HAPPY HALLOWE'EN!

HAPPY HALLOWE'EN

TO ALL MY VIEWERS!!

MAGGIE MOON

Website Id:  (Dioramas) Wales - 0028



Above is a picture of my Hallowe'en witch, which I made in 1998.  She lives in her roombox which I called "The Witches Brew".  Maggie is busy making her spells, carefully watched by her black cat. 

Black cats were originally believed to protect witches' powers from negative forces.  You can see the full roombox on my website under "Dioramas" Id. no:  (Dioramas) Wales - 0028. 

When looking at her recently, I began to wonder when Hallowe'en actually came about.  I have since found out the following information:

According to Irish legends, Jack-o-lanterns were named after a man who could not enter Heaven because he was a miser.  He could not enter Hell either, because he used to play jokes on the devil.

Originally, lanterns were made out of  turnips.  Today people put lanterns made out of pumpkins outside their homes to frighten away ghosts and witches.

Hallowe'en dates back to the ancient Celtic Festival of Samhain, which is a celebration of the end of the Harvest Season.
Hallowe'en is on the eve of All Saints Day, or All Hallows, which is an ancient word for saint.

Carole.

CROATIA, BOSNIA AND MONTENEGRO DOLLS

I have recently returned from a trip to Croatia, Bosnia and Montenegro. 

As usual, I was looking for new dolls!

The dolls in CROATIA were mostly made of porcelain with thick unrealistic hands, and rather "starey" eyes, so I chose the hard plastic ones instead.  The chimney sweep is made of a more dainty porcelain than the regional dolls.

In BOSNIA, as I was limited for time, I was only able to find dolls made of vinyl, but they give an idea of the costumes.

In MONTENEGRO I found the delightful little "elderly people" dolls which are hand made.  The other pair of dolls is vinyl.

For more pictures and further information, please see the website.  Carole. 

CROATIA

Website Id:  Europe - Croatia - 008, 008A and 008B

(Woman wearing the headress of a married woman).

CROATIA

Website Id:  Europe - Croatia - 008C

(woman wearing the headress of an unmarried woman)

CROATIA

Website Id:  Europe - Croatia - 001

(chimney sweep)

(His face is clean because he hasn't started work yet!)

CROATIA

hand made dolls

Website Id:  Europe - Croatia - 0010, 0010A and 0010B

 

BOSNIA

Website Id: Europe - Bosnia - 003, 003A and 003B

BOSNIA

Website Id: Europe - Bosnia - 004

MONTENEGRO

Website Id:  Europe - Montenegro - 004

 

MONTENEGRO

Website Id:  Europe - Montenegro - 003 and 003A

CROATIA

The medieval City of Dubrovnik.

The main street showing the shiny, worn cobbles. 

CROATIA

Another view on a coach trip

BOSNIA

(Mostar)

The famous Turkish bridge which was built in 1566

and re-built after it was damaged during the war

in the early 1990's.


BOSNIA
The Turkish street in Mostar
(and the shop on the left where I bought the Bosnian dolls).



MONTENEGRO

View from the highest point in Montenegro

(from the coach).

MONTENEGRO
Monks in Kotor.

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MORE DOLLS (AND OTHER INFO.)

WELCOME to my two new followers - manhamana and Aniarozella.  I hope you will both continue to enjoy my site!

These last few weeks have been quite a busy time for me, following my recent newspaper article which I added onto my last Blog - 17th. August, 2011.
Following this I have shown a few of my dolls locally, and will be showing some more in November.  Thank you to all those very kind people who have sent me such lovely emails regarding the article!  I really appreciate it.

The GREEK ISLANDS MALE COSTUME:
I have it on very good authority from a Greek lady viewer who has studied and worked as a Director and Costume Designer - (quote) "that the male costume of the Greek Islands is not called a "FUSTANELLA" but is a balloon kind of pants called "VRAKA".   The Evzonne costume was worn mainly in Central Greece (Sterea Ellada), and in the Peloponnese in the 19th. century.  (Thank you again to that kind viewer).

