My holiday started with breakfast at Manchester airport with my brother Steven.

I'm in Camden, London with Jeni and we are at Belgo's Belgian restaurant (that's not Jeni!)

Here we are, the BEER was fantastic, I especially liked the Mango Beer.

I had this globe artichoke filled with delicious veggies.

Jeni had Belgo's famous mussels washed down with lashings of BEER!

The following day and I am at Covent Garden tube station heading for a Sunday morning workout.  Apparently it's VERY naughty to take pictures like this on the platform, my flash could have dazzled the driver... oops.

Post-workout at the home of Group Fitness Instructor Education.  At last I have visited London Central YMCA, its no longer just some words on my qualifications.

Later that afternoon I met up with Bruce and he took this photo of me at the top of the Egyptian escalator in Harrods.

I went to Brighton to visit the Podiatry shoe shop.  The whole trip turned into a bit of an 'oops': First I got on the wrong train and then I bought these funky shoes from a funky shoe shop which I doubt my Podiatrist will approve of!

That evening Dollyhollic Alice came to visit me at my hotel in Covent Garden.  We had some yummie food and played Pippa, and BJD!

Alice's BJD doll, sooo very poseable and soo very expensive!

Jude and I arrive in Philly, here's the view from our room on the 20th floor.  We had a lovely suite which had been very thoughtfully stuffed full of snacks by Carla, Fredd and Babs. I liked the Trail Mix best, only in the US would they mix in some M + M's with the nuts and fruit, tee hee.

All Loved Up!  We head out to dinner and take a moment to see LOVE: "Arguably the most popular sculpture in Philadelphia, LOVE, by artist Robert Indiana, debuted in John F. Kennedy Plaza during the 1976 bicentennial celebration. Philadelphians were incensed when it was removed and returned to the artist. In response, F. Eugene Dixon, former owner of the Philadelphia 76ers basketball team, bought the sculpture and donated it to the city in 1978."

Jude and Big Love!

At the Melting Pot fondue restaurant,  trouble is Jude and I are so jet lagged it all seems such an effort to cook our tea.

Mmm, its Hot.

Cocktails: Jude with Babs the convention organiser.  I discovered the delights of a Chocolate Martini.....

Yum!

More LOVE.

The next day and its time to Ride the Ducks  It's a fun tour of Philadelphia travelling by ex WW2 DKW amphibious craft.

Everyone gets a Quacker.

That's me with Mare, quaking our quackers.

Our Captain, Jo, or was it, Jim? John?  I dunno!

After a tour of historic Philly's streets we are about the enter the water, I was a little anxious but at least there were life jackets handy....

We plunged in the Delaware River at Penns Landing.  The bridge takes you to New Jersey.

We got chased off the river by the cops.

Later that evening we headed for funky South Street in pursuit of a Philly Cheesesteak for Jude.

We obviously had to visit this place ;-)

We had Philly Cheeseteak here, well I had the 'meat free' tee hee.

Our lovely hotel, I got totally smashed on the free cocktails provided by the manager..

Party Time!  Carie and Deborah hosted a preconvention party in their room.  Here is Carie putting the final touches to a little gift for Christine.

Phyllis is working on a more innocent project, this is Rock n Roll Pippa, she will be on the prize table tomorrow.

WELCOME to the convention!  Carla greets us.

First thing I do is check out the convention dolls.  Dale has been reworked  into Connie Stution.

Next I visit Suz of Starlight Memories She has lots of lovely custom Dawns for sale and I am immediately taken with a beautiful Dale.

'Glimmer' is being raffled by Suz in aid of Strides For Hope

I want to see the Prize Table but Fredd is on guard and wont let anyone in!  We have to wait...

Jude with her collection, chatting to Leandra.

Jude's wonderful collection.

Jude and Phyllis.

Mare and some of her OOAK Pippas.

Melanie our tablemate from Canada.

Christine and Jamie are checking out Jude's things.

AT LAST!  we are allowed into the Prize table room.

Corr! Look at all those wonderful gifts, people have been VERY generous!

Jamie with one of the many dolls he made for the Prize Table.

Masquerade Ball Dale.

Jamie made The Bride of Frankenstein too.

I donated this doll that Pippatastic! Jude made for me.  She is wearing a Chris Ralph Princess dress.

Widget created and donated by Crazy Daisy Tracy Farrant.

Mischief Kitty, donated by Deborah.

Spooktacular Glori, donated by Deborah

Beautiful outfit by Sue B.

Mc Pippa, the official convention doll from Pippa in Edinburgh, donated by the 2006 conventioneers.  Read more about Mc Pippa HERE

Dawn storage system donated by me.  Topper brochures.

Its a ??? (what's its name?) style draw.  Each item has a bag to place your raffle tickets in.  The more tickets you put in a bag the better your chance of winning.

Beautiful outfits by Peg Holdstock.  See more of her fashions HERE  Babs was thrilled to win the Coffee set.

Jamie (aka 'Sewing machine for Hire') and his Mum, Denise, donated several of these vouchers.

More dolls donated by Jamie.  I won the Beatnik PT Glori!

Jude's 'Tiger Dawn'.

Another Jamie doll, Sherwood Forest Longlocks?

Babs donated this wonderful set made by Jamie.

Rock n Roll Pippa, created and donated by Phyllis.

