Comfort Dolls

post 401!!
I have been remiss in posting pics of the wonderful little works of art I have been receiving for the Comfort Doll Project. I have contacted a shelter here in Auckland, but I think they must want you to work extra hard to give them stuff...I will have to ring again. I have one dozen and with these beauties I have received recently, possibly two.
these lovelies are from my dear friend Leslie. Check out the 'blissful' face on the blue one. Leslie has a knack for faces, and this one is just gorgeous.
The next contribution is from another friend Alison. Alison is a fellow kiwi, and a dab hand with a needle and thread. This is one of the most well constructed dolls I have received, and I love the movement and freedom the doll denotes.
And finally, these dolls from Pam Kellogg. These dolls make me feel the way Oprah does every time she has Sidney Pointier on her show, you know, the presence of greatness. I have long admired Pams work, and kooky as it sounds, there was definately a spiritual connection when I held these dolls. These pictures DO NOT do the dolls justice, they are so sparkly, and whimsical, and elegant, all at the same time.


Check out the Comfort Doll blog. I know Pat is in the process of sending out thankyous to the first 50 contributors- first fifty, there is more than that! I know the online CQ community has contributed to charity projects before, but I don't recall there being a response as big as this one. And although that is 50 people, many of those people have made and donated multiple dolls.
You are all wonderful!

The Comfort Doll Project - The BLOG

Pat has created a blog for the project. Remember, this is an ongoing, whenever you feel like making one project. We are up to our 9th dozen. This is above and beyond our expectations, and is just wonderful. Thankyou so much all of you who have taken the time to do something for someone else.

These dolls were sent to me from Christina in Aussie. She created 5 wonderful dolls for the project, each one has been named and comes with a beautiful letter. Thankyou Christina

And here is our 1st dozen (well, 14 actually). Now I need to start the leg work, so to speak, and canvas some shelters for donation. Once I know something , you will!

Friday

A completely uninspired title, but not an uninspired post. I have been busy this week with meetings and workshops....nothing fun at all.That's not true, I love getting together together with Playcentre people, but, it's not crafting is it?
Comfort dolls have been coming in from around the South Pacific. Arohanui (much love) to all who are contributing to this project.This is a second doll from Joy . The colours in this one are stunning, and her Brazillian embroidery is gorgeous.
These next two dolls are from Maureen . Sadly, one of these lovelies faces cracked during transit. I will replace it before donating it. They are ab fab faces to. That clever fimo rolling technique. Love'em.

Finally, my progress on Amy's Tone on Tone block. This is quite a big block, so I will add some more before sending it off. This block is actually my worst nightmare for stitching on at night. I cannot tell blues and greens ( as well as many other colours) apart under artificial light. It is a form of colour blindness, and at least one person every generation has it. My great grandfather had a fleet of trucks, they had to be red as it was the only colour he could see. Get me, my mother and grandmother together in a fabric shop and we become the worst nightmare for the unsuspecting shop staff... LOL

Comfort Doll arrival

My first New Zealand doll has arrived on my doorstep. Thank Joy, in Napier. She is lovely. I the colours in the pic are quite true, lovely jewel tones. And beautiful , soft velvet on the back.
Come the rest of you kiwis. These dolls don't need to be CQed, they don't even need to be fabric, just strudy and no bigger than 6".

Warrior Princess at my door

This wonderful contribution to the Comfort Doll Project arrived in my "in"box today. I completely missed Dys blog about her doll, so I was totally surprised to find her there.
I have taken a really crap picture, so PLEASE, go over to Dys blog and read about her Warrior Princess here, and enjoy some great pics. Dy put so much thought and care into her doll, as many of the makers have. You are all special. Thanks Dy.

I am happy to say that I think we are well on our way to our first "Down Under Dozen". Not to pillage any of Pats contributers. I am more than happy to receive dolls from anywhere in the world, and think it would be great for woman to know that this has been a worldwide effort. You all rock, and make me very happy.
XX

Blog Flog

It gives me great pleaure to be able to flog this blog. Sharon B has moved! In a minute ago can now be found over on wordpress. She is still updating the new site, and there are still things to be found over at her old site, but do keep checking back, as more changes will be made in the future. So, all go and change your blog reader feeds, change your sidebar links, and spread the word around your blogs and groups.

