Drummer Boy

The Rose Hip Chicks will be pleased....they now have a drummer for their backing band.

Simon was thrilled when I discovered this brand new set in our local charity shop yesterday.  I had to of course bring it home for him.

Froggy Friends and Packing

Rory has been taking good care of his frog friends this winter

They have a nice temperature controlled environment that he checks regularly

Helped by his two advisers, the frogs are kept happy and safe.

They have everything they could need, food, shelter, water.

Rory enjoys his frogs very much indeed.

They keep him busy every day and he loves to spend time with them.

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Elsewhere...

Your bookcase is looking good Peggy Sue.  Henry says.

Thank you Henry.  I am really pleased with it.  Peggy Sue tells him.  I can keep my books nice and tidy now.

Are you getting ready for our upcoming trip yet?  She asks Henry.

Henry sits down.  Well I have my camera ready.  He tells her.

I've been trying to think of what to take this year.  Peggy Sue says.  Mum says we are going to travel 'extra light' this year.  Not sure what she means by that!

Well I think she means we don't need to take so many clothes this year.  She said something about 'one on, one in the wash, and one spare'   which I guess makes sense....  Henry tells Peggy Sue.

But surely that won't be enough!  Peggy Sue says.  How will I narrow it down to just three items/sets of clothes???

I am sure you will work out something Peggy Sue.  Henry reassures her, while wondering himself, just how he is going to manage that as well!

Let's go surfing now...

What are you doing Madeline?

Practising my swimming.  

Madeline not one, but two new swimming costumes.

She is hoping she will get to go swimming when she is in New Zealand as she has heard it is summer over there and they have fantastic beaches!

Admiring her bookcase

So, Little Owen, what do you think?  Peggy Sue asks as she shows Little Owen her bookcase set up in her room.

It is looking pretty good.  Little Owen agrees.  I think a book is missing though...

Little Owen looks intently for HIS MOST IMPORTANT book.

Yes, it is definitely missing.  He thinks to himself.  

I think it must be over by the toy box where you were last reading it.  Peggy Sue informs him.  We will put it in the bookcase later.

Peggy Sue just can't stop looking at her bookcase and thinks it might also be a good place for her to display some of her shell collection.  

Now she has to decide whether she is going to paint it, varnish it, or leave it as it is, but that will have to wait until April. 

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This bookcase is really special as it is very similar to one my Dad made me when I would have been a similar age to Peggy Sue.  Dad made mine from all wood, but it would have been a similar similar siaze and proportion to me as this is to her.   My Mum and Dad still have it - Mum incorporated it into a side wall divider unit she built years ago.  I must take a photo of it while I am over there.

A very big thank you to DollMum for helping to make this vision and dream into a reality.  It really does mean a lot to me as I was an avid reader as a young child (we had no television, and actually still don't and as such I still read a lot)  and books were very important to me.

Peggy Sue's Bookcase

Back in November Peggy Sue was planning a bookcase and wondered just how she was going to make one when her friend Reuben came to the rescue and said he would love to help make one for her if she would send him the measurements of which she had worked out.   She carefully typed up a letter which can be seen in this post here.

Well last week Reuben wrote to her and told her he had found the right materials and was hoping to get the pieces ready to bring round on Sunday afternoon so that they could make it together.  Peggy Sue was so excited to see Reuben and Laura, Timothy, Edmund and Isabel who also came for the afternoon. You can see Reuben getting all the materials and planning out the bookcase on this post by DollMum by clicking here.

Henry looks at the pieces of board with interest and asks Reuben a few questions as to materials and tools needed to make them.   Reuben explains just how the pieces were found, measured and cut to size.  Peggy Sue looks amazed while Laura, Timothy, Edmund and Isobel look on knowing just how clever Reuben is at making things.

Will these really make a bookcase? She asks.

Absolutely.  Replies Reuben.  Would you like to help me sand the edges to make sure they are really smooth?

Peggy Sue was delighted to be asked to help.  

'I'm  we're going to build a bookcase!' She says excitedly. 

We now have to glue the pieces together.  Reuben explains.

One the pieces were glued, the next stage was clamping the bookcase together.

Reuben, with Henry's help sets up the clamps and Peggy Sue and Isabel tighten the clamps with Edmund's help.

Not too tight, but just enough to keep the pieces firmly together.  

That should do it!  

They all go off to play for a couple of hours while the glue dries.

Reuben and the lads quietly went back to take the clamps off the bookcase and put a few books in it...

They call in Peggy Sue.

Late afternoon, Peggy Sue can't quite believe her eyes.

Oh my!  She exclaims.  This is just perfect, it is exactly how I envisioned it to be.

With a few books in it to check it out for size, Peggy Sue really can't quite believe her eyes.

We've actually built a bookcase!  You really are SO clever Reuben!

She rushes over to give Reuben a big hug of thanks.  Poor Reuben, is a little unsure, he is not used to the over exuberant  attentions of someone quite like Peggy Sue.

Uh, um...it was no problem Peggy Sue.  Reuben says slightly embarrassed.  

Peggy Sue can't wait to get it up in her bedroom and put all her books in it!

A big thank you to DollMum, DollMum's lovely daughter and of course Reuben, who made it all possible and his friends Laura, Timothy, Edmund and Isabel who was delighted to see her friend Wren, for such a wonderful afternoon!

Introducing Everlee

As I mentioned back on this post here Everlee was here on a temporary 'foster' basis as my friend asked me to sell her for her...well how could I resist this lovely face and of course with the encouragement from Peggy Sue and Stevie to 'Please Let Her STAY'  what else could I do??

She has just the sort of face and look I love about these dolls.

She will keep her name that my friend gave her, 'Everlee Rose Morgan'. 

Everlee is a pumpkin string girl from around 1973/74 I am guessing. 

I know, I know, I AM supposed to be Down Sizing...and I will be come April when I return home from visiting my parents in New Zealand.  But this girl is a keeper.

I have come to realise that for me it is not so much about the doll, her era and the 'fashion' but more about play and creativity.  I have known that really for a long time and as such the beautiful expensive dolls are in some ways wasted on me as they are too 'precious' to play with.  My dolls have to take a bit of rough and tumble as they experience life and play with me. They are my companions. 

I will still keep a few dolls for themed displays - my Sailor family and the boys dressed up in the various costumes, but the rest will be dolls that participate in my stories.  It will be sad to see them go, and it was lovely to have them, but I think it will 'release' me to enjoy what I have more.  

A Gathering of Friends.

For those who are wondering, don't worry I do have a more Sasha/Gregor orientated post to come...I just have to wait a few days to link to another post/blog.

In the meantime, Madeline had quite a full house yesterday afternoon as she had a load of friends come round to play.

Both floors were occupied and they kept themselves busy and entertained all afternoon..

I think this lively little girl was pretending it was summer!  Luckily we had the heating on so she didn't get cold.  

Like a good girl, she washes her hands after playing with the dogs.  The other two look to be in serious discussion about something interesting.

Poppy and Thomas only have eyes for each other, although Poppy does wish she could find some shoes that fit!

Meanwhile Madeline is enjoying the company of two like minded friends.

My friend's Heidi Plusczok and Heather Maciak dolls with my two little Heartstrings on the end.

It was fun to see these lovely little dolls together and close up that I have often admired from afar. 

Sorry for the quality of the photos - taken late afternoon when the light had disappeared!