THE DOLL MAKER PAGE:
SHYRONE from the U.S.A. has sent me some further information about the Doll Maker - Baronne Sandra Belling.  I am very greatful to her and have added the information onto mine, on the Doll Maker page.  (Just click onto Doll Makers at the top, right hand side of this page).

MY MINIATURE MAKING:
After a break of two and a half years I have now started back onto making miniatures and I am enjoying it.  I have just started working on another roombox which hopefully will be finished shortly.  (Watch this space!)  In the meantime, below is a selection of 1/12th." scale dinners which I made a few years ago.  I came across them in one of my craft drawers so I have put them onto my website where there are also pictures of some cakes and un-cooked meats (under dioramas).

A selection of 1/12th." scale  dinners

Website Id:  (Dioramas)Wales - 0031

AND FINALLY  - - - - - - - MORE DOLLS!  For more information about the dolls, please see the website.

SARAWAK

Website Id:  Asia - Malaysia - Borneo (Sarawak) - 005, 005A, 005B, 005C



SPAIN (Basque Region)

Website Id:  Europe - Spain - 0030

BOSNIA

Website Id:  Europe - Bosnia - 002

EGYPT

Website Id:  Africa - Egypt - 006



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MY RECENT NEWSPAPER ARTICLE

Following my recent visit to Spain (BLOG dated 3rd. July, 2011), an article about my doll collection and my trip to Spain, has just been published in a local newspaper (instigated by a friend!)

As it is a rather large article, and I do not have a scanner, I have tried to photograph it to share it with you.  If you click on the pictures it should enlarge them and you will need to use the scroll bar accordingly.

My apologies for my lack of skill in the BLOG world!!  Carole.

The full article spanning two pages

The left hand side page

The right hand side page

Me with my Spanish Basque doll at the book launching in Spain

(There will be more dolls listed here shortly).

- - - - - - -

NEW DOLL MAKER ON THE "DOLL MAKERS" PAGE

The name of the Doll Maker is:  BARONNE SANDRA BELLING.

For information about the Doll Maker, just click on "DOLL MAKERS" on the top, right hand side of this page. 



SYRIA

(Id:  Asia - Syria - 001)

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NEW PAGE - "BOOKS" ON WEBSITE

NEW PAGE ON THE WEBSITE 

On this page I have listed doll and costume books which I hope you will find helpful.  They are written in English, with the exception of two books which are written in French and Dutch.  Just click onto the "BOOKS" tab at the top of the HOME page.

I have also listed 

FIVE NEW DOLL GROUPS

FROM

Poland, Wales, Madagascar and Zimbabwe.

To see more information about these dolls, please see the website.  Thank you.  Carole.



POLAND - (Carpathian Mountains)

Website Id:  Europe - Poland - 0017

WALES

Website Id:  Europe - Wales - 0026

 WALES

Website Id:  Europe - Wales - 0027

MADAGASCAR

Website Id:  Africa - Madagascar - 003

ZIMBABWE

Website Id:  Africa - Zimbabwe - 007



- - - - - - -

FIVE NEW DOLLS LISTED ON WEBSITE

I have listed five new dolls on the website, from EASTER ISLAND, GAMBIA, GHANA, ECUADOR and MONGOLIA.
For more pictures and information, please see the website.

I have also changed the country from France to Israel, on the doll listed on my Blog of the 5th. May.  It appears to be dressed in a French costume but looks similar to the Sabra of Israel dolls, but several people have very kindly contacted me and informed me that it was made in Israel, by ISRADOLL.  Thank you to those who contacted me.  I really appreciate it.  Carole.

NEW DOLLS LISTED:

EASTER ISLAND (Rapa Nui)

Website Id:  Oceania - Easter Island (Rapa Nui) - 001

GAMBIA

Website Id:  Africa - Gambia - 003

GHANA

Website Id:  Africa - Ghana - 008

ECUADOR

Website Id:  America - Ecuador - 003 

MONGOLIA

Website Id:  Asia - Mongolia - 005



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