8 is for " On the eighth day of Christmas" etc . . .

. . . Snowman eight was delivered.

Gina came early as she wanted to get finished 'as soon as' . . . they'd agreed to go out for a drink later . . .

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Sugar-craft from Fiddes Payne, the 'tardis' packaging being the newer by a year or two, I think I got the 'toob' about three years ago and the box (from Sainsbury's) the other week - although they both look like old stock!

L is for Lolloping Leo the Laminated, Layered, Log Lion!

Probably a wartime or immediate post-war toy from someone like (but not necessarily or actually-) Forest Toys. It could even be home-made; following fret-plans from Hobbies Annual (?), either as a one-off, or a small-scale commercial venture.

The lion is a laminate of three main 'layers' with a central fret giving the nose and tail and then two carved blocks attached to either side giving the body and legs, while two further, minor additions sculpt the lion's outer-mane, either-side - like mines on a mini-sub!

7 is for . . . have a guess . . .

. . . I guess you guessed right!

So, Gina's boss had given her several out-of-area drops in Berkshire so she went to his place last, after finishing her 'phoned-in collections...like the delivery was a surprise to either of them! Day seven of twelve - Snowman seven of twelve?

Anyway, Gina stopped-on for a festive tipple and they had a good chin-wag . . .

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Ah-ha! Cupitt's at last, and a nice dense 'toy soldier' polyethylene, this is part of their current line-up and nothing to do with the old connections to Gem or Festival, being straight-shipped from China and carried by other brands!

M is for More Snowmen!

These came in about 8 weeks ago, 35p each, so just over the quid in a rummage basket in Woking - from under the nose of PW's editor . . . bwahahahahah! - To be fair I don't think he collects spike-bottomed cake decorations, he leaves that sort o'shite to me!

Three of them, in a nice metafleck finish which shimmers slightly in the light - sans spike they join the unit, in total I reckon I must have around 100 snowmen now, I should form them into an army; definitely a sub-collection!

6 is for Christmas; Day six - Snowman . . .

. . . Number six!

Bit of a struggle getting it off the truck and finding room for it on the lawn. Gina stopped for coffee again; they were getting quite friendly . . .

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A hollow styrene moulding in two parts, he needed a little mend to his broom, he looks cheap and was probably sold loose from the little bins in catering equipment shops as a generic? Just to prove me wrong he'll turn-up in a bag or blister now, you'll see! Seems to be a reversed copy of an old Gem or Festival moulding?