Sasha Street

A HALLMARK MOMENT

2012-02-12T05:35:00.000-08:00

Sasha and Gregor share a Hallmark moment. Happy Valentines Day to all.

FUN WITH SNAPPY CRITTERS

2012-01-09T05:03:00.000-08:00

The SNAPPY CRITTERS are lots of fun to make and even more fun to pay with. Their joints are made from dress snaps which allows the head, arms, and legs to be switched from critter to critter. And the patterns can be switched around as well to create imaginary critters. The book also contains the patterns for their stuffed props like the Bunny's carrot and the Puppy's bone.

Here are a few more pictures that show the various critters and their variations.

SNAPPY CRITTERS BOOK

2012-01-08T05:51:00.000-08:00

For months I have been busy creating a group of charming and delightful SNAPPY CRITTERS. Now the book has been published by Dover Publications.

Snappy Critters are little plush toy animals that are jointed together with dress snaps. The easy-to-make patterns can be mixed and matched to create a wide range of animals and the snap joints allow the parts of one character to be switched with another -- allowing for even more fun.

Many members of the Sasha groups have made the Snappy Bear and the Snappy Bunny based on the first kits I created. Now everyone can enjoy creating fun companions for their Sasha, Gregor, and Baby dolls.

You can order the SNAPPY CRITTERS book from me for $15.00 with FREE shipping. Just write to me at SashaStreetUSA@aol.com.

LITTLE GOTH GIRL PAPER DOLL

2012-01-06T14:57:00.000-08:00

For several months I have been busy creating books for Dover Publications who have been my publisher for many years. The first book to be published this year is this little sticker book titled LITTLE GOTH GIRL - sticker paper doll.

As you can see there are endless possibilities for mix and match outfits. Sasha might not be a little Goth girl but something tells me she might like a few of these outfits.

The cost of the little book is $1.50 and I'm offering it with FREE shipping. You can write to me at SashaStreetUSA@aol.com to order a copy.

BABY MEET BABY

2011-04-25T18:35:00.000-07:00

Baby Sasha meets Baby Bear in this series of photos that feature my newest Baby Bear created for the class I am teaching online for EbearZ University. Last year I taught a Toots Bear class and now my Baby Bear class has just started.

My Baby Bear has arms and legs inspired by the Sasha Baby

"TEDDY" - ANOTHER CHALLENGE

2011-04-12T14:36:00.000-07:00

Another recent challenge from a Sasha friend came in the form of a request for one of my hand-made Teddy Bears. She was looking for a companion bear to keep her company -- one she could hug.

Therein was the challenge as my bears are hard stuffed and not the most huggable critters around.

But I love a challenge so I created "TEDDY" and while he is not soft stuffed he is almost two pounds lighter than any of his brothers.

He arrived at his new home today and has taken up his "spot" on the bed among a cluster of pillows.

A DRESS FOR CLAIRE

2011-04-09T18:00:00.000-07:00

A few months ago one of my Sasha friends asked if I would create a dress for her doll. Ginger is fortunate to have a lovely studio doll, created by Sasha, in her collection. Claire, the doll in question, has the fabric body typical of one period of studio dolls. This body presents certain challenges for the designer because of the shape and position of the arms. And, add to that challenge the fact that I would not have the actual doll to measure and fit the outfit on.

First there were sketches showing how I hoped to minimize the effect of the arm position by using a long full sleeve and an Empire A-line shape dress which Sasha often used as well.

Measurements came and I made a full size paper model of Claire and sent off the first "muslin" to Ginger for a fitting. The dress was less of a problem than the pantellettes which were hard to fit because Claire had no defined waist.

The outfit was finally completed and I think Claire looks quite lovely standing by the stained glass window.

A BIKE FOR SASHA

2011-04-07T18:56:00.000-07:00

Sasha is delighted with her new American Girl bike and Gregor is clearly envious. It is a little bit large for Sasha since it was designed for her taller "cousin" but she seems able to manage it just fine.

Spring is just around the corner and the warmer days of summer will offer lots of time to peddle around town.

THE CHRISTMAS DOLL

2011-02-13T07:26:00.000-08:00

For many, many months I had been searching for a redhead Sasha but none caught my eye. Again and again I searched eBay and Shelly's website but always without success. On Shelly's site there was a later production Gotz ANGELA with a sad expression. The description said she had a caved in neck and could only pose looking up or looking down. She was there day after day and week after week as I continued my search. I would always stop and look at her downcast pose and expression -- wondering why no one had adopted her. Then a few weeks before Christmas I saw a notice in her description -- "OFFERS INVITED" and I decided that I would adopt her if my offer was accepted. It was.

Now she is here with her brothers and sisters. I have not yet "corrected" her neck caving but she can hold several poses that I find delightful and filled with her special charm and personality. One day soon I will correct the problem, but for now she is giving me one of her looks that says, "I'm home and I'm OK."

AN EVENING WITH SASHA

2011-01-20T16:22:00.000-08:00

Tuesday evening we had An Evening With Sasha in Philadelphia at the Happily Ever After doll and toy shop. I gave a talk about Sasha and brought several of my dolls to show the various differences in Sasha production. Other members of the Center City Doll Club also brought dolls to display. It was a lot of fun and I'm sure Sasha has caught the attention of several people who were not familiar with her charms.

Thanks to Norvell Jones who took the photo of me describing Sasha's world.

AN EVENING WITH SASHA

2011-01-03T04:54:00.000-08:00

The Center City Doll Club in Philadelphia will be hosting AN EVENING WITH SASHA on January 18, 2011 at 7pm.

For complete details please contact me at SashaStreetUSA@aol.com

A CHRISTMAS SURPRISE

2010-12-23T17:19:00.000-08:00

What a delightful surprise -- a Christmas gift from "Aunt" Kendal for one of my Sasha baby dolls. Of course it was immediately snapped up by "Scamp" the newest kid on the block. It is our very first outfit created by DOLLYDOODLES and features a teddy bear motif. The delightful design has a white front with a patterned back.

I thought that "Scamp" and her Teddy Bear friends might enjoy posing in front of the heavy-weight tapestry print created entirely from drawings of Teddy Bears I created for a Dover clip art book. It was quite a surprise when I found the fabric because I had never seen any of my art used this way. "Scamp" and her friends really like the image of the Teddy Bear riding a rocking horse.

And so, a Merry Christmas to All, and to all a Good Night.

REMEMBERING CHRISTMAS

2010-12-18T18:58:00.000-08:00

In the mid 1930s my father's display company created Macy's mechanical Christmas window displays. I was very young -- 3 or 4 -- but I still remember the giant toy machine that cranked out all sorts of toys.

I worked briefly as a display designer in a local department store but never got to do anything as fantastic as what my father's company had created.

Decades later, in the mid 1970s, I created this window display for "dollsandreams" in New York City. That is where I discovered Sasha dolls and where I spent many happy hours "interviewing" potential adoptees.

Over the years I created several windows for the shop but this was one of my favorites.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL.

A SNOW WHITE STUDIO STYLE DRESS

2010-12-16T19:17:00.000-08:00

Sasha looks like an angel in this prototype dress that I created for the Feltman Bros. doll dress line. It is currently being offered on eBay -- Item number 120666605501

A PENNY SAVED

2010-12-15T18:50:00.000-08:00

In these harsh economic times every penny counts -- especially if we want to adopt another Sasha. So I keep track of all my supermarket discounts and use coupons until my savings add up to a reasonable adoption fee.

And I recycle and reuse everything I can. Here are two of my favorites. I love French Roast coffee and the red plastic containers are well designed and sturdy. I use them to store all sorts of things in both the kitchen and my workroom. In the winter I fill them with water and place one in each room so that the heating doesn't dry out everything including my Sashas.

The other item I really love is this Roasted Chicken container. I love sliced chicken sandwiches and this brand packages it in this terrific container that stacks easily or hangs smartly on a peg board. They are transparent so I am able to see whatever I store inside them.

I used to buy plastic pencil boxes but they cost about a dollar each. These are better for my needs and are free.

All these plastic items may not be eco friendly but for me they are eco-nomically friendly and over time contribute to my doll fund by saving the money I might have spent for more expensive containers.

