Tag Archives: doll

August 10, 2015 · 7:05 pm

Carving and weaving for the Birch Tree Sisters

Lately, I have had a very magical time, carving small, and even smaller, (much smaller) dolls and weaving for them.

It all began just over a week ago, when one of our son’s neighbors gave us some lovely Birch wood.

I knew that there were dolls inside the Birch wood that were just longing to get out!

So, I took some of the Birch branches to the bandsaw:

And, cut out the rough shapes for the 6 inch tall dolls, and then I started carving:

I showed how I wove dresses for ‘Hope’ and ‘Joy’ in my previous post: LINK.

They could hear that there was a little sister calling to them from inside one of the branches on their family tree:

So:

After a day or so of carving:

Tiny ‘Coco’ happily emerged from her branch.

Then, I got out my 2 inch square vintage Weave It loom to weave her a dress.

She’s about 3 1/2 inches tall.

Coco Birchtree is very happy to have her picture taken at the Story Door and to join her sisters and the other

Story Door Dolls in my studio.

I’m looking forward to seeing what she and her sisters discover about life around the Story Door!

6 Comments

Filed under doll & dolls & dollmaking & doll making, Loom & looms & small loom weaving, weaving & handwoven, wooden dolls

Tagged as doll, doll making, dollmaking, dolls, hand weaving, hand woven, handwoven, Noreen Crone-Findlay, small loom weaving, Weave it loom, weaving, weaving techniques, wooden dolls

July 28, 2015 · 1:19 pm

Carving a tiny wooden Gnome Doll

Sometimes, when you are carving a doll, you will start with one thought in mind.

But, there are times when it becomes clear that the doll wants to be something else entirely.

This just happened to me when I was carving a very small doll.

My grandson is five and he thinks babies are sublime, so he asked me to carve a baby doll.

I started…. I used a little doll that my mother owned long ago and far away in her childhood…

(Oh how I love this little doll!)

but soon, it became clear that it was a tiny Lady Gnome who wanted to be released from the wood….

And, there she is- among her friends, admiring the thimbles…

Her name is Bessie, or, just Bess, and this is how I carved her:

14 Comments

Filed under doll & dolls & dollmaking & doll making, Loom & looms & small loom weaving, wooden dolls

Tagged as carving wooden dolls, doll, doll making, dolls, hand weaving, hand woven, Noreen Crone-Findlay, small dolls, small loom weaving, wooden dolls, woodworking

July 23, 2015 · 1:04 am

Fleur has a celebration

Fleur, a wooden doll that I carved many decades ago, had an uncomfortable situation arise during our move- her foot went awol and had it’s own adventures.

Luckily, it re-appeared and is now firmly re-attached to Fleur.

Fleur was so happy to be re-united with her foot that she invited Tottie Tomato, Jane Austen, Albert Einstein and The Story Door Dolls all to come and sip a cup of tea with her.

There was one small problem….

Most of the teacups have mysteriously vanished from the Story Door Doll’s antique wicker suitcase.

Luckily, the guests were very gracious about being served tea in thimbles and assorted other vessels.

Professor Einstein was very accommodating about sipping his tea from a brass goblet, although he had to wait rather a long time for it to cool, as it was somewhat uncomfortably hot.

Jane Austen whispered to Tottie Tomato that she thought that the unusual nature of the teaparty was fun, but was rather glad that she didn’t bring along her silly sisters. She also thought that Mr. Darcy would probably have not approved….

Tennie did her best to help out by bringing along my favorite teacup earrings and a teacup crochet hook that I carved many years ago.

The Cat, puppy and turtle were happy to share a dish of tea.

Fleur gave everyone a few lessons on her tiny spool knitters, but then, she laid back to simply bask in the pleasure of the company of her friends.

The tea party was a success. Everyone agreed, even though the tea cups didn’t all make it to the party.

Perhaps they will be found in some unexpected place.

Moving. It is full of disruptions.

Thank heavens for dear friends!

4 Comments

Filed under doll & dolls & dollmaking & doll making, Tottie Tomato Loves, wooden dolls

Tagged as doll, doll making, dolls, dolls and doll making, Story Door Wooden Dolls by Noreen Crone-Findlay, Tottie Tomato, wooden dolls

July 21, 2015 · 9:05 pm

How I carved 2 little wooden dolls from an Arbutus branch

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!!!!

6 Comments

Filed under doll & dolls & dollmaking & doll making, Loom & looms & small loom weaving, weaving & handwoven

Tagged as carving wooden dolls; Noreen Crone-Findlay; wooden dolls; doll making; wood working; hand woven doll clothing;, doll, dolls, hand weaving, hand woven, small loom weaving

June 30, 2015 · 6:47 pm

Teaching my young grandson how to carve a wooden doll

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:

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.

He chose some colors, and started adding them….

I cut her out with the bandsaw and he took her home, but wasn’t pleased that she had rough edges.

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!

9 Comments

Filed under doll & dolls & dollmaking & doll making, personal stuff

Tagged as carving wooden dolls, doll, doll making, dollmaking, dolls, how to make a doll, how to make wooden doll with a child, Noreen Crone-Findlay, teaching children how to make wooden dolls, wood, wooden dolls, woodworking with children

August 5, 2014 · 4:00 pm

The Fairy Door opens again

Tottie Tomato and Peggotty Caroline heard sounds coming from the Fairy Door down by the apple tree.

