Saturday 29 September 2012

For Sale: Two more Sashas and one Gregor looking for a new home.

Now I SO don't want to do this...

Up for sale are two more of my beautiful Sashas and one Gregor lad.

First of all is Gotz Ira from 2001.  She is number 384.  She has amazing long hair and is in excellent condition as she has mainly been on display.





She holds a pose well and has her original stringing.



She comes in her original outfit consisting of pantaloons, singlet/vest and dress.  Her shoes are replacements by Ruths Dolls.


I will include a close up of her face, I didn't realise I had missed it.

SOLD

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My lovely Gotz Angela is also very reluctantly for sale.  I biased of course, but I think she is one of the nicest I've seen.  Her hair is gorgeous as is her sweet face.


She comes wearing her original dress which is in excellent condition, but sadly she had lost her original shoes along the way.  I only have white ones spare which don't really suit the dress so she is currently barefooted, although I can include a pair of socks to keep her feet warm!  She holds a pose well and has her original stringing and is in lovely played with condition.



£250.00 + p&p

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Last of all we have this cheeky scallyway No Nose boy.


He is so special I am going to cry bucket loads when he goes and just thinking about it upsets me.


He wants to be able to take a bit of NZ with him to remind him of Henry, so he is wearing a new pair of short dungarees with a bright orange t shirt.


His stringing is quite loose and he will probably need restringing at some time in the future, but he still holds a pose well as can be seen.


Puffing out his chest trying to be brave.


£650.00 + p&p

Please feel free to contact me to ask any questions.



Some more winter wear.

The rest of the girls in their warmer wear (all but two who are waiting for some outfits to be made for them!)



Whoops, these two dresses could have done with an iron!



Sweet Molly


Emily & Tilly Rose, Henry's two side kicks...


Gorgeous Meredith



A different look for Cora who normally wears dresses...








Friday 28 September 2012

You've lost WHAT?


What do you mean you can't find it?  April asks Saffron in shocked voice

I just can't.  I have looked EVERYwhere...  Saffron replies


Well, you better try again  April tells Saffron.  Mum will be furious otherwise!  If you kept your room tidier you would probably be able to find it.

I try to.  Saffron says, looking very sad and sorry for herself. It is just SO difficult!

In the meantime how have the other girls got on with finding some warmer clothes to wear?


Kendal and Amber have chosen a couple of nice warm dresses...

Julia and Judy are favouring their dolly doodles outfits.  Although I think Julia must have put on weight as they wouldn't do up and the popper came off!  Whoops!


The rest of the girls are busy trying to decide what to wear as well, but there seems to be general confusion and chaos reigning as Saffron has rummaged through all their clothes and shoes trying to find her 'blue suede boot'!


Wednesday 26 September 2012

Red Head boy for Sale.


I have reluctantly decided to sell my lovely red headed boy Patrick.  He also has his green suit which I will hunt out today.  He is in fabulous condition with his original stringing and silver tag.

Please email me if interested in offering him a new home.



£150.00 + p&p



Sunday 23 September 2012

Southampton - not

Now yesterday didn't turn out at all as expected in many ways, some that I am not even going to go into on here.  The trip down to Southampton was extremely long as we got caught up in massive delays on the motorway due to accidents and traffic going to the boat show.  We would have picked another weekend if we had realised.  Needless to say by the time we arrived at the College we decided it wouldn't be wise to attempt to get into Southampton itself as we had seen the massive queues of traffic and had of course been stuck in some of them!  Instead we went and had a tea and coffee with our son in the local village and then we went into Portsmouth as our son needed to get a computer mouse!  It was lovely to spend some time with our older son and so good to see him settled, happy and enjoying his course.

As a result poor Henry didn't get to see much of the area, and his mean mummy wouldn't by him any toys either, explaining the newly enforced budget!


He was impressed by this model though.


Gorgeous Gotz Michel for Sale

My lovely Gotz Michel Boy Scout is sadly looking for a new home.  He doesn't have his original outfit unfortunately but is dressed in a pair of 'Henry's Fashions' New Zealand Ponga Koru Black & Brown shorts, with green grasses shirt, black boots and socks.  

He is a really lovely fellow and is in excellent condition.  He has what I consider a perfect hairstyle with lovely soft and silky hair.  He has his  original stringing and can pose well.






Sold.

Please email me if interested.



