Bailey Survives 'The Cull'....

It has been a very busy month and my blog, as well as my dolls and my sewing machine, have been seriously neglected.  However, having finally made a good start on my selling, I feel a lot less 'overwhelmed' and there does seem to be some light at the end of the tunnel...even if it's only a tiny glimmer, it's definitely there!!!

In the last week I've listed quite a few dolls on Ebay and as a result, I've sold a small Schildkrot Wichtel boy, my one and only Sasha baby, and my little Toddler Erik.  I wasn't too concerned about the Wichtel boy or the Sasha baby as neither of them have had much attention here, but I was a little sad about Teddy, my Toddler, because he was a real cutie, but he will be going to live with a nice Sasha collector in the US so I'm sure he'll be well cared for and have a lot of fun in his new loving home.

Bye bye boys!!!  Enjoy your new homes!

I will be continuing to add dolls and other items to Ebay, so if you're interested in seeing what I'm selling or who needs a new home, please click on the link below:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/dambuster01/m.html?item=233147670425&ssPageName=STRK%3AMESELX%3AIT&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562

I hope to be adding more items at the weekend, if not before!!!  

I also had a lot of dolls here that I'd bought on impulse over the last few years.  There were several Barbies, a Fashionista Ken, a Santori Gorjuss doll, some Spanish dolls by Asi and Paola Reina, a couple of Disney Animator dolls, as well as, four Journey Girls that I bought from Toys R Us.  Most of the dolls were either brand new in their boxes or had been removed and undressed and then put away.  I didn't want to put them on Ebay as I felt the postage for them would be more than the individual value of each doll.  So what to do?  I made some enquiries and found out that a local group of ladies collect donated dolls for a great cause that really did appeal to me!!!  So I gathered the dolls, there were around 25 or so in total and met with a very nice lady who told me all about their work.  Some of the women sew, others knit or crochet clothes for the dolls and then they're donated to a charity, Ángeles Malagueños de la Noche, a non-profit organisation, based in Malaga.  The dolls and their wardrobes will eventually go to children who's circumstances mean that they don't get much, if anything, from The Three Kings on the night of the 5th January.  I was invited to attend the next meeting of dolly outfit makers so I may go and see if I can help by sewing some clothing.  Wish me luck!

So now that I'm getting a little more organised on The Dolly Cull, as I've started to call it, and can actually get into my doll room properly, I decided to take one of my girls, Bailey, out with me today when we went to visit Lake Viñuela.  Bailey is my rewigged Brunette Sasha from 1971, and is one of my favourites of my Sashas.  So I thought I'd share some photos.  She is wearing her lovely Ruthdolls dress with brown leather boots also by Ruth and brown socks by me.  Sorry if the photos are a bit repetitive, I just think she looks cute from every angle!!!

 

Well I hope you enjoyed my little update and photos of sweet little Bailey.  I will try to keep my blog updated more regularly now that I'm feeling a bit more positive about my dolls.

Thanks so much for visiting, I hope you all enjoy the rest of your week ahead!!

Big hugs Sharon xx

Another Dolly Week!

I cannot believe how quickly the time is passing and I've been neglecting my poor blog again!  I have taken quite a few photos recently but just forgot to share them on here, although some have gone on Flickr.  Apologies to those of you who've already seen them on there, I hope you enjoy seeing them again!

Firstly I made this outfit for the Little Darlings, I made it with a view to selling and showed it to my friend before putting it on Ebay.  Of course then it never got that far because she immediately wanted it!  I'm pleased with how it came out, I love this girl in blue and white, being my favourite colours too!  The socks are pale pink and white stripes because as you know, my dolls are never 'predictable'!

And because I couldn't resist, here are a couple of closeups of my sweet little Rory, who is painted by Lana Dobbs.  It was raining as I took these photos, that fine rain that quickly drenches you, but I thought she looked so real with the raindrops in her hair!

Like most doll collectors, I'm always on the hunt for props for my photos and was pleased to find this umbrella in a shop in Malaga, which is just the perfect size for Mouse, my Dollstown Seola who is approx 45cm tall.  And of course it's perfect for her to protect her pale skin from the sunshine!  I made her some slouch boots using soft leather in two different shades, cream and dark brown....she's very pleased with them and wanted to show them off with her umbrella.  The umbrella, by the way, has a fully working metal mechanism and is actually supposed to be used as a shade for smart phones! 

A 'just because' close up ...

Next we have some photos of Sam, my Elfdoll Hana Angel, who is a tiny 20cm tall.  She came with me to Fuengirola last week and was totally prepared to help me with my lovely breakfast at the Danish restaurant at Los Boliches.  She brought her own tiny silver knife and fork!!

Later she enjoyed a drop of Dandelion and Burdock that Brian, my hubby, bought for himself at the Iceland supermarket.  I had never drunk this before and having tried it, I don't think I will again!!  Tasted a bit like cough mixture to me!!

Whilst in Fuengirola we spotted a little bit of England!!  We aren't sure what it was all about but these structures, which appeared to be all made from metal, were just being put in place on the side of the road.   In the background you can also just see a very attractive model of what we think is supposed to be Saint Basil's Cathedral in Red Square, Moscow.  We laughed at the 'telephono' sign!  The box was locked and empty! 