What’s that?

A hand!

A hand opening the Fairy Door?

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.

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 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.

7 Comments

Filed under doll & dolls & dollmaking & doll making

Tagged as doll, doll making, dollmaking, dolls, Fairy Door, hand carved wooden doll, Hitty doll, Noreen Crone-Findlay, Peggotty Caroline, Tennie Hitty, Tottie Tomato, wooden doll, wooden dolls

January 31, 2014 · 11:41 am

Tottie Tomato wishes you happy year of the horse

Hurrah! The Year of the Snake has curled up and slithered away, with few of us wishing it would last longer.

And, now, The Year of the Horse has galloped through the gate! YAY!

Poor Tottie Tomato got a sudden and surprising ride when she was posing for this photo- one of the Small Dogs grabbed her up and raced away with her.

I was shrieking, ‘No! No! No!’ in hot pursuit across the studio. Jim jumped up and leapt to the studio, gasping: ‘What? What!?!?!?!’

Small Dog dropped Tottie at Jim’s feet and pranced with delight.

I shot in and grabbed poor Tottie back. Luckily, she wasn’t hurt, and she forgives Small Dog for her unexpected ride.

This is NOT the way I would like the Year of the Horse to proceed, thank you very much!

I’m all up for delicious surprises and fast forward motion, but being challenged by unexpected canine capers is not a metaphor that I am going to embrace.

Nope.

I’m all for having a year of unbounded creativity, excellent good health, delight in community and happiness in family and tremendously delicious moments of serendipity and connection.

Yup.

And, that’s what I wish for you, too!

Happy, happy Year of the Horse!

4 Comments

Filed under doll & dolls & dollmaking & doll making, Tottie Tomato Loves

Tagged as Chinese astrology, doll, dolls, Noreen Crone-Findlay, Tottie Tomato, Year of the Horse

January 29, 2014 · 1:11 pm

Doll making as a healing art

In the past week, we have added several friends and relations of relations to our healing prayers.

As part of my meditations and prayer work, I focus my mind by creating healing dolls.

I pour my love and healing thoughts and images into the making of a healing doll.

Stitch by stitch, I make a doll that I quietly, gently and peacefully pour my thoughts and intentions of wellness, loving kindness, tenderness, inspiration and insight into.

Sometimes, the doll is for a specific person, and sometimes, it is simply a response to feeling the call to make a sacred or healing doll.

I never sell these dolls- I give them to a person that feels right for it.

I wrote the book: Soul Mate Dolls: Doll making as a healing art many years ago. It’s out of print now.

Over the years, since the publication of this book, I have continued to work with the sacred art of doll making for my own contemplative practice, but also professionally.

I have taught many workshops, and I have designed many patterns for people to continue to make dolls that are focused on healing themselves and others.

And, now I am working on a whole new book about the healing power of mindful doll making.

Until it is released, here are some of my designs that are available on my website http://www.crone-findlay.com and in my etsy shop. The link to my etsy shop is below each of these dolls.

May doll making be the source of great happiness, healing and wholeness for you, my friends!

The crocheted Angel of Compassion link to pattern on etsy: Link

The Crocheted Angel of Healing dolls: LINK

The Crocheted Angel of Peace: LINK

Weaving with simple looms, such as the peg or stick loom is very meditative, and I find that weaving mermaids is an excellent way to focus my thoughts on healing body, mind and spirit: LINK

Simple tools can be used to make sweet little dolls that provide great comfort when tucked into a pocket, and they are so easy to pop into an envelope and mail to a friend:

The spool knitted tiny angels are so easy to make, but full of love, too: LINK

As are the Friendship Fairies: LINK

And, I mustn’t forget the Menopause Fairy!

After all…. the Tooth Fairy takes away teeth and leaves a gift of money, right?

Well, the Menopause Fairy takes away all manner of things and leaves behind the gifts of laughter, wisdom and compassion, as well as soooooooooo much more!!!! LINK

And, if the healing involves some deliciously wild energy, then perhaps a Wild And Wooly doll is in order: LINK

If you feel a connection to Goddesses, I have designed a knitted pattern for the Venus of Willendorf.

I love holding her in my hand- she’s just a perfect little handful of the Feminine Divine energy! LINK

And Venus of Willendorf inspired Goddesses to Crochet: LINK

There’s also the Minoan Goddess of the Bees to knit: LINK

There are so many women from history who are powerful role models and whose strength, dignity and wisdom are deeply inspiring and offer great hope. One of them is the Empress Theodora….. LINK

May the work of your hands bring you soulful and engaging ways of healing your heart, mind, body and spirit and may it bring joy and peace and healing in countless ways to your family and friends, too!

Blessings abounding!!!! With love, always, and all ways! 🙂

2 Comments

Filed under crochet, doll & dolls & dollmaking & doll making, gifts & easy to make gifts & presents, knitting, Peg and Stick Loom weaving, spool knitter & spoolknitter & spool knitting & spool knitting

Tagged as crocheted dolls, doll, doll making, doll making as a healing art, gifts, hand made dolls handmade dolls, healing, knitted dolls, making dolls for healing, Noreen Crone-Findlay, peace, spool knitted dolls

December 7, 2011 · 3:39 pm

One of a kind woven art doll-Green Empress and a mini studio tour

Over the last couple of years, I have been weaving a series of tapestries and one of a kind art dolls.