A very warm welcome to our first newsletter for the Second Sasha Celebration.
May 2015 saw the first Celebration weekend, envisioned and organised by Janet Myhill-Dabbs. It allowed just over 30 of us to get to know each other, look at each other’s’ dolls, view the display of Janet’s Studio Doll Project, learn new skills in workshops and exchange ideas, hints and tips. It was so successful that Janet has agreed to run it again next year – and there are over 40 of us attending. Janet was supported by Theresa and Tricia as hostesses for our first Sasha Celebration Weekend and they are delighted to resume their roles.
Our Venue is the Eastwood Hall Hotel Nottingham. It is a country hall hotel and conference centre with pleasant rooms and a good restaurant where we will have breakfast and dinner. We also have unlimited tea/coffee, snacks and cold drinks during our ‘conference’ on Saturday
The hotel is set in  beautiful, extensive grounds, which you are free to explore, and there is also an indoor pool and spa available for guests, if you can tear yourself away from Sasha’s! If you would like to view the hotel’s website, go to http://www.eastwoodhallhotel.co.uk.
(Saturday lunch will be provided, with arrangements explained in a later newsletter)

Main Events of the weekend (provisional)
Special Sasha Display – Kendal Hackney has kindly agreed to display her amazing collection of Sasha’s – almost certainly the only chance most of us will ever get to see these wonderful dolls, lovingly collected by Kendal and dressed with such impeccable taste. If anyone isn’t aware of Kendal’s blog, the link is https://kendalssashabrood.wordpress.com/  ( … and yes, the banner photos are some of Kendal’s dolls)
Craft activities Anna Page (aka Doll Mum) creates hand crafted, Sasha sized toys and following the success of last year’s mini trains, has agreed to teach a another toy-making workshop. Anna’s blog is   http://dollmum.blogspot.co.uk/
Judith Easthope (aka Dollydoodles) makes high quality modern casual clothes for Sashas and has kindly agreed to run a craft session this year. Judith’s sales page is http://www.dollydoodles.co.uk/
Theresa O’Neill restores Sasha’s and makes lovely outfits and accessories. She is going to help us make masks for our Sasha’s along with a few other goodies.
Jane Woodward and Emma Flood are also working on workshop ideas.
Raffle: There will be two top prizes: a very special doll donated and dressed by Rosie Shortell and a customised doll clothed by Janet Myhill-Dabbs.

We would be delighted to accept Sasha-related donations for other prizes – please send them to us in advance, or bring them to the event (but send us a photo so we can ‘tantalise’ people).

Last year our donors were extremely generous and it meant that everyone won a prize and, more importantly, we were able to send over £650 to our chosen charity  Save The Children. This sum was then matched by the CFA, the charitable organisation of the Sasha Festival.
Sales tables: (so do bring along items you wish to sell along with those important doll pennies!) The ‘cost’ of a sales table is a donation to the raffle.

Your Hostesses We aim to ensure that you have a relaxing, informative and fun time and to help you truly feel an integral part of the Sasha Community.
Janet Myhill-Dabbs is a professional artist and lifelong doll collector. In 201415 Janet created a collection of 20 serie Sasha Doll makeovers, inspired by Sasha Morganthaler’s own studio dolls. Her current project is creating storybook inspired ‘Little Poppets’ (her own unique dolls, inspired by Sasha’s ‘course dolls’ and Lenci felt dolls), as well as transforming Sasha waifs through her artistic talents. Janet also makes a unique selection of outfits for Sasha and Gregor using high quality felt and knitting yarns. https://www.facebook.com/vintagedollsuk/
Theresa O’Neill is well known in the Sasha community and runs  this blog  Over the past year she has brought us some fascinating ‘autobiographies’ by Sasha experts and devotees in her series ‘From Childhood to Sasha’, including Ann Chandler and Steve Kingsby, who are joining us at the Celebration.

Theresa also makes wonderful hats and clothes for Sasha Dolls as well as many hand crafted accessories.
Tricia Jackson is a relative newcomer to Sasha and only started her collection in 2013. Having recently retired, she plans to be spending more time on her Sasha’s, for whom she enjoys making hand-sewn outfits.
Contact us:
Janet Facebook Janet Myhill-Dabbs or at jam.amy@hotmail.co.uk
Theresa Facebook Theresa O’Neill or at theresaoneill@talktalk.net
Tricia Facebook Tricia Jackson or at triciaj57@gmail.com
We want this Celebration to be tailored to your interests, so please let us have your feedback and ideas.
You are important to us!