Jenny and Lexie visit Washington DC

I was extremely fortunate recently to have the opportunity, for work, to attend a conference in Washington DC.  It was my first ever trip to the USA and to say I was excited was to put it mildly!  About 3 weeks before the trip I happened to mention to Lorraine in an email that I was thinking of buying the third 3 Ann's book about Sasha dolls and having it shipped to the hotel for me to collect when I arrived but she made a much better suggestion and put me in touch with her friend Norvell, whom I knew online via the Jenny and Lexie (Heather Maciak) collectors group.  Norvell contacted me to say that she would be in Washington DC at the same time as me and we made arrangements for the Sasha Identification book to be sent to her apartment.  Suddenly I was even more excited about the trip than before, I had known of Norvell for about 4 years and was delighted that we could meet.

Norvell picked me up from the hotel, gave me my beautiful book and took me for a drive around the centre of the city to see some of the main places, such as the Washington monument, the Capital building (dome covered in scaffolding), several of the Smithsonian Museums, the White House (from a distance, you can't get close by car), Washington National Cathedral and the Pentagon.  We found a restaurant on our way to the mall at Tyson's Corner and had lunch.  I had brought my Jenny and Lexie dolls with me, Norvell had one of her Sasha dolls sitting on the back seat and had her Lexie with her which was fortunate as I had brought her some gifts I had made for Jenny and Lexie.  While we had lunch I gave her the gifts (Sasha 1 miniature sailing boat, a miniature beeswax candle from a shop local to me and some local leaflets, some Scottish shortbread biscuits and two miniature hobby horses for Jenny and Lexie).  The hobby horses were scaled down versions of the hobby horses I have made for the Sasha dolls, I started making them as soon as I knew I would meet Norvell.

Norvell's Lexie was pleased to try out her new hobby horse at the restaurant.  We compared the two Lexie dolls - Norvell's Lexie has slightly bolder freckles on her face than mine, apart from that they appeared to be identical.

Norvell drives me over the Potomac river towards
the Washington Monument and Jefferson memorial

View of the Capitol building from Norvell's car

View of the back of the White House from Norvell's car

Norvell helps Lexie ride her new hobby horse

Lexie and her hobby horse

I took the following photos of the two miniature hobby horses I designed and made before we flew to the USA.

The two hobby horses for Norvell's Jenny and Lexie dolls

The other side of the two hobby horses for Norvell

Close up of the two hobby horses for Jenny and Lexie

My Lexie and Jenny try out the hobby horses before we flew to the USA

I think they are hoping I will make them a pair of hobby horses for Christmas

After we had lunch, Norvell and I drove to the mall at Tyson's Corner and went to the American Girl doll shop - however that is for another blog post.

Happy Birthday Peggy Sue

Our Sasha family wanted to join in the birthday party for Peggy Sue, their Schoenhut doll friend who visited for the day during August for some Country girls and Indian fun in the garden.  The weather today was too damp and dull for outdoor party games, so they had party tea and cakes indoors then a game of dominoes.

You can see Peggy Sue's birthday party celebrations at:

Party Preparations

Birthday party time

Opening presents

Baby Leo, Laura, Reuben, Miranda, Nicholas James,
Florence and baby Mabel start their party tea in honour of Peggy Sue

Cheers Peggy Sue - have a lovely birthday

Florence wins the dominoes game

Chat 'n Snap 2014 - part 3

This is the final collection of my photos from the Chat 'n Snap last week.  For part 1 see http://dollmum.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/chat-n-snap-2014-part-1.html, for part 2 see http://dollmum.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/chat-n-snap-2014-part-2.html

These were the wonderful dolls from Janet's 'Studio doll project'.

Sasha Studio Doll Project dolls

Gorgeous eyes on this doll from the Sasha Studio Doll Project

I remember seeing this beautiful, haunting doll at the 2012 Festival

More of the Studio Doll project dolls

Dee had challenged people to bring their course dolls to keep her course doll company.  17 came for the day.

Some of the 17 course dolls which made their way to the Chat 'n Snap

Gorgeous course dolls

Some course dolls and Dawn's Studio doll in her tube

Diane had challenged the Chat 'n Snap to rival the number of toddlers who had attended the 2014 Sasha Festival, and collect for charity.  This little lad was supervising the collection.

The Toddler table

The Toddlers looked like they were preparing for Halloween

Lots of toddlers seem to like little Sailing boats

More of the toddlers (I believe there were 47?)

Looking like butter wouldn't melt...

There were tables laid out for Sasha and Gregor dolls of all descriptions to meet and greet each other.

Some of the Sasha & Gregor dolls and babies with that wonderful restored pram

Baby Leo and Baby Mabel sitting with some other babies

More of the amazing variety of Sasha and Gregor dolls, all different

I didn't take a photo of the table where there were 3 horses and more Sasha's.  We didn't think to bring my daughter's lovely white horse.  Maybe next year...