2005 2006 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec   13 February 2007 I have been sent some very exciting information for those in the South-East area (or beyond!). A fantastic 1930s style dolls' house that has been made by Ralph Keemar is up for grabs! The house is being donated by the Gatwick Dolls' House Club to St Catherine's Hospice, who are raffling it. The draw will take place at the Epsom Dolls' House fair on Sunday 18th of March. Tickets are available at the fair on the day, and also at various St Catherines Hospice charity shops prior to this. As for the house itself, it is a typical 1930s detached with bay windows and one oriel upstairs window. It is fully lit, decorated and furnished, with correct period fireplaces and lit fires. The stained glass is properly leaded and includes the classic period "Galleon in full sail" in the front door. All tiles (in the order of 1000) are individually produced. If anyone is interested in seeing a pic of the house, do please email me at sarah@ashdown.co.uk ~ it really is lovely. Here are the fair details: Sunday 18th March Wendy's World Dollshouse Fair Epsom Racecourse, Epsom Downs Surrey KT18 5LQ Open: 10am-4.00pm (Early Entry 10am-11.30am) For further information on ticket prices etc, please contact the organiser: Wendy Hobday on 01895 834348 or email: Wendy@WendysWorldFairs.co.uk Good luck!   09 February 2007 It seems that everyone I know has a cold at the moment, and with the recent snow as well I think winter is here at last. I have to say that I get a little concerned seeing the daffs out and the camelia in my garden in full bloom. Mind you, this poor bush gets it wrong every year. It unfurls its beautiful snow-white petals at the first hint of sun, and then gets blasted by a cold snap, resulting in heavy brown blooms that fall with a very un-beautiful thud to the ground. The pigeons aren't happy either. About 20 of them gathered with moodily hunched shoulders on the leafless hawthorn tree. They glared at me working away in my snug shed, and surveyed the stump of the evergreen that had once provided them with year-round shelter. They all hate me now. I wonder how they'll wreak their revenge? Laundry day, probably.   09 February 2007   21 January 2007 At last a sunny day after a week of gales! I am lucky enough to work from a cabin at the end of my garden, and as I've sat there this week, one old fir tree in the garden seemed to be leaning more than usual. It grows on a bank, so there's not much to keep it there. Given that if it fell it would wipe out the trampoline and anyone on it, I decided something had to be done! So, sorry to all the squirrels and pigeons who are rendered homeless, but I'm now looking out onto a large stump and a husband who is more than happy to wield a chainsaw after a stressy week away working! I have a very difficult decision to make before the end of the week ~ what should I wear to Excel??   06 January 2007 Shame on me! It's the sixth of the month already and I haven't wished you a Happy New Year! So, Happy New Year!! I have had my nose firmly glued to the grindstone lately. The life of an editor is surely a busy one. Phone calls and emails flying back and forth,fingers tapping away on the keyboard like there's no tomorrow. But there is a tomorrow, and then another one, and then it's the deadline, and there will only be a tomorrow for me if I meet that deadline! It's not all bad though, in fact not bad at all, because I am getting to know some lovely people, who are so kind and supportive and good fun, that I cannot complain! Apologies if any of you have tried sending emails to me, I discovered that it hasn't been working, but is all fixed and fine now, so I look forward to hearing from you! Onwards and upwards!   28 December 2006 Well, how was it? I take it that by the very fact you are reading this blog that you survived Christmas. Thankgoodness for that. Actually I have to say, although I find the festive season to be all a bit stressful, I quite enjoyed this one. It was Fred's first and although he is a cat he acted like any small child in opening his presents; eyes wide as saucers flitting between one present and the next. I am happy to say that he was just as interested in them as he was the wrapping paper!   27 December 2006 Well here we are on the other side of the big event! I hope that all of you had as much fun over Christmas as I did! Father Christmas came, drank my sherry, and left some goodies behind, so we must have been well-behaved last year! Now I'm back at the desk, planning the next edition and talking to some 'projecteers'. Don't forget, if you have decorated your house for the festive season, take a picture before the decorations come down! Send it to me and I'll save it for the next Christmas edition! Exciting month ahead, with resolutions to make and break, and of course ExCel on the 27th January! I'm looking forward to meeting as many of you as possible!   20 December 2006 Well, I don't mean to brag, but all my shopping is done! Husband and I subsequently spent an evening on our knees, struggling to find the end of the sticky tape, and trying to make six metres of paper stretch to eight metres... Along with a sherry, it's my idea of a very Christmassy evening! I'm back at my desk now though, planning for the spring edition of DHW, which is hard to imagine when the frost on the ground outside hasn't melted all day! Have fun!   12 December 2006 You may be wondering why there are two blogs for 11 December... This is where Laura and I cross over! Out with the old, in with the new. Cripes! Don't tell her I said that!! Catch up with Laura, and Fred of course, in Cat World. Now, how many shopping days left until.....   11 December 2006 Hello! This is my first blog... ever! I'm trying not to bite my nails to the quick as we hurtle towards the deadline for the magazine, and wishing I had a bit more time so that I could make some of the lovely projects in there. Last year I hand-made nearly all of my Christmas gifts; this year I have decided to buy them all! But, I give myself restrictions, one: I only buy from places where some of the money goes to a good cause, and two: I'm only giving myself a day to do it all. I'll let you know how I get on!