Wait a minute Mr. Postman!

Hi all!

As I told you in my last post, I'm going to dedicate this post to our best friends; the postmen and -women of the world. A little while ago I needed some cooperation of somebody and of course Mr. Postman helped me!
My hubby told me lately; Hey LiLi, here is some news that's seriously going to affect you, hahaha! He meant a news message about the dutch postmen who are negotiating about their jobs and salaries at this moment and of course they were threatening to strike (and actually did yesterday in the Hague). Ok, you can go on strike for one day...but that's it guys!

Maar even een korte Nederlandse vertaling/samenvatting erbij. Ik denk naar aanleiding van de reacties, dat daar toch behoefte aan is.
Deze blogpost wordt opgedragen aan alle postbodes ter wereld!

We all love to send and to receive mail, don't we? Oh, when you pick up your mail and you see one or two handwritten envelopes, it just makes our day! Here in the Netherlands there is one postman for the regular mail, which fits through the slit of your letterbox and another mailman who drops the packages. Of course we only 'know' the latter. Have you ever seen this:

The parcelman writes his name on our parcels, delivered by Wim, I like that! Or he leaves his phonenumber, in case you weren't at home, so you can call him to drop the parcel at a convenient time. Since Wim I never have to wait until the other day and going to the postoffice myself to collect a parcel! No mailman like Wim! The only thing that Wim still has to learn is not to write my house number on the front of a beautiful package, but otherwise Wim, you do a terrific job!
Je gelooft je ogen toch niet...mijn postbode (die de pakjes brengt) zet zijn naam op de pakjes. Wim! Of hij laat zijn telefoon nummer achter zodat je hem kunt bellen wanneer hij dan wel welkom is met zijn pakje. Sinds Wim ben ik geen een keer meer op het postkantoor geweest om een pakje op te halen. Geweldig Wim, je moet alleen nog leren dat je niet mijn huisnummer bovenop een prachtig pakket moet schrijven, maar verder gaat het heel goed met Wim.

Let's see what Wim delivered this week...
I received two prices from bloggers:
Even laten zien wat Wim deze week bezorgd heeft;


Ik heb 2 blogprijzen gewonnen, yes!
Lovely wrapped parcel...Lucky me!



And inside this beautiful heart made by Jeanette
Prachtig pakje met mooie inhoud gemaakt door Jeanette


I received this from Jeanette, who had a celebration over at her blog that she finally made the decision to go on with one blog only. I told her that I could hardly manage one blog and a household, so that would probably be a wise decision. Do you believe this heart is just one of the consolation prices? I love it. And that beautiful wrapping of handmade paper was soo nice.

Earlier this week, the bell rang like there was a huge fire outside; ding-dongding-dong dingdong ding! Oh, that must be Wim, he does that all the time when he wants to deliver a package. It was a box from Lori. I was the lucky winner of her fabulous 'one year blogger' give away. Now I have to admit that sometimes I get so excited when I receive such a parcel that I totally forget to take picture of the wrapped packages. Or worse; I think (mmm is think the right word? no much worse: I was positive) that I took pictures of those beautifully wrapped parcels....but apparantly I did not. But I saved the wrapping paper and the seam bindings...


En dit won ik ter gelegenheid van het 1-jarig bestaan van Lori's blog!
Wat ontzettend mooi gemaakt allemaal!

This was some give away huh?? Feeling jealous? Ha! I just know you are!
Some close ups to make this feeling last a little longer...



What an artist Lori is! This wallhanger coordinates so well with the colorscheme in my little studio, though I have to tell you honestly that one can hardly see a colorscheme whatsoever in that messy room!
I love its contents too, the lovely cabinetpicture, the cute bunny card, the smelling tag...it actually smells of vanilla coffee, I love it! oh and did you see those vintage velvet leaves??



Another close up: the gorgeous bird. Of course with party hat. I just love it. Look how well it coordinates with the bird box I received from Elizabeth on Valentines day!



And another close up; the bon bon cup filled with beautiful white buttons, the ledger paper labels, I love them!



Don't forget to look inside the artists ledger paper box, the bunnies have just escaped, but the spools with more vintage ribbons and seam binds and millinery flowers are still inside. Have I mentioned everything? I love it all!!