I have finished another postcard, stitching anyways, still have the "finishing" to do.
I also received this little lovely today. My first Comfort Doll Project Donation. When Pat asked me to co-ordinate the southern hemisphere, I thought, yep, no worries. I actually wasn't prepared for the emotion that would come with it...and this is only my first doll! Linda made a lovely doll, and has sent a card with a beautiful note . Thank you Linda.
I have 4 dolls so far, with 5 more promised that I am aware of . Almost at our 1st dozen.

Comfort Dolls Down Under

Pat delivered the first dozen dolls to a shelter in her area this week. You can read her post here. She has asked that I collect dolls from this side of the world, to save on postage there and back. Pat would like to try contribute to any countries that the dolls come from.

So come on all you Kiwi's and Aussie's,
send me a comfort doll, sure to please
a fellow female who lived it rough,
It will sure help to know that someone cared enough...
( if you want to stop the bad poetry, send a doll...NOW)
I would like to do a refuge here in NZ, then find a willing Aussie to do the leg work over there. You can contact me via my profile, or my email is playcentrejo(at)gmail(dot)com.

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Not much CQ eyecandy at the moment. I am working on projects that can't be blogged at the moment. When they can be blogged, you will be the first to know...cos I'll blog 'em!!

Comfort Doll inspiration

For those of you considering joining the Comfort Doll Project, here is some inspiration and eye candy...and where it all started!

We did a group swap on CQI, and Pat, who didn't join the swap, fell in love with Linda in NYs first doll, and asked Linda to make one for her. Pat has spoken on her blog about how the doll made her feel, and how her idea came about.
If you are wanting to contribute, but think to yourself, "I don't crazy quilt" No worries. Any type of doll is accepted for this project , as long as it is fabric based, and 6" or less in length. They could be felted , beaded, anything you are comfortable making. Keep in mind they should be reasonable light as Pat will be posting these all forward.

There is also a flickr group for dolls contributed. There isn't much there right now, but hopefully that will all change soon, with YOUR help.

Comfort doll complete

I completed the second doll for the 'Comfort Doll" project (see top of my sidebar). I used a fancy yarn around this one instead of beading. It is very soft and pleasant to hold. There are what I hope will be, inspirational, words embroidered on the doll, and a spiderweb for luck. Each doll, although donated anonymously, will be sent with a note for the recipient.
And here is the progress on the 'branchey' tree. Poor thing. I love the woven leaves, but they are quite hard to do on the narrow area. I think this doll will be my muse. It doesn't really fit the criteria of a comfort doll. I have been surfing blogs and there are some beauitful beaded dolls out there. My whanau (family) think they are voodoo dolls, and give me suspicious sideways glances when I pull them out!! I can have fun with this by randomly pulling out stray hairs and offering the the nail clippers. mwahahahahaaaaa

Not so successful today (edited)

I always blog things that turn out well. Today stuff hasn't turned out so well, but I will blog it anyway, maybe you will learn something. I decided I REALLY wanted to make a 'tree' spirit doll. Below is the pieced tree form, which I really like (lesson #1).
..And here it is backed, stuffed and turned. Man! That was a mission (lesson #2). Don't get me wrong, I do like the form, and I will work with it, and it will look great when it is done, but all around, next time I will make the form so it looks more like the first pic once done. Not so branchey.
You might be wondering where the embellishment is? In my blog hopping I have come across beaders who make the form, then embellish, so, I know it can be done (but can I do it). I'm sure Lesson #3 will learnt during this process.

(edited to add 'improved' block. I'm much happier with the addition of the light blue strip)
This little number (taken with my old crappy camera) is for a undersea themed block. I really like the top left fabbie, and it does look marginally better in reality, but it really doesn't work in this block...but I use fuseable interfacing