Please meet the unflappable Miss Hope and share a part of her history. The first time I saw Hope was on facebook. Her owner lives in the UK and posted photos of her new Sasha find. She said the original owner wanted a boy Sasha to play with and so…. snip, snip, snip….the long, blonde hair was removed and a new boy’s haircut emerged on this beautiful, early girl from 1966. I am certain the change must have been most dramatic. Hope was previously named “Bobbie” during her brief facebook stay. Soon after, the owner offered to sell “Bobbie” to me and the journey across the pond delivered this delightful early Sasha to me. I named her “Hope” before her arrival and knew most definitely she would no longer be a boy or a “Bobbie” because I had “hope” for my new girl.
Hope was waiting on me when I returned from the Sasha Festival last July. I purchased a Monique blonde wig from Heidi Wheeler at the Festival. The wig tag is photographed if anyone is interested in the details of the wig. It says honey blonde but I think it is more of a platinum color. Also, the wig fibers are baby fine and not the usual texture you find on our Sashas.
I immediately put the wig on Hope and took photos. These photos shows Hope in her new blonde wig. I was so excited about her possibilities!
Hope has her bear in this photo that kept her company while traveling to the US. I dressed her in this Ruth’s dolls outfit which is a favorite of mine.
Hope looks very different in this auburn wig with a bob cut. This wig was in my mother’s wig collection. At that time, last summer, I did not have an early girl with red hair and this wig gave me pause to question whether Hope should remain a blonde. I also liked the length of the cut.
Dressed for play, Hope loves the water fountain and getting wet too!
Showing Hope without a wig and in a pretty pink corduroy outfit by Ruth’s dolls as she plays by the pumpkin patch in early August. It reminds me of the lovely summer days that seem far away today with the bitter cold outside. I wanted so much to make right choices for Hope to include a spa treatment and, now I began to consider a possible re-rooting. You can see I added a pink headband to enhance her feminine charm.
In addition to the wigs, I brushed her hair and tried various clips, bows, hats, and hair bands to help me fully appreciate her short hair cut. Here are a few photos of these attempts.
My, doesn’t Hope look sweet in her big pink bow? She is wearing a bright and cheery dungarees outfit made by Wilma Robards. I met Wilma at the Sasha Festival and she is a dear lady with a terrific sales table.
This full length photo allows us to see the super cool Birkenstocks made by Marti Murphy. I met the very nice Marti at the Festival and admired her handiwork with shoes and tea dresses.
Here, Hope is sporting a yellow hat made by Erica. Her dress was made by Millie Dingham and it has lovely smocking on the front and back of dress. I met Millie at the Festival and she is a very kind lady. I was able to buy this dress plus two outfits for the boys.
After spending time with Hope and playing with her hair, I eventually decided to have her re-rooted. I contacted Pat Pellerito and we shared emails and Pat agreed to help Hope. Pat sent hair samples and over time and several discussions, I decided that my Hope should remain a blonde. I boxed Hope up to go to the spa and, once again, she traveled by plane but stayed in the US this time. It was harder than I thought it would be to let go of Hope. 😦
Knowing the hearts of Sasha collectors, Pat kept me close to Hope. Hope sent regular letters to her Mom. Here is her first photo showing how relaxed she was in her spa robe.
Another photo provided by Pat of Hope during her treatment.
The final photo Pat sent was this beautiful image of Hope, nice and clean, re-strung, and a head full of long, gorgeous hair. I could see that Hope was very happy and confident with her new look. Perhaps she remembered her long hair from years ago. Pat placed a photo of Hope’s sister, Chloe, in the background to help Hope not feel homesick ;). I absolutely love Hope’s hair!!!
Hope was home with me in time for the Fall holidays and Christmas. I have taken more photos of her with her long hair and will share a few here.
Hope snuggled next to Chloe
Hope wearing a Vintage Sasha outfit and posing on Daddy’s Jeep!
Close up photo
Hope wearing dark green corduroy dress by Ruth’s dolls at Christmas.
This photo of Hope is most recent in a new corduroy teddy bear outfit by Lorraine–I love it!