Sometimes, in fact I have to admit sometimes is almost always, I am a very spoilt girl. But I enjoy it!!
Last week a received another parcel and a lovely card from Marloes aka Tante Tee


En kijk eens wat onze opper Picasa girl Marloes aka Tante Tee mij stuurde.
Wat is het toch een attente meid. Naar aanleiding van mijn blogpost over poppen verzamelen kocht ze zomaar dit boek voor mij bij de kringloop en stuurde het gewoon op als een verrassing. Nou dat was het ook!! Ik heb haar een aardigheidje terug gestuurd, maar omdat ik weer eens 60 dingen tegelijk deed, ben ik vergeten postzegels op de envelop te plakken...het moet niet gekker worden. Maar ik draag natuurlijk niet voor niets deze post op aan alle postbodes ter wereld. Jullie kunnen nu mooi eens laten zien wat jullie waard zijn!

When she was in the thriftshop she saw this book and remembered my little doll collection as shown in Show and Tell Sunday. So she just picked up that book and sent it to me, how sweet of you Marloes. I have sent you something in return, which might not arrive as I forgot to stick stamps on the envelope...but I'm trying to influence the post service by this blog post ;-).
Just show them how right I am with this post ladies and gentlemen of TNT!


Van Picasa girl Evelyn kreeg ik zomaar een hele stapel Kings and Queens dozen toegestuurd, dit naar aanleiding van mijn post over gratis en voor niets (klik this kind of trash aan). Hartstikke bedankt Evelyn. Natuurlijk komen ze in mijn knutselkamertje...maar nu nog even niet....
And one of the Picasa ladies, Evelyn, sent me this entire pile of Kings and Queens boxes after she read here that I collect this kind of trash. I still have to fold the boxes Evelyn, but you know I have to wait until I have enough time to rearrange everything in my little studio and then it will be such a beautiful sight all these pink boxes instead of all different shoe boxes...thank you very much!


En dan is het ook eens hoog tijd dat ik aandacht besteed aan de ATC die ik van Elly kreeg. Ik was natuurlijk van plan om gelijk ook ATC's te gaan maken en die vanaf deze plek ook weg te gaan geven, net als Elly. Het is er helaas nog niet van gekomen, maar binnen een paar weekjes....dan...en dan krijgt deze ATC wel de hoofdrol die hij verdient! Nog even geduld Elly, maar ik wilde je nu toch eens eindelijk vanaf deze plek bedanken.
And this was beautifully wrapped in my mailbox several weeks ago. It's an ATC from Elly. I was thrilled to receive this and I was planning to continue the ATC-chain and make a blogpost with my self made ATC's too, but I haven't made any yet :-(. But I will, in a couple of weeks.
In that post your ATC will be starring again Elly and that wrapping too.
It just takes too much time now and I thought your lovely ATC deserved a place in this post too. Thanks again.

Not only did I receive there was some serious swapping too;
first of all: the miniswaps with both Beth and Karla.

en dan waren er de miniswaps met Beth en Karla
Op de foto's zie je wat ik van beide dames kreeg. Wat ik terugstuurde staat in Karla's blog.
After the first show and tell on buttons, Beth and I decided to swap; she liked my large linen button cards and I was in love with those lovely american little button cards with pictures and buttons. And while discussing, we decided to make a nice ephimera swap too.
Just look what she has sent me: buttoncards and vintage valentines and other greeting cards. In the Netherlands there are no vintage valentines, as Valentine is only celebrated since the last couple of years.



And american vintage wallpaper (I was soooo looking forward to have one single piece of that)! Btw the postman valentine card on top of this blogmessage was sent by Beth too.



And this was what Karla sent me.
And inside:



Postcards and a lot of millinery flowers, which are so hard to come by over here.
And in return I both send them this. And of course I have send Beth also the button cards.
Now I just heard that Beth's envelope hasn't arrived yet. Well it better arrive soon, Mr. US mailman, otherwise I have to take back my words and compliments in this post (except for Wim of course)!
Mmm nu hoorde ik net van Beth dat haar swap nog steeds niet was aangekomen...Nou mister us postbode zorg er maar eens snel voor dat dat pakje wel aankomt. Anders zie ik mij gedwongen om al mijn positieve woorden over postbodes terug te nemen, met uitzondering van mijn positieve woorden over Wim natuurlijk!


Dit zijn de pakjes voor de junque in mijn trunkswap. Benieuwd wat er in zit? Dan moet je here kijken! (here=hier natuurlijk)
Another swap was Junque in your trunk. It isn't completed yet, but when it is, I dedicate an entire post to it. In the mean time you can watch what was in these parcels over here.



