Pond pondering.

Ronald, Rosie and Amy Lynn were seen near the pond today discussing how they might attract frogs back into the pond.  I would love to know what their ideas are!

Summer Music Festival!

The Summer Music Festival was a success!  Yesterday was an amazing day and a lot of fun was had by performers and audience alike.

Post One can be found here:  

Summer Music Festival - The Big Day Arrives.

Post Two here:  

Summer Music Festival - The Event!

Scorching Hot Day at Wrest Park

What an absolutely glorious day it has been today.  Peggy Sue put on her pretty dress and sunhat and went to Wrest Park for a few hours.

She sat and watched the swans in the river.

The water looked rather murky!

Peggy Sue sat on the grass and admired the pavilion 

She walked through the avenue of trees where it was nice and cool compared to out in the exposed parts of the garden with no shade.

Resting for a while

Admiring the view.

The formal gardens were looking beautiful with sunflowers planted in each of the centres. 

Looking from the house down to the Pavilion in the distance.

Zooming in, it is rather hazy due to the sunlight.  

The temperature in the shade...29 degrees Celsius!

Mignonne

I was given this cloth kit with some fabric a little while ago.  As it was so wet yesterday I thought I would make her up.  She is a reproduction of a Pauline Gilbert Rag Knock-About Doll Mignonne, produced by the Deans Rag Book Co. Ltd.  It was reproduced to mark the Centenary of the Church of England Children's Society - 1981.  The printed fabric has instructions on five different languages, English, French, Italian, German and Spanish.

Now just got to decide where she is going to live.

Embroidered Apron Challenge.

My creation and entry for the Bleuette Sewing Clubs 'Embroidered Apron Challenge' was made using an old blouse of mine which had sweet embroidery on the collar.  I used this collar to make pockets as every apron needs useful pockets!

A Musical Soiree?

Some of the girl have formed an eclectic band of sorts...it is all 'top secret' apparently, but I have heard various noises sounds coming from the music room...

I see we have Sasha and Maddison on the maracas, although Maddison still wants a drum set, Stevie is on recorder, Molly hand drum and Emily on the harmonica.

Elsewhere...

Peggy Sue is making sweet sounds on her saxophone.

A Summer Music Festival.

(This is a duplicate post from my Sasha blog.)

There is a lot of music going on here at Rose Cottage at the moment...both inside and outside of the house.

Bobby has been practising his guitar in the garden, enjoying the inspiration nature brings him.

Edith has found her flute, much to her relief and is now busy catching up on her preparation with the help of Peggy Sue.

Peggy Sue looks up at her to see her cue for when to start.

Hamish is busy practising his cornet.

Henry waits patiently with his clarinet.

Seems Hamish is going to be playing for a bit longer yet.

Later on Henry accompanies Peggy Sue..

Peggy Sue has been very diligent with her Cello playing.

Anne-Marie joins them on the violin.

A lovely trio of music.

These two girls have been working hard together.  Sometimes the two sisters get on so well and it is good to see them progress.

As to the Sasha girls...I am not sure what has been going on there...but there has been much banging and percussion type 'music' happening...and apparently no one is allowed to know what they are preparing yet...

Yesterdays Spoils...

Or should I say 'Loot'?!

I came home with rather a large bag of goodies which I kind of smuggled into the house...after all I was breaking my own self-imposed 'cutting down' mantra.

Well it would have been rude to have attended and not bought anything wouldn't it?  Plus there were some 'bargain bins' so how could I possibly not look?

When we arrived and had a look round, I spied this pretty blue dress and thought it would be perfect for Chrissy (Chrissa) .  I don't normally buy any clothes for my American Girls (I make all their clothes), in fact this is probably the first outfit I have ever bought them, but I thought it would suit her perfectly and I was right.

She really is pretty in blue.

Sharlyn and I spent some time rummaging in the Bargain Baskets.

Shoes!  Can never have enough shoes....apparently.

Pyjamas...for that all important PJ party.

A coat - which actually fits Peggy Sue, so will fit some of the smaller girls here.

This cute dress - not sure who this is for and who it will fit yet.

An umbrella - which I am sure will be useful for the upcoming 'Summer Music Festival' to either shelter from the sun...or looking at the sky today...the rain!

Some 'sheets' which I will use as fabric to make pyjamas and maybe even a dress.

A fabulous little riding set - for those all important gymkhana events.

A couple of pairs of glasses.

What I actually went intending to buy was a new hair brush.

Which I did get :-) 

But then....something that has been on my 'wish list' for some time now...

This fabulous sewing set!  Which will be perfect for the 'Schoenhut School of the Arts' when it opens again in September and that all important sewing class.

The back of the box.

Finally the little 'goody' box that the lovely ladies at 'My Doll Boutique' had prepared for us all.

Cute box.

A hair brush, hair clip and cute little t shirt.

Now hopefully I will always be able to find a hair brush for the dolls!

Thank you for the lovely gifts - very sweet indeed.