A NEW NIKKI CREATION

2010-12-12T18:45:00.000-08:00

Sasha is delighted with her latest outfit from SASHA DOLL STYLE -- created by Nikki. It seems that Sasha has developed a passion for purple. The polo neck sweater is hand knit using 4 ply wool in purple, navy blue, and sky blue. This is paired with navy blue fine cotton needlecord boot leg trousers. A knit hair band and knit socks complete the ensemble. The set came with a shark hand puppet.

To see more of Nikki's fabulous Sasha fashions just click on this link http://www.sashadollstyle.co.uk/

A PALE PINK STUDIO STYLE DRESS

2010-12-11T18:37:00.000-08:00

Here is another one of my prototype designs for the FELTMAN BROS. doll dress line. It is currently being offered on eBay. Item number 120659386363

Or use this link http://tinyurl.com/37fxrmy

WHITE STUDIO STYLE DRESS

2010-12-06T17:08:00.000-08:00

Here is another of my FELTMAN BROS. prototype dresses that was one of several designs created for their line of doll fashions.

It is currently being offered on eBay. Item number 120657240624

THE NEW GIRL

2010-12-01T18:56:00.000-08:00

Over the past few years I have been rebuilding my original Sasha family from the early 1970s. Those dolls were lost in a move from New York to California. The most difficult girl to replace was my 1971-72 wide face brunette. I found her on eBay a few months ago but like many of her sisters, she has delicate hair. So rather than risk damaging her with various modeling assignments I went in search of another brunette -- one with non-falling hair.

This charming mid-70s girl just arrived and I'm still trying to figure out what her personality really is. Here are a few images of her "screen test" and I am just beginning to know her. Only time, and more modeling, with reveal her heart and soul but I think we are off to a good start.

THE STUDIO STYLE

2010-11-30T20:05:00.000-08:00

Here is another of my Feltman doll dress designs. This pale buttercup yellow dress was never produced in this version. As with any design project there are always variations of any concept and some never make it into production -- at least not in their first version.

This prototype is now up for auction on eBay. Auction number 120654466314

At the time that I was designing these dresses I was not aware of Sasha's beautiful studio dolls that often were dressed in similar "heirloom" styles.

A COUNTRY GIRL CHALLENGE

2010-11-28T14:30:00.000-08:00

Last week on a whim I sent away for this printed "Everyday Clothing Panel" from HOME-SEW. It cost just $9.95 and I thought it might be a fun challenge to alter it for a Sasha. It arrived yesterday and I was delighted with the quality -- especially the colorful and detailed printing on a lovely 100% cotton panel.

The outfit is intended to fit an 18-inch doll -- there is a companion printed rag doll panel -- or an American Girl type of doll.

I decided to only use the pieces provided but not necessarily the way they were intended to be used. The "lining" for the collar and back closing of the blouse became a collar and bow. Because Sasha is only 16 inches tall I had some skirt fabric excess to play with. And I decided to make a full dress instead of a blouse and skirt. Some of the skirt material became pockets and part of the apron became its waistband.

I'm not a great fan of poke bonnets but I made this one more or less as described. Overall I think it turned out to be a fun project and considering the price, an inexpensive one. The final outfit looks much more expensive than $9.95.

While I was working on it I thought this would make a fun challenge to see how many variations our clever designers might come up with.

Meanwhile, Sasha is enjoying her new frock and is looking for some geese or maybe a couple of lambs.

AN EVENING WITH SASHA

2010-11-26T19:18:00.000-08:00

The Center City Doll Club in Philadelphia will be hosting AN EVENING WITH SASHA in January 2011. The tentative date is Tuesday evening January 18th at 8 pm. The club will be celebrating Robbin's winning the Sasha Pinafore Challenge and we will be displaying her winning outfits. There will be refreshments and possibly some of Robbin's creations for sale.

This is a small, very relaxed and friendly club that meets in the HAPPILY EVER AFTER doll and toy shop once a month.

If you live close enough to join us please feel free to bring a Sasha and share a couple of hours having an evening with Sasha.

I'll post more details as the date is confirmed. I hope some of you will join us.

TOP FIVE PINAFORES

2010-11-25T17:45:00.001-08:00

FIRST PLACE - designed by Robbin

SECOND PLACE designed by Maureen

THIRD PLACE designed by Robbin

FOURTH PLACE designed by Monica

FIFTH PLACE designed by Jocelyn

Congratulations to the top five most popular designs. Thanks to all the talented designers who made this challenge a fabulous success.

MIXING IT UP

2010-11-20T19:29:00.000-08:00

Fashion today is often made up of mixtures of colors and eclectic styles. I find myself buying both packaged outfits as well as second-hand things on eBay. And, over time, I discovered that I have little mini color collections.

My lavender "collection" began with a "Best Friends Club" packaged outfit in shades of lavender. Next came another packaged outfit from the "Tolly Girls" and finally a "batch" of "Our Generation" second-hand outfits from eBay.

Sasha is now wearing a really beautifully made white parka with lavender fleece pants and perfect fitting gloves from "Our Generation" plus a shirt and boots from the "Best Friends Club" collection.

My red, white, and blue collection began with the "Tommy Hilfiger" fashions but over the years I have added more and more outfits from various sources in those colors and now I can outfit about a dozen dolls in those colors.

Now I'm trying to figure out how to organize all my Sasha fashions. Doing it by color might be efficient but I'm also tempted to do it by seasons.

It would all be so much easier if my Sashas decided to become nudists.

SASHA DOLL STYLE

2010-11-19T18:25:00.000-08:00

Sasha is wearing her new outfit from SASHA DOLL STYLE. This ensemble is called "Spring Green and Gray" and was created by Nikki.

I often think of Shelly's website as a museum where I get to view fantastic Sasha dolls that I will never see in person or be able to adopt. My good friend Nancy taught me the art of visiting expensive stores and thinking of them as museums.

If visiting Shelly's website is like going to a museum then visiting Nikki's website is like taking a guided tour of Belfast, Northern Ireland where her Sashas romp and frolic at the beach and play in her gardens. Her photo stories are miniature works of art.

All aspiring designers and knitters should look at her website and her equally amazing blog because it is like taking advanced courses in fashion design. Her approach to designing for Sasha is insightful and carefully plotted so that each ensemble is a carefully crafted gem of color and pattern.

Her blog takes us through the process step-by-step as each season she creates two collections -- one in warm tones and the other in cool tones.

This latest outfit consists of a hat and sweater in the same colors and pattern with corduroy trousers and a knitted shoulder bag. Originally the outfit came with navy and white trainers but these matching Mary Janes were Sasha's choice. The tiny stuffed octopus was a surprise gift.

MAKING A VEST FOR GREGOR

2010-11-17T21:05:00.000-08:00

Here is Gregor wearing the finished gold brocade vest made from lightweight upholstry fabric.

I usually back the brocade with lightweight iron-on interfacing. I use organdy or a very lightweight cotton for the lining.

I intend to close the shoulder seams using a ladder stitch because it is less bulky and will lay better on Gregor's shoulders. Note the red arrows that show where I trimmed back the seam allowance. The pattern outline can either be a sewing line or a cutting line for fabrics like Ultrasuede or leather. I have traced the pattern onto the back of the brocade fabric being careful to line up the brocade pattern.

Next I sew the outline of the vest being careful to leave an opening to turn-out the garment. Note the red arrows where I have left the opening and folded back the seam allowance. Note how the seam allowance has been trimmed to avoid any bulky corners.

I use forceps to turn out the vest and a pointed wooden dowel to push out the corners.

Then I steam the vest flat.

Looking at the enlarged detail of the shoulder seams you can see that the version on the right has the traditional sewn across with seam allowance closure. The shoulder seam on the left was closed using a ladder stitch which allows it to be less bulky.

The best thing about this pattern is how really easy it is to use in dozens of different ways -- for Gregor or even for Sasha.

Because of the way it is designed you can use stripes, or checks, or plaids and never have to worry about matching up the patterns. Designs can run vertical or horizontal and always work perfectly.

The two shoulder seams can be sewn two different ways depending on the fabric or your design. You can use the standard sewn across with seam allowance or you can cut off the seam allowance on the pattern and join the two sides using a ladder stitch, This allows you to use heavier fabrics like the brocade in the sample above and it also works if you want to make a reversible vest.

SASHA STUDIO STYLE DRESS

2010-11-17T15:54:00.000-08:00

Here is Sasha dressed in one of the studio style dresses that I created for Feltman Bros. Now at auction on eBay. Item number 120648506194 or use this link http://tinyurl.com/39czwh2

HOLIDAY VEST FOR GREGOR

2010-11-16T20:36:00.000-08:00

In 2008 I offered this free vest pattern. Here it is again in case you missed it the first time or have recently joined one of the Sasha groups. In the days ahead I will show you all various ways to use the pattern to make delightful vests for Gregor.