I have had some price winners too at my blog. First Wil who won two hair clip cards. But I decided to make a personalized portfolio for her, filled with ephimera, similar to the swap with Beth and Karla. Wil didn't have a blog at that time, but now she has. When you visit her beautiful blog please say 'Hi' from me, and apologize from me as well... Sorry, Wil, I have stolen your pictures from Picasa, as I forgot to take a few before mailing my own creations....

Ik had ook wat prijswinnaars op mijn blog. Het is al even geleden...we beginnen bij Wil, die tegenwoordig haar eigen blog heeft. Vergeet haar niet even te bezoeken en zeg dan gelijk tegen haar dat het mij spijt dat ik haar foto's van Picasa gejat heb...Ik was nl. zelf vergeten foto's te nemen, bedankt Wil! Wil won een gevulde portfolio die ik speciaal voor haar gemaakt en samengesteld had. En wat oude knoopjes.




With the portfolio I have added some vintage buttons.




And there was a February give away too. Linnea Maria won a victorian pop up card made by me. But I decided to design a pop up especially for her in her scandinavian 'french ruin' style. You can see all that I have send here.



Ok I'll show another one here too...
In februari won Linnea Maria een door mij zelfgemaakte victoriaanse pop up kaart. Ik besloot er speciaal voor haar in de scandinavische stijl een te maken. En als je dan toch bezig bent...
Je kunt here zien wat ik haar gestuurd heb. Here is weer hier...tsjonge wat heb ik me weer op de hals gehaald met de nederlandse vertaling van deze blogpost met ontelbare linken!!!


another proof that I'm not always behind my computer...
I made this kind of an art journal, it really is a note book to write what you need from the grocery store and other things that easily slip the mind. It was a present for my aunt, just because.


Backside
Nog een bewijs dat ik toch niet altijd achter de pc zit;
voor mijn suikertante maakte ik dit 'art journal' nou ja het is gewoon een opschrijfboekje. Mijn tante wordt 80 dit jaar en is pas weduwe geworden. Moeilijk om iets voor haar te bedenken waar je haar echt een plezier mee doet. Daarom maak ik meestal speciaal iets voor haar, dan kan ze in ieder geval zien dat er tijd en aandacht aan besteed is.



Two tags I have made. One has gone to Germany another one to a Picasa girl in hospital.
Ook altijd leuk om te doen; tags maken. De linker is naar de zieke picasa girl Katja/Hélène gestuurd, de rechter was toen al in Duitsland gearriveerd.

Sending and receiving its both nice. But sometimes you are just overwhelmed that some people are so generous. I have mentioned this before but I'm going to end this post with a card I received from Michèle. She just send me a lot of lovely goodies. Just because she knew I would like them. I was so impressed by that gift. Not only because I was happy to receive buttons and other things I can not easily buy over here, but that a blogfriend just has made an effort to please someone else, in this case me. Sometimes people say that no one cares about each other anymore. Well we in blogland know that there is a very positive and caring feminin vibe going on. I'm so happy and proud to take part in it.

Iedereen vindt het leuk om pakjes te ontvangen. Wat mij opvalt is dat er ontzettend veel vrouwen actief zijn op het internet die het ook ontzettend leuk vinden om dingen te geven.
Daarom eindig ik met de kaart die ik 'zomaar' met een aantal hele mooie knopen en knopenkaarten van Michèle kreeg. Ik was er zo blij mee, niet alleen omdat die knopen en die kaarten die zij stuurde hier nauwelijks te krijgen zijn, maar omdat ze de moeite had genomen om zomaar, belangeloos iemand, toevallig en gelukkig was ik dat, te plezieren. In tegenstelling tot wat tegenwoordig vaak gezegd wordt dat iedereen alleen nog maar aan zichzelf denkt, weten we in blogland allemaal dat er een hele positieve stroming is waarbij vrouwen wel om elkaar geven en aan elkaar denken. Ik beschouw mezelf als een gelukkig mens dat ik hiervan deel uit maak en ik ben er ook nog eens trots op!

One of the cards that was in the button package from Michèle.

Bling show

Proof of handkerchief collection
Bewijs dat ik ook een zakdoekcollectie heb....

Today its show & tell Sunday again. Last week I really didn't have time. I do have a collection of handkerchiefs of course! It's the first time that I enjoy the lack of color in my collection in comparison to you American girls. I really like the white embroidered or white lace hankies.