Friday 21 September 2012

Off to Southampton tomorrow

Henry is off to Southampton tomorrow as we are going to visit my older son who is at Warsash Maritime Academy training to be a Navigation Officer.  We haven't seen him or his accommodation since he moved down there at the beginning of September as our holiday clashed with his starting date...a case of poor timing.  We offered to cancel our holiday but he said to still go which was thoughtful of him.  Unlike a lot of Universities and Colleges our son has to wear a uniform, so he has requested an iron, ironing board and clothes airer!  Fortunately we had spares of these so we will take them down there tomorrow.  Hopefully the weather will be good as we have had quite a down pour this afternoon.

Henry can't wait as he is looking forward to seeing some of the ships.  I can imagine he will want a naval uniform next!

Progress is being made and a doll that was sold was posted on her way today.  Several others have bids on them, and although I shouldn't think they will sell for much (they are not Sasha dolls) at least it will be a little bit, and every little bit counts!  Not much else has been done today I have to confess as I have had a bit of an off day.  I had a bad headache - think I will have to start calling them Chiari head - yesterday, and although by mid day it had pretty much cleared and I got several cleaning and tidying jobs done, I think it has had an after effect as I've just not been quite right today.

No photos I'm afraid as my husband had to borrow my computer today to take into London, so I am using another to post this.  Hopefully will have lots of photos of Henry in Southampton tomorrow!

Wednesday 19 September 2012

Progress report


Well what can I say but WOW about the response I got to my post yesterday, and an amazing thank you to all the wonderful friends who wrote such thoughtful and supportive emails and comments to me.

It feels good to have acknowledged things publicly so to speak, but of course now I have to actually start 'doing' whilst reminding myself that Rome wasn't built in a day and my problems and house won't be sorted that quickly either.  I will make small steps at a time and acknowledge the progress made.  As an often impatient person, and as a teacher once told me, a perfectionist, this is where the difficulties occur and I think why I have often given up in despair.  

I spent most of yesterday sorting through a couple of doll boxes, taking photos and listing things on ebay and whilst I think I've made more mess in the process, I have sorted out about 16 assorted dolls to sell and whilst they probably won't sell for much they WILL reduce the debt (or at least going towards paying the interest)  AND declutter to some extent.  I still have a very long way to go and at first it felt like I had achieved nothing. It is amazing how long it takes to photograph each item and edit the photos.  Kendal has been helping me 'look' at my dolls with a new eye and with the process of deciding who is to be re-homed and to view them afresh.  Henry was close on hand to support me. :-)

I had to remind myself that I still managed to cook my husband a lunch, do the dishes, fold a basket of washing and even allowed myself a few minutes to go and enjoy my roses.  I also managed to do some  knitting for the dolls in the evening.



It really looks like it is a beautiful day outside today and I hope that that in itself will bring the inspiration to keep on working at it.  I just need to make sure I pace myself as often do too much, end up in more pain and then give up.  Little and often...

Well onwards and upwards as they say.  I have to continually remind myself to keep going and not give up...it is very difficult this doll addiction as many of you have acknowledged...I'm sure they take on a life of their own at times at tempt us to do their will!  ;-)

Thank you again dear friends for your ongoing support.

Tuesday 18 September 2012

Thoughts, Debts, Obsessions and what to do about it?


I am posting this both here and on my Balancing Kiwi blog.  Yet again I woke at about 3.30 am this morning...this time I decided to record my thoughts.


As I lay here in the early hours of the morning, around 4am is the usual time, I worry myself silly over the debt I have gotten myself into over my continual wanting of ‘more’.  I am ashamed at who I’ve become, at the way I have allowed myself to be seduced and lured by envy?  At how I’ve made decisions and promises that deep down I probably knew I couldn’t keep, and yet hoped for a way, which have merely led me further into debt and ended up letting myself and others down.  For goodness sake I used to work in banking and advise people on their finances…How could I have let this happen to myself?  I am guilty of the envy and competition that seems to have grabbed hold of me through the use of the internet.  Obsession could be a good word for it.  Certainly the internet is contributing to my temptation by bringing things within easier reach – just the press of a button, no exchanging of actual cash.    Therein lies the problem… There is almost a jealousy and need to compete in those of us weak enough to succumb to these vices.  Certainly I am guilty of this.