While this is not a challenge I'm sure everyone will want to see your designs so I will happily post any photographs sent in.

This is a simple "almost no-sew" design that works really well with plaids and prints because it does not involve pattern matching.

Send an e-mail to SashaStreetUSA@aol.com with the word VEST in the subject line.

MITTENS TIME

2010-11-04T20:40:00.000-07:00

There is a chill in the air and that means it will soon be mittens time for Sasha and Gregor. Here is Gregor wearing a pair of Tommy Hilfiger hot pink mittens and also wearing a pair of bright yellow mittens made from my free mittens pattern.

If you would like to make some mittens for your Sasha dolls just send an e-mail to SashaStreetUSA@aol.com and put the word MITTENS in the subject line. ENJOY

BORROWING FASHIONS - MORE TOLLY FUN

2010-11-01T19:39:00.000-07:00

Gregor is delighted with this TOLLY GIRL snowboarder outfit. Everything fits him except the original boots so he is wearing a pair of the Ugg style boots from The Shop on Sasha Street. Gregor really likes the oversize sunglasses that I had to reshape (with a hair dryer) to fit his head. A nip and tuck quickly fixed the slightly oversize waist band.

Now all we have to do is wait for the first snowfall and then we can hit the slopes.

SAY HELLO TO FIONA

2010-10-31T17:12:00.000-07:00

I recently taught an online bear-making class at EbearZ University. The class was based on one of my earlier bears named TOOTS who has lots of attitude and posed with her paws on her hips. The class offered alternate arm designs and FIONA is the straight arm version. She is named for the heroine of the musical BRIGADOON.

She is currently being offered for adoption on eBay -- item number 120641529112

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

2010-10-30T19:31:00.000-07:00

Sasha and Gregor go pumpkin hunting and then gather their friends to celebrate Halloween.

Trick or Treat and things that go bump in the night. And a big BOO.

BORROWING FASHIONS - TOLLY GIRL

2010-10-29T19:33:00.000-07:00

Gregor was delighted to find this TOLLY GIRL outfit that looks like it was made for a boy rather than a girl. In fact, several of the TOLLY GIRL outfits look more masculine than feminine. These dolls are an American Girl size and shape but fit Sasha or Gregor with only minor alterations. This outfit had rather baggy cargo style pants so I narrowed the legs to look more like military issue.

The jacket has a metallic finish and interesting detailing on the shoulders. The sleeveless T-shirt is an interesting style change from the usual version.

AUTUMN LEAVES

2010-10-28T20:01:00.000-07:00

Last year at this time there was a riot of colored leaves and the air was brisk and crisp. This year we are still having very warm weather and the leaves have simply turned brown and dropped off the trees.

Here are images of Sasha and Teddy walking through the leaves last year. The day was bright and chilly but the colors were bright and warm.

MIX & MATCH FUN

2010-10-25T19:25:00.000-07:00

Sasha is having a purple and lavender mix & match day. She just got this winter TOLLY GIRL skating outfit from eBay and, of course, not everything fit perfectly because those dolls are 18 inches tall. But, the white fur hat, jacket, and muff all fit like a glove. Oh, speaking of gloves, the outfit has mittens but they will need to be altered to fit. The lavender tights are a bit oversize but are easy to adjust to fit -- we added garters. The ice skating skirt needed to have the waist altered a bit.

Now the fun began as we went through Sasha's wardrobe to find matching pieces. The shirt and fur boots are from a BEST FRIENDS CLUB outfit and match perfectly.

Now Sasha is ready for some winter fun -- just as soon as the snow starts to fall.

HALLOWEEN SKULLS

2010-10-23T19:17:00.000-07:00

Doll models are almost as difficult to work with as the human version. Probably there is nothing more difficult or frustrating than to try photographing three models interacting. I wanted to show these three delightful skull design sweaters created for me by Dianne Lam -- but, Sasha just couldn't make up her mind which boy to interact with. The sweaters are a great success even if this photo session is a bit of a disaster.

TO BEE OR NOT TO BEE

2010-10-21T19:47:00.000-07:00

Big Greg thought it might be fun to borrow the bee costume from Baby Greg's friend, SNEAKABOO. Everything fit except the hat so I had to create one for him.

So, now the big question is -- TO BEE OR NOT TO BEE.

HALLOWEEN IS COMING

2010-10-20T18:27:00.000-07:00

Here is Baby Greg with his friend "SNEAKABOO" from the MADI doll collection created by The Itty Bitty Toy Company. You might remember that Baby Greg borrowed a "Mister Fish" costume from "SNEAKABOO." They are discussing plans for Halloween and trying to decide what costumes to wear. The Bee outfit that "SNEAKABOO" is wearing is his basic outfit and he is thinking about wearing something else to go on a TRICK OR TREAT adventure.

BOY STYLE - SPORT GEAR

2010-10-19T19:29:00.000-07:00

Gregor thinks this multiple garment ensemble is terrific. The gray and maroon color scheme is carried throughout. The pants convert from long track style pants to shorts with a zipper all around each leg. There is a T-shirt with a logo and a sweatshirt with a different logo. Finally there is a zippered hoodie with an adjustable waistband. All garments are beautifully made and stylishly designed. A winning sport ensemble.

BOY STYLE - BOYS LOVE CAMO

2010-10-18T19:55:00.000-07:00

Gregor is delighted with this new outfit that features a camo print long sleeve T-shirt and camo print hoodie. These are paired with forest green corduroy trousers and tan suede high-top shoes.

TED'S TOYS - LEGGY

2010-10-17T20:31:00.000-07:00

Following the success of WORLD OF LOVE, the marketing team at HASBRO took inspiration again from the YARDLEY gift wrap and developed a concept called LEGGY. Basically, LEGGY was a doll with fashion illustration proportions -- normal torso with extremely long legs. The idea was originally supposed to be a line similar to WORLD OF LOVE with boxed dolls. But, midway into design concepts the plans changed to a plastic blister card to hang on a rack. This style of merchandise is generally lower priced and the LEGGY line ended up being marketed at a much lower price point than LOVE. While the original packaging and fashions were more extensive, the final version was a hit with little girls. It even developed a sort of cult following among adult collectors.

TED'S TOYS - WORLD OF LOVE

2010-10-16T19:40:00.000-07:00

This is how I became a toy designer. In 1966 my design company was creating the packaging for YARDLEY and helping to change that company's image. With the sudden popularity of the BEATLES and the whole British Invasion as it was called, YARDLEY decided to reinvent itself. Overnight it went from being a little old ladies' soap company to the most MOD most HIP young cosmetic company -- setting the cosmetic industry on its ear with the LONDON LOOK. In 1967, I created this Christmas gift set wrapping paper for the "Oh! de London" fragrance line.

As chance would have it, the marketing director of HASBRO toys saw this design and hired my design firm to "style" a new doll line called THE WORLD OF LOVE. My job was to create the look of the characters - LOVE, SOUL, PEACE, FLOWER, and ADAM as well as their fashions and packaging.

The line was quite successful and I soon found myself designing other lines for HASBRO as well as dozens of other toy companies.

HALLOWEEN PAST

2010-10-15T20:01:00.000-07:00

Looking back at my first Halloween with my original Sasha family. Here are two of the costumes I made for Gregor and Sasha that they wore in a window of "dollsandreams" back in the early 1970s.

The black and white photos were part of a photo gallery exhibit of my Sasha photos. Ah, those were the days.

TED'S TOYS - FELTMAN BROS.

2010-10-14T20:05:00.000-07:00

An odd series of events found me designing for Feltman Bros. -- one of the leading infantswear companies of the day. Their outfits were all hand made and embodied all of the heirloom sewing techniques that made their outfits collectible items. The beautiful embroideries, lace inserts, and other details made their techniques perfect for doll clothes.

So I persuaded the owners to introduce a line of fashions for dolls. Each design came in four colors -- traditional white, pale pink, baby chick yellow, and Robin's egg blue. Considering the craftsmanship of each garment, they were reasonably priced.

However, the line was not as successful as we hoped it might be. Today in the world of BJDs they command high prices and I'm sure Sasha's studio dolls would feel quite at home in them. I still make versions of the original line I created back in 1978.