Today in purple a dutch translation as two people told me to find it hard to read english. (yes dutch people, perhaps the others are just too polite, hahaha, anyhow they can try Dutch too).

Vandaag maar eens een Nederlandse vertaling erbij. Ik ben benieuwd of er behoefte aan is, dus zou je me dat kunnen laten weten?
Vandaag is het show & tell zondag, met als thema vintage bling. Vorige keer had ik geen tijd om mee te doen aan de show & tell met de vintage zakdoeken, natuurlijk heb ik ook daarvan een collectie! Zie bovenste plaatje. Voor het eerst vind ik het ontbreken van kleur in mijn collectie, in vergelijking met die van de Amerikaanse dames, niet erg. Ik vind de witte geborduurde en witte kanten zakdoeken eigenlijk het mooist. Dat kan ik nou eens mooi in het Nederlands schrijven!

I still haven't got much time so let's get started! Today's theme is vintage jewelry. Cerri is hosting today, so check her blog for more participants. Thanks Cerri for this theme. I have showed my bling on another occasion here.

Werk aan de winkel, we gaan snel beginnen. Als je op here. drukt zie je mijn bling die ik bij een eerdere gelegenheid liet zien.

I collect vintage bling for quite a time. I wonder can anybody tell me whether the bling I bought new for myself in the late 70-ties already vintage? Mmmm please say no.
I used to have a flat cushion covered with dark purple velvet framed in an antique frame. On that velvet my most precious bling. Gorgeous! But there was a disadvantage too. If I wanted to wear something I had to ruin the bling composition or replace everything in a totally new way. Of course that doesn't come handy in the morning, just before you are going to bring two kids to the daily care and heading for the office myself. Somehow I didn't manage that. Now I don't have a paid job anymore so there is even less time to rearrange such a composition. So exit frame.
(Sounds funny eh? But ask everybody who has her/his occupation at home, you'll see I'm right, ehm I am always by the way ;-D)
Ik verzamel al een hele tijd bling. Zou iemand me kunnen vertellen of de bling die ik nieuw kocht om zelf te dragen eind jaren '70, inmiddels ook al vintage is? Nee toch? :-)
In mijn vorige huis had ik een oude schilderijlijst met daarin een stuk paars velours, gevuld, en daarin geprikt mijn mooiste bling. Het zag er geweldig uit, maar er was ook een nadeel. Als ik iets wilde dragen, moest ik mijn hele zorgvuldig aangelegde compostitie verstoren en/of alles weer opnieuw arrangeren. Natuurlijk was dat niet handig als je net 2 kids naar de créche wilt brengen en dan zelf naar kantoor moet racen. Nu heb ik geen betaalde baan meer en dus heb ik helemaal geen tijd meer om zo'n schilderij steeds bij te werken. Die lijst ligt nu op zolder...
(lijkt raar hè? Maar vraag het maar eens in je omgeving aan iemand die ook geen werk meer buitenshuis heeft, je zult zien dat ik gelijk heb, heb ik trouwens altijd ;-))

Some of my favorites on a vintage hankie
Een paar van mijn favoriete blingetjes op een vintage zakdoek (jaja die heb ik dus ook!!)


Vintage bling is not cheap here in the Netherlands, hard to get and starting at 5 euros for a brooche, which is 8,25 dollars at this very moment (GBP 3,75).
Ik vind vintage bling vrij moeilijk te vinden en duur in Nederland, ongeveer beginnend vanaf 5 euro. Natuurlijk afhankelijk van conditie en of het daadwerkelijk vintage is.

Again a gift from my friend Mrs. H.
Like the mercury glass these kind of jewels are called poor mens' silver here too. It looks like filigree silver and it uses to be a little bit more black, but since I left it on my blouse which I put in the washing machine ehem ehem, it shines like never before!
Weer een cadeautje van Mrs. H.
Dit heet ook armeluiszilver! Het lijkt net op filigrain, het is trouwens ook vrij groot, dit is ware grootte. Sinds ik hem per ongeluk in de wasmachine gestopt heb, glimt hij als nooit te voren.

