Less is More

No not dolls at the moment, although this is also on the cards...but blogs!

I am cross posting this on all my blogs.

There has been much thinking going on here recently - it started months ago with my uncertainty with the dolls and feeling overwhelmed by it all...but when blogger changed its layout recently, it really made me think about what I want to do and how I want to go about doing things.  Having lots of individual blogs is now even more time-consuming than it used to be and it is time to probably amalgamate them back into one again.  I split them up initially due to various reasons, perhaps not wisely thought out, and it is time to take back control for me.  The saying 'Less is More' is probably true in many ways and it really will be.  Less blogs, but more posts in the one place.  After all most of my dolls interact with each other anyway, regardless of whether they are Sasha, Schoenhut or American Girl dolls etc...  

My main characters are of course Henry, Peggy Sue and my little wooden Hitty Madge.  I currently have five doll blogs!  Which really is quite ridiculous.  One of which was originally set up as  a joint project with several friends, but that never came to fruition and they all backed out.  I tried to keep it running for a while, but it is hard work on your own, so although I won't close it down, it won't be starting up again. 

My four main doll blogs are:

Sewing for Sasha

How Many Dolls

Holidays with Henry and

Hitty at Rose Cottage.

I think that my Hitty blog will continue as a stand alone blog, as they tend to live in a 'different world' to the other dolls here at Rose Cottage.

Whether to keep Henry's blog separate, just for the holiday posts is something I am still currently debating.

Certainly Sewing for Sasha and How Many Dolls can be amalgamated as I often have to cross posts as the dolls do interact with each other in my stories.  Of course the question then is whether to retain one of the names, or have a brand new name.  Whatever I decide name wise  I will merge the two blogs so that all posts still remain.  I want something that reflects the essence of what my blogs are about...the stories, the dressmaking, sewing and knitting and of course being 'Henry's Mum'.  

So in the New Year changes will be afoot one way or another.

Isle of Wight Holiday: Yarmouth Castle

On 12th October we went to Yarmouth Castle.

This castle is quite small compared to some we have been to.

It was still interesting

Even if it didn't take us that long to explore it!

We went into the Magazine store

Enjoyed reading about it.

I went exploring and had quite a bit of fun.

This was the original entrance.

Oooh what is for dinner?

Up the steps and peeking into places

That goes a long way down.

You can guess what this used to be!

Looking out over the water, you can see why this castle was built where it was.

It was cold this particular morning, but nevertheless a gorgeous sunny day.

I of course had to inspect the canon.  

After exploring the Castle we had a walk round the little township and enjoyed a nice lunch in a nearby Cafe.  We then headed off to our next destination!

Isle of Wight Holiday: The Needles Old Battery & New Battery

After we visited Mottistone Gardens we headed towards The Needles.

We stopped on our way to take in the view which really was quite spectacular.

Another National Trust property we looked forward to exploring this area.

On our way up there was a little cottage which had all sorts of little characters and sayings outside.  It was quite amusing.

A spectacular afternoon for such a visit.

We arrive at The Needles Old Battery.

The first soldiers came to the Old Battery in 1864!  The last left in 1945 after the end of World War Two.   The job of the soldiers was to protect the Solent passage and dockyards at Portsmouth from enemy invasion.  

It was during the mid 1950s to 70s that the New Battery was used as a secret rocket testing site.  How exciting that must have been!  The remains of this can still be seen today, and we saw a little, but some parts were closed by the time we got there as we spent quite some time at the Old Battery exploring, admiring the views and having a cream tea!

On the walls of the first chambers and barracks were various fun and colourful information boards.

Inside the Shell Store.

Careful there!

Inspecting...

This is almost my size!

Inside the laboratory.

Gunpowder, I was glad it didn't go 'KaBoom!'

Oops, I don't think I should be climbing on here, but it was so tempting to get a better view.

Careful of your legs!

I figured it was safer standing on the canon, than having my legs hanging over the front.

There they are!

The Needles.

Mum and I.

Inside the Southern Position Finding Cell.

Inside the Searchlight position viewpoint.

Well we came down these, so I guess we have to go up.

Some examples of the rations they had to eat.

Information about what the Women at War did.

Trying on a cap for size after reading about various people.

Wow, look at that...I am glad I wasn't standing on that when it cracked open.

Beautiful sands.

Little bird.

Walking towards the New Battery, looking back at the Old Battery.

Loving the view

My turn now.

We realised some of this had closed by the time we got up here so had a look round before it was time to head back to the car.

What a wonderful afternoon we had here. We could easily have spent the whole day, but when you only have a week, you want to see as much as you can!