They call me 'Mellow Yellow'

Although her name is 'Sunshine'

Finishing a couple of projects that have been on the 'back burner' for a while - to keep being creative.

I have been wanting a 'sunshine yellow' Makie for as long as I have known you could dye Makies I guess....but never had one suitable to dye or that I wanted to until fairly recently when I sorted through them yet again and selected one for the plunge!

This girl was the victim to be....  

I found some dye locally....and took her to pieces and cleaned her up.

The dye didn't work!  So I perused good ol' Amazon and bought 'next day delivery' as I am impatient some Rit dye which I was told will work.

This is the colour I used.

Very unscientifically I added the salt...then realised it said to add vinegar for nylon...so thought that would be better and gaily added some white wine vinegar (which was all I had) to the mix. 

It seemed to do the trick!

Here she is.

Miss Sunshine 

I am hoping she will work her magic and bring us some sunshine that lasts more than an hour or so!

Trying wig on for size...she is actually hoping for a bright blue one.

First dress made - colours of nature.

Progress...

Having finally made a decision about what to do has actually made some difference to how I feel. All but six dolls (apart from those in two cabinets) are now currently in my sewing studio, waiting to be boxed up - which will be once the Sailor has gone back to sea...I want to spend as much time with him as possible over the next week before I fly to USA and he sets off back to his ship.  Of course I know when I get back and have to tackle this area I am going to feel overwhelmed once again...but won't worry about that for now.

I have kept six up at the house - two of my 'special' dolls (introduced yesterday)  that just sit (currently reading to each other), Peggy Sue, Henry and my two Bluefairy dolls,Ruby May & Olive June, (whom being new, deserve some attention!).  Hazel Bleuette is in her special box, so she will come out as and when I do any sewing challenges if I feel so inclined. 

I do have my shelf of Makies - I haven't quite decided yet whether to pack them up or not - they don't take up a lot of room and are fairly unobtrusive, plus I currently have one I am working on as a project...  The Hittys still live in their 'Cottage' in the conservatory - again I don't 'count' them as they are out of the way.

Our living space already looks so much clearer and I feel I can breathe again.  Today I started sorting through all the soft toys/teddies that live above our wardrobe...they don't take up room as such, but I just feel I don't 'need' most of them anymore. Hubby apparently has to approve my 'to go' pile...which means, knowing him, most will end up back on top of the wardrobe!

I even sold one of my dolls the other day so that was good too!  Plus have sorted out at least two to find new homes for, so it is a start.

So this post isn't picture-less.... a picture of Ruby wearing her new purple jacket knitted the other week.

A Very Special Doll Indeed.

A post about a very special doll, that will always remain with me and will hopefully be passed down the generations to come.  

Since he first started posting progress photos on Facebook and on his website,  I have been following the creative process of Jonathan Paul Hayes (Jonny)  the artist behind 'Nini Dolls'.  Since I very first saw them I have been completely and utterly enthralled by the whole process and fallen in love with all of Jonny's amazing dolls.  As such I have been putting funds aside for when the time came I could purchase one.

'Lost at the Fair' 

As soon as I saw her first pictures on Facebook and his website I knew she would be the one and thoroughly enjoyed watching all the stages from his original concept sketch design, the making of her head, painting it, adding the hair, designing and making her clothes - all handmade by Jonny himself with either vintage or natural fabrics and fibres.  

Imagine my delight when he brought her to the Sasha Celebration Weekend  and I could see her in person.

A tantalising glimpse of a little girl watching...

A front view...deep in thought.

She joined us for the Saturday night dinner.

She really was perfect.  

Not long after the festival when the final funds had been saved....

A box arrives...  Peggy Sue spots it...

...and listens carefully.

Henry, she says, I think someone is inside!

Peggy Sue very carefully cuts open the tape that is holding the travel box together.

They open the box...

Ooh look more wrapping.

Henry starts on one corner

Peggy Sue the other

She carefully undoes the tape

They pull the wrapping off 

Ooh Peggy Sue gasps!

Oh I know who this might be. Henry says.

Who?  Peggy Sue says

I think it might be that lovely girl we met at the Festival.  Henry says....or at least I met her on Saturday night.

The fabulous box.

Really?  Peggy Sue gasps

We must let her out of the box!

They carefully remove the lid and fold back the tissue paper.

They look down as the girl looks up at them...they untie her from her safety ribbons.

She sits up...

Hello, she says.

Hi, welcome.  They say together.

Does this mean I am not 'Lost at the Fair' anymore?  She asks them.

That's right. Henry tells her.  You have a forever home with us now.

It doesn't take her long to explore the garden.

The flowers make a pretty back drop for her.

Just standing and thinking how lucky she is.

Later on she reads a book bought especially for her. 

Totally absorbed in the story...

...a friend comes to join her and she reads out loud so they can both enjoy it.

At the moment both these girls are waiting for their very special names.  In the meantime 'Lost at the Fair' is known as Jonelle (a feminine form of Jonathan (Jonny) which I thought was quite apt - after her talented creator),

I feel very privileged to have been able to welcome this doll into my home.  She will be a true treasure and heirloom.  Jonny's dolls are amazing and his attention to detail second to none.  Her clothes are simply wonderful with some extra special details on her underwear made from vintage materials.  She is a real delight indeed.  Lovely presentation and packaging as well.  To view Jonny's photos of her creation click here.

Thank you so much Jonny for letting her come to live with me and for sharing your amazing creative processes - I will continue to follow with interest.

Jonny's Nini Facebook page can be found here and his website here.

'All Over Dolls'

I think I am 'all over' dolls....yes, that is probably a bit of a shock to some who may read my blog, but I have been feeling like this for some time now on and off - probably about a year - so have decided to do something about it.

I am not going to act rashly immediately and get rid of them all...I don't think I could anyway as I am not very good at letting go.  Instead I am going to box them all up and put them in storage for a while to see how I feel in say six months time. If I still feel the same and haven't missed them I will sell them.

I will keep a core group out - a maximum of 10, but hoping to keep the number around about five if I can - probably a hard call, but this will be a good indication of exactly how I feel. So there will still be the odd blog post here and there as it takes my fancy, but I think I really need to take a break and refocus and to work out exactly what I want and how I feel and where to go from there.  

I may introduce a few dolls that arrived in the last month. Why?  I ask myself did I have new arrivals knowing how I felt?!  Perhaps the 'buzz' of something new in the hope that it will stimulate and excite, but it rarely has and if it has only for a very short period of time.  I know some of the 'whys', continual pain is always a big factor, the subsequent feelings that come along with this, and the longing to return to NZ and missing my parents is another - and so I 'compensate' for these things by a continual 'search' for something that will distract me, but this isn't really working, the pain is still there, the loss of my music is still there and the deep seated longing and 'home sickness' is still with me.

So I could probably write more, but won't for now.

The Crocodile and the Frog.

Peggy Sue is most concerned...

Oh Henry! Don't go too close!  

What is it with Henry and his fascination with crocodiles and alligators?

Henry!  You are too close!

Poor Peggy Sue, she certainly looks very worried indeed.

Will Henry be okay?

It is okay Peggy Sue, Henry reassures her.

Crocodile Bill is a friendly croc.  

Or so he hopes....

Peggy Sue doesn't want to stick around to see his fate.

She befriends a frog.

Hello there handsome one.

If I give you a kiss, will you turn into my prince?