Some vintage colored bling. One of the brooches has a mark Western Germany. Markings are nowadays almost proof of something being vintage. There is almost nothing marked, or it has to be made in China...
I love the earrings, but about the brooches I'm still not sure.
Hier wat gekleurde bling. Een van de broches is gemerkt; Western Germany, alleen al een vintage teken, tegenwoordig is er nauwelijks iets gemerkt, of het moet made in China zijn!
De oorbellen vind ik geweldig, over de broches moet ik nog steeds nadenken.

I keep my bling in this bowl.
Except for the tiara's; my daughter insisted on keeping them.

Ik bewaar mijn bling in dit schaaltje.
Behalve dan de tiara's die mijn dochter per se wilde bewaren.


Wear your bling everyday!
Een dag zonder bling is een verloren dag!
Have a nice week!
Ik wens iedereen een fijne week!
Mijn volgende post zal opgedragen worden aan de postbodes en aan wat ik in mijn brievenbusje vond.
My next post will be dedicated to the postmen and what I have found in my mailbox.
They have delivered this allready!
Dit is al bezorgd!

Carol of Boxwood Cottage was the recipient.
De ontvangster was Carol van Boxwood Cottage

I don't know whether I will continue to write this post bilingual.
Please tell me what you think.

Ik weet nog niet of wat ik van die tweetaligheid vind...
Laat me weten wat jij ervan vindt.

Next stop? Thriftshop again!

This beautiful lady is Karla's great aunt Caroline who is going to celebrate her 100th birthday this summer. Unbelievable! She has always been a very active lady (well to no ones' surprise, I guess, being a relative of Karla!) who likes handmade things. Now Karla has a great idea; she wants to give her aunt 100 handmade congratulation cards, all made by different people. You can sign up with Karla if you want to make a card for her aunt too. Have you done that? No? Perhaps I can tell you that Karla is giving away a prize to one of the cardmakers. So you'd better hurry otherwise there will be too many participants!

Well, I have told you before that we are going to the thrift shop again! Anja of my new classic home is hosting this thrift shop challenge.
I try to go every now and then to 'Opnieuw en Co' (Again and Company). I do this as an exercise. I go there by bike and I can tell you that it much easier to sustain than the gym. This time you can accompany me.

Here we are at the recycle store. These are stores that are supported by our government. It has three goals; to stimulate recycling, to offer jobs for those who face difficulties to find jobs and to offer goods to a group that hasn't got a lot to spend at reasonable prices. This is very important to know when being in doubt whether you should buy or not. Let's go inside!

This is a large store. There is a book department, clothes, glass, tv's, you name it. Part of the exercise is checking every corner. Well what do we have here:

An old suitcase, complete with old hotel labels....

Close up.
Why don't we use these labels anymore? Can anybody tell me why a lot of fun things just disappear?
And then my eye catches another suitcase:


Heavy! Inside is:



I know that there are typewriters with better keys. But this one is a classic, no sans serif. It functions and it's decorative and Marja has said when in doubt: Buy! And that is exactly what I have done, as you might have seen in the previous post. But I do recommend thinking before buying:

It was a good thing that I didn't buy both suitcases..Thank you Mr. Postman for holding my bike.
And there was more:

I was so happy to find this. About a 100 years old, poor condition but

It's tiny! And rare and expensive at antique stores. Even in this condition you pay about 15 euro, if you can find one, so it was a steal at 50 cents, though you probably would have left it, haha, one girls' trash is another girls' treasure.

Another treasure?

Yes indeed!

What about this book, a collectors guide on garden gnomes (translation I give you a garden gnome)? I have a friend, who hates those gnomes. He revamped his garden into a beautiful classic herb garden. When his work was finished his parents came over with two hideous garden gnomes for their grandchildren, who were thrilled. So these gnomes were in the garden spoiling the look my friend had so carefully planned. It became a running gag. So when my friend was walking in Switzerland last year, he unpacked his rucksack and discovered that someone had put a garden gnome in it, that had to accompany him in the mountains...My friend suspected me. Why? Mmm somebody tell me!
But I couldn't leave this book and I have sent it to him for his birthday and he has finally decided to give up his restraint and promised me to start a collection of garden gnomes, which was a very good idea, because I also have bought the first very mean gnome of his collection here:



And of course I had a few small things that went in the 'trunk' on its way to Germany today. It was mailing day. The trunks made for Heather's Junque in your trunk swap had to be mailed today. I don't show too much Carol...
In the mean time I'm going to take part in a new swap:

This is going to be so much fun too. Until April 18th you can sign up on Beth's blog 'Gathering Dust' of course you can find all information here too.