ZEEBIE AND SCAMP

2010-10-13T19:40:00.000-07:00

This is my friend, Zeebie.

We like to tell each other secrets.

And Zeebie likes to rumble and tumble.

Are you tuckered out, Zeebie?

I'll hum you a lullaby so you can nap.

Here is SCAMP, my newest baby Sasha, and her pet zebra who she calls ZEEBIE. I fell in love with this impish little tomboy the minute she popped out of her traveling box. I'm sure she and ZEEBIE will have many more adventures together in the days ahead.

THE TREEHOUSE

2010-10-12T19:04:00.000-07:00

Soon after I first discovered Sasha dolls in the early 1970s, I bought a SINGER sewing machine that came with free sewing lessons. The machine cost $65.00 and I still use it to sew everything from Sasha outfits to Teddy Bears. I went to my first sewing lesson and shortly after the class began the teacher threw me out because I could not thread my needle. A great friend of mine agreed to teach me and I've been threading my needle ever since.

These red hankie fabric outfits are the first ones I ever made for Sasha, Gregor, and baby.

I built the tree and the tree house in my studio and installed it later in the "dollsandreams" window. The lettuce in the salad bowls is just dyed paper toweling torn up to look like the real thing. I loved building the tree house and the kids loved looking at it in the window. It was the first of several windows I created for the shop.

TED'S TOYS - MARY MARS

2010-10-11T20:08:00.000-07:00

Here is another doll that I designed for PEDIGREE in England. The original concept was for an older teen doll but Pedigree wanted her to be younger.

The year was 1979 and science fiction was enjoying some popularity. So this little girl from Mars was as friendly as Klaatu from THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL. And she was trendy in her mini skirt once she left her space suit and clear bubble helmet in the ship's locker.

SWINGING WITH SASHA

2010-10-10T19:05:00.000-07:00

The subject of swings for Sasha came up recently in one of the Sasha groups. Here are a couple of images of the very first window display I created for "dollsandreams" -- the toy shop in New York City where I discovered Sasha dolls.

I built the tree and the tree house and created all the outfits the dolls are wearing. The shop had two tall narrow windows on either side of the front door. The facade was painted a bright green and had a sign over the door with the shop name.

You can see Gregor climbing up the rope ladder to reach the tree house. And you can see a Sasha baby enjoying a ride on the swing.

TED'S TOYS - LITTLE SHOP

2010-10-09T18:36:00.000-07:00

In 1979 I was enjoying a great working relationship with the PEDIGREE doll and toy company in England. The GOOD EGGS continued to be successful and so did MISS PEDIGREE. Another concept that found a home at Pedigree was called A LITTLE SHOP OF MY OWN which featured cute little 8-inch dolls packaged in a "shop" of their own complete with miniature props. There were three shops including a FLORIST, a GROCERY, and a SWEETS SHOP. The little dolls had charming "granny" style dresses that were the current fashion trend.

The best part of working with the same company year after year was that we began to understand each other and what worked for the company and what didn't. And every concept didn't have to be a blockbuster.

TED'S TOYS - DADDY'S GIRLS

2010-10-07T20:03:00.000-07:00

1978 was the first year I went to Toy Fair as a free lance "toy inventor" as the industry called us. I had a portfolio of 32 concepts and appointments with 27 toy companies crammed into seven days. I had previously designed two major lines for Hasbro so they were my first stop. Nothing I had to offer interested them so I was free to show my concepts to anyone else.

DADDY'S GIRLS was inspired by all the 1940s LADIES HOME JOURNAL covers created by the artist Al Parker. They always showed a mother and daughter in matching outfits and were almost as popular as Norman Rockwell's SATURDAY EVENING POST covers.

Seventeen companies turned down Daddy's Girls -- all for the same reason. No one would buy two dolls in a package. It had never been done. At least not successfully.

I didn't think it was a major concept and I was already celebrating my successful relationship with Pedigree, so a bit of negative response didn't put me off my game.

My very last appointment was with a charming man from a factory in Japan that manufactured toy concepts for WOOLWORTH'S. These had to be inexpensively priced and have instant shelf appeal. He bought DADDY'S GIRLS right away. WOOLWORTH'S sold over six million units.

And the next year seven of the companies who had rejected the two-doll concept introduced "knock-offs" of the DADDY'S GIRLS line.

TED'S TOYS - SWEET INNOCENCE

2010-10-06T19:15:00.000-07:00

In 1978, MEGO was one of the largest toy companies in America after Mattel and Hasbro. The owner was a sharp businessman who had his eye on the brass ring.

The toy business can be a mysterious place when it comes to success and failure. Some of the best concepts hang in the balance in the weeks following Toy Fair every year.

MEGO spent hundreds of thousands of dollars bringing SWEET INNOCENCE to market. I did all the sculpts and art work for the packaging. Molds were made and hundreds of production samples were created for Toy Fair.

More thousands were spent in market research and testing before production began. The concept scored high marks with little girls who responded to the toys as well as the story. But, in the weeks following Toy Fair it became clear that store owners were not interested in the product and it was dropped from the line.

In the business this is called taking "the first best loss" and so SWEET INNOCENCE became a sweet loss and tax write-off.

I cashed my check and a year later the rights reverted back to me. I have often wondered why retailers shunned this concept and if they hadn't would little girls have enjoyed playing with her. We'll never know.

TED'S TOYS - MISS PEDIGREE

2010-10-04T20:12:00.000-07:00

In 1978, I created this doll line for the British toy company, PEDIGREE, who were best known for their 11-inch doll -- SINDY.

Miss Pedigree is 14-inches tall, has glass eyes and rooted hair. The original collection featured six dressed dolls.

Originally, this concept was to be called MISS CHANEL and you can see the Chanel influence in the packaging. But we were unable to get the rights for the Chanel name.

This was a very sophisticated doll line for the period and Pedigree perfectly duplicated all of my sculpts and fashions.

TRICK OR TREAT

2010-10-03T17:43:00.000-07:00

Here again is my FREE Halloween printable that will let you make as many "Trick or Treat" bags as you want. Just send me an e-mail with the word HALLOWEEN in the subject line and I'll send you the art to print out.

Send your request to SashaStreetUSA@aol.com

AUTUMN UGGS

2010-10-01T20:57:00.000-07:00

The first chill of autumn blew through the Philadelphia countryside and Maria traded in her white sandals for these terrific looking handmade UGGS style boots from Daddy Ted's Shop on Sasha Street.

Yes, it is that season of the year again and time to order some autumn and winter wear for Sasha. Please drop by the shop and check out the colors. These boots are custom made to fit Sasha and Gregor perfectly.

http://shopsashastreet.blogspot.com/

TED'S TOYS - HUG

2010-09-27T11:46:00.000-07:00

In 1984, shortly after my first teddy bear book, THE TEDDY BEAR LOVERS CATALOG, was published, my editor suggested doing a collection of the HUG comic strips. A few of the strips had appeared in the first book and were very popular. So THE WORLD ACCORDING TO HUG was created.

Shortly after its publication, the North American Bear Company, bought the rights to produce a plush version. The first season there was just the large size Hug in his signature red scarf. Then came HUG JR. in his turquoise scarf and later on they introduced BABY HUG with his signature baby bib.

HUG became the national spokesbear for BEAR-AID, a division of SAVE THE CHILDREN. We toured America raising money for the charity and HUG made lots of celebrity friends along the way. He was even hugged by Madonna.

Inspired by the work of SAVE THE CHILDREN my family adopted a young boy in China. Later we brought him to America and adopted him legally. Now he is a student at Princeton.

HUG's bear BUDDY was introduced as a give-away in association with BEAR-AID and TEDDY BEAR REVIEW magazine was one of the primary sponsors.

During those years I was working as a counselor with terminal children and their families. We gave over three hundred HUG bears to the children and many (sadly) went to Heaven with their young companions.

Of all the toys I have designed, none is closer to my heart than HUG. He was a wise and loving bear who brought joy and comfort to many.

FAVORITE THINGS - FOUR

2010-09-25T21:04:00.000-07:00

RAPUNZEL illustrated by Gustaf Tenggren

RAPUNZEL is one of my favorite fairy tales and Gustaf Tenggren is one of my favorite illustrators. After Maria arrived I noticed a picture of one of her sisters on Shelly's website and her hair had been taken down. I thought about the line in the fairy tale -- "Rapunzel, Rapunzel let down your long hair." and the other expression about "letting your hair down" which usually means to relax and be less formal. Maria seems much more relaxed now that her hair has been let down.

