Without further ado......Steve's gorgeous doll collection! (Photo heavy!!)

Well as I said yesterday, despite all the chatting we did when we visited Steve, James and Rachael, and how we almost forgot to look at Steve's gorgeous dolls, I did in fact end up taking a LOT of photos of them!  How could I not!  He has such a lovely collection, it was an opportunity too good to miss!

Steve has extremely good taste in dolls, so without further ado I will share the photos, although please forgive me for their graininess....it was a very dark day and I'd have preferred to use a tripod!  But a bad work(wo)man always blames their tools, don't they ;) . And I'm not even going to pretend to know who is who!  I can tell an NP but I'm still not completely sure about 'single fringe' etc etc.....so please, just enjoy!!! 

Now I do know that this is an early Cora, with perfect curly hair!

And this is my favourite Gotz No Nose, she's just beautiful, isn't she!

Such a serene little face :)

Obviously a No Philtrum redhead, such dreamy eyes :)

And a blond, she's lovely too :)  Her eyes are almost violet.

And this stunning girl with her gypsum head and cloth body, wearing a really attractive Ruthsdolls outfit.  Look at those eyes!  Oh what a story she could tell us if only she could talk!

Another lovely blond NP, I think she's a single fringe girl too?

And this one below is my absolute FAVOURITE!  The moment Steve adopted her I fell for her....and coveted her too ;)  Good job for Steve that I didn't have a big handbag with me, she might have had to sneak back to Spain for a holiday! ;)  Just joking Steve...honest !!

It's funny because I have said to both Dee and Steve in the past that I'm 'lucky' in that I don't hanker after an NP Sasha.  I love them, love looking at them but could say, hand on heart, that I didn't want to get one.  However, this girl has changed my opinion completely!  I can still honestly say that I don't want any NP....just this ONE!!!!  If I ever win the lottery........ ;)

I'm sorry to sound so gushing, but this little girl is just perfect! 

 And a very handsome NP boy, in his lovely warm winter outfit and new boots!

Another gorgeous girlie, my second favourite.....though how you'd really choose I don't know! 

Steve's collection of antique dolls is also lovely.  The big girl in coral on the left is particularly gorgeous.

Steve's only Himstedt!  I used to have her cousin...one of my biggest regrets, selling my Himstedts!!   Look at her precious wooden horse and her own little doll.  I think it's a tiny Helen Kish doll.

And finally this gorgeous Kathe Kruse girl, also dressed in a super Ruthsdolls outfit. 

Thanks so much once again Steve for sharing your lovely doll family with us.....It was fantastic!

A lovely day spent with friends...

On the Wednesday of my visit to the UK, we went to visit Steve, James and Rachael in their lovely, cosy home in London.  I say 'we' because when Steve knew I was staying with my mum, he extended the invitation to her and my brother too. I have to say that we had the loveliest of times!!! 

The weather on the day was absolutely dismal, raining cats and dogs, but the home of our hosts was so warm and welcoming that we completely forgot about the weather (and the time) until we realised that we'd not even looked at Steve's gorgeous dolls or taken any photos!!!  We'd done so much chatting!

We were given a delicious lunch and afterwards John and Rachael had lots of fun playing Uno and Snap at the kitchen table.  I'm sure my brother was helping to 'clear up' the lunch things too....by eating them!!!  And there were a lot of laughs and shouts of "you're cheating!" coming from the pair of them!! 

I did end up taking lots of doll photos but thought I'd share those in a separate post to save overloading this one, and instead share the 'family and friends' photos instead.  I hope you enjoy them!!

Below, my mum who isn't into dolls, but liked this particular Sasha in her beautiful coat.....well she may NOT be into dolls, but she certainly has extremely good taste in Sashas!!

Actually she liked this beautiful Kathy Kruse doll too.....I believe she told Steve that this one was her favourite!!

In the meantime, Tedi looked on in complete boredom at all the chatting!!! 

Below, my brother John, Rachael and my mum!  Rachael is such a lovely girl, she and John got on like a house on fire! :)

James and one of their large fluffy cats!

James, Steve and John .... and there's that fluffy puddy cat again!  Wish I could remember her name!!!

James, Steve, Rachael, mum and John....giving his cheesy grin another airing!! ;)

 And finally, for this post anyway, Steve, yours trully and my mum!

I would just want to say a BIG THANK YOU to Steve, James and Rachael for making us so welcome in their lovely home, giving us such a tasty and filling lunch and to Rachael for keeping John entertained all afternoon.  We really did have a the best of times!  :)