copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.tottietalkscrafts.com
We had a branch from an Arbutus tree that was trimmed from our sisters’ tree many years ago, so it is really dried out and incredibly hard.
I used it to carve 2 little dolls, and then I wove dresses for them, using Lil Weaver looms from Dewberry Ridge Looms.
Here’s a short slide show of the making of the dolls:
So much fun!!!!
Last August, I posted a brief introduction to my first homage to Hitty dolls. LINK
I have been carving and making wooden dolls since I was a very young girl, and it’s one of my passions, but hadn’t carved any homages to Hitty until I was utterly enchanted by the Quimper Hitty blog: LINK
The Quimper Hitty blog should come with a warning that it is utterly and completely addictive!
Such enchantment! Oh my!~!~
Thanks to the magical heart who creates the Quimper Hitties, I fell under their spell….
I really did mean to show how I carved my first Hitty, whose name is Tennie:
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.tottietalkscrafts.com
But, I got totally swept away by a combination of downsizing, moving and downsizing (after 21 years in a large house and barn and huge garage etc, downsizing to a wee house is intense!) and by the writing of my new book.
Well, this year has galloped past, and the book and photos and diagrams are now in the capable hands of the best editor ever, and I am able to take up all manner of things that I love…. like carving wooden dolls….
Here are a couple of pics that I snapped while I was carving ‘Tennie Hitty’:
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.tottietalkscrafts.com
Here she is after I varnished her:
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.tottietalkscrafts.com
Of course, as soon as she was finished, she began to campaign for more companions….
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.tottietalkscrafts.com
She was sure that she heard a little wooden dolly voice calling out somewhere in the studio….
Actually…. so did I…..
🙂
Filed under doll & dolls & dollmaking & doll making
One of the joys of my life has always been doll making.
I have carved wooden dolls for as long as I remember, and I am now enjoying teaching my 5 year old grandson how to make wooden dolls, too.
I gave him a piece of wood, and had him draw a figure on it.
Then, I burned the lines he had drawn:
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.tottietalkscrafts.com
You can see to the right of his doll, a doll that his Mamma made when she was his age, and one that I am currently working on.
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.tottietalkscrafts.com
He chose some colors, and started adding them….
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.tottietalkscrafts.com
I cut her out with the bandsaw and he took her home, but wasn’t pleased that she had rough edges.
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.tottietalkscrafts.com
So, the next day, I took some of my tools over so he could work on sanding her and finishing her.
He’s already immersed in the family culture of being a Maker!
I’ve been giving him lessons on how to use a hand saw in a Zen way, as he tends to approach tools with wild abandon, which is not something I encourage at all.
Gently, gently, is my motto….
Ah, the bliss of being a granny….
my heart sings!
I’ve just posted a new pdf pattern to my etsy shop: The Permission Doll LINK
The Permission Doll was inspired by a wonderful thing that my father once said to me.
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.tottietalkscrafts.com
I asked him if he thought that a coat that I was thinking of making for myself was going to be too wild.
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.tottietalkscrafts.com
He thought about it for a long time, and then declared: “Just wear it with panache!”.
And so I did.
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.tottietalkscrafts.com
I often think about living my life with panache, and about how important it is to stretch ourselves and to try new things.
We have to give ourselves permission to be brave and to find delight in all kinds of ways.
So, when you knit yourself the Permission doll, remember to live your life with panache!
And, every time you look at her, I hope that she will make you smile and spark a little extra bravery, whimsy and delight in your life.
She has been a force for healing in my life, and I hope that she will be in yours, too. 🙂
Filed under doll & dolls & dollmaking & doll making, knitting
Tottie Tomato and I are enchanted by the magical blog: Quimper Hittys LINK
When we went on holidays at the end of July, Tottie Tomato and I (Tottie Tomato, Pinkie and Blue Bear always travel with us), were delighted to be able to meet the Quimper Hittys and their charming Mamma.
Quimper Hittys’ Mamma bravely scrambled in under the rosebush and cedars by our trailer to take pictures of Tottie Tomato and the Quimper Hittys that had hopped into their traveling basket.
Bravely, say I, as Jim had been eaten alive by the fierce rosebush when he stalwartly anchored our awning, while being pierced by the lovely rosebush’s monstrous thorns!
Luckily, the rosebush allowed us to take pictures of our girls together.
And, I took pictures of the Quimper Hittys’ human as she got the girls posed together.
