Chat 'n Snap 2014 - part 1

In preparation for the Chat 'n Snap my younger daughter helped me box up the planes and boats, she also decided on outfits and dressed our Sasha family (7 dolls) and we decided to take my Kids 'n Cats doll Jakob as well, because we knew that there would be a few others at Dee's Chat 'n Snap.

When we got the hall, even though it wasn't officially opening time yet, the place was buzzing with conversations about dolls.  People were busily setting up their stalls and discussing the many course dolls, the Studio Doll project dolls, the table load of toddlers and crowds of other Sasha and Gregor dolls who had travelled from far and wide to a village hall in Hertfordshire for the day.

It didn't take us long to set up our Toys & Games for Sasha & Gregor table as we didn't have many items to sell.  It gave us a chance to look around at what everyone else was selling and have some conversations too.  We met friends we had only ever known online (such as Sharon from Spain).  Sales were not permitted until 12 noon and no one was allowed to reserve anything in advance, so when Dee announced that sales were open there was a mad dash to the sales tables as people swooped on the items they had spied earlier.  My girl tried to get a coat and hat set from Vintage Sasha but the crowd around the table was too much for a small girl and she stood back while all the coats and hats disappeared within 30 seconds!  She did however manage to buy a gorgeous pale blue dress with pink flower decoration from Sarah and hopefully we'll get a Vintage Sasha coat and hat set soon.  Miranda changed into the dress straight away and soon had a parasol (which my girl found on Jane W's stall).

It was fascinating watching (from a stall holder's perspective) what people were going for in the sales - most people were purchasing outfits and shoes for their dolls, though wigs were popular too. Even for seasoned sellers it was hard to predict what people would want, Lisa H had made up lots of winter boots but people wanted sandals!  There were more stalls and more stock to choose from than last year, I think only Vintage Sasha sold out.

On my toys and games stall I sold two aeroplanes, a boat, two glove puppets, one skipping rope and one hobby horse.  My girl knew that I was giving her money from our stall and when she saw that sales were slow she didn't ask for more cash though I did give her some more.  She was lucky enough to receive gifts from 3 people during the day which was really kind: a panda hat from Gayle, a guitar (I think from Chris M) and some money to spend from Kendal - she purchased a mini slinky and had great fun with it that day and the next. I went around the sales tables and bought some items as well (which will feature in future posts) - I had come with cash to spend.

During the afternoon Dee drew the two raffles.  We'd bought several tickets for each but didn't win anything. We also admired the amazing fairground which Dee and her husband Paul had created on the stage (for another post) and had several more conversations with various people.  My girl was thrilled when Dawn L allowed her to hold her toddler and a baby, Dawn had curled the toddler's hair and she was delightful.  My girl decided she had to start saving up for a toddler, so saved her last £10 of spending money towards this goal (it has now been banked and she has a cash book to keep a running check on her toddler fund).

To help her toddler fund I have listed all unsold items from the Chat 'n Snap on the playthings page.

The day was over all too quickly.  I'd like to thank Dee and all her helpers for a great Sasha Chat 'n Snap, it was lovely to meet so many Sasha enthusiasts again and admire the dolls.

DollMum's Glove puppets, sailing boats, spitfires and hobby horses

Florence, Reuben, Miranda and Nicholas James with the Garden Games
(with Clemence the bear)

The model boats before the sales started

The model spitfire aeroplanes on sale

close up of 3 of the planes

close up of the other 2 planes, the one my elder daughter painted is on the right

Jakob holds the DollMum contact cards 

Miranda in her beautiful new Vintage Sasha dress with a parasol 

Raffle 1

 Raffle 2

The baby from Raffle 2

Dawn's gorgeous toddler holding
Clemence the bear who had sneaked into our bag
to see the Sasha's at the CnS