Chat ’n Snap 2025: Sasha Dolls Take Over a Handmade 1970s Playground

The standout display at the tenth and final Chat ’n Snap brought a handmade 1970s playground to life, with Sasha dolls taking their places across eight pieces of equipment built by Paul, husband of event organiser Dee. Attendees were invited to add a doll to the scene, turning Paul’s creations into a shared display that was only assembled for a few hours.

There was a climbing frame, slide, box roundabout that really turned, swinging rocking horse, set of swings, single swing, witches hat and see-saw. The range gave the dolls plenty to do, and the photographs catch the scene from several angles: children swing, climb, skip, play hopscotch and conkers, or simply pause together on the roundabout. A temporary setup with this much detail feels like one deserving another outing.

Archie enjoys the slide

My two dolls in the playground were Archie, my daughter’s 2024 Sasha Festival raffle win, and Katie, whom I bought at the 2024 Sasha Festival and named after Rosie Shortell’s daughter. Both were keen to try the tall slide. Its design recalled the slides I used in parks in Pinelands, Cape Town, where I grew up.

Katie wore a Sasha logo dress, which I think was made by JoAnn Staricha, and Sasha logo sandals by Monica Jarpey. Archie was dressed in a Catherine French sweater, long tan trousers and boots; the clothes came from the extensive wardrobe he won in the raffle. With his arms raised as he came down the slide, he looked entirely at home in the scene. There was even a spare swing, which made me wish I’d brought my toddler Louisa over to try it.

Hopscotch in the foreground while Katie looks up at the slide

Swinging rocking horse, swings and see saw

Swinging rocking horse, skateboarder and Sasha with her baby doll and pushchair

Toddlers on the swings

Skipping plus the swings and swinging rocking horse

The witches hat

Another view of the witches hat

The box roundabout

Hoola hooping and hopscotch and slide

Chilling on the box roundabout

Climbing frame, slide, box roundabout and witches hat

Witches hat with swings in the background

Quite a crowd of children enjoying this playground

The display table at the other end of the hall offered a different kind of pleasure: a carefully dressed group arranged around Trudi on her chair, with Edmund, Louisa and baby Nina nearby. My daughter adjusted Laura, Miranda and Aurelia’s hairstyles. Laura and Miranda wore their 2024 Sasha Festival souvenir smocked dresses by Petrana for the first time; we had left them boxed until Thursday evening. Aurelia brought a punk look, with safety pins on her clothes and spikes in her hair. Edmund and Trudi wore sailor outfits, Louisa had a play dress by Lynne Field and Monica Jarpey Sasha logo sandals, and Nina wore a small outfit Tricia had given my daughter as a table gift at the 2024 Sasha Festival.

Crawling along the top of the climbing frame

Climbing frame, slide and box roundabout

Playing conkers by the slide

L-R: Aurelia, Laura, Miranda, Edmund, Trudi, Nina and Louisa

Others in the doll display including some autumnal themed outfits

Babies in the foreground of the doll display table

Doll display in front of the St Ippolyts sign

Some lovely no philtrum dolls sitting in front of the doll display

Alice's dolls stood beside our dolls with the no philtrum dolls in the foreground

The wider gathering had its own rhythm. Sales tables filled part of the hall, though purchases had to wait until Dee announced that sales were open. I was delighted to find a book I’d been seeking for a long time: Sasha Puppen. The chance to browse and talk with other collectors is part of what makes an event like this memorable, and this one brought together familiar faces and people attending Chat ’n Snap for the first time.

Sales tables

Sales tables

Sales tables

The raffle offered plenty of prizes. We waited a while without a win, then Sue M kindly passed us one of her winning tickets. After that, we won three prizes on our own tickets. Dawn and Dee handled the draw, adding another lively moment to the day.

Raffle time

Dawn and Dee in charge of drawing the raffle

Conversation ran through the day, but the hours seemed to pass too quickly to catch up with everyone. I left grateful to Dee, Paul and all the helpers for a warm and memorable final Chat ’n Snap. The handmade playground, dressed dolls, book find and raffle wins gave the gathering plenty to remember; the photographs preserve a little of a scene that was built to last only for the afternoon.

L-R: Aurelia, Katie, Louisa, Miranda, Nina, Trudi, Edmund, Laura and Archie the night before the Chat 'n Snap