Instead of being satisfied with what I have and enjoying and making the most of them, I have been sucked into the addiction of wanting more and ‘keeping up’.  This is ertainly no one else’s fault but my own.  I have completely ignored the fact that I have no income with which to do such a thing.

I could ‘blame’ all sorts of things, from the pain and inability to play my music, to medication but the simple fact remains it is I who has gotten me into this mess, so it is I who needs to get myself out.  Perhaps some of the pain I suffer from is partly psychological, in that the feelings of worry and guilt acerbate the symptoms.  Is it the pain which wakes me at night which in turn causes me to worry, or is it the worry which causes me to wake in pain?  Of course I also worry about the pain and symptoms as well as although I do my best to ignore, the simple fact is they are not getting any better and some are spreading.  Is the Chiari getting worse?  Is more nerve damage being caused?

I don’t always recognise who I am anymore.  I have no motivation or drive, no enthusiasm; I just ‘float’ along getting by.  I set myself goals and targets, yet fail to achieve them, often not even starting on the simplest of them, certainly not finishing them.  I look around me and all I see is mess.  I want to clear it, sort it etc… but it appears I don’t want to bad enough as I never do.  I never change myself or the mess and yet deep down I know I really do want to live in a clean, ordered and tidy house.  I want to be able to live in a house I would be proud to open the door to let visitors in, not one where I cringe with embarrassment and want to hide.  And yet how does one get out of this rut and actually achieve?  How do you discover the motivation, energy and drive needed to do something and then KEEP it that way?  I often ponder these things, especially in the early hours of the morning or when I’m feeling low and overwhelmed by it all.  I struggle with daily tasks, wasting inordinate amounts of time on the internet searching.  Searching for what I ask myself.  What am I REALLY searching for while I am scouring ebay, blogs etc…  When I think about this in the early hours of the morning I just don’t know.

They say ‘less is more’  I’m not sure how true this is being someone who finds it very difficult to have less and is always wanting more, and yet deep down I know it is probably true.  For example, I know if I was told I could only keep one or two of my Sasha dolls, I know which ones they would be, no matter how hard it was.  Instead I am always wanting to add to my collection, and yet why?  Can I really enjoy each and every one of them properly I ask myself when I am feeling this way?

The solution always seems so much clearer at this time of the morning when I am lying in bed after tossing, turning and fretting away.  Come day time, it all turns into a blur again and the day becomes a repeat of the previous one where nothing is done or achieved and often I’ve spent money I don’t have.  At this time of day I am able to look at things more rationally and believe I can cut down, sort, decide who and what to keep and who and what to sell or give away in order to restore both my bank account and peace of mind.  Yet come day time when I look at my dolls, or other things, it seems so much more difficult and I keep making excuses, falling ‘in love’ all over again and not wanting to part with anything.  However, if I am completely honest with myself I know I don’t NEED so much.  I know who/what I would keep, favour if I really HAD to choose so why don’t I do so, as really I DO HAVE to choose.  Wouldn’t I then enjoy them more without the guilt niggling away at me?

I worry that I will ‘lose’ money and that I won’t get what I spent on them.  But does this really matter in the long run if I achieve my goal of being debt free and the subsequent peace of mind that will offer me, the tranquillity and proper enjoyment that I am seeking?  How can I enjoy something that I don’t have ‘time’ for, that just sits on a shelf, in my studio amongst the rest of my ‘stuff/clutter’ I have accumulated over time.  I am a hands on person preferring to enjoy, hold and ‘play/use’ rather than store and just look at my collections.

Can I do it I wonder?  Can I really say enough is enough and actually do something about it?  Something positive and constructive?  I am good at writing plans and lists, but really no good at following them through.  I have good intentions, but come morning they all blow out the door.  What I actually need to do is DO IT!  This doll addiction has spread to other areas of my life as well.  Too much of everything to the extent that I can’t keep anything tidy, or find places to put things away.  It really is time to start doing something about this before I am completely swallowed up.  But WILL I?  By doing this I should then be able to achieve those things that are important.  Things that I’d really like to do and places I’d like to see.

