2017 - The Year that was...

Summing up the year...

Changing to just the one blog has certainly made things easier for me, although I have probably lost some followers along the way.  I had 35 on my 'How Many Dolls' blog and 79 on 'Sewing for Sasha' so well short on this new one.  But who knows how many of those followers read the other blogs?  Perhaps they had stopped reading, or perhaps they are 'following' some other way that I am not aware of?  

Some highlights of my year were getting some new Schoenhuts, with Lewis becoming a firm favourite.  I love them all for differing reasons though.

Rebekah Grace, is so petite and sweet.

Lewis of course has been a lot of fun.

Dorothy, is a dear.  

Archie (Archibald) is simply handsome and he sits on a chair in my bedroom and I see him every morning when I wake up.

Sweet Madeline featured quite a bit earlier in the year, and I enjoyed taking her to New Zealand with me, but she has taken a back seat the last few months as I had to 'pack away' her house and lodgings and as such she is not so easily accessible for play.  The Rose Cottage Hittys have also been packed away and I do miss seeing them all and their house set up, so perhaps that will be something I resurrect in the new year.

I was gifted two wonderful Bleuettes during the year - well actually a Bleuette doll and a head, for which I eventually purchased a body and these two girls will always be very special to me.  They are good friends for Hazel.  I enjoyed making their matching dresses.

I bought two Suki dolls, one that was already painted and one to paint, and I really like these dolls.  Similar in design to  Sasha, Sebino Bettina and Crissy dolls.  

The girl I painted.

I was very good this year, with only one new Sasha, or rather Gregor doll joining us here at Rose Cottage.

'Jesse' a lovely red-headed boy arrived to take up the role of the Sailor Boy in my nautical group, thus freeing up Rory for interacting with the other lads in my stories.

Although I have been attempting to 'downsize' throughout the year, by selling and gifting some of the miscellaneous dolls that weren't getting the attention they should, sadly towards the end of this year it became apparent that I would need to take more drastic measures and sell some of my more special dolls in order to raise funds for continuing medical treatment for the pain issues that have escalated this year.  My American Girl collection has dramatically reduced and I am left with just two, Chrissy (Chrissa) who does the modelling for me and Saige whom my son bought me as a surprise birthday present a few years ago now, plus one that is still looking for a new home. Sadly I have also had to sell some of my precious Sasha dolls, and I still have some looking for new homes, and they can be found on my 'For Sale' page.  This has been the hardest thing to do, as it wasn't something I wanted to do, but rather something I have had to do.  I have also been selling off some of the props - albeit slowly and they are listed on the 'Props For Sale' page.

What is in store for 2018?  I have made no plans for the next year, what will be will be.