Thinking out loud...

So I am thinking 'out loud' again, or at least in writing on my blog!

If I am to amalgamate my blogs, which I am definitely going to do...the main question I am asking myself is just what to call it!

Now blogs can essentially have two names:  the one that is in the URL address, (eg. sewingforsasha.blogspot.co.uk) and the one that is on the title page (Sewing and Knitting for Sasha & Gregor & Others).  But of course it makes sense to have the same name for both (or at least similar) as that is what people remember.

I feel to keep the name 'Sewing for Sasha' is a bit too limiting in that it is quite specific, even though the title page is slightly different. 

So do I use the name 'How Many Dolls?' which is of course the name of my other main doll blog and does encompass all.

The other option is to choose a new name altogether and if so what?  

Someone recently said to me that regardless of what the blogs are called they will still think of me as 'Henry's Mum' which brought to mind the first time I realised that this was how people thought of me, before I even really knew just how well known Henry was.  This was in 2012 at the Sasha Festival in Stratford Upon Avon, when lots of people came up to me and said "You must be Henry's Mum".  This quite blew me away.  Of course these people are now my lovely friends whom I meet up with each year at Sasha Festival events. So does this mean I should have Henry in the title somewhere?  Especially if I also amalgamate his Holiday blog into one as well.  I am still thinking on this one....

Perhaps I should do a poll?

Less is More

No not dolls at the moment, although this is also on the cards...but blogs!

I am cross posting this on all my blogs.

There has been much thinking going on here recently - it started months ago with my uncertainty with the dolls and feeling overwhelmed by it all...but when blogger changed its layout recently, it really made me think about what I want to do and how I want to go about doing things.  Having lots of individual blogs is now even more time-consuming than it used to be and it is time to probably amalgamate them back into one again.  I split them up initially due to various reasons, perhaps not wisely thought out, and it is time to take back control for me.  The saying 'Less is More' is probably true in many ways and it really will be.  Less blogs, but more posts in the one place.  After all most of my dolls interact with each other anyway, regardless of whether they are Sasha, Schoenhut or American Girl dolls etc...  

My main characters are of course Henry, Peggy Sue and my little wooden Hitty Madge.  I currently have five doll blogs!  Which really is quite ridiculous.  One of which was originally set up as  a joint project with several friends, but that never came to fruition and they all backed out.  I tried to keep it running for a while, but it is hard work on your own, so although I won't close it down, it won't be starting up again. 

My four main doll blogs are:

Sewing for Sasha

How Many Dolls

Holidays with Henry and

Hitty at Rose Cottage.

I think that my Hitty blog will continue as a stand alone blog, as they tend to live in a 'different world' to the other dolls here at Rose Cottage.

Whether to keep Henry's blog separate, just for the holiday posts is something I am still currently debating.

Certainly Sewing for Sasha and How Many Dolls can be amalgamated as I often have to cross posts as the dolls do interact with each other in my stories.  Of course the question then is whether to retain one of the names, or have a brand new name.  Whatever I decide name wise  I will merge the two blogs so that all posts still remain.  I want something that reflects the essence of what my blogs are about...the stories, the dressmaking, sewing and knitting and of course being 'Henry's Mum'.  

So in the New Year changes will be afoot one way or another.

Peggy Sue's birthday and blogger changes.

Peggy Sue's party posts are over on my other blog...

The morning of the party.


The party itself...

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

On another note this morning I went to my blogger home page to check my blogs, only to discover to my horror that the whole layout has changed - and not for the best.  Instead of being able to see at a glance which blogs have comments, and my reading list, you now have to 'click' a 'tab' to see the blogs individually and the different sections...so instead of one glance to see if there are any comments for example, you now have to make up to four applications.  So to check all four of my main blogs I have to execute up to 16 different moves/pages.   Now perhaps for those with just one blog it is not a problem, but for me, with different blogs to suit different readers and interests it is a nightmare.  I have been blogging for 10 years now and so this is a real shock to the system.  It will certainly put me off using it.  So I will either have to amalgamate it all into one blog, as I really don't need all the extra work this new layout will involve or find a different platform.  Whether that be my own website (I do have one from my Cavy showing and breeding days) or another site, I don't know.

Why do they change things?  I am sure those that do, don't actually USE it.  Change for the sake of change - it really wasn't necessary.  I used to find blogger one of the most user friendly blogging sites there is.  Not any more.

So will be thinking on what to do next.  

Blogging

For those of you who read my other blogs this is essentially a repeat of what I have written on the others, so apologies to those of you who have already read this or something similar.

My trip to New Zealand was difficult and seeing my Mum suffering with Alzheimer's and my Dad and sister also suffering with the ramifications this brings was extremely tough and to leave them was heartbreaking.  I feel so very torn and scared, it has been a difficult time.  I miss them all so very much as well as the beautiful country New Zealand is.

On reflection though I need the distraction the dolls bring, whether through creative play, or making things and so for the time being at least will continue to blog until I really know what I want to do.

Sometimes it is all too easy to make rash decisions that you might regret.  I didn't miss the dolls while I was away and it was almost a chore to actually make the effort to take photos so I could do some posts with them when I returned that it got me thinking WHY do I have them? WHY do I blog?  So yes at times I  feel like getting rid of the lot and just keeping Henry and a core group of three or four, ....but....and it is a BIG BUT....in reality I just don't think I can really do this - at least not at this stage. Henry and I have met so many fabulous people through the Sasha hobby and I don't think I could give that up lightly.  Plus I would imagine Henry would have something to say about it anyway!

I have been trying to think of ways to re-kindle my excitement, wonder and enjoyment with my dolls, and have come up with several ideas. I thought I would do some posts featuring different themes although what those themes will be yet I am not sure...  If anyone would like to see something specific, or know a bit more about a particular Sasha or Gregor of mine, then please feel free to comment and let me know.  They can be seen on 'The Girls' or 'The Boys' pages above.

Thank you to those who took the time to leave a comment or message me - it was very much appreciated and encouraging to know that others are sharing my enjoyment of Henry and the rest of my Sasha family..   There are still some lovely people out there!

I was going to put this blog onto subscription only, but it seems there are more people reading and enjoying it than I realised, so will leave it as it is, hopefully easily accessible to all.

Blogging - giving up for a while.

After quite a bit of thinking and wanting to do more, I have decided to close my blogs down for a while.  Not sure how many are actually reading it any more anyway and I think it is time for a break. This is due to various reasons that I don't wish to go into due to 'Chinese Whispers' and other hurts that seem to occur when things are said 'third hand'.   I will leave this up for the next few days so that anyone who does will know 'where they have gone'.  Maybe I will come back refreshed and more enthusiastic, maybe I will give up the whole blogging lark and dolls altogether, at this stage I just don't know...all I know is they are no longer 'bringing me joy' and surely that is the whole point of a hobby?