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Saturday 17 July 2021

Sasha reads a Rainbow - missing the 2021 Sasha Festival

When we attended the 2017 Sasha Festival in Washington DC and visited Dorisanne Osborn afterwards we vowed to make it back to the USA for the 2020 Festival in Pittsburgh. But the global pandemic meant this wasn't to be - the 2020 festival was postponed to 2021 in the same location, but due to the continued high virus case rate in the UK (plague island), it is not possible for us to travel (and my younger daughter has not yet been vaccinated). So this year, as the Sasha Festival commences, none of the UK based regulars or occasional attendees were able to make the trip to the USA.

My younger daughter and I had booked our places last year and retained our bookings for 2021 just in case. She really wanted to be at this one because the chosen theme is 'Sasha reads a rainbow'. So despite not being able to be in Pittsburgh with some of our Sasha friends, we decided to do our version of the theme for our at home 'Dress a Sasha'. We chose one of the two 'Dress a Sasha' themes: Sasha and Gregor read (the other was Neighbourhood helpers) and found as many rainbow flavoured items as we could to go in our little scene. 

We decided Florence, Edmund and Nina were reading before bedtime, so they were dressed cosily in their sleepwear, though young Edmund decided it was too warm to wear his fleecy dressing gown (it is English summer time, not Christmas), and sprawled on the mat in his rainbow coloured cars pyjamas which my younger daughter made for him in 2015.

Sasha and Gregor read a rainbow - our at home 'Dress a Sasha'

Nina 'reads' "Little Miss Sunshine"
(something I called my younger daughter when she was a baby)

Florence became engrossed in "Little Women"
as she had enjoyed visiting Louisa May Alcott's home in 2017 with Laura

"Little Women" book on Laura's lap

Edmund was fascinated by the diagrams in the book
 
Edmund and the spinning top book

Rainbows, clouds and beads, including a tiny elephant bead

Rainbow guitar waiting to be played

We love rainbows, books, street organs and Sasha!

These photos were all taken by my younger daughter, she is a keen amateur photographer. She bought her own DSLR Nikon camera 2 years ago and for Christmas 2020 was given some lighting gear: an LED light unit and rechargeable batteries, umbrella and tripod for the umbrella. The new kit meant it was easier to control the lighting for the scene without using an instant flash (which I always try to avoid with doll photography because of reflection if their vinyl is shiny from playwear).

We are watching the Sasha Festival from afar, thanks to those attending who are sharing their photos and blog posts on social media. We hope everyone has a wonderful time and keeps well despite the pandemic.

6 comments:

Theodora said...

What a lovely post. Great photos as always. Lovely little stories in each picture. I have never been to one of those Sasha Festivals, but I can see that they are rather special. xxx

Anonymous said...

Love your display. What a great way to participate without being at the festival.

Serenata said...

It is such a shame to be missing the festival yet again isn't it? We have felt sad not to be going there, and to NZ and goodness knows whether we will ever be able to travel overseas again.

For some reason the Sasha Festival posts haven't been coming up on my FB page, so I will have to make an effort to hunt them out as I keep forgetting - I don't spend a lot of time on the computer now, too busy in the garden for the most of it. But want to catch up with all the fun everyone is having at the Festival.

Dee said...

Such a shame that people can still not travel safely but hopefully , you can go to next years.
Your 'home' festival display is lovely, very colourful and interesting.

NeverUschi said...

How sad you couldn't travel. That was certainly another disappointment. But your version of the story has worked out beautifully. So many details! And great photos of course, to enjoy them.

Dorothy In PA said...

I am sorry you were not able to visit the Sasha Festival. Maybe you can go next year.

I did not know that it was taking place in Pennsylvania. I wonder if the local dolls clubs knew about it.

I am happy that you had your own special festival.

I saw a little Sasha baby for sale in the gift shop of the local doll museum and she made me think of your blog site.