Tag Archives: hand carved wooden doll

Carved Wooden Vasilisa Dolls by Noreen Crone-Findlay

(UPDATE: Many of the dolls in this post have sold. To see which of the Vasilisa Comfort Dolls are available,

please go to LINK 1 and LINK 2)

To see the larger Vasilisa Comfort Dolls, please click on LINK

I have been carving wooden dolls non-stop for the past year.

I’ve been working on several series of dolls.

One of the series that has brought me great joy is my ‘Vasilisa Comfort Dolls’ group.

I call them this because of the Russian folktale, Vasilisa the Brave. Vasilisa’s mother knows that she is dying, so she makes her darling daughter a doll that embodies all the mother love in her heart.

The little doll acts as a guide and comfort for Vasilisa throughout the story.

My Vasilisa dolls are also an embodiment of love, and even though they look very simple, they are deeply heartfelt, contemplative, meditative and powerfully healing.

I have used all kinds of wood- some it is from old pianos that died and the wood was given to me, some of it is from trees that were pruned or felled because of old age, some is from old furniture or planks of upcycled wood in other forms. There is a very small amount of new bought wood, as I prefer to plant trees, rather than use them up. Upcycling soothes me.

I have separated the Vasilisa Dolls into different categories.

Many of them are meant to be held in the palm of your hand or carried in a pouch (carrying them in a pocket with coins, keys, pebbles etc is not recommended, but on their own in a pocket is fine).

The Vasilisa dolls are all about 2 1/2 inches tall.
Just perfect to be embraced in your hand…. and held to your heart!

Here are the ‘Square Body’ Vasilisa’s dolls

Some of them have cords, because they are necklaces.

Some have dear little wooden legs that turn them into lucets, so they can make cords.

Some of them have brass nail antennae that also allow them to be used as lucets.

Some of them have lucet cord arms that allow them to hug your finger, thumb or house plant.

Here are the ‘Heart Shape’ body Vasilisa dolls:

Here are the Round Shape Body Vasilisa Dolls:

The group of Vasilisa dolls in the photo below all have pins on their backs so they can be worn as brooches.

The group in the next photo are necklaces and I realize that some of these should have been in the Goddess photo, too, but, you know… keeping everything straight…..

The group in the photo below are all Lucets (and I’ll send a pdf on how to use them as well as links to 8 video tutorials on lucet cord making with these Vasilisa dolls)

These are the Finger Hugging Vasilisa Dolls:

These Vasilisa dolls are based on Goddess energy and inspired by Goddess imagery:

The Vasilisa dolls are great for storytelling…..

I couldn’t resist making one little Vasilisa Snowlady 🙂

They are for sale and range in price from $25 to $95 +shipping, just send me a message or note.

Not all of them are still available.

I am quite emotional about posting them, as they have been such a source of healing for me through the pandemic…. I hope that you can feel all the love in them, too. ❤

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Filed under carved wooden dolls, carving wood, doll & dolls & dollmaking & doll making, Vasilisa dolls, wooden dolls, woodwork

Little Doll Coco and the Dream Garden Gate

Tiny doll, Coco (she’s only 2 and a 1/2 inches tall) had a dream.

She dreamt that there was a magical gate in the garden.

She went and talked to Star Baby, because she wanted her dream to come true,

and she had heard that wishing on a star would help that to happen.

Star Baby wasn’t sure about making dreams come true, but she thought that Tottie Tomato might be able to help-

Tottie Tomato asked: “Does it look like this, Coco?”

“Sort of… but it’s a GATE, not a door.  No door, Tottie!”

Coco went to ask Granny Spoon if she had any pretty beads that would help the Garden Gate hang up.

“I’m happy to help”, said Granny.

“I have been saving beads and buttons forever”.

When the Garden Gate was done,

Coco was thrilled!

It’s the perfect place to chat with a friend!

Or, to travel back in time!

Or to just enjoy the view!

Coco likes what the Garden Gate says:

May all your sweetest dreams come true, and may your garden be filled with loveliness this summer! ❤

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Filed under carving wood, doll & dolls & dollmaking & doll making, eco crafts & green projects, spoon carving, wooden dolls, woodwork

Tottie and the Starspoon Sisters

We are in the throes of a huge winter storm.   We had one in November, but have had almost no snow since and remarkably warm and pleasant weather.

Luckily, we are blessed to be safe and warm, and this morning in the studio, Tottie Tomato had visitors.

She heard a sound at the Story Door, so she went to investigate.

It was the 3 Starspoon Sisters with a delivery of stars to add a little sparkle to a grey and stormy day.

Birch Starspoon was joined by her sisters,

Basswood Starspoon and

Cedar Starspoon.

The Starspoon Sisters and Tottie were all feeling a little chilly from the raging winds outside the studio windows.

So, they all had a cup of tea while I went off to carve more dolly spoons.

Stay warm and be safe, be well and be kind ❤

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Filed under carving wood, doll & dolls & dollmaking & doll making, spoon carving, Tottie Tomato Loves, wooden dolls, woodwork

Wooden dolls are grateful for Vintage Hankies

Last week, my daughter and I opened the very old small suitcase that I use to store my vintage hankie collection.

We were looking for the perfect hankie to make a dress for the little wooden doll that I had carved for her.

Miranda, the Mermaid that I carved last year, has been feeling the sudden onset of cold weather.

I overheard her complaining about the cold to Bessie Gnome, Coco, Thallie and the dogs about the cold.

As a Mermaid, Miranda doesn’t mind cold water, but the dry cold that she is experiencing feels very uncomfortable.

Luckily, there was a silk hankie with elegant lace that suits Miranda perfectly as a shawl:

hankie-shawls-1

She’s thrilled!

As Miranda was posing for the photo, perched on the edge of the suitcase, I noticed that there was a very sweet hankie that looked perfect for Lettie Bunny:

hankie-shawls-2

Lettie is now a cozy bunny, and tickled pink about it.

She feels that she can face winter in the Wall Doll House without a shiver.

hankie-shawls-3

Lettie spotted a tiny elegant silk hankie that she was sure would make Peggetty very happy.

She’s right!

hankie-shawls-4

Peggetty, Lettie and Miranda are all very content with their new  wraps, and are so grateful that a friend blessed us with her mother and grandmother’s hankies!

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Two of my hand carved Story Door Dolls for sale

I am selling two of my hand carved ‘Story Door’ dolls.

They are each 6 inches tall.

They are fully articulated and stand independently without doll stands, although they are known to play dominoes with other dolls and all fall down without giving notice.

Each of them comes with her hand woven dress and a hand woven shawl.

They are $150.00 each plus postage.

This is The Arbutus/Madrona Tree Story Door Doll:
Her head is tilted up so when she looks up at you quite winsomely.

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.tottietalkscrafts.com

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.tottietalkscrafts.com

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.tottietalkscrafts.com

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.tottietalkscrafts.com

This is the Birch Tree Story Door Doll:

 

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay www.tottietalkscrafts.com

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.tottietalkscrafts.com

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.tottietalkscrafts.com

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay www.tottietalkscrafts.com

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.tottietalkscrafts.com

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay http://www.tottietalkscrafts.com

 

 

If you would like to adopt either of these Story Door Dolls, hand carved by me, with their handwoven (also by me) please drop me a note.
:o)
Noreen

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Tottie Tomato meets the Quimper Hittys

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.

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay tottietalkscrafts.com

They were both so pleased to meet another doll of greenish hue!

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay tottietalkscrafts.com

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.

copyright Noreen Crone-Findlay tottietalkscrafts.com

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!

 

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The Fairy Door opens again

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 www.crone-findlay.com

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.

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