The Delectable Meredith

Meredith is my 'dream doll'   She is a 'No Philtrum' (NP) Blue Cord girl from 1966 with eyes hand painted by Kristina the art student.  She has, as Brenda Walton explained to me, what the factory originally called the 'Puddle Eyes' but are now more frequently known as Graphic or Developmental eye paint, the puddle eye terminology now being used for some early to mid seventies dolls.  Meredith arrived in June 2012 and  has only had two owners, myself and the person I bought her from who had had her since new. 

She was a little 'scruffy' in her sale photographs  - here are a couple of pictures of her when she first arrived.

   

   

She has on her blue cord dress and pants and shoes, but was missing her socks.

With her hair brushed, she already looks smarter.

Cheering up with the promise of a new dress or two...

Her first outfit I bought especially for her was from the talented Betsy May

I love how the blue brings out the colour of blue in her eyes.

Meredith wore her special outfit when visiting Kendal back in 2012 and she was very taken by Kendals most minty pram.

She pays great attention to the baby inside.

Looks like Meredith might have an admirer, but I think she was oblivious - she only had eyes for the baby and the pram!

Meredith loves her smocked dress made by my dear friend Norvell.

It suits her beautifully.

Another close up.

Out in the garden during the height of the summer.  I so love this dress and it is just gorgeous on her.

Meredith tries on a knitted tunic dress I knitted in 2012 for size and quite liked the look.

Last year saw Meredith in pink...

...and red.  Just look at her fabulous hair!

Meredith still had her Christmas dress on until this morning - oops!

She, as you can imagine, was very pleased to be changing out of it.

As you can see in the photos so far Meredith has lovely long and very thick hair with a 'single fringe'

I think she may also have a 'full centre part' although I couldn't really imagine putting her hair in plaits or 'pig tails' as it is so thick.

She didn't need asking twice to change and chose one of my favourite smocked dresses by Kath

Butterflies and Blues!  Everyone who knows me well, knows how much I love both butterflies - we have a couple on our house, and the colour blue.

Looking a little pensive as the weather is very changeable at the moment and too windy to go out and play.

Yet another expression which I haven't really seen on her face before - I love how with a simple tilt of the head their expressions can change so much.

Meredith has teamed her pretty dress with a pair of JJ sandals and long lacy socks.

Love this girl so much.

Merediith has a friend come for the day.

Meredith was delighted to have a friend come for the day last week.

They talked and talked and talked...and of course did some eating as well!

They do so much talking that they only remembered to go outside just before she was due to leave!

Upon arrival Gaby immediately tried on her new dress.  While in the garden she asks Meredith what she thinks. Meredith of course tells her she looks lovely as indeed she does. 

Gaby poses for the camera beside the new pond and rockery garden.

Meredith watches and waits while Gaby poses for several photographs.

Before they knew it, the time had come for Meredith and Gaby to say their goodbyes until next time.

Gaby is Jocelyn's fabulous early developmental blue eyed redhead stunner!

Operation Sasha Festival!

Gotz -a - Go to the Sasha Festival!

I am seriously hoping to go to the Sasha Festival.

I need a break and have a couple of invitations to also visit friends.

Of course how to go about achieving this is something else...having had no income whatsoever since having to give up teaching after the surgery for TOS (Thoracic Outlet Syndrome) in 2008 makes this extremely difficult.  I had hoped that coming off medication would help bring back my motivation and that I could maybe look for some part time work.  I now realise (how long has it taken me?) that this is really not going to be possible.  It has been a long four years struggling with daily pain which fluctuates in severity and I need a break away from everyday life (especially having not been able to go and visit my parents this year)

So instead of feeling sorry for myself, which admittedly I have been quite good at, especially missing playing and performing on the clarinet so much, I've decided to go for it!

There is only one way possible for me to fund this trip - and that is to sell things - of which all I have of value is my dolls and my instruments.

So my Tenor and Soprano Saxophone are going - DS2 won't let me sell my alto - I think he fancies having it himself.  I may also sell my bass and alto clarinet, but will keep my Bb and A in the hope that I may one day be pain free and be able to play again.  

