This Sunday I attended a doll workshop with a local artisan. She produces beautiful handmade dolls and animals that she so lovingly calls, Radyshes. My children have acquired a couple of her dolls over the years. We got  our first, Daisy, by chance, at one of the Hartsbrook School's Holiday Fair raffles. Our second was my two-year-old's Christmas present from Santa. Apparently Santa prefers handmade too!!! She quickly and creatively called her Dollia(said like the flower). Here's Ayda with her...

After admiring these dolls every year and making a few Waldorf dolls of different styles myself, I've been determined to learn the methods behind this particular doll. It's not as easy as it looks to create evenly stuffed and toned body parts. Nor is it easy to sew eyes that are of consistent shapes. I spent the day with a group of new women and learned some new techniqes that can be applied to my own unfolding methods. 

Before this workshop I was determined that this doll would be mine. A beautiful creation made by my own hands to adorn my bed and keep me company when my husband stays up late...

Who am I kidding? I'm a sucker for kids toys, but especially handmade dolls! There's nothing like the comfort and security that comes from having a cuddly item to accompany you every where. As adults we have our partners, nice cars, our homes, but our children have few truly loved items. The perfect doll that goes everywhere with you, to school, the doctors, tea parties and vacations, is a precious gift and will be remembered through the child's entire life. Since the loss of Ember's friend and family member, Sallica, there hasn't been another doll that Ember has thought special enough to take her place. Until yesterday...

I came home and finished crocheting the brunette hair on my creation and Ember got to see what I had made. Her eyes got as big as saucers and she begged to hug the doll tightly! As soon as I saw this doll in her arms I knew that we had a new family member and, Ember, a new best friend! She immediately set out to find her a name, even before I had committed to the idea of letting her keep the doll. We decided on Felicity, meaning happiness or good fortune. So here she is, the new member of our family...

FELICITY!

After seeing Ember and her excitement over this doll I couldn't possibly keep it for myself. I allowed Felicity to accompany her to bed. I listened from the comfort of my room as she whispered her secrets to Felicity in the darkness. The sweet, low chatter went on for a while. When I snuck in there later, Ember was sleeping peacefully holding Felicity tightly in her arms. It gave me so much satisfaction to see her love a new doll, one that I'd made with my own hands. So, in order to make it official, I cut out a wool felt heart and sewed it on Felicity's chest. Her last doll was lost and I'm assuming someone, somewhere is cuddling with that doll having not known where or how to find the owner. Not this time! If this doll is lost, there on her chest will be the constant reminder that she was loved and owned by MY little girl!