Welcome Charlsea to The Doll House! Thanks Frann!!

Greetings and Salutations Doll Friends!!

If you've read this blog for any time at all, you'll likely know that I have a wonderful beloved sister friend named Frann I made via this very blog. In fact, of all the good my little hobby here has brought into my life, my friendship with Frann is the most precious. I literally think it's the reason God compelled me into writing it in the first place. That's kind of an amazing story... I'll tell it sometime but I want to give it it's very own blog post and maybe even YouTube video! I also literally just had that idea as I typed it. Side note, have I ever mentioned I write my blog posts kind of on the fly with no real set plan as to what I am going to say and that I am dismal at ever coming back to edit? I'm like Edna in The Incredibles... "I never look back daaaahling...." Apparent, likely, is that in my erratic chain of thoughts I leave here I suppose. Hahaha. I am digressing and bunny-trailing all over the place here. Back to the reason I mentioned all this in the first place!! 

Frann and I love to have Twinsie Dolls!! We have so many now that I'll need to take a group photo and show them all to you soon and tell you their stories. So last week was a holiday in Korea, where Frann lives and she wanted to treat us to another Twinsie Doll! So, on that note: 

Welcome Maplelea Charlsea to the Doll House! Frann said she'd like to get us Maplelea dolls but let me choose which one to get. I chose Charlsea because I love many things about her... 

She's got a sweet face and cute layered pumpkin colored hair. She's got a super cute meet outfit! 

Most importantly though, to me, was her little personality. She's very into crafts and being creative. I think that's fabulous!! 

Oftentimes when we get Twinsie Dolls, the twins will both come to the Doll House and then go off to live in Korea with Frann and her dolls... This time, in interest of getting her Charlsea to her sooner to when my Charlsea arrived,we had them ship Frann's Charlsea twin to her directly. So Frann should have Charlsea at her house this coming week!

As with all Maplelea Dolls, like my first and only other Maplelea Doll Saila, Charlsea came with an amazing little notebook journal that tells all about her. The quality of these little books blow me away. I think just the book alone, in a book store, would probably cost at least $25. Considering the whole doll, including the book, is $99.99, I think that's wonderful! I love good value and quality!

As with many dolls, you can't really appreciate how cute and pretty a doll is until you get it out in the natural light and take a good look. Charlsea is beautiful!!

Here she is with Lilly Doll, who's welcoming her to the Doll House by taking a little walk with her. Jet lag from Canada isn't too bad but still the flight was so long! (Teehee)

Naturally, the first thing she wanted to do was to get out of the clothes she was wearing in her box! She'd never worn anything else and it felt so good to get to try a different look!

I think Charlsea is so lovely and am sure she'll be a frequent 'player' in upcoming blog posts and YouTube videos!

Thank you so much Frann!! I love love love her! You're so sweet to me! 

The girls really enjoyed their walk! I made a little YouTube Video of their walk too, if you'd like to take a look at it, it's right here.

I just looked at the time! I have to run if I am going to make it to church on time!

Till Next Time!
XXOO
Heather

Frann Starts A School At The Doll House!

Greetings and Salutations Doll Friends!!

First off...! How embarassing! I didn't realize this 'draft' had posted before I even wrote anything! Yikes. Suffice to say that this past week has been a doozy and I guess I just hit the wrong button and viola, ya'll got a 'photos only' blog post. So sorry about that! All weeks have both their blessings and their challenges but this week was heavy on the challenges side of things. So, thank goodness it's the weekend!!

On to the blog post...!

As you may have already seen in just photos, this past week, Frann Doll started Frann's Korean Language Academy at the Doll House this week with smashing success!!

She even had a waiting list of dolls who didn't make it into her class! A couple of them even opted to just come anyway and study on the sofa's without a desk so they could join in. Frann was so happy and eager to get started!

Here is Frann Doll and Angela Doll at the beginning of class... You can see Electra Doll and Vicky Doll in the background. Angela and they are the ones who opted for the couch because all the desks and tables were already booked. The whole class booked up in less than a day and now there is a waiting list. Frann was so happy! She loves to teach and is so good at it.  

When she mentioned to Heather Doll that she'd like to have a Korean Language Academy she said all she really needed was paper, pens and enough copies of one book for all of her students to have a copy. They each needed their own copy so they could all work on translating the same things as a group but also take the books home to work there. Heather had a fantastic idea! She was a bit of a collector of Bibles because, well, Jesus is Heather's Dolls favorite! So whenever she is out shopping at Thrift Stores and see's a Bible, well, she can't help but to snatch it up. She was postive she had plenty of copies to go around to everyone and she was right! She even had spares in case Frann decides to have a second class of students. Hooray! So all they needed then was to have a sign up for the class... As I mentioned, it booked up almost immediately and she has nearly enough on the waiting list to start a second class! How exiting!

Here is Frann Doll sitting in her desk before class, taking roll. So who all signed up....?

Well, there was Skywise. He was the very first to sign up and so he was one of only two students to get an actual study desk... There are only two in the doll house other than Frann Doll's Desk. 

The second to sign up was Tam Doll. She was so excited to learn a new language!

Then we have Bill Doll, Rachel Doll, Mary Doll and Twin Doll already opening their books at the start of class. Frann Doll decided they would start their translating practice with the Gospel of John because it is Heather Doll's favorite of all the Gospels and she knew she would get a kick out of it.

Speaking of Heather Doll, here she is with Josh Doll at the start of class. They signed up together and plan to be each other's study partners! Behind them you can see Tyler Doll and Handra Doll.

So everyone got started copying the translations they found on Google from John 1:1. Their assignment for the week was to write out the first two scriptures five times each just to get a feel for how to write the letters. 

Tam got started right away. She thinks the letters look so awesome and hopes her penmanship gets better as she learns.

Everyone busy at work!

Frann walked around the room helping everyone and checking their work. 

A few students decided to work on verbal pronuciation first as Frann told them this was an option as long as they had a partner to practice with. So Handra and Tyler decided to try and say the scriptures out loud to one another after listening to it several times on Google Translate.

Tam was making good progress on her writing and Skywise was nervous so, seeing Frann with another student, she went over and helped him get started. 

Frann was glad to see her students already working as a cohesive class! Only the first class and things were coming together beautifully!

Twin Doll is working on her printing and Frann comes over to encourage her.

She also listened to Tyler and Handra working on their pronunciation and thought they were doing pretty good for just uttering the words for the very first time in their lives.

Tam had to take a selfie!!

Vicky and Electra decided that,since they didn't have a desk or table spot anyway, they'd work on pronunciation too. They were having quite a nice time practicing together. They loved the way the words sounded as they listened to them over and over again on Google translate and then tried to recreate them themselves.

Angela was a little too shy to join in trying to say the words but appreciated that Vicky and Electra didn't mind her just listening to them attempt to speak correctly.

So it was a lovely and successful first class! Everyone agreed it should be a regular weekly class and several of the students made plans to get together in between to study together. 

Frann is such a good teacher, before we know it the entire Doll House will be fluent in Korean! Or, at the very least, better at deciphering at least some of it and developing a better appreciation for such a beautiful language.

Have you taken any other languages? Do you speak more than one? Let me know in comments. I am always envious of people who are bilingual! So neat to be able to communicate in more than one language!

I better run!
Till Next Time!
XXOO
Heather