Sunday 31 October 2010

Chairs and Dolls and How to spend Sunday

This doll is Victorian, and was on the Antiques Roadshow tonight. She was in this case as a display item and could not be removed. Her clothes are really detailed and her face is so sweet. I have not felt inspired to make a doll for a while, but I really like this one, and may be inspired by her. The expert commenting on this doll said that she was worth about £800, but she would be worth more if she was just the doll rather than standing in the case, as doll collectors like to 'cuddle their dolls'. I refute this assertion! Well personally anyway. I do like to pick them up, photograph them and admire them, but I draw the line at cuddling! There were also these chairs, which were perfectly doll sized. They were samples by a furniture maker, and worth between £700 and £1000 each. There were a few more but the picture I took was too blurry. Antiques roadshow is one recommendation for how to spend a Sunday. Especially a Halloween Sunday when the clocks have gone back and it is dark so early. I re- listened to a really creepy radio 4 play too, but other than that spent the whole day either reading or painting. Really lazy but relaxing.
These little dolls are from Greenwich market on Thursday-for a bargain price-there are eight of them in four matching pairs. I really like their simple shapes and have been painting them onto old postcards. I have collected loads of old postcards for this very purpose so am pleased to have done a few. The little chair was also from the market-a number of small plastic dolls house items were bought-one day I will get around to arranging everything in the houses.

I also made a crumble. I did not have enough fruit so it is a strange cakey/biscuity crumble-but tasty. My cooking tip is not the whole recipe, but how to do the fruit. It is from a couple of recipes I found and gives a toffee like taste. All you do is caramelise some sugar then cook your fruit in that. It makes the fruit even more delicious. You also add some lemon juice and zest. I also used allspice and ginger. I wanted cinnamon but we had run out. What the recipes do not say is that when you add the fruit, and juice to the caramel it will spit and hiss and some solid lumps of sugary brittle will be formed. It all comes out alright in the end though!
Here are the postcards. I love how the little bright paintings look, against the worn and faded backgrounds.

Do you think if I had to walk to work past this view of the Tiber in the morning, that getting up for work on a Monday would be any easier? Probably not. Isn't it lovely? I was surprised at the river-well the little bit of it we saw. Compared to the Thames it is so tranquil and small. It looks inviting enough for a swim-which I would not say about the Thames! Have a good week!

12 comments:

jabblog said...

I love your little people - I recognise them but cannot bring the name to mind. As for the crumble - great stuff, bring it on :-)

Lynne said...

What a lovely way to spend a Sunday. I turned over when the antiques show came on. I think I must have watched a show on British art about sculpture.
My friend has just got herself a dolls house and thinks it is going to keep her busy for the forseeable future, making furniture and the like for it. I'm looking forward to seeing it when I'm next over.
Your postcards are nice.

Leenie said...

I'm always attracted to little dolls and doll houses. The ones you feature are amazing. Don't much like the keeping of a doll in a glass cage, although I can certainly see the purpose of protecting her from dust and sunlight and grubby fingers.

The crumble looks yummy. Once again I wish there was a way to post aromas. Have you ever made one using rhubarb? MMMmmmm!

Unknown said...

Nice Sunday, and your crumble sounds delicious.

Love your little dolls.

Anonymous said...

I suppose if you walked past that view every day it wouldn't be special! It's a fabulous photo - you should have it framed and on the wall so that you can gaze at it and imagine you are back there. The crumble sounds delicious - just the thing for cold frosty days! I love your paintings on the old postcards. I would probably cuddle dolls if I had any - well, after all, I stroke my fabric!!

Tracy said...

Such sweet doll living here.. and I LOVE those postcards--brilliant idea, Sarah. And swooning over the Tiber view...*sigh*... Happy new week :o) ((HUGS))

cloudbusting2 said...

The postcards were really beautiful. The layers of time were something I was drawn to.

Yiota said...

I absolutely adore the postcards! They're wonderful!

Linda Sue said...

Oh Sarah- your postcards!BRILLIANT! LOVE!
When I lived in London I was using the Loo at one of the stations and a blue girl came in soaked to the bone- she had fallen into the Thames, was in shock, nearly lost her young life that day!The Thames, not a welcoming river at all!

Mary S. Hunt said...

beautiful view!!!!
you walk past this every morning?!

→lisa said...

Your postcards are brilliant, what a neat idea.

The British version of Antiques Roadshow is so much better than the US version, I think because there's so much more older stuff in the UK! The US version has people bringing in items like American pottery from the 1930s.

Anonymous said...

Your crumble (it sounds like what we call a cobbler) looks yummy!

I use to watch the antiques roadshow. We have a version here.