'Passed on Glori' by Denise. I so NEEDED this and was THRILLED to win Dead Glori!

Another fantastic creation by Peg.

Another fantastic creation by Peg.

From Janet Caudle's latest and greatest Halloween collection.

'Kate' created and donated by Chris Ralph.

Fantastic Surf set by Jeni from the Toxicfroggy Boutique.

Another lovely creation by Chris Ralph.

There is sooooo MUCH!  Thank you to everyone who donated!

After much pondering we put our tickets in the bags of the things we most would like to win.

Lunchtime!  Fredd is in charge of rounding up the Pizza money.

Elaine's Haunted House scenario.  She hand made the tree from coat hangers, I was VERY impressed.

Haunted Bride?  LOL! by Large Marge Peg.

Melanie's Haunted House.

Looks like Barbie is having a spell cast upon her: 'Alas poor Barbie..'

Fabric Control Contest.  All the contestants are supplied with the same fabrics and trimmings.  This is Jude's entry.

The Fifteen Minute Fashion Frenzy.  Each team is given the same fabrics, trim and whatnots.  In just 15 minutes that have to create an outfit for Dawn.  This was my teams entry.

My team - Suz, Jude, Gena and Melanie.  I did nothing at all to help as I am totally 'Craft Deficient'.

Bewitched: a competition to create a witch, ghost, ghoul, goblin or genie.  This is Jude's entry.

Suz's Bewitched doll, 'Vampire Dawn'

'Living Dead' Dawn by Melanie.

Candy Corn  Dawn.  Suz won with this lovely doll.  I have no idea what Candy Corn is.....

'Come on down - THE PRICE IS RIGHT!'  Deborah was the quizmaster for this special Dawn edition.

All you have to do is guess the finishing price of some real Dawn ebay auctions.  I played but I was rubbish.

Bash Barbie: I'm not sure who threw the winning shot at Barbie but she took a fair old pounding!

Coffee time!

Workshops:  Sewing for Dawn with Jamie.

This workshop was very popular.

Mare is enjoying the sewing.

Jude says she learnt LOTS!

Such nimble fingers.

Jude's Pippa was the model.

The finished result - Fantastic!

Jude and her Tutor.

Sewing classmates, Jude and Suz.

Cello workshop:  Phyllis has the hot gun out to re cello this box.

Rerooting workshop:  I'm terrified and I seem to have worried my teacher Denise too.

Ahhh, that's better, after just a few minutes Denise has Connie and I heading in the right direction and I have relaxed.  I REALLY enjoyed doing this and will definitely have a go at finishing the doll I started in Philly.  Thank you SOOOOOO much Denise!

Costume Exchange: I was VERY fortunate to receive this fantastic Angel outfit from Carla.  Jamie made it for her.  Also pictured is the Jamie-made devil outfit that Babs gave to Leandra.

Goodie Boxes:  Yes, we had beautifully decorated goodie boxes made by Donna.  Donna also was in charge of co-ordinating the whole goodie thingie.  Well done Donna you did a terrific job.

Jude and her goodie box.  These boxes were crammed full of gifts from fellow Dawnettes, again the generosity was astounding.

Special presentation:  Christine is presented with a special OOAK Britney and Kev Fed, made by Carie.  I'm not exactly sure what Christine did to warrant such a gift but I heard the words 'payback time' tee hee!

After dinner it was time to get dressed up.  Well, some people did!  Here is Jude as Glamourwitch.

Denise and Jude.

Jude and Pumpkin Girl Leandra who won the Fancy Dress competition.

Connie (as Pony Tail Glori) and Jude

Jude and Dale, errm, I mean Fredd!

Sister Jamie with Jude

Pixie Phyllis.

Pony Tail Glori Connie.

All the Fancy Dressers

Glori, Dale, Dawn and Angie.  Aka - Carla, Fredd, Deborah and Carie.

Another pic of Glori/Carla.

Fund raising:  This fabulous OOAK made by Trese in support of the 2007 convention.  Deborah let out a deafening scream when she won this!

Woo Hoo! I won 'Glimmer' raffled by Suz in aid of Strides For Hope

Prize table drawings:  Carie won Jude's Tiger Dawn.

Christine won my custom fashion selection.

Gena won Masquerade Ball Dale made by Jamie.

Carie won The Bride of Frankenstein, another of Jamie's dolls.

Suz was THRILLED to win Mc Pippa.

I won Widget by Tracy Farrant, can you see my utter JOY?  Trouble is I was soon overcome by FEAR, Tracy is gonna kick my butt for sure, I was only supposed to deliver Widget to the convention, not bring her back home again to the UK.  I only put a couple of tickets in, I was very lucky to win, how the heck am I going to explain this...

Melanie with 'Kate' donated by Chris Ralph.

Carie won the Toxic Froggy gift set.

Suz won my Custom Princess Pippa.

It's OVER, just time for a group photo....  It was truly FANTASTIC, thanks to Babs and everyone who made Dawn Dreams come true!

Want to see my goodie bag?  And Prizes?  CLICK HERE (soonish)

Finally, we arrived at Philadelphia airport for our flight home.  "Sh*t", I said. "We've got to go back to the city, I never saw the flippin Bell Thingy!"  Well, no problem, here it is, faithfully reproduced in the international departure lounge, made from Lego!