MAKING NEW FRIENDS

2010-09-25T05:01:00.000-07:00

"Hi, I'm Maria. What's your name?"
"I'm called Toots -- like Tootsie. Papa Ted is teaching artists how to make my sisters."
"Well, I have a lot of sisters too my they don't make them anymore."

"Well kid, I think this is the beginning of a wonderful friendship."

Maria has just made friends with TOOTS - the teddy bear that I am teaching bear making students to create at EbearZ University online. If you would like to sign up for the classes you still have five days to register and join in the fun. Meanwhile, Toots and Maria are off on an adventure together. I suspect that Toots will be looking for honey cookies.

Here is the link for EbearZ University www.ebearz.com

TED'S TOYS - GOOD EGGS

2010-09-23T19:29:00.000-07:00

The other night I gave a presentation to my local doll club about the behind the scenes business of toy design. I worked as a doll and toy designer for about twenty years. Perhaps my biggest success was a pre-school line called THE GOOD EGGS produced in England by PEDIGREE toys in 1978.

The little "life-size" egg characters had interchangeable hats, arms, and legs. Their gripping hands could hold a variety of props. They also had whimsical vehicals like an EGGBULANCE and a FIRE EGGINE. Playsets included fold out backgrounds.

The packaging had a charming light touch with beautiful drawings of the characters and vehicles.

I designed several doll lines for PEDIGREE over the following two years. Perhaps some of our UK collectors might even have one or two in their collections.

BOY STYLE - ONE

2010-09-22T19:32:00.000-07:00

Sasha has lots of doll friends that she can borrow fashions from. However, Gregor doesn't have the same good fortune so I have to look for boy styles in lots of different places. Recently I found three boy outfits on eBay and I was lucky enough to win the auction.

Here is the first outfit -- a beautiful sweater with Tartan pants and matching beret. Everything is beautifully made and I especially appreciate the care taken to have the Tartan design match up on the seams.

Gregor is delighted and so am I.

JUST MET A GIRL NAMED MARIA

2010-09-21T19:54:00.000-07:00

This is my second Gotz MARIA. She is too blonde to be the Maria from WEST SIDE STORY and too young to be the nun from SOUND OF MUSIC. But the songs about Maria suit her nonetheless.

I always wanted a Maria with very long fringe and when this one showed up on eBay I took a risk that her wild fringe in the photos could be controlled and put back in place. I am delighted with her now and she is strung perfectly and poses easily.

She is a very well-balanced young girl. But she does have a very determined expression and that might eventually be something I will have to deal with.

FAVORITE THINGS - THREE

2010-09-20T19:00:00.000-07:00

Well, we have a little trouble in paradise these days. One of my Sasha blondes has decided that she is actually Marie Antoinette. I made the mistake -- actually two mistakes -- of letting her watch the Kirsten Dunst film version of Marie Antoinette's life. The second mistake was buying her a gown from Carpatina that resembled one from the film.

Now my sweet blonde is walking around with her nose in the air, swishing her skirts and announcing "Let them eat cake!"

I tried to explain that Marie Antoinette never actually said that but it doesn't matter. Even telling her that Marie lost her head over it hasn't deterred her one bit.

Well, I give up. This is, after all, her favorite thing.

FAVORITE THINGS - TWO

2010-09-19T18:44:00.000-07:00

One of Baby Sasha's favorite things is to play Tumbling Teddies with her colorful stuffed friends. It is all in good fun and they always end up having milk and honey cookies together afterwards.

FAVORITE THINGS - ONE

2010-09-19T04:54:00.000-07:00

In the film, THE SOUND OF MUSIC, Julie Andrews sang about a few of her favorite things. The Sashas and I watched the movie a few nights ago and I thought it might be fun if we told about our favorite things.

This young lady is my favorite blonde Sasha. She is affectionately known around here as "Stubborn Sasha" because for many months she refused to pose except in one position. I considered restringing her but never got around to it. She was featured in a story in SASHA WORLD #10.

She is unusual because her fringe is perfectly straight. I have seen many brunette Sashas with straight fringe but the blondes tend to have a wave or curl to theirs. And, she has this persistent tendril of hair that looks as though it was intended to be part of her fringe but was left uncut. No matter how hard I try to keep it back it persists in falling forward. It has made this little charmer very distinctive.

She is wearing one of the first BEST FRIENDS CLUB borrowed fashions and ever since she put it on her personality changed. Now it is her favorite outfit. And now she poses in more than one position without protest or toppling over. She still has a determined expression but she is as pretty as can be and one of my favorite things.

BORROWING FASHIONS - BFC KAITLIN

2010-09-18T08:13:00.000-07:00

Sasha is wearing the newest outfit that the third version of the KAITLIN boxed doll comes with. The bright turquoise dress is a bit mature for Sasha but the little faux fur jacket is charming. She comes wearing white leg warmers and faux tan suede boots with a fringe trim. The boots fit Sasha's feet but do not quite close at the top as Sasha has thicker legs. Frankly, I bought the doll because I wanted the fully jointed version of Kaitlin and the outfit was just an extra plus. And, speaking of extras, this doll came with an extra boxed outfit as part of the QVC deal on all BEST FRIENDS CLUB dolls.

REMEMBERING 9/11

2010-09-12T07:56:00.000-07:00

On the morning of 9/11 I was living on the 28th floor of a 30 story building on East 40th Street in New York City. From my living room window I had a clear view of the World Trade Center. In fact, I once watched as a man climbed up the side of one tower years earlier. The phone rang. It was my friend, Tom Cooper, a Wall Street broker who was a fellow reporter for an online GI JOE fan site called Real American Hero. He told me that there had been an explosion in one of the towers. I rushed to the roof of my building and could see the black smoke streaming across the sky like a billowing banner that, over the next few hours, would become a black ribbon stretching all the way to Long Island.
I watched in horror and disbelief as the plane struck the second tower. Watched as one and then the other tower crashed to the ground sending a huge gray cloud through the streets of lower Manhattan.
Tom and I began reporting the events on the RAH website and in the hours, days, weeks, and months that followed we told the story from our personal point of view. Our reports were picked up and repeated by other websites around the world.
At the time I was an on call grief counselor for the Red Cross and in the days that followed I worked with both survivors and those seeking survivors.
My job as a counselor went on for years as I worked with the firefighters and rescue workers who were emotionally devastated by the loss of their comrades and their inability to do more.
I have many sad memories from those days. Perhaps the worst was working with a group of children who had found each other during their search for their parents. They were all children of single parents and now they were orphaned by this horrific event.
Tom was a volunteer at Ground Zero and today has many physical problems caused by working in the toxic rubble. We both still have terrible memories of that day and all that followed in its wake.
And nine years later they are as vivid as the day they took place. The pain of loss and the grieving go on. We honor the dead but the survivors must carry their sorrow for the rest of their lives.

MY THREE ALBERTOS

2010-09-10T18:57:00.000-07:00

ALBERTO THE FIRST

ALBERTO THE SECOND

ALBERTO THE THIRD

The first time I collected Sasha dolls was in the early 1970s. I never heard of the GOTZ Sasha dolls until a decade ago when I started my second Sasha family. I thought some of the dolls were very beautiful but I was intent on replacing my first (lost) Trendon Sasha family. Then I discovered an ALBERTO that someone was selling on eBay. I thought he was really interesting looking but I didn't bid on him. It would be two years before I found another one for sale and I adopted him.

For reasons I don't recall now, I sold the first ALBERTO and soon adopted the second one who had much better fringe. My daughter kidnapped him about two years ago and now he is the guardian of my Granddaughter. So I just adopted ALBERTO the Third. He is every bit as charming as the first two although his fringe is not as thick or cut as straight as the second version.

And recently a Sasha friend sent me this print of the painting that inspired Sasha to create the original studio version of ALBERTO.

BORROWING FASHIONS - BFC WINTER

2010-09-09T19:40:00.000-07:00

It must be winter somewhere in the world. Sasha is delighted with this BEST FRIENDS CLUB winter ensemble. It has lots of shimmer and shine. The long sleeve shirt made of lavender shimmer stretch fabric features extra long sleeves in the current style. The silver stretch pants twinkle with reflective highlights. The fur lace-up boots are a delight and have hard soles for easy standing. The fur trimmed hooded parka is stylish but a bit tight on Sasha when it is closed.

