Life Inside the Doll House

We started this year with a wish list of places we would love to visit in 2017. Travel has always been hugely important to me but it has been much harder to manage with a young family. One of the joys of our children getting older is that I feel we can branch out and explore the world a little bit more.   We have learned to embrace road trips and we are certainly willing to drive quite long distances for the sake of an adventure. We try to avoid flying because it really racks up the cost and it is such a hassle. Stockholm was however high on the list this year and I am delighted to say that we managed to go for October half term. It was just too far to drive in the space of one week so we flew in the end.  If I am honest I would have to say that we chose Stockholm because of our love of Astrid Lindgren books including Pippi Longstocking and Karlson on the Roof and because we are partial to cinnamon buns. That's reason enough... right? I haven't been to a new country in

I have been super busy with house renovations and various family related matters which has meant that I haven't been able to spend any time on my dolls lately. In fact, they have all been packed away in boxes for the past couple of months to protect them from the judgemental eyes of the many workmen who have flooded my house. Given that I have felt pretty disconnected from my doll hobby this year, I felt unsure about making a big trip to Liverpool to attend this year's Blythe Con UK. I have enjoyed this event in the past and in the end I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to get away from my normal routine, fill my eyes with cute dolls, feel inspired by the creativity of others and touch base with other people who "get" the whole doll obsession.  I rarely meet people who share this obsession that I have. I was so excited about attending BCUK this year that I mentioned it to a fellow mum at Bear's school. Her shocked, semi amused, bewildered expr