Wishing....

We don't celebrate Halloween, but it seems like three of the girls have different ideas and they want to wish our friends in the USA as well as those in other places who do a...

Happy Halloween!

Thank you Aunty Ellen

Henry wants to say a very big Thank you to Aunty Ellen for the wonderful t shirt she sent him.  It reminds him of the dinosaurs he saw in the Natural History Museum in Washington DC when he there in July.

I had to take several photos of him as he seems to look a little pensive and sad at the moment and in the first three photos I took especially so.  These two are not so bad.  Not sure why as he is very happy indeed with his t shirt.  

Beret Ta Da!

Autumn Pinafore Swap - Part Seven

The next swap partners to show their lovely pinafore swaps are Dorisanne and Theresa.

Theresa was very imaginative with the pinafore she sent Dorisanne.

A cute pinafore with an appliqued tree with a pocket in the front with a 'surprise'.  Theresa sewed beads and sequins on the tree trunk, branches and leaves and made a little sleeveless flowery blouse to wear under the pinafore.

a lovely cardigan with flowers embroidered on the front.

Below is Dorisanne's lovely red head wearing her new pinafore.

The sweater, hat and mittens were knitted from a lovely brown yarn with metallic flecks in it. In addition she sent Sasha a set of eraser puzzles.

Dorisanne sent Theresa TWO pinafores!

The green pinafore is made from felt and has little owls and the word boo on it.  She also made a little bag to go with it.

Tess is wearing two pinafores which i have been sent by Dorisanne and a matching blouse and bag. Excuse Tess's hair but there is a storm blowing at the mo, so i am just glad that she managed to stand up. 

The blouse has a lovely owl print anf the orange pinafore is made out of corduroy lined with the owl fabric.

The green pinafore is made from felt and  has volley little owls and the word boo on it, Dorisanne also made a volley little felt bag with an owl on it. I think the outfit is just wonderful and i hope you like the photo's.

The orange corduroy pinafore is lined with owl fabric and also has a cute little owl appliqué on the front with a matching blouse underneath

Well done ladies, these are fabulous and so very creative indeed!

I am still waiting on some confirmations that swaps have been received before I post some photos.

I am waiting on eight to confirm they have received their swaps.  

Four people have still to contact me to confirm that they have sent their swaps! Come on ladies, please let me know what is happening.  I am assuming everything is okay as I haven't heard from you or your partners.  I do hope this is the case.

Secret Santa Swap 2013

It is that time of year again!

  ‘Secret Santa Christmas Swap’  

Exactly the same format as last year.

So how about it folks, a swap especially for this time of year?  

It’s that time of year for letters to Santa, or just simply a wish for winter for those who don’t necessarily celebrate Christmas.  It would be lovely if anyone who wants to join in can, regardless of faith or beliefs. 

This is how it works.

1. You will write a letter to Santa (or Make a Wish) for Sasha, Gregor or Baby Sasha/Gregor.   WE do need to know the size of the doll you are asking for J

You can ask for up to 5 items, BUT SANTA WILL ONLY SEND 3. Remember we never got everything we asked for either!!

Keep in mind that not everyone participating can sew or knit. So you can ask for things like toys, hats, blanket, pj’s, outfits, puppy or pet, teddy bear, books, play food, dishes…etc…you get the idea.  For example, my Sasha and Gregor kids are desperately in need of socks!  Or if you are happy with surprises, just say so. Please note down if you have any allergies for example, are a diabetic and can't eat sweets/chocolate so that your Secret Santa is aware of this.

2. After you write your letter you send it to me (via email:  lorraine(@)takaro.co.uk {removing brackets} ) You must send the letter by Saturday 2nd November 2013.  Please include your postal mail address so I can give it to your Secret Santa.  If you could also include in your letter what type of wishes you feel you would be best a fulfilling (eg. Shopping, knitting, sewing, crochet, woodworking etc…) that would be very useful.

PLEASE REMIND ME IF YOU TOOK PART LAST YEAR AND WHO YOU WERE PAIRED WITH SO I DON'T DUPLICATE PAIRINGS.  FOR THOSE WHO WANT SURPRISES I WILL TRY TO PAIR WITH THE RANDOM NUMBER GENERATOR, DEPENDING ON HOW MANY WANT TO TAKE PART.  

3.  Once I have all the letters I will assign them to your Secret Santa and forward the information to that person by Monday 4th November 2013.

4.  All swaps must be mailed by Friday 29th November 2013  This will allow you four weeks to prepare your package and to allow plenty of time to get to Sasha/Gregor or Baby by Christmas, especially important for those posting overseas. Please remember no more than three of the items should be sent, and a small item for the Sasha/Gregor/Baby’s mummy is always appreciated. Keep it fair for everyone. 

5. If you have any questions, please contact me and ask and remember most importantly…HAVE FUN!

Please remember there is a separate page for the Secret Santa Swap 2013 which will contain all these details plus the list of participants.  It can be found on the tab at the top of this page and also by clicking here.

