Forgotten toys

The final week of January in the UK doesn't find many of us bursting with energy. Daylight hours are so short it can seem hardly worth starting anything before darkness falls again. And after the initial pleasure of looking out on a soft white world, the snow soon loses its charm - in town at any rate - and turns into a slippery nuisance.

Feeling quite 'January' myself, I thought I would go for a nice easy job such as putting together the box of abandoned toys to go up in the loft space. 

Well, you know what it's like, reviewing your stash and trying to assemble a specific part of it. It always takes far longer than you imagine because things have migrated to different drawers, boxes and bags, and some have mysteriously vanished altogether. I was surprised at how many toys I had managed to collect over the years, not only bought but also homemade ones and swaps with friends, some even came out of Xmas crackers (like the skittles and the racing car). 

I finally put together a selection of possibilities, although I haven't quite made the final choice yet.

Because the toys that I choose will need to look dusty and cobwebby, I don't think I want to distress the little white lamb that my daughter made for me, nor do I want to risk spoiling the china kitten in the gingham dress. I received her years ago from Sue Atkinson of Sunday Dolls, when our mini-stationery business designed and made a range of tiny display boxes for her dolls house dolls' dolls! 

I think the mini dolls house, the golly and the funny lopsided teddy (also made by my daughter) will form the basis of the forgotten toy group. The charmingly detailed house (50 x 50 x 32 mm) is actually a box when you lift the roof off. It's made of coloured straw, from China of course. Wooden Mr Noah is genuinely worn already, it would be great if I can paint and age the horse on wheels to match him.

Look, I've found an old cardboard box, which I'm going to cut down a bit - so really there's no reason for me to delay any longer, is there? 

Watch this space . . .

charliechas