Sometimes I wonder what was I doing all day before blogging?

Next stop? Thriftshop!

First stop:

Of course I didn't come home with one thing...

:-)

To be continued...

Hello dollies!

Yes, today is the day that we can meet Lori's challenge. My hubby already asked: is there a challenge you cannot participate in, LiLi? Yes there is. In my first blogpost ever I told you that I was going to show my collections and that I collect everything except for baseball cards, cars and militaristic objects. Otherwise...

I'm a doll lover 'pur sang'. Though I never was a little mum. My dolls had to sit in line and listen to me, the teacher. I liked to dress them and sew clothes for them and of course I was their hairdresser and make up artist, but not their mum. I hardly had any baby dolls. Today there are only a two of my play dolls left; one Barbie and one little Furga doll called Lucy.

here is.....Lucy

As I remember I received Lucy at my 7th birthday and I could choose between Lucy and a doll's house. I was in doubt, but eventually I choose Lucy. Most of the dolls of the sixties and early seventies are made from a kind of vinyl that looses its colors or absorbs colors from clothes etc. When my father died and we cleaned up my parents house, I came across my old dolls, but they were all spoiled. They looked so pale and dirty, that isn't how I remembered them and how I wanted to remember them, so I decided not to keep them any longer.

a few of my favorite vintage Barbies in my Barbie fashion shop. Once I bought something and I told the seller; it's already in my Barbie Fashion shop. She replied: Do you have a shop and how do I get there....lol.

When Barbie was introduced in the Netherlands I was only three, but when my neighbour got one I was totally hooked. My mother on the other hand, thought such a grown up girl wasn't suitable for a little girl so I received a Skooter (friend of Barbie's little sister), a blonde one, off course as I was blond too. I still like Barbie and I have a collection of vintage and mod Barbies. Barbie deserves a post of her own one day.

Around 1973-1974 the first nostalgia wave was going through the Netherlands and of course I jumped right into it. My parents were always going to antique fairs and I tried to persuade my mother to buy some of these antique dolls. At that time my mothers interest was mainly copper and china service. Of course I couldn't afford one myself. But when I went to a flea market with my aunt, I met the lady on the right (see photo below). At that time she only had one arm, but I adored her, she would cost me 35 Belgium francs (about one dollar at that time, which was much considering she was severely damaged.) And my aunt gave her to me as a present. This was my first half doll and I absolutely loved her. I took some antique lace from my grandmothers' and made her a dress and glued some of that lace onto an ice umbrella.

On the right my very first half doll which I bought in 1974, now restored. Her arm was made after the arm of my second half doll (summer 1974). A friend of my mothers has done this restoration quite clever.

My second half doll (on the right) also comes from Belgium. When I was 14 we went to the 'zandfeesten' in Brugge, this market is still held 3 times a year and so much fun. Rumour has it that the French go shopping here for the big brocante market in Lille. I bought her for 100 BF, which was about 7 dutch guilders, about 3 euro and about 4,5 dollars. My uncle was talking me out of it. It would be way too expensive; 100 francs for that! Of course I didn't listen. And I'm still happy I didn't. I like those flapper half dolls best, better than the marquises.

The coin is there as a referance. I was looking for an euro, but I'm broke :-(
I must have a dollar somewhere...but where? What I did find is a one pound coin, a little smaller than the euro coin, but I think almost the same size as the dollar.
This coin is featuring in the next pictures too!

Today I have a little collection of half dolls and even a half doll which actually is a whole doll. Does anybody out there know how I should call this whole half doll? This doll is all original though the silk was once blue and now deteriorating, I just like her to keep as original as possible.

Whole doll

Two half dolls make one whole doll, as you can see this is a powder box.

Nowadays I have some antique dolls, inherited from my Mother, she finally listened to me and now I'm enjoying her dolls;

My favorite, a french SFBJ doll which face has been polished too hard by my Mum. I take this lesson very serious ;-)

This doll once belonged to my mother too.

China heads, the one on the left side is japanese.
What I like about dolls is the mini part. I like small, don't know why. That's why I liked Barbie, with all her tiny and handsome accessories back in the sixties. Nowadays I like to buy little play shops and I'm planning to make one into a fashion or bridal shop. Over the years I have collected these china heads to model in those little shops.


Some bisque shop models

Two frozen Charlies or Charlottes, it's hard to tell. I guess the gold shoes make it a Charlotte.


