !!!  Then what does she do but put on a red headed Gotz Andrea baby to sell ! Now I knew she was going to put a red haired baby up for sale but I had been very good and not asked to see her. But naturally as soon as she appeared I just had to have her too !

But what to do ? Then I decided to see if she'd do a swap ! Luckily I had a doll and a couple of items she was interested in, so the swap was agreed.

So my two new , to me , red haired babies arrived this week.

So now I have Ronny B and Andie ( short of Andrea ) two sweet babies.

I do love the red haired dolls and these two and just so sweet and the fact I didn't have to pay no more than the postage of the doll I sent , I call it a great swap.

Only issue I now have is finding them some clothes ! Luckily both Dolly Doodles and A Passion for Sasha will be at this years Chat n Snap, so hopefully I'll be able to fight the crowds to get a few items for them . 

 

IT'S THE FIFTH SO DOLL PHOTO DAY

 August ! The eighth month of the year, it's fair whizzing by !! But at least today is the fifth, so time to share all those dolls photos.

So lets get this day started. . .

We start off with this young lady from up north ! Seems her name is Tuesday ! Looks like a girl who knows what's what ! And any innocent young lads would be best to steer well clear !! 

Her sister Bronte by contrast, seems a lovely serene young lady much more Johnny's style , him being such a good lad.

Here , that cheeky Toby and Zak are trying out the monkey bars dad's in the process of making , for the Chat n Snap playground display !  I told them, they still need sanding down and finishing but Toby reckons they are saving him wasting time if their no good ! 

Over at RoRoPo Rick is checking in with the garden gnomes, he knows they like a good gossip and know everything that's happening in the surrounding gardens.  " . . .  . . and Gustave along at number seventy seven never saw it coming ! " 

"Really !" exclaims Rick " Fancy that ! By the way who is that gnome over there , I don't remember him "  " Oh Him, we don't talk about him !" They exclaimed moving away .

Rick decides to check this new lad out " Hello Sir, I'm Rick and you are? "     The Gnome just stares ahead with a stern look " Frank " he mumbles 

" Oh hello Frank nice to meet you "  Rick says cheerfully , Frank continues to ignore him " Is that a chainsaw ? "   Franks stares, " Best not cut down anything without asking Mum or Nan !" Rick warns him, Frank just ignores him " Well I have warned you " says Rick starting to walk away " Mum might let you off but Nan oh man ! Nan will . . . . "

Over the pond in Gregoropolis, it's Harriet and John Martin's birthday. Daddy Steve is in the doghouse though, he forgot to get them a birthday cake ! He tried building a pile of Oreo cookies and adding a candle ! His ears are still burning from the kids comments . . . . 

Pretty in pink are two of Gill's babies , ready to enjoy some summer sun while it lasts.

Many thanks to everyone sending in photos, always time for a few  more.

Dee

A PROPER SUMMER SUNDAY

 In that the weather is nice, not too hot , not too cold, a bit of rain here, a cool force nine gale there and a burst of sunshine just so you remember it is summer . . .  perfect ;)

Now It won't be long until the Chat n Snap arrives !! now just under three months. So Paul's started making the props for the display.  

Percy of course, had to try out the swings, while I was checking if the backdrop I'd found would work with the playground , I think it does so now have to find one to go next to it on the left ! Will not be an easy task !

Naturally I tried another doll out with it , while it was up.

I can see this being a great prop for the dolls in the future. Like everything it will be down to finding somewhere to store it.

Elizabeth is our headliner today, wearing a gorgeous smocked dress kindly gifted to me by Shelley a wonderful craftswoman .

On the dolls front, I've sold a fair few clothes and a couple of dolls. But now we are into August I will not be sorting anything else out.

After the Fifth , doll photo day, I will be taking the rest of the month off, so won't be posting unless it's something I have got ready and is scheduled to be appear on a certain date. Then I'll be back on the first of September . 

 So have a lovely happy healthy August, don't forget to send in a photo or six to keep us going until September.

Dee

STUDIO DOLLS AVAILABLE

 So here are the Studio dolls that two friends are selling.

First one is 

Called Alice by her present owner, she comes in this beautiful outfit made especially for her.

a closer look at her lovely face.

Mon, 28 Jul at 00:59

She is a BIII late 50s /60s Studio Doll in beautiful condition.

 

She retains her original stringing which is in good order, and her original human haired wig.

 

She originally sold on Shelly’s site for 5200 Pounds.

 

Tiny repair to her thumb which is hardly noticeable.

There is also an original Studio dress available for her

 

Her price is £3800 to £4000 depending on which outfit she is sold with

If interested please message and I will give you her contact details. I have no part in this sale, I am purely 

showing these photos on behalf of the seller.

I will post the second doll once I get the details 

YOU CAN KEEP YOUR HAT ON !

 

So I fell in love with Ginny of A Passion for Sasha's shorts, shirts and bucket hat sets.  I had dressed Robin in a darker blue set but it made him look too dark skinned.