This final photo is a close up of Hope who is a very happy girl and loves her Sasha family. I “hope” you enjoyed following her recent journeys. Hope sends hugs to everyone and special greetings to wish you all a wonderful day. xx
Sasha Shangri-La 
I’m so glad that Hope is part of your family. She looks wonderful re-rooted. She is a very lovely girl. It warms my heart seeing her so cared for.
Thank you Karen! Hope continues to amaze me. She pulls on my heart strings at the most unexpected times. I am happy she is part of our Sasha family here at Sasha Shangri-La 🙂
I don’t usually comment on things I have made, but gosh doesn’t she look dramatic in those last two photos? The colour really does suit her. Just love her long hair, but she was always pretty special. Lovely to read about her transformation.
I agree, she looks wonderful in that color!!! I love your dresses Lorraine, so full and pretty and they fit so nicely on the girls. I will post soon the other dresses too. Thanks very much for visiting 🙂
I’m wondering just what Bobbie’s original grandparents must have thought when this beautifully painted eyed girl doll was first shorn by their daughter to become a boy?
I think that I would have been truly devastated especially as even in those early days they were very expensive to be play dolls (….and I should know having bought one of the very first to be released on the market from Stockport for my two year old daughter’s birthday.)
Lovely to see her in her various stages of transformation from Bobbie to your Hope. I don’t think that I have seen such a painted eye-style as this before. The first two years, before the American Market came on the scene, of Sasha Doll experimental eye-painting were truly unique and absolutely wonderful.
She is getting to wear some delightful outfits in these photos above by some of our great Sasha seamstresses. Lucky girl.
Many thanks for sharing Hope with us all here as lack of time always prevents me from viewing Facebook.
Kendal, I can’t imagine what the thought process was of the original grandparents and I tried to visualize the long locks on the floor but it was too painful to further contemplate. Over the years, I have seen girls sobbing in hair salons after hair cuts and their hair will grow back!! I imagine her original hair was like Carney’s–full, thick and beautiful. It is good that Hope has hair similar to Carney’s now.
How special that you bought an early girl during that early time. I, too, love the eye painting during the first years where there was time to develop and be unique prior to the increased market pressure. So lovely for you to visit, thank you! I am enjoying writing the blog and the freedom it allows
It was lovely to hear Hope’s story. I remember her from the FB group and knew that she really wanted to be a true girl again.
Her reroot hair is gorgeous, love the length as I am sure she does. You can see how pleased she is in the photo’s.
I love Ruth’s smocked repro dresses, she has just listed a new one!
Thank you for sharing her story and how she is loving her new hair and home!
🙂
Thank you Dee! Just returned from dinner to read your lovely comment. I like the hair length too and I plan to try some different styles. It is so nice that you visited 🙂
Hope is absolutely beautiful – it was well worth investing in the reroot after experimenting with various wigs and styles. her eyes are stunning and she looks lovely in the various dresses.
It is so nice to see you and I am happy you enjoyed Hope! Finn sends a big hug to you too 🙂
What a little sweetie Hope is, Ginger! I like her with her short hair, it looks really cute on her, but she does look lovely in her long blond wig, doesn’t she!
And then finally with her lovely rerooted hair! You must be delighted with her new look!
I can understand why she’s special to you!!
Big hugs Sharon xx
Thanks Sharon!!! I am glad you like Hope 🙂
Beautiful girl no matter which hair style – but the reroot is stunning
Thanks Tricia!! So nice to see you 🙂
Hope looks beautiful with her rerooted long blonde hair. Lovely to see her makeover from start to finish. I love her in the dark green corduroy dress, that colour so suits her blonde hair. You must be so pleased with her.
Very pleased with Hope’s hair and the dark green dress has an earlier Ruth’s label that I had not seen before. I love her in that dress too. Thanks Gill 🙂
She’s absolutely gorgeous! Getting her re-rooted was the perfect choice, and I love her as a blonde. Yu’ll have to put the big pink bow in her hair sometimes. She looked so cute wearing it with her short hair.
I will Julie, the next time she wears the floral dungarees, I will add the big pink bow! So nice to of you to visit. 🙂