Busy as a Queen Bee

I haven't been around much these last few weeks... I have been busy, getting organised for a few new things, settling into the school routine, crafting it all leads to a very busy schedule and not much time for electronics.



So here, in a few snippets is what we have been up to. The Princess is now eating with gusto, her favourite snacks being watermelon and sweet potato. I have been sewing up a storm of toys for an up coming market, designing my own doll patterns, making clothes for the princess (that jacket is reversible, and made from scratch from my own pattern YAY!) I have been really getting into the swing of making Waldorf Dolls, the Prince got his very first school sticker on his second day of school for his behavior (beaming mumma here!!) and also again on his third and fourth. He was born ready for school this one, and comes home each day full of excitment, yet when asked what he has been up to says with disappointment... 'they still haven't taught me to read yet!'. Last of all, I have been working on my very first Waldorf doll for sale... the pink hair beauty. She still has some work to go, but is coming along nicely... this one is for a friends little girl!

So, hopefully now I am back in the swing of things... I hope you all had a fab weekend!

Meet Annabelle

Annabelle loves reading and spending time at the library. She is a dear little soul who is as quiet as a mouse but does an awful lot of thinking. She is just about finished... but I just couldn't wait to share her with you all!

I am thinking that I might sell her once she is complete...  

Introducing My First Waldorf Doll

Meet Jenny, the newest addition to our tribe. She has a few little touch ups to go and then she is all finished. 

Jenny is my first ever attempt at making a waldorf doll. I'm pretty happy with the results - I made her from a bought pattern, but now that I have been through the process I have an idea on what I would change, to make it my own style. I enjoyed every single moment of making this sweet girl.

Jenny is actually named after another Waldorf Doll maker, who I found when Googling Waldorf dolls a few years ago. (If you read this Jenny, I hope you don't mind) But it kind of works in two ways as Jenny is my mothers name as well, so she can pretend its named after her if she wants ;)

Making a Waldorf doll was a daunting thing for me to start - there are a lot of fabulous doll makers out there, (I will list my favourite at the end of this post), and after looking at a few I became nervous about how mine would turn out.

Once I actually received my doll kit in the mail though, the nerves left and it was filled with excitement. Every step of bringing Jenny to life was enjoyable, from shaping the head, to stuffing the body. The aroma from the wool stuffing is something that I can't explain well with words, but the smell of it, it makes you feel like you are making something 'real', something that has 'life' something that has 'heart'. Watching the doll come alive from a piece of fabric, limbs forming, the face shape is just something you have to experience to understand. Even the feel of her little buttocks just make her seem more real.

I will bring you some more photos of Jenny in the next few days, she is in need of a few more clothes - the dress she has on now is her cousins and its a little on the small side (must of ate to much at Christmas).

If you want to check out some fabulous doll makers who's work and words have inspired me I highly suggest not going to look until you have a few hours free - once you start you may not be able to stop ;)

Little Jenny Wren

Poppy, Bean and Bloss

Fig&Me

Waldorf Doll Journey

There is so many heart aching in Australia right now, I feel strange writing a post that doesn't reach out in someway, to let them know that I am aching for them to. But, I guess thats the beauty of Australia. We pick up and move on with the whole nation holding us up.

Tonight, I am going to share with you a new journey I am taking. I have talked about it in a few posts earlier, and its the journey of making a Waldorf Doll.

My doll kit arrived in the mail today, I was so excited I near snatched it off the water logged postman. I opened it up, and took stock of the unfamiliar fabrics and stuffing. I waited ever so patiently for the prince and princess to fall asleep before exploring it some more, and started on the head.

I've always imagined what it would be like to make a Waldorf doll, but actually getting in and doing the work for exceeds anything I could have imagined. See, Waldorf Dolls are made from all natural materials, including the stuffing. For those of you that have never handled wool stuffing, it has a smell to it. At first I turned my nose up, because I am used to working with polyester (or poly-fill) stuffing. But as I was shaping my head, the aroma of the wool slowly came in line with my senses. It has a beautiful, soft, natural smell. It brought back many memories of shoveling my grandfathers horse stables at the farm, of sitting in the big old arm chair that was covered in spider webs whilst watching him work with the horses. I know I'm new to Waldorf Doll making obviously, but I guess, this is what making these dolls is all about.



So, this is the progress so far, the shaping of the head. This is one of the elements of the Dolls that makes them extra special. On to the body tomorrow, wish me luck!


P.S; Tomorrow, all shall be quiet here in a virtual moment of silence. A mark of respect for Lori, Tony and their family. I will also be sending love and strength to Lori tomorrow via Twitter as she farewells her husband under the hashtag #LoveToLori. You can read here for more details.

Got My Happy Pants On

image from {here}

ok, well maybe I lied. I don't own a pair of so called 'happy pants', you know those ones from the 70's/80's, ridiculous colours, ridiculous style, but did you know, if you ran really fast down a hallway lined with floor boards, then slid on your knees that they would puff out like a parachute? (You'll just have to trust me on this one. Please oh please oh PLEASE do not go and buy yourself a pair of happy pants, they are not cool, they were never cool)


But in this instance, we will make the pants I have on now my happy pants, well, that could work because pjamas do make me happy.

I had a brief chat the other day about wanting to make a Waldorf Doll. It has been something I have wanted to do for a long time. I was quite nervous about the whole process, but in the last few weeks I have been connecting with other Waldorf doll makers across the globe who's work I admire. Some have sent fabulous links of wonderful tutorials others have sent kind words of encouragement. The Waldorf doll maker community seems like such a beautiful, supportive community, and I can't wait to be a part of it.

So why the happy pants? Well today I received a book in the mail to help me on my journey and confirmation that my doll kit order has hit Melbourne... So its only a few days until it hits my mail box... and I am SUPER excited. So excited that I had to come here and ramble on about it because my four year old prince is sick of hearing about it ;)