So I asked Ginny if she could make me a pair of pale green shorts and a bucket hat to go with the Zoo shirt. However how I'm wondering it that's gone the other way and is too pale for him !!

Now the dark blue set is being worn by Erik with Ragnor in the Mid blue set ! So do I play musical outfits and swap Ragnor's with Robin's ? or do I go back to Ginny for a darker green/ teal set ? 

But meanwhile that lad's are happy to have some new clothes for summer ! and are forever out in the garden , asking each other if the hats keeping the sun off ? or how hot do they feel under their hat ? Who knew hats were so interesting to boys !!

A PROPER BRITISH SUMMER SUNDAY

 

That's right, the really hot weather has vanished into just a memory and we have settled into the standard British weather of  cloudy days , cool breezes and the odd burst of either a shower or sun. What I call workable weather. 

I have spent most of the week looking through my Sasha clothing etc and listing things for sale, here , there and everywhere ! Always best to cover all bases. 

A couple of friends are selling a studio doll. I said I would share them on here and forward any enquiries on to them.

When I get the photo's I'll put a post on with them.

Meanwhile.. . 

Today's headliner is Robin, who is wearing a lovely set by Ginny of A Passion for Sasha , I already had the shirt, so I asked for some shorts and a hat to match them.

On the sorting clearing out side, it's been very productive this week with a steady stream of items leaving , however a smaller stream of items have also arrived so not quite so good. But a change is as good as a rest, so the saying goes.

But things are moving mostly in the right direction !

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

Dee

A RAINY SUNDAY

 

Yes, we in the UK are finally getting some decent amounts of rain after so many weeks of none. Naturally its arrived with a bang . lots of heavy rain causing the usual problems of the ground being so dry the rain runs off to start with causing flooding. But the country is so in need of the rain, we should not complain! well not yet ;)

So the week's been hot but also the odd shower before the proper rain that lasts hours arrived Saturday.

Now if you see the previous posts, I have been spending part of the week going through my Sasha/ Gregor / Toddler/ Baby clothes drawers. 

I am always amazed at just how much clothing there is ! So it was long over due to be culled. At least now there is more space in the drawers. Mind you there could still be some clothing hidden away in a bag or two around the place. I have a bad habit of leaving clothes around in small piles when I have changed a doll or two and then days or even a week or two later putting them , along with other items ,that need putting away in the studio, in a bag and then just dropping it off in the studio and repeating that process many times more !

So I land up with multiple bags of dolls things, spread around the doll studio waiting for the day I finally get fed up with the mess and decide to sort them out ! I found a pair of my Rosie Bloom shoes just sitting at the top of a bag just yesterday, so I stopped and put them away !.

I have listed the clothing I no longer required on my sale page, then on the bazaar , then finally on ebay.

So I am pleased to say that I have sold on a fair few items and now have some decent space in the two drawers I have been through so far.

So today's headliner is Lucas ! Yes he was happy to show off his brand new dungaree's set by the fabulous Ginny of A Passion for Sasha.

I have to confess I had seen these sets of Ginny's site but not actually looked at them properly. I was searching for a baby outfit and so had a look at them and realised I'd almost missed buying this gorgeous outfit with the dragonfly detail. You only have to look at the background of the photo to know the colour combo of green and blue would appeal to me !

It even comes with a matching pair of underpants ! 

One of the things I found while sorting out the clothing is that poor old Lucas rarely gets anything new to wear and since I'd made some money I could spring for a new outfit for him.

So  on the dolls front, well don't ask  ! lol.  

Lots of clothing has gone to new homes buts some still waiting to go. A few small doll items have also gone, so little by little pockets of space are appearing.

Today I intend to go through the knitwear and sell on some of that, it's one of the two half drawers at the top of the chest but is full to the top ! If I can reduce it by half I will be very happy and even happier if I can sell it all on.

So that's what I've been up to most of the week, loading up the postman when he comes to collected several large letters or small packets. 

I hope you all have a happy healthy week ahead filled with some doll play .

Dee

TODAY IT'S TROUSERS AND T'S

 Yes, I have moved on into the half drawer where all the t shirts/shirts and trousers etc are kept. 

b

40 pairs of needlecord trousers ? 25 plus t shirts and much much more !! So a deep dive's been done and items are now on the sales page and will be added to the bazaar followed by Ebay after.

DO THEY REALLY. . . . .

Need so many clothes?

I decided to see just what I had in the big chest of drawers in the doll studio.

So these photos are of the clothing that's been put in piles like, winter dresses, summer dresses, trousers , tops, etc.

this is all from just one drawer.

so some things really need to go to new homes.

So now do I count how many in each pile and then reduce by at least half? or be harder or softer? I'll know once I actually see what's in there. Some things have to stay and there may be more in some piles to keep than others.

The sales page will be updated once I've sorted some things to go and then after that onto the bazaar before finally in a day or so ebay.