Tottie Tomato and Perdita Quimper Hitty especially took to each other.
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They were both so pleased to meet another doll of greenish hue!
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Tottie Tomato was delighted to meet Min, Agathe, Constance and of course, Perdita.
Mungo Hitty had come along to see what all the excitement was about, but balked at being photographed.
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It was a wonderful morning, sipping tea with a kindred spirit!
The Quimper Hittys gave Tottie Tomato some very beautiful gifts, which she showed admiringly to Pinkie and Blue Bear, as well as Wee Charlotte who lives in my traveling tatting case:
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay tottietalkscrafts.com
There were other splendid gifts, and I will tell you about them very soon 🙂
And, I hope that you are sipping tea with a kindred spirit, too, perhaps admiring a tiny pot of lavender and marveling at
Mouse Melons!
Filed under doll & dolls & dollmaking & doll making
Tottie Tomato and Peggotty Caroline heard sounds coming from the Fairy Door down by the apple tree.
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.crone-findlay.com
What’s that?
A hand!
A hand opening the Fairy Door?
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.crone-findlay.com
Oh!
A new friend!
Tottie Tomato shakes hands with Victoria Kjersten Hitty, known as ‘Tennie’, but, Peggotty Caroline is so excited to meet their new friend, that she throws her arms around Tennie in a welcoming hug.
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.crone-findlay.com
Tottie Tomato and Peggotty Caroline decide immediately that Tennie Hitty is going to be a good friend.
Sometimes, you can just tell, can’t you?
And, they are thrilled that Tennie has come through the Fairy Door to live in the studio with them.
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.crone-findlay.com
Tottie Tomato and Peggotty Caroline are very interested to hear all about how Tennie came to be behind the Fairy Door…. I’m sure she’ll tell them all about it over a lovely cup of tea.
Filed under doll & dolls & dollmaking & doll making
Tottie Tomato looked outside the studio window and saw someone tobogganing on the snowbanks….
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay
She astonished Tottie by fluttering up into the tree….. and Tottie realized that the fluttery little person was a fairy!
The fairy looked awfully familiar…..
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Tottie Tomato saw that she was shivering- it was so cold!
So, she invited the Winter Fairy in for a cup of tea….
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay
Tottie Tomato had been watching the progress of the Winter Fairy coming to life, so she was surprised to see her outside!
Winter Fairy said that she felt that, once she had her wings, she really ought to see what Winter was all about.
Sledding was fun – but chilly.
The Winter Fairy told Tottie Tomato that she prefers to experience winter from the warm side of the window, so she has decided to take up permanent residence in the studio and perhaps wait until springtime before venturing outside again.
Tottie Tomato is looking forward to many pleasant cups of tea with the Winter Fairy.
She plans on showing her around the studio and introducing her to all manner of lovely folks.
Tottie Tomato is very happy that I took part in the Zoom Loom Doll Weave Along on Ravelry- otherwise, the Winter Fairy would never have joined us here in the studio!
Tottie Tomato is getting anxious….
When are all these piles of little squares and rectangles and triangles going to turn into a doll?
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.crone-findlay.com
Soon!
There’s another week in the Winter Weave Along on Ravelry, so there’s lots of time….
I hope! 😀
Tottie Tomato thinks she’s dreaming!
Two Mermaids have come to live in the studio, and she is thrilled….
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.crone-findlay.com
They have been singing beautiful songs to her
and telling her stories of the seashore,
and of ships that sail….
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.crone-findlay.com
Tottie Tomato went to the ocean once, very long ago, the summer that she was born,
and she has been longing to go back.
Perhaps her dream will come true?
And, maybe the Mermaids will help her dream come true!
(And, if Mermaids are in your dreams, you can order my pattern from my website: LINK
or etsy shop: LINK or Ravelry shop LINK)
May the Mermaids sing sweetly to you!
In my previous post, I showed how to weave a tiny square on the Zoom Loom.
That’s because there’s a fun ‘Weave along’ on the Zoom loom group on Ravelry- all about weaving dolls on the Zoom loom.
I’ve just embroidered the face for my ‘Winter’ doll
copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay
I thought that I would make a little video, offering a few tips about embroidering on the squares that you weave on the Zoom Loom.
These tips also work on any other pin style loom or potholder loom, or many of the small looms that are available nowadays.
Noreen Crone-Findlay, designer and author
Tottie Talks Crafts Blog 