COOL BRIGHT WATER, written and performed by Yasmin Wilde (Faruqi)

Yasmin wrote this song (lyrics and music) and performed it too, including the piano part. The saxophone solo is by Peter Effamy. The song was recorded by Darren Loveday. 

BIRTHDAY CARDS!

It is fun to design Sasha birthday cards for my grandchildren. They  usually have a simple story line, taking into account what sorts of interests each one of them has. Here are a few: 

This one is for Raffay. He loves science and of course, I had to use my Sasha boy 'Raffay' as the model. 

Are you ready for the next slide, Dr Rowland? Certainly, Dr Rowland! 

Gender equality - always!

I have cheated a little and used the same set up for my other Grandson Roman. He is also into science. This is my Sasha boy 'Roman'.  Hoping my two Grandsons won't see each others birthday cards or Grandma will be found out! 

This one was last year's birthday card for Raffay. He is a passionate drummer, and really quite good at it. He is giving a demonstration of his skills to some of the Sashas. 

One more for Raffay. A two picture card.

Hanna to Raffay: Take your feet off the table, Raffay!

Raffay: What's her problem. Boy, girls are so bossy!

My Granddaughters, on the whole, are quite happy to just have a pretty Sasha on their Birthday Card. This was an exception.I mad it for Hanna, who is already a bit older.

Bathtime for the babies

All clean! Phew!!!

There are many more. I have 5 Grandchildren and they have a birthday once a year!!! This is just a taster! 

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

I keep talking about thinning my Sasha collection. Adopting some of them out to other nice Sasha people. But I don’t seem to be able to do it. Somehow, it feels like being disloyal to my Sasha kids. So, instead of the numbers getting fewer, they seem to be increasing. I never set out to buy another Sasha, but then one comes along and I am smitten. So here are a few of my newer Sasha Kids.

This is Ashling, a 1969 Trendon Side-part.  

Such a sweet girl. She is wearing a dress by Dollydoodles. Shoes by Sashapotomus.

Next up is Kalaya, Kally for short. She is a 1968 Dungarees Girl. I have tried various outfits on her to find out what suits her.  I like her best in the Gillian Nash Sweater Dress, but I think she looks good in casual clothes, too. The dungarees are from A Passion for Sasha. The Birkenstocks from Marti Sanders Murphy.

I love the Kilties (Limited Edition 80s Trendon Sashas, with real hair wig). When Linda Simpson put up her gorgeous Kiltie for adoption, I just could not help myself. Her name is April. She is wearing a Marilyn Hotchkiss dress. 

I have a great fondness for the babies. A couple have been added recently. Another Trendon honeyblonde, named Honey and a Götz boy, called Max. 

My most recent addition is a 1969 Trendon Kilt, called Kate. Skirt by Stela Aranghelova, cardigan by Diane Duke, shoes Lisa Hartley. 

This girl is not a new addition, but a re-paint by Janet Myhill Dabbs. She made over my Kiltie ‘Tagan’ into a ‘Gertie’. Most of you will have seen examples of her famous ‘Gerties’. They have such sweet expressions, but it is not just the face that makes a Gertie, it is the whole ensemble. Gertie is a bit of a waif. A really cute child. Here is mine. The first two photographs were taken by Janet. The gorgeous eye painting is particularly obvious in the second photo. 

SLIME!!! Arghhhhhh!

This is a video created by Iona. It is all about the latest craze, SLIME!!! Warning! It is quite revolting, quite frankly, but well put together. Watch at your own risk! 

Sasha - the Austria Connection

I suppose nostalgia plays a part when you grow older. I find myself nostalgic for things Austrian, from time to time, and my Sashas seem to be the victim of this longing as the following pictures will show. Here is a photograph of Yasmin, aged 4, in a Dirndl dress my mother made for her. The next photo shows my Sasha, also called Yasmin, in a Dirndl made by Ruthsdolls.

Ruth calls this ‘the Bavarian Costume’. I was delighted to find a garment for my Sasha which reminded me of my place of birth. 

I soon added a few more Dirndls for my Sashas. Here is an example of one of Stela Aranghelova. 

 Soon after, Ruth made me another, really gorgeous one, in blue. 

Then, Diane Duke, the intrepid traveller, told me that she found a Käthe Kruse Dirndl in a shop in Tirol, which she brought back for me. The following year she brought me another one. Both really nicely made and fitting perfectly. 

Next, Diane got very interested in traditional Austrian knitwear and how it might be adapted for Sashas.  I got very excited over the idea of ‘ The Jopperl’. A cardigan/jacket which we all wear in Austria – girls and boys! It is very practical, very warm and partially weatherproof.  Diane being Diane went ahead and started designing and adapting the idea. She succeeded brilliantly!  

I thought how much fun it would be to have my kids dance around a Maypole in traditional Austrian costumes. This seemed a bit elaborate, but an opportunity presented itself at the 2017 Sasha Celebration Weekend. The theme was ‘National Costumes’ and I thought a Maypole exhibit might fit in with that theme. Both Tricia Jackson and Janet Myhill Dabbs thought it was a nice idea. So I asked a friend to help me construct a Maypole. Of course, I needed more girls in Dirndl dresses and that’s where Marilyn Hotchkiss came to the rescue. She made me some gorgeous Dirndls and also some Knickerbockers for the boys. Rosie Laird knitted the perfect socks for them all and Lisa Hartley provided the footwear.  We were all set for the Sasha Celebration Weekend. We dressed up the kids and had a try-out in the garden!!! 

Marilyn's Dirndl Dresses

When I arrived at the SCW we realized just how big the Maypole was and how much space it would need, so some last minute arrangements had to be made to accommodate it. It caused Janet a bit of a headache, but it was all sorted out and in the end it worked really well. Some other participants brought Sasha kids in traditional costumes along (Madeleine Foong’s gorgeous Sashas) and they joined in the Maypole dancing!!! There was even a cow, with a bucket at both ends (!), a goat, a Toddler and a cowbell – all supplied by Diane Duke -  to join the fun! 

A final word: The creative talent in the Sasha community is astounding. That’s how it was possible for me (who has no talents, ha ha) to put something like this together. Thank you all. It’s a joy to know you. 

Postscript: In Germany and Austria the Maypole is a tradition going back to the 16th century. The tree is erected on 1 May on the village green or in the town square. There is usually a festival to go along with this, with dancing round the Maypole – to dance in the month of May.