A rather strange looking Lady Liberty....but someone worked hard to make her, she even stands on a plinth like the real one! 

And finally in Fuengirola, the lovely statue on the roundabout, which is not a temporary structure, it's always there.  Spanish roundabouts are generally really attractive, whether because they're covered in lovely well tended flowerbeds, olive trees, fountains or, as in this case, nice statues.   One day I might travel around taking photos of roundabouts to share with you....there are some very pretty ones around here :)

Finally for today, I thought I'd share a photo of the local lake, Lake Viñuela, which despite being very low due to the fact that we've had so little rain over the last few years, is looking very pretty.  This is the actual colour of the lake, I've not enhanced it in any way! 

Well I hope you've enjoyed seeing the photos, and would like to take this opportunity of wishing all my lovely Sasha friends who're attending the Sasha Celebration Weekend in Nottingham, the very best time!  I'll miss you but maybe next year!!! :)

Hugs Sharon x

Poor neglected blog!

I just realised that I've not posted anything on my blog since the 17th June, my poor blog has been getting neglected by 'real life'!!!  That's not good!  It's not lack of interest, or lack of photos, I have both of those, I've really just not had time recently.

My son Brendan and his lovely fiance have just been here in Spain for a few days sorting out more of their wedding plans, I cannot believe how quickly the year has gone since they announced the date of their wedding and how now it is just under two months until their big day......I don't suppose there's time now to lose the 2 stone in weight that I planned last September, is there? Oh well!!

On the dolly front I have been selling some dolls and doing some sewing.  I've been working on commissions, a couple of birthday gifts, a thank you pressie and a couple of things for my own dolls.  At the moment my dolls are in a big heap, as those of you who read Dee's Sasha Village blog will have seen.  I had to clear them all off the spare bed for my son's visit as I now use his bedroom at the coast for my dolls and sewing when we are down here.

I need to show you the second part of my 'Playing the Tourist in Malaga' post and will get to that soon but might wait until next week when I am meeting up with a dolly person in Malaga and she's going to show me her favourite place in the city.....mustn't forget the camera :)

So to make this not just a 'words' post, here are some photos I've taken recently:

I made this cream summer dress for Leoni my Zwergnase Junior Violet.  I thought I'd use my sewing machine to embroider the pansies on the bodice and think the colour of the flowers works really well for her.

A close up of the machine embroidery, I really enjoy using this function of my machine but just don't get to use it enough!

I made this blue and white summer set, plus the shoes, for my friend's Little Darling as a 'thank you' to her for helping me out with a couple of things :)

I made this set for a lovely lady in Switzerland :

I also took Tanya, my Maru & Friends girl, out for a nice Sunday morning stroll....we went to  Lake Viñuela and the Hotel Viñuela which was in the throes of being decorated for a wedding being held later that day.  The grounds are beautiful, to match the hotel, so I'm not surprised that someone would choose to have their special day there.

Below photos were taken in the hotel garden, the lawns were so green and the plant life very lush.

I think that's enough photos for now, I don't want to bore you all with my photos.  I hope everyone is having a great week and good weather too!

The hills are alive with the.....sighting of dolls!!!

This morning we got back into our 'routine' of going out for a nice drive in the sunshine and as usual I took along a couple of dolls so that I could photograph them.  Today I took two of my Little Darlings, Ellie, a number 1 sculpt and Gem, a number 2 sculpt, both hand painted by Dianna Effner.

We drove up into the hills behind Torre del Mar, into the area of Lake Viñuela and beyond to the edge of the town called Rio Gordo.  The roads were very quiet except for the usual groups of cyclists....I really admire how they cycle up those mountain roads, it wears me out just thinking about it!

The clouds love to hover over the mountains like a protective wrapping of fluffy white cotton wool!
 

As in most parts of Andalucia, there are olive groves everywhere.  Always planted in straight neat lines!   

We stopped at a point in the mountains where the girls could get out and stretch their legs and of course have a few photos taken.  The lake can be seen in the distance.

Ellie was glad she wore her hat because the breeze picked up a bit as we got higher up.....Gem wasn't so fortunate ;)

The girls spotted their first ant of the year, quite a biggy too.  He seemed to be on a mission and was completely oblivious to us pointing the camera at him!

We drove a little higher....

Gem's hair really got windswept!  

Before turning around and heading back down to the lake.....

We've not seen the level of the lake this low before....it is incredible.  There has been so little rainfall that it's beginning to look more like a large 'puddle'!!!

Even Ellie is looking a little concerned about the level of the water ;) 

Whilst Gem just wonders how I can dare to show her on my blog with such messy windswept hair!

Olives, olives, everywhere!  As far as the eye can see...

After we left the lake area, we drove to a local bar where we sat outside and had a welcome cup of coffee ...

And you really can't have coffee in a bar without sampling the tapas, can you? ;) 

We chose a half portion each of......

Pork meatballs in almond sauce......

Ensaladilla.....which is tuna, hard boiled egg, olives, boiled potato, raw tomatoes, onions, orange and peppers all mixed together in a light mayonnaise.....

And another ensaladilla, this time chopped up peppers, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, chopped up prawns, seafood sticks and pulpo (octopus) all mixed in olive oil and vinegar....delicious!!!

Thank you for stopping by, I hope you have had a great weekend and that the week ahead is a good one for you :)