To start this is really simple IF the first step can be made.  I need to view things with a new eye, a new perspective.  There are so many hints, sayings and guides out there, many of which really do make sense, but do I take any notice?  Sure I’ve read the books….Instead of smiling when I walk from room to room, my heart sinks at the mess and enormity of all I’ve got to do and sort through. 
It is not just dolls I have obsessed over. I have been like this over many of my interests and hobbies over the years, whether it be music, instruments, books, cavies, but most especially dolls.  Whatever is the main driving force/hobby at the time almost becomes my sole focus at the exclusion of everything else.  I need to be good at something, I need to keep busy, have focus and something to work/strive towards, a goal.  With the music I had this… I had grades to achieve, qualifications to gain and music to learn and perform.  It was a positive type of driving force that kept me ‘alive’ and motivated.  Although I don’t miss the stress that sometimes caused, it was in many ways a more positive type of stress than that which I have now which perhaps is a more insidious type of stress  that is less obvious.

It is time to really try and do something about this – perhaps that will help ease the pain I suffer from, perhaps not, but what it will do I am sure is ease the worry and stop the guilt that often consumes me, but then tempts me to go and do more of the same…buy more and more!  I’ve got to realise changes won’t happen overnight, however much I want them to.  Nor in a day, or a week, but rather over a period of time.  These problems have come about over a long period of time and so therefore it is going to take some time to change, change the way I think, do, behave and achieve.  This is surely the first step.  Taking note of achievements not failures.  Remembering it is those first few steps that pave the way forward.

It is time to say NO to myself.  Stop looking at things for sale, really THINK before buying, walk away, don’t make immediate decisions…don’t be tempted by the need to be the same, remember what I do have that is special and enjoy.

The very first thing I need to do is to say no to something that is going to put me further in debt.  Something that I hate to do, as I feel like I am letting people down, breaking promises I had really genuinely meant to keep, but by keeping will only contribute to me sinking deeper and drowning.  No matter how much I don’t want to do this, I need to face the reality that really I have no choice and should have made this decision so much earlier, but kept hoping that a way could be found to clear the way.  I really believed I could do this, until I actually looked at just what the figures say and mean.  For this I am really sorry, but hope that I will eventually emerge as a better person.

So that is the start, saying no and apologising.
Next is to actually DO. 

I will try and keep a record, but need to impose a limit on myself to remove myself from temptation, as without doing such a thing I will be tempted and may very well succumb.  I will need help with this, I’m not sure I can do it alone.

Monday 17 September 2012

Thinking out loud

Shall I get this lad customized?  Not sure I really believe in having such a thing done unless the doll is a waif of some kind and needs it.  So I guess the other question I ask myself is should I sell Patrick on.  Desperately need to sort out my finances, and am thinking that perhaps that would be the best thing.


He is a green cord Gregor and came with his complete outfit in excellent condition.

What would YOU do?  Keep as is...customise...selll?

Sunday 16 September 2012

Henry goes for a ride on Stratford

Henry has been having riding lessons and learning all about the care of horses.  He was very fortunately to be bought a horse at the Sasha Festival in July and has been fitting in lessons ever since.  His horse is a fine black gelding whose name is Stratford and he has been a fantastic and patient horse for Henry to learn on.


I'll have to remind Henry he isn't holding the reins quite right...


Need to bring those feet in a bit...Oh you were giving Stratford a kick were you?  Looks like you were trying to get him to go faster...





Don't lean too far back Henry, you aren't in an armchair!


That's it praise Stratford for his good work.


Are you going to take him back to his paddock now to give him a groom?



Careful now, it looks like Stratford is very keen to get going!


Wednesday 12 September 2012

Henry's Holiday in Cornwall - Part Four

The beginning of our holiday didn't start all blue sky and sunshine...instead it was rather grey and murky and we were rather concerned that was going to be the theme of the holiday, especially given that the last couple of holidays we have had in the UK have been exactly that.  However, despite the gloomy start we were determined to make the most of it and on the 2nd September we went into Padstow.



Henry enjoyed the band playing.



Look over there, you can hardly see the other side. 


Henry is pleased he had his raincoat with him.


However, he has spotted the beach and is determined to go and play on the sand.


Fortunately for Henry by the time we got to the beach the weather had cleared up enough for him to take his coat off and go in search of the customary seaweed...one of the first things he looks for on a beach.  Sure enough he finds some.



I wish it was warmer so I could go for a  swim...  Never mind I'll go and climb some rocks instead!


Goodness me Henry, you are a long way up, do be careful up there!


Ooh, ahh, it is a long way down.  


Hmmm...how to get down now that I am up here!


Phew!  This is better back on land...Look what I've found.  A feather!

Henry continues playing for a while before we walk back along the beach heading for home.