Now for the dolls - this is a hard one, as I  already downsized a lot last year - trying to pay back my Mastercard debt...which I didn't quite manage...and has since grown again...sigh...  Doll addiction without a job and income is difficult indeed, and I have no willpower - when in pain 'buy it will make you feel better' mentality which of course actually doesn't work! ;-)  

 To choose who is to stay and who is to go is difficult, and I have decided that I am just going to have the English dolls so the Gotz have Gotz - a - Go and sadly my gorgeous NP Ballet girl.

I don't want to just go to the Festival - I want to be truly debt and guilt free as well - then I can go with a clear conscience!

A Winter Project

As I can't spend any money at the moment, and probably won't be able to for some time, instead of dreaming about all of the wonderful outfits on websites and Evilbay I have decided to embark on an Autumn/Winter Project: To knit all my remaining Sasha & Gregor dolls a cardigan/jacket/jumper.

I finished the second hooded cardigan last night, this time for Meredith.

I thought the plum colour would look good with the navy dress she had chosen to wear.

I should have waited until later in the day to photograph her when the sun wasn't shining through and causing shadows, but I couldn't wait as I have other things I need to be getting on with.

I wonder what will be next and for whom?

Thoughts on Sasha Collecting and a Confession...

It can be very easy to get caught up in the whole Sasha 'thing', wanting more and more dolls...there is always something different that you haven't got and would like.  The last couple of days I have done some hard thinking, partly due to a comment that was made to me a week or so ago and then when I was offered one of my 'dream dolls' from my wish list.  With more and more people blogging about their wonderful dolls and of course ebay and Shelly's fabulous Sasha site, it is very easy to get caught up in the whole 'wanting' mode, often thinking that we 'need just one more'.  But it doesn't really happen like that does it?  There is ALWAYS just ONE more of course, it is knowing just when to stop for a while and take stock and learn to really appreciate what you do have.  I think in many ways those people with just one or two dolls have got it just right.  I know I would find it very difficult to have just one or two dolls.  I am a collector by heart and nature and have always collected something in one form or another with dolls being my main hobby (besides music & clarinets) the last few years. Since my injury & operation and the subsequent nerve damage, dolls have largely taken over and given me much distraction and solace as well as helping me focus on the positive by allowing me to still be able to create things through sewing and knitting.

Anyway after speaking to a lovely friend last night I got to thinking as she helped put things in perspective for me.  In the last year I have been very lucky with the dolls my husband has bought for me, and the ones I have bought for myself.  I need to appreciate the ones I have rather than continually lusting after some more (for want of a better phrase).  I am gong to remove most of the items on my wish list - after all it just puts a type of pressure on me that I don't need.  

I have no idea what expenses I may to incur while visiting my parents so need to prioritise what is important. So although I was offered one of my dream dolls, and one that I would dearly love to own, her being exactly what I had envisioned, it is sadly not to be at this point in time.  Who knows maybe later in the year I may be in a better position to save some money to buy another doll at some stage.  But I will think first, before rushing in.

Sometimes we need a wake up call.  I believe I have got so absorbed in trying to cope with the continual pain and inability to play music, teach and work that I have tried to 'buy' my happiness and distraction, and yet really I have it all already.

Having had that wake up call, around 4am this morning, I need to tell my friends that I also have a confession to make.  Last year, quite a few months ago now, Mark bought me a 1967 NP Red Hair Ballet girl and I have felt so guilty about having her ever since she arrived.  I have felt guilty about letting him spend so much money on a doll (although she was cheaper than some I have seen!), it has seemed like madness and I have also been almost too scared to do anything with her and she has just stood on my desk staring at me unnamed...Her strings are very loose and she flops quite a lot and her fringe has been trimmed significantly, but she is still beautiful.  So I really haven't been enjoying her, or appreciating her like I should.  So silly.  

Anyway, today after receiving a beautiful outfit I bought from Ebay, I decided to start appreciating and enjoying her.  I tightened her strings, did her hair and dressed her in the new outfit that really suits her beautifully.  She has also finally been given a name, Lucy.  So without further ado let me introduce my lovely Lucy for you.

Her arrival...

Sasha welcoming her...

Helping her out of the box...

Dressed in a lovely Dolly Doodles outfit...

Finally, after some primping and tightening of strings and dressed in her new beautiful outfit, made by Wendy (ebay seller bambino*bello), Lucy finally feels like she belongs.

A stray hair over her face

 Cuddling her special teddy.

Well I bet you didn't expect that?!