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

Just waiting on some final confirmations that the Autumn Pinafores have been sent and received, plus a few final photographs and then hopefully I can post the final reveals.

A trip into London to the National Maritime Museum

Thursday afternoon the Sailor turned up on our doorstep for a surprise visit.  I can tell you Mum was so very happy indeed!  She wants to make the most of these visits as next year he will be away most of the year and won't even be home for his birthday in July OR Christmas in December!  Can you imagine that?  Not being home for Christmas?  So glad I'm not grown up yet and so don't have to go away at sea to work.  But he loves it so that is the main thing.  

Anyway on Saturday Mum, Dad, the Sailor and I went into London.

We travelled on the Docklands Light Railway and I got to sit at the very back and could see where we leaving and all the different sights.  Leaving Canary Wharf.

Passing by Heron Quays.  Didn't see any Heron's though, so not sure why it is called that!

Seeing if any other trains are following us.

Our destination...

The National Maritime Museum of course!  Where else?  

This was impressive!

I wonder how fast this went?  It was very shiny.

Gilded with gold.

Ship figureheads.  They were huge!

A lady stopped us here and wanted to know all about me.  So I told her my history and she thought it was pretty cool and said if she ever saw a boy like me she would snap him right up and never let him go.  I think that means she would like to hold him and look after him, not snap him.  She seemed a nice lady.

There was so much to see and do that we didn't get a chance to discover everything here.

I pretended I was sailing the seas.

Um, yes I do rather have a fascination for canons.

A monument in memory of those who lost their lives in New Zealand during the Invasion of Waikato which was the biggest and most important campaign of the 19th century New Zealand wars.   Hostilities last fro nine months from July 1863 to April 1864.

Oh and guess what we got to talk to a fellow New Zealander who has been living here for the last eleven years, but is thinking he will probably go back home next year.

All in all an interesting and fun day out and so much to see and do if we had had more time.  There are walks to go on to visit various sights and important places and landmarks.  The lovely park and of course the museums and The Cutty Sark.  A day really isn't enough and the few hours we had certainly wasn't.  

A tribute to a wonderful and talented lady: Jean Jensen

Only yesterday I posted about the terrific fringed waistcoat and boots that Jean made for me Christmas 2011 for the Secret Santa Swap.  I was so saddened to read this morning that Jean passed away yesterday. She was a very special lady who will be remembered very fondly in the Sasha community for her graciousness, friendliness and of course amazing talent, especially in making her fabulous 'JJ Shoes' which many of us are lucky to have.

I remember with much fondness our conversations before I went to New Zealand last year when I asked her for a pair of 'hiking' (walking) boots for Henry as I knew we would be hiking with my Dad while over there. Jean came up trumps with what eventually became known as 'Henry's Hiking Boots or Henry's New Zealand Hiking Boots'.  I feel that was a very special thing to do, not only make these boots for Henry, but then to also name the boots after him.  Henry feels very honoured indeed.

Jean also made some special shoes for my 'twins', Connor and James and I do believe most of my girls have a pair of her shoes for which I feel very lucky indeed.

Dear Jean, we will miss you and corresponding with you, and will remember you with fondness and a smile every time Henry wears his boots, and when any of the boys or girls wears their shoes.  Our prayers and best wishes are with your family and friends at this sad time and I hope the love that we all had for you will bring them the strength needed in the days, weeks, months and years to follow.

Love Lorraine & Henry

Final Dresses & Berets.

Alice decided to give her aqua green beret to Tilly Rose in favour of a red one to go with her corduroy dress.

The aqua green beret that Alice gave Tilly Rose has been teamed with a violet & green floral dress finished today.

She has put on her favourite purple JJ shoes.

Sasha got the 'Harvest' beret which she has teamed with a pretty little denim like daisy print dress recently made.

She is also wearing a pair of JJ shoes.

Finally I made a dress for Susan to go with the green tweedy beret that Ziva originally was wearing.

Susan is wearing her leather waistcoat and fringed boots that were part of the Secret Santa Swap a couple of years ago received from Jean Jensen.  She was wearing them with a pink sweater dress, but she wanted to wear her new dress like the other girls.

I wasn't entirely convince and think shoes and socks will be better...but sometimes it is best to wait a few days before persuading these girls that what they are wearing doesn't quite work!  Its got to be done all in their own time.

So that is all the girls with new berets and dresses...there is one missing you ask?  What about Cora?

Well Cora said she already has a beret and doesn't need another one.  I think that is because she is worried she might have to put a dress on...and although she likes dresses, she is quite fond of the outfit she is currently wearing.

However, I may surprise her!

Green & Grey

What started off as what I thought was a simple beret making session seems to have turned into somewhat of a marathon...they all want a dress as well!

BJ in Green.

Liebe is still wearing her sweater dress, but has announced she too wants a dress like the other girls...but in the meantime is happy with her beret.

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

More pinafore swap photos hopefully coming tomorrow!