The outfit is called "Icy Cute" and it is perfect for a weekend at a ski resort.

BORROWING FASHIONS - BFC CASUAL

2010-09-08T18:50:00.000-07:00

Sasha loves this outfit just because the boots are so terrific. They are made of ribbed fabric with real hard soles for easy standing. They are so trendy and cool. The black faux suede pants fit like a glove because they are made of stretch fabric. The hot pink T-shirt has a ruffled bottom edge. And the lightweight casual sweater is the perfect piece to mix and match with other outfits.

This BEST FRIENDS CLUB boxed outfit is called "So Stylish" and it is aptly named.

BORROWING FASHIONS - BFC PARTY DRESS

2010-09-07T19:32:00.000-07:00

Sasha looks charming in this BEST FRIENDS CLUB outfit called "Festive 'n' Fashionable." The pretty party dress is fashioned of wine colored velvet and organza with matching velvet ballet style slip-on shoes. The tiny purse is a perfect accessory.

This is another one of the new BFC boxed fashion sets.

BORROWING FASHIONS - ANOTHER BFC STYLE

2010-09-06T18:55:00.000-07:00

Sasha is wearing another fashion borrowed from the BEST FRIENDS CLUB collection. This outfit is called "Ballet Beauty" and features a charming dance rehearsal outfit complete with tights and satin ballet slippers.

I especially like the tights with the open toe and heel. The carry-all is also quite delightful with its two oversize bows on the side.

The ensemble includes a leotard and a layered skirt plus a sleeved shrug with wrap-around ties.

Sasha assumes first position in her ballet class but she really prefers the less formal, more expressive, moves of modern dance.

GONE FISHIN'

2010-08-31T19:41:00.000-07:00

When my artist friend, Charley, wanted to take a few days off from his gallery in the city he'd post a sign that simply said GONE FISHIN' in the window. I don't think Charley actually ever picked up rod and reel but the sign did the trick and no one ever asked to see a flounder or a fluke.

So, Gregor and I are taking off for a few days -- maybe even a week. I have to get my online bear-making lessons pulled together because classes begin mid September.

I'll look in on the Yahoo groups from time to time but for now this blogger has GONE FISHIN'.

ANOTHER OZ BOOK

2010-08-30T19:25:00.000-07:00

The Sasha and Gregor babies are delighted with the Dover Little Activity OZ Sticker book that feature Daddy Ted's full color illustrations.

This little book has four pages of OZ stickers in a size just right for Sasha dolls and babies.

LADY SASHA

2010-08-29T18:03:00.000-07:00

When my little brunette waif arrived a few days ago she had a couple of extra outfits with her. She is now wearing the Trendon long green dress after her rebirth as a redhead as you can see in an earlier blog entry.

The other outfit was this lovely velvet Medieval gown that was tagged "Just Pretend" and I added the gold cord belt to complete her look as a lady of the court.

Then I did some online research of the company and discovered that they made highly imaginative and detailed dolls and accessories. Apparently the line ended in 2001 with the demise of the online idolls company.

This gown is part of an outfit called "Kublai Khan's Dinner" and worn by a doll called "KAT the Time Explorer."

All the various fashions and accessories, including a real suit of armor, were beautifully crafted. What a shame that this company has ceased to produce these beautifully crafted dolls and accessories.

REBIRTH OF A WAIF

2010-08-28T19:01:00.000-07:00

I recently adopted a brunette Sasha waif with seriously shedding hair. When she arrived it was clear that she would need a complete makeover. While her hair was a complete disaster, she was perfect in every other way and has a lovely soft matte finish and amber brown, hand-finished eyes.

It took over two hours to pull out all of her damaged hair until she was bald without any stubble.

I decided that she would make a lovely redhead and so I took one of the wigs I had designed for Sasha dolls and restyled it. A while back Kendal showed one of her waifs wearing this wig as it was originally styled with long curls and two front panels pulled back into a mini ponytail caught up with a ribbon.

But I wanted a different look for my new girl so I combed out her long curls until they fell into a soft semi ponytail in back. Then I took down the two front panels and let them fall on either side of her face in soft tendrils.

She is wearing one of the three outfits that she came with. This is my second waif and my first Sasha reborn as a redhead.

DADDY TED GOES TO OZ

2010-08-27T19:00:00.000-07:00

Look, this is Daddy Ted's new WIZARD OF OZ book that was just published by Dover Books.

It comes with two CDs that tell the story as we read along. I'm wearing my blue gingham and red shoes to celebrate.

Here are Dorothy and Toto being blown to OZ in the cyclone. Daddy Ted did all the coloring in the book.

And here is Dorothy in Munchkinland after her house falls on the Wicked Witch. Aren't the colors wonderful.

This is my favorite illustration. It shows Dorothy oiling the Tin Woodman so he can join them on the Yellow Brick Road to THE WONDERFUL CITY OF OZ.

This book is part of the DOVER "Read and Listen" series of famous children's stories. The book contains two CDs and large print text to read along.

Filled with full color illustrations and black and white sketches by the original artist -- W.W. Denslow. Original Story by L. Frank Baum.

If you would like a copy they are $14.99 plus s&h. For more details please write to SashaStreetUSA@aol.com

REMEMBERING NANCY

2010-08-26T16:27:00.000-07:00

Today I was looking through old photographs and found this snapshot of my friend Nancy who owned an enchanting shop in New York City called "Nancy's Fancy."

I have written about Nancy before. She was my first friend who also loved Sasha dolls. Nancy was, as Nana Laura would say, "Poor as a Church Mouse." Actually, Nancy made poor look good and she triumphed over it with style. She only had one Sasha doll - a blonde Gregor named "William or Mary Depending" -- depending on what he/she wore that day.

The shop was tiny and chock full of revamped and reclaimed "discards" that Nancy rounded up in the wee hours of the morning before the garbage men took them away. She refinished discarded chairs and painted charming designs on them that children loved. Almost everything in the shop was redone in her own style.

After school the local kids filled the shop laughing and joking with Nancy who always had a bright smile and a hearty laugh. She was what people referred to as "a spinster lady" which meant she had discovered life without a man to get in her way.

Her positive, upbeat attitude always reminded me of Nana Laura and Nancy's "museum days" certainly would have delighted Nana Laura.

On Mondays Nancy put on her uptown outfit and visited all the expensive shops on Fifth Avenue. She could not afford a single item they had to offer but she enjoyed the experience.

"I think of them as museums where you can touch things and even try them on." It gave her enormous delight to stroll through Tiffany's and Bergdorf Goodman's -- touching the glamorous gowns and trying on the impossibly expensive hats.

We were an odd pair -- she had nothing and I was overpaid and had cash to burn. I envied her and now that I'm no longer rolling in cash I remember what she taught me about simple joy.

I'd sit and watch her working on some old chair -- giving it new life -- and be amazed by her skill and her modesty.

I was in California when she died suddenly. When I got home I went to visit her and found the shop closed. As I stood looking into the small window -- empty now with just a sign that read "End of the Rainbow" -- one of her young friends came by to leave a flower at the door. We knew each other from years of afternoons spent laughing with Nancy.

"What happened?" I asked.

"She died."

"How?"

"Her heart was so full of love it just exploded."

AM I BAD?

2010-08-25T19:09:00.000-07:00

Sasha says I'm a naughty boy.

I'm really just an average kid wearing a hoodie.

Well, maybe not exactly average. (giggle)

The devil made me do it.

Gregor is wearing a delightful devil hoodie created for "The American BJDs" by the Goodreau Doll Company.

OH, BABY, BABY, BABY

2010-08-24T19:51:00.000-07:00

Sasha and Baby Greg and Baby Sasha are playing with three cute little baby dolls from Sunshine Crafts. These vinyl, jointed, baby dolls have inset glass eyes and various expressions. When you order them you don't know which one you'll get. Sort of like real life. I ordered three and got a pair of identical twins plus a third triplet who isn't identical. They are listed as being 5 inches and Sunshine has several other versions in various sizes including one dressed version with accessories.

Sasha and the kids think they are really cute. Sunshine Crafts has lots of interesting items that are fun for Sasha. http://www.sunshinecrafts.com/

BORROWING FASHIONS - MAGIC ATTIC

2010-08-23T19:06:00.000-07:00

Here is Sasha wearing Rose's basic outfit from the Magic Attic collection. Beautiful bright green plaid taffeta dress with white tights and black suede shoes make up the basic outfit. Added to that is a bright green velveteen hooded coat trimmed with faux black fur and accented with a matching fur muff.