The smaller the better!


Some other mini's. Those white dolls with the colored bands on the first line are japanese. Next to them is a french feve, that was used to hide in the buttercake (galette) at Epiphany. The child that received the part of the cake with the feve in it, would be king or queen for a day. Aah to receive a delicious piece of galette and such a beautiful bisque feve AND be queen for a day, it would be too much for me! Next to the feve are some dollparts that were probably dug up in England (but of German origin). I bought them there. And the second row are unpainted and probably rejected doll heads from Germany.

Two Corolle minidolls, I'm sure these will be collected in the future!

I think I will stay a doll lover until I die. I do love modern dolls too, if they are of certain quality. When my daughter was born she received a French Corolle doll from my cousin. I loved that doll and gave her more; Here are another two Corolle minidolls that are still in her (age 14) room. The other Corolles not to speak of the I guess more than 100 Barbie dolls (She is a Barbie and a flea market lover too) are already in the attic, but will come back, I'm sure, one day.
Goodbye doll lovers! Enjoy yourselves! Thanks Lori, for hosting such a wonderful event!

It will be raining hats and dolls!

Last week we had the button challenge, which was so much fun. I have discovered some amazing blogs and I'm going to swap buttoncards! This week Analise and Cerri have thought of something new. Let's show the world your vintage millinery flowers/hats. If I showed you my millinery flowers we would be finished quite quickly. I have one jar with those little flowers every one in the States has too, but actually they're not so easy to acquire here.
Well millinery hats then? To be honest; I never have seen them here. It's the same as with those buttons; hats are black, grey, brown velvet or straw, not flowery. I guess a flowery hat was too frivolous for the average dutch lady. Even our Queen didn't wear millinery hats, that I can remember. So I thought I would pass this one...

Well, why don't you cheat a little LiLi, and just show them one of your hats with flowers, after all you are a stranger who just pretends to speak English...
Well I know that these flowers are not exactly what you are looking for and this hat started its life as:

Before I revamped it. But I do have some vintage hats, I even have vintage hat stands. Well, come join me in my little 'sans' millinery vintage hat party. First meet our lovely models Eugene and Laurence:

They are showing vintage black hats. Remember Eugene? He and his top hat were involved at the giveaway back in October. The hat that Laurance is wearing is a gift from Mrs. H. The veil has been attached by a vintage rhinestone heart shaped button. In fact mixed collections! Laurence and Eugene are quite a couple and they would like to continue showing you their matching hats:

A little bit more quirky. Laurence is wearing one of my favorites. I bought this hat in Belgium with my cousin while hunting brocante. It was end of October and it started to rain, it was such an ice cold rain and I felt that I was catching a cold. Then I bumped onto this woolen hat, it fitted me like it was made for me. So I bought it for almost nothing. No wet hair anymore, it comforted me immediately, making me warm again. 'You are actually wearing that hat?' A woman at the stand asked me totally surprised. 'Yes of course' I replied, 'what else should you do with a hat?' (you tell me LOL). 'I'm amazed that you dare to do that' the woman said to me, 'but you are so right, because it suits you perfect!' I was getting a little shy. Every time we met that lady again she said something positive of me wearing that hat. So my cousin was suspecting her to stalk us. She even waved us goodbye when we left!

Eugene wears this hat in Summer and one of the black hats during wintertime. At Christmas time he wears the same hat as Santa, when we celebrate birthdays in our family he wears a funny hat too. Laurance on the other hand doesn't wear a seasonal hat, because this summer hat she shows us here is actually my gardening hat. You can fold it down to protect you from the sun. I bought this hat last year, but I it wasn't necessary to protect myself from the sun all summer!

Here are some vintage veils. The right one belonged to my grandmother, though I cannot remember her wearing it. Perhaps it was something she used to wear on funerals.
Before I'm off to see some of your vintage hats, I want to tell you about Lori's challenge; Next Tuesday April 8th, she hosts a doll challenge. Show your favorites, no matter what they look like. Don't forget to pop over to Lori's and join her Give away. She is celebrating her one year blogging. But even when there was nothing special at Lori's you would be so happy to be there. Because she is one of the most talented ladies around blogland AND she is such a sweety too. Well what are you doing here still? Just pop over! Wait, wait wait, there is another challenge this week. Anja is hosting 'Next stop thrift shop'. In her blog you can read all about it.