HAPPY NEW YEAR! (and dolls from BULGARIA and KYRGYZSTAN)

WISHING ALL MY FRIENDS AND FOLLOWERS A VERY HAPPY 2014!

As we see a new year coming in and the old one going out, it gives us a chance to look back at the previous year, and ahead to the new year.

For me personally, 2013 has been a very busy year, not only on my website but also in my private life.  During the year I became involved in various Groups which have been so interesting for me, meeting new people and making new friends, and giving me the chance of new challenges.

During the year I was also able to travel to new countries and meet new people, and have the opportunity to buy some lovely new costume dolls, which I enjoy sharing with you all..  I feel very blessed that I have been given these opportunities.

2014 is also going to be a very busy year for me too, as I have been invited to give a lot of Talks on my Doll Collection to quite a few different Groups, (and also one on my visit to UZBEKISTAN to a local Travel Group, of which I am a member), thus meeting yet more wonderful people along the way.

I hope you all have a VERY HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR!, and enjoy finding new dolls for your collections.  Thank you for all your support during 2013.

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Today I am listing a doll from BULGARIA and also a tiny little pair of KYRGYZSTAN dolls.

I will be listing more dolls in due coarse and I will hopefully add more Doll Makers to the DOLL MAKERS page.

For those of you who enjoy seeing my DIORAMAS (and I have quite a few fans in that department!),  I am hoping to be able to make some more room, so that I can make a few more, as I really enjoy making them, (time permitting!).

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The BULGARIAN doll has four photos because it is a double-sided doll.

He is a New Year Festival doll with a wooden body and is dressed in a sheepskin outfit.  He is double sided, having a head on the front and also one on the back.  The eyes and masks are leather and his nose and horns are made of horn.  Six sheep bells hang from his belt.  In real life the dancers dance with these bells attached, and the bells weigh a total of 35 kilos!

These January 1st. dolls are dressed like this to scare away the "dark forces", and they are to be seen dancing on the streets on January 1st., not only in Bulgaria but also in other European countries such as Germany and Switzerland, etc.

(The information about this doll was given to me by a Salesman in the shop in Bulgaria, where I purchased the doll.  The third and fourth photos of this doll show the back view of the doll. 

BULGARIA - New Year Festival doll

(Website Id:  Europe - Bulgaria - 005)

 BULGARIA - New Year Festival doll

(Website Id:  Europe - Bulgaria - 005A)

 BULGARIA - New Year Festival doll

(Website Id:  Europe - Bulgaria - 005B)

 BULGARIA - New Year Festival doll

(Website Id:  Europe - Bulgaria - 005C)

I bought these two tiny KYRGYZSTAN dolls from a shop in Uzbekistan.  The shopkeeper is a friend of the maker of the dolls (Ms Oysuly) who is from Kyrgyzstan, where she made the dolls.  The dolls are made mostly of felt.

(More information about the dolls and their costumes can be seen on my website). 

 KYRGYZSTAN - mother and child, tiny dolls

(Website Id:  Asia - Kyrgyzstan - 005)

 ENJOY!

and HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!

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MERRY CHRISTMAS - (and dolls from Korea and France)

MERRY CHRISTMAS

TO ALL MY FRIENDS 

AND FOLLOWERS.

It's Christmas time again.  Doesn't it come round quickly?

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a Very Happy New Year.

At this busy time of the year we can remember the true meaning of Christmas.  Let us also spare a thought for all the lonely people who are on their own, because it is of course a very lonely time for them.

Have a really good Christmas!

THE THREE WISE MEN

 Today I am adding just a couple of dolls from KOREA and also a doll from FRANCE.  These can also be seen on my website, together with a little information..

KOREA - (pair of scholar dolls)

(Website Id:  Asia - Korea - 008 and 008A)

 KOREA - (pair of wedding dolls)

(Website Id:  Asia - Korea - 009 and 009A)

 FRANCE - (Alsace region)

(Website Id:  Europe - France - 0012 and 0012A)

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The little hanging Christmas tree ornament below, was hand carved in POLAND.

HAND CARVED CHRISTMAS TREE ORNAMENT  

It was made by JAN ZIEDER who is a member of Zakopane Circle of the Association of Folk Artists.   He specialises in sculpting figures of Saints, Christmas cribs and little decorative people.  He uses apple tree, pear tree, linden, larch and oak wood.  Many of his works are on display in museums or private collections in Europe, Japan, Australia, Sri Lanka, Argentina and Brazil.  He is self-taught and was born and brought up in Chocholow in Podhale, Poland.  He learnt wood carving in his early childhood by watching old masters working in his village.  He has a private museum of folk art in his home, next to his workshop.  He collects old furniture, tools, kitchen utensils, paintings, clocks, old furniture, clothes and sculptures by late artists from Chocholow and its surroundings.

I purchased this ornament from him in his workshop in Chocholaw in 2009.

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CHRISTMAS SCENE - (He's arrived!)

made by me in 2000

(Website Id: (Dioramas) Europe - Wales - 0010, 0010A and 0010B) 

 WHAT'S HAPPENED THERE?

The little dog I made to go in the Christmas scene

Enjoy your Christmas !

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MY VISIT TO UZBEKISTAN (and Uzbekistan dolls)

MY VISIT TO UZBEKISTAN

and the dolls I bought

I recently came back from a very memorable holiday in Uzbekistan.  It is very rich in history.  It became independent from Russia in 1991.  About two thirds of the land is covered with desert. 

We did a circular tour following the Old Silk Road.  Part of our journey included an eight hour drive across the Karakoram Desert. 

For more pictures and information about the dolls, please see the website.

Thank you.

Carole.                                                                                                                                                                                                              UZBEKISTAN - (hand made doll)

(Website Id:  Asia - Uzbekistan - 002, 002A, 002B, 002C and 002D)

UZBEKISTAN - (hand made doll)

(Website Id:  Asia - Uzbekistan - 003, 003A,  003B and 003C)

UZBEKISTAN - (hand puppet)

(Website Id:  Asia - Uzbekistan - 004, 004A and 004B)

UZBEKISTAN - (pair of hand made dolls)

(Website Id:  Asia - Uzbekistan - 005, 005A, 005B, 005C, 005D and 005E)

UZBEKISTAN - (hand made dolls with camel)

(Website Id: Asia - Uzbekistan - 006)

UZBEKISTAN

(Website Id:  Asia - Uzbekistan - 007)

UZBEKISTAN - (hand made man on donkey)

(Website Id:  Asia - Uzbekistan - 008

Below are some pictures taken on our tour.

A YURT WHERE WE HAD LUNCH

(Near Urgench)

INSIDE THE YURT

Where we sat on cushions on the floor

KHIVA

(A madrassa)

SHAKHRISABZ

(A Minaret)

A VIEW OVER KHIVA

WOMEN MAKING CARPETS

(in BUKHARA)

BUKHARA

(Chor-Minor Madrasah)

SHAKHRISABZ - A bride-to-be

(welcoming us to her hen party)

     SHAKHRISABZ
       a wedding group  
      (by the statue of Amir Temur)

A MAN SELLING HATS

(BUKHARA)

       SAMARKAND                 
 ME (front centre) with my friend on the left, and some of the locals                   

ENJOY

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