Since this version of Rose is just a wee bit taller than Sasha her clothing fits Sasha perfectly including the shoes.

A BORROWING FRIEND

2010-08-22T19:24:00.000-07:00

Here is Sasha with her friend ROSE from the original MAGIC ATTIC collection created by Robert Tonner. This Rose is just a bit taller than the early Trendon Sasha and about the same height as the later Trendon girls. She is bisque with a stuffed body and her clothes are an almost perfect fit for Sasha.

The later vinyl version of the Magic Attic girls, including Rose, are more than an inch taller and their fashions vary in size and fit for Sasha.

While Rose's makeup is more vibrant than Sasha's, her skin tone is about the same. Looking back it seems odd that any company would produce a bisque play doll in this day and age. Obviously they realized that and changed over to vinyl soon after the first dolls were introduced.

These early versions are not seen often on eBay where I found this one several years ago. She has been a good friend to Sasha ever since.

BORROWING FASHIONS - MADI

2010-08-21T18:55:00.000-07:00

Sasha discovered to her delight that this outfit called "Orange Garden" from the MADI AND SNEAKABOO collection actually fits her. While the Big Fish outfit is perfect for Baby Greg it is a surprise to discover that this charming pinafore outfit fits Sasha. The quality of these outfits is outstanding with lots of attention to detail. For example the front and back of the jumper are actually open at the shoulders and held together by the collar. I'm not sure how many of the outfits will fit either Sasha or the Baby but they are reasonably priced so I might venture another one or two just for the fun of it.

C.J. MEETS THE TWINS

2010-08-20T18:01:00.000-07:00

"Hi," said the twins together, "You must be the new kid on the block."
"Yes, I'm C.J. from the Best Friends Club."

"Can we borrow your clothes?" asked the twins with mischief in their voices.
"Well, I don't know if they will fit you." replied C.J.

"I got the shirt."

"And I got the T-shirt."

"Let's get the jeans."

"OK, let's pull them off together."

"I think the pants are too long."
"And the shoes are too big."
"I like the shirt."
"I like the T-shirt and backpack."

"You guys are too funny," laughed C.J. "I think we could be the new Three Musketeers.

BORROWING FASHIONS - BFC "CALISTA"

2010-08-19T19:30:00.000-07:00

Once again Sasha borrows an outfit from Calista - another of the Best Friends Club girls. The jacket and striped T-shirt fit perfectly as do the shoes. The pants are very tight and don't fit well. The plaid purse is a charming accent and Sasha loves the black rim glasses.

BABY GREG AND MISTER BUG

2010-08-18T19:13:00.001-07:00

"Do you have dreams?" asked Mister Bug.
"Yes, I do." replied Baby Greg.

"What do you dream about when you wear your fish pajamas?" asked Mister Bug.

"I dream that I'm a fish swimming under the sea." answered Baby Greg.

"Let's ask Mister Fish what it is like under the sea." suggested Mister Bug.

"Yes, let's do that," said Baby Greg. "Mister Fish, what is it like being under the sea?"

"Would you like to see?" replied Mister Fish, "You just have to imagine it."

"Don't be frightened, Mister Bug, it's just me being a fish in my imagination." said Baby Greg.

"That's a really big fish." said Mister Bug.

"Yes it is and I have been swimming all over the bottom of the sea."

"And what did you see under the sea?" asked Mister Bug.

"I saw colorful fish, and mermaids, and sea shells, and all sorts of strange creatures."

"Did you really?" asked Mister Bug.

"No, I just imagined it." confessed Baby Greg, "But it seemed real."

Baby Greg is wearing a fish costume created for the MADI and SNEAKABOO doll line. When he goes to sleep in his fishy jammies tonight he will dream about more fantastic fishes and maybe even meet Father Neptune.

BORROWING FASHIONS - BFC "CASUAL COOL"

2010-08-17T20:34:00.000-07:00

Here is Sasha modeling "Casual Cool" -- another Best Friends Club separate fashion. The outfit comes with black tights but I didn't want to risk the color bleeding which often happens with these inexpensive fashions. The outfit features a sleeveless T-shirt, mini-skirt, hoodie, Shoulder bad, and slip-on shoes.

This was the extra outfit included in the QVC deal for YUKO.

BORROWING FASHIONS - BFC "YUKO"

2010-08-16T20:05:00.000-07:00

Here is Sasha modeling another one of the charming Best Friends Club fashions. This outfit was originally worn by the boxed doll "Yuko" who you can see by scrolling down this page. Once again, every piece of this outfit seems almost tailor-made for Sasha including the shoes.

The best part of this outfit is the faux leather jacket that is charmingly detailed with a square collar accented with buttons.

BORROWING FASHIONS - CRISSY

2010-08-15T17:42:00.000-07:00

Here is Sasha looking very grown up in a beautiful CRISSY gown made of bright green silk taffeta Tartan. This outfit was worn by Crissy in a boxed version called "Look Around Crissy"

Thanks to Sue Lloyd at http://www.crissydoll.com/ for finding this wonderful outfit -- Sasha is delighted.

BORROWING FASHIONS - VELVET

2010-08-13T20:10:00.000-07:00

Here is Sasha wearing an outfit borrowed from Velvet -- Crissy's little cousin. This outfit is called "Cloud Movement" and we found it thanks to Sue Lloyd at http://www.crissydoll.com/.

Around here we have a real fondness for red, white, and blue outfits because they are so easy to mix-and-match with other lines like Tommy Hilfiger and Magic Attic.

Usually the Crissy and Velvet outfits fit Sasha without any alterations, but from time to time even an occasional Velvet outfit is too tight despite her body being very similar to Sasha's. I recently got a delightful Velvet outfit that will never fit Sasha because it is just too tight and there is no way to let it out without completely taking it apart.

SAY HELLO TO YUKO

2010-08-12T19:52:00.000-07:00

Sasha has been borrowing fashions from all of the Best Friends Club dolls. Yesterday the charming new Asian girl, YUKO, arrived from QVC as part of their special offer of a boxed doll and a boxed outfit for just $29.64.

The latest edition of the BFC dolls are more articulated with joints added to the elbow, wrist and ankle which certainly has added play value to the line.

The big surprise was what a lovely Asian head sculpt she has. There are not many Asian dolls out there and most of the sculpts are not very good. I thought she deserved a moment in the spotlight before sharing her outfit with Sasha.

We're waiting for the new Best Friends Club boy to arrive and hope his outfit will fit Gregor. Meanwhile, Sasha is busy trying on several new borrowed outfits that she will model in the days ahead.

ALTERING BORROWED FASHIONS - THREE

2010-08-11T19:15:00.001-07:00

ABOVE - BEFORE
BELOW - AFTER

Here is another delightful Magic Attic outfit that Sasha loves. These outfits often fit perfectly but from time to time they need a little nip and tuck.
Basically this outfit had two little problems. First, the sleeves are too long on Sasha. Second, the waist is too big so the skirt slides down to her hips making it look too long.
I solved the sleeve problem by simply turning up a tiny "cuff" which I could easily tack in place. The skirt was easily fixed by just moving the closing snaps in the back to allow the skirt to fit Sasha's waist.

The hat, knee socks, and wonderful platform sole boots all fit Sasha perfectly. This was another quick and easy alteration that transformed a slightly oversize outfit into one that fits Sasha perfectly.

ALTERING BORROWED FASHIONS - TWO

2010-08-10T19:59:00.001-07:00

BEFORE - ABOVE
AFTER - BELOW

I kept seeing the EURO GIRL outfits being sold on eBay in the Sasha section and wondered if they really did fit Sasha. I bought three outfits and realized right away that they were all oversize on Sasha. One works pretty well and I have shown Sasha wearing it in an earlier posting. The second one - a red coat and denim pinafore - presented a major challenge and while the pinafore was easy to alter the coat would need to be completely redone. So I put it aside and tried to figure out what to do with this white party dress that seems to be swallowing Sasha in its huge sleeves and multi-layered skirt.

Here is what I did. First I removed the second skirt layer. Then I reduced the width of the sleeves by simply sewing a new narrower inside seam. Next I reduced the size of the bow on her waist band.
I took the second skirt and cut the width in half. I used part of the top half to make the top of the hat. And the bottom half with the scalloped edge became the brim.
I thought the lace edged socks were too fussy so I replaced them with pink tights. The original shoes fit perfectly.

