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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