Polly heads west

Posted on October 18, 2016 by Salley Mavor

Polly will be traveling again! We’re heading west to visit my sister in Portland, Oregon and my cousins in Utah. During a visit a few years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting several blog followers at a talk/book signing in Portland, so I thought it would be nice to arrange another event while we’re in town. This time, I will talk briefly about my work and sign books on Sunday, Oct. 30, 2016 at 2:00 pm at A Children’s Place.

Polly needed a new outfit for the trip, of course. She decided on a colorful cotton batik skirt and turquoise top to compliment her favorite red vest. She’s always had a weakness for western attire, so I made a custom cowgirl hat.

Polly is excited to be traveling west, across the whole continent and looks forward to sharing her adventures on Instagram and Facebook.

To keep up with new posts, subscribe to this blog (top right column on the home page). Your contact info will not be sold or shared. If you’d like to see more frequent photos tracking the projects in my studio, please follow me on Facebook and/or Instagram.

Polly in PEI

Posted on September 18, 2016 by Salley Mavor

About a week before we drove up to Prince Edward Island, I remembered that Polly would need a new outfit for the trip. At first, I was blind to the obvious, but within a few minutes, her new persona became as clear as day. With her red braids, there was only one choice — Anne of Green Gables! So, I quickly made her a pinafore and straw hat.

I must admit that I hadn’t read L.M. Montgomery‘s books until fairly recently. If I’d had daughters and/or a TV in our home, I probably would have read the stories to them and watched the PBS series. But, the wonderfully written books were enough to make my middle-aged self fall in love with the spunky character of Anne Shirley.

Polly loved the PEI coast, with its red sand. She compared antique tractors, horse teams and geese at the Dundas Plowing Match, a local agricultural fair.

She had dinner at Mavor’s in Charlottetown and learned about my cousin, the restaurant’s name sake, Mavor Moore, who was a well know Canadian writer, producer, actor, public servant, critic, and educator.

It was harvest time on PEI.

She stayed with friends on the coast of PEI’s King’s county.

Of course, Polly felt right at home at Green Gables.

Polly spent her last evening in Canada in the garden behind the Rossmount Inn in St. Andrews. It was a great trip to a beautiful part of the world!

Scotland, Oct. 2015 ~ Rosie & Polly

Posted on October 25, 2015 by Salley Mavor

Remember when Polly went missing and I had to come up with a replacement traveler? Well, Rosie was a great sport to fill in and she ended up having a great trip. But low and behold, who did she find in Scotland but Polly! After she got over the shock of seeing her bedraggled cousin in the heather, Rosie listened to Polly’s story. Polly told the harrowing tale of how she stowed away in a backpack, making it through airport security and the trans Atlantic flight. She barely survived being crammed inside a pocket with a pair of sun glasses and a bottle of aspirin. But, she was glad to not be left behind! From then on, Polly and Rosie were inseparable. They climbed stone walls at Urquhart Castle…

visited Melrose Abbey…

traipsed through moss at The Falls of Bruar…

petted Greenfriar’s Bobby and walked the street of Edinburgh.

They hiked through magical woods…

and visited the site of the Battle of Culloden. Polly and Rosie made it home safely and will rest a bit before their next adventure!

To keep up with new posts, please subscribe to this blog (top right column on the home page). Your contact info will not be sold or shared. If you’d like to see more frequent photos tracking the projects in my studio, please follow me on Facebook and/or Instagram

Scotland – June 2015: sculpture & more Polly

Posted on August 23, 2015 by Salley Mavor

While walking the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, Polly came close to being stepped on by John Knox and saw musicians playing under the gaze of Adam Smith.

Polly atop a wee head of hair in a garden outside of Glasgow.

King James V looks down from Stirling Castle.

A unicorn pointing high from a street in Stirling.

Polly meets some friends and gets into the action in Edinburgh.

A majestic deer in Edinburgh.

Polly pets a lion at Edinburgh Castle.

And steadfast Robert the Bruce guards Stirling Castle. See all of the archived posts with Polly Doll here.

Scotland – June 2015: Polly

Posted on August 11, 2015 by Salley Mavor

Polly doll came along on our trip to Scotland. She had a Highland dancer’s costume made for the occasion, complete with a Glen Garry bonnet. Yes, I know her kilt is not authentic in front, but she insisted on having it look more like a pleated skirt. I took her picture along the way, sometimes with my cell phone for Instagram, like the one at Urquhart Castle (above). The other photos were taken by Rob or me with a fancy Canon camera.

Wild mountain thyme was everywhere!

Polly learned the history of the Scottish Regiment in a museum display at Stirling Castle…

and admired the lush mossy ground.

She visited Edinburgh Castle…

stood amongst the flowers…

and peeked inside a cabinet at Argyll’s Lodging in Stirling.

Polly posed next to a primrose growing along the Great Glen Way…

and atop a bonny lass’s head in a garden near Glasgow.

Polly’s traveling again

Posted on May 31, 2015 by Salley Mavor

Polly is proud to show-off her new outfit, which she’ll be wearing during her next trip. She’s especially fond of her Glengarry bonnet! Polly will be visiting relatives in Scotland (my grandfather on the Mavor side was born in Glasgow) and hiking the Great Glen Way from Fort William to Inverness. She’s sure to bring back lots of pictures and stories of her adventures!

My Etsy Shop is closed during our trip and will reopen June 16th.

Polly’s trip to France

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Salley Mavor

Polly doll had a wonderful time on her first trip to France! She got up close and personal to a large face and was introduced to some delicious food.

She saw a model of what the city of Marseille would have looked like in ancient Roman times.

She loved the brightly painted doors and shutters…

and even met some of her own kind.

She took in the view from atop the village of Les Baux-de-Provence…

and climbed sedimentary rock.

She saw some amazing wild life.

She saw the same places where Van Gogh lived in St. Remy…

and took shelter under some mushrooms.

In St. Remy she visited the Glanum archaeological site…

and touched the ruins.

She navigated the Canal du Midi…

and walked around the medieval city of Carcassonne. It was a splendid journey!

Polly’s packed and ready

Posted on September 28, 2014 by Salley Mavor

Polly’s going on another adventure tomorrow! It took the better part of a week for her to figure out what to wear on this trip. She’ll only have one outfit, so it has to work for everything. Polly looked through her clothes from Antarctica, Ireland, California, China Town (San Francisco) and Cuba, but they were not right for this trip.

Polly decided to get something new that was a little more practical and nautical; a simple blue skirt and striped top. An acorn cap beret fits nicely on top of her head, too. Among other things, she’ll be helping navigate a barge along the Canal du Midi in southern France. There will be so much to share when she returns in a couple of weeks!

Polly in Cuba

Posted on May 4, 2014 by Salley Mavor

Polly Doll had a wonderful trip to Cuba. She rode a hood ornament, saw Ernest Hemingway’s pool…

…made friends with the “kissing lady”…

…visited a botanical garden…

…hung out in an Havana doorway…

…dined at a Paladar (private restaurant)…

…hiked through a mangrove forest…

…and enjoyed some Cuban rum.

Cuba: people

Posted on March 30, 2014 by Salley Mavor

We were really struck by the expressive and engaging people in Cuba. On a popular tourist street in Havana, Polly Doll met her match with this character dressed up as a washer woman. Of course, it’s easy to feel like a repressed New Englander anywhere south of the Mason-Dixon line, especially in a Latin culture. With the exception of the cigar smoking newspaper seller, the people we encountered while waking around the city loved having their photo taken. Around every corner, there was someone interesting to see!