The result is a Victorian-like Sunday in the Park dress and hat ensemble that works much better on Sasha. But it took almost as much time to do as it would have been to start from scratch.

But I like a challenge now and then.

ALTERING BORROWED FASHIONS - ONE

2010-08-09T19:23:00.000-07:00

ABOVE - BEFORE
BELOW - AFTER

Today begins a new series about altering borrowed fashions. Some of these alterations only amount to a stitch here and there while others require more extensive changes to make them fit Sasha.

Sasha fell in love with this beautifully made Magic Attic navy pea coat with bright brass buttons. And she loved the red and blue backpack and the little black and white hounds-tooth print carry-all. But most of all she loved the gold rimmed eyeglasses. After several months of searching for this set on eBay we finally won one a few weeks ago.
Most of the Magic Attic items fit Sasha without any alterations but when we tried on the pea coat it just looked oversize and ill-fitting. I used my tailoring skills to make one simple change that took less than ten minutes.

At first I thought I might have to shorten the sleeves but after I made the basic change everything fit better. And what was the change? Can you see it?

All I did was move the bottom two buttons up and add an additional closing snap. I steamed out the collar and reshaped it to fit around Sasha's neck better. It also made the coat lay better on her shoulders. That automatically raised up the sleeve length. Not a nip or a tuck was needed -- just one tiny snap and a bit of steam to reshape the collar.

Now the coat looks as if it was tailored especially for Sasha and not just a hand-me-down.

FASHION TIME TRAVEL

2010-08-08T19:34:00.000-07:00

ABOVE: First Sasha Brunette
BELOW: My New Sasha Brunette

My new brunette has just indulged in a bit of time travel. In the beautiful 1980 film -- "Somewhere in Time" -- Christopher Reeve goes back in time to find his great love, Jane Seymour. He doesn't use a time machine but simply puts on a suit from the period in history he wants to return to and then concentrates on being there.
My new brunette found this gown that is similar to one her sister wore in the early 1970s. She put it on and struck a pose similar to one her long lost sister struck.
The two gowns were created by one of the "dollsandreams" home designers who brought their creations to the shop every Saturday morning. It was like a mini designer trunk show and the local kids were always eager to see what new fashions were available. I always felt a little bit guilty buying even one outfit because it meant one less available for the kids. But hardly a Saturday went by that I didn't pick up one or two outfits for my girls and boys. I found it easier to live with the guilt than to deprive my Sashas.

BORROWING FASHIONS - A BFC SURPRISE

2010-08-07T20:04:00.000-07:00

Sasha got a big surprise when she borrowed these two outfits from "Addison" -- one of the Best Friends Club dolls. For some reason this particular boxed doll set has not been very popular and we picked it up for $14.95. While the shorts need to be altered to fit better, everything else fits perfectly. The big surprise came when Sasha discovered the hoodie had cat's ears in the tradition of Japanese anime characters.

The model is my little Sasha waif who has become known here as "Woodstock" because of her straight hair style and her taste in clothing. I don't usually rename my dolls but this kid came naked and needed an identity. And she has a real flair for posing.

TALKING TO DOLLS

2010-08-07T07:23:00.000-07:00

I did not grow up in a conventional "Brady Bunch" home. My parents were stunt pilots and we lived among the artists and poets of Greenwich Village. My father's mother, my Nana Laura, lived with us. We might not have been the average American family but we did share a few of the normal family oddities.
For instance, both of my parents talked to our two cats all the time. They considered it perfectly normal to have a conversation with an animal who usually ignored them unless they wanted food.
But, they thought my Nana Laura was odd because she talked to her dolls and teddy bears. I have always thought it made no more sense to talk to pets and babies than it did to talk to dolls and stuffed bears. On the other hand, if you do talk to your pets you have no cause to consider someone odd because they talk to dolls. After all, they are not conversations in the traditional sense. But then I have known many couples who constantly have one way conversations.
Personally, I find both dolls and stuffed bears to be excellent and attentive listeners. A rare quality in humans. And I am convinced that their expressions change in response to my rambling on and on. Perhaps it is just the afternoon light shifting that makes it seem their expressions change. Nana Laura insisted on "interviewing" her dolls and bears before adopting them. She spoke softly to them -- often asked them questions and waited for their responses. When one or two spoke to her she hugged them and brought them home.
I talk to my dolls all the time. And I talk to my bears while I am creating them so that when the time comes to give them a face I will have some idea who they are and how they should look.

And when my mother would tease Nana Laura about her doll and bear conversations she would smile and say. "Let me know when you hear from the cat."

BORROWING FASHIONS - CRISSY & VELVET

2010-08-06T19:13:00.001-07:00

Sasha wears the Crissy original lace dress she came dressed in.

Sasha wears the Crissy fashion "Jean Machine" and I solved the long pant length problem by folding up the bottoms into cuffs. Original outfit had a wide hip-hugger belt that has gone missing.

Sasha wears the Velvet original plaid dress she came dressed in.

Sasha wears the Velvet fashion "Glad Plaid" which has a charming sailor collar. Original outfit came with a matching scarf.

In 1969, the IDEAL TOY COMPANY introduced "CRISSY" a doll with growing hair. It was a clever innovation that was instantly popular with little girls across the country. The Crissy line had the MOD look of the day and her fashions reflected what the London trend-setters were dictating. It was the time of A-line baby doll dresses, mini skirts, maxi coats, and bell bottoms on everything.
Later, her cousin, VELVET, joined the fun. While Crissy is 18-inches tall, cousin Velvet was just 16-inches tall. The same height as Sasha. As with most borrowed fashions, some outfits fit well while others need some alterations. Here are four borrowed outfits that all fit Sasha without any serious alterations. Just one little trick to solve the problem of the too long pants.

INSPIRATION TWO

2010-08-05T19:30:00.000-07:00

Here is Sasha wearing pinafores that I borrowed from images on the Internet and used Photoshop to dress her in them for your inspiration.

This Pinafore is fashioned of a bright red fabric mixed with a matching bright Tartan and is a great example of using fabrics as inserts and in non-traditional ways. Note the plaid is not centered.

This elegant black and white plaid pinafore is a great example of using a print in a variety of ways for effect.

A charming embroidered denim pinafore that suits Sasha to a T.

Every little Sasha would love this chicken in a kangaroo pocket pinafore. Colors and patterns are perfect.

This little velvet pinafore is both charming and elegant in its use of trim and detail.

I love this faded denim pinafore with all the hand work -- especially the tuck detail bodice.

This pinafore uses two patterns with the same background color to create and interesting effect. I would have added pockets in the dotted fabric for more interest.

This bright red print is a great example of ignoring scale and going for impact.

TOMMY HILFIGER DOES IT AGAIN

2010-08-04T18:30:00.000-07:00

Here is Gregor in a fabulous Tommy Hilfiger winter outfit that fits perfectly. I realize it is summer here in the USA but it is winter somewhere in the world -- like Australia.

That reminds me of something my Nana Laura used to say if she wanted to move the cocktail hour ahead a bit. "Well, dear, it must be five o'clock somewhere in the world."

Gregor just couldn't wait to try on this outfit but he will have to wait for our winter before he can build a snowman or go whizzing down a hill on his sled.

SEWING TIP

2010-08-04T18:29:00.001-07:00

If you are working with a cotton fabric, or a similar blend fabric, here is a trick that might save you time and frustration. And, if you don't want to line the piece but just hem it.
TIP ONE - Using a dull knife (like a butter knife) you can score the line you want to fold back on. This is especially helpful when working with curves. Place the fabric on a piece of cardboard (not corrugated cardboard) like a shirt cardboard. Then press down the dull blade and carefully score the line of the fold.
TIP TWO - Here is another way to score fabric that is good for slightly heavier fabrics, Trace the pattern onto the fabric and using your sewing machine with the thread removed just sew along the fold line. The needle will create a punch line that will make folding the fabric back easy and accurate.

INSPIRATION ONE

2010-08-04T07:39:00.001-07:00

Here are just a few examples of the amazing range of decorative BRADS available from Oriental Trading. These make terrific faux buttons for your pinafore -- especially if you have a theme. You can see them here. http://www.orientaltrading.com/ Just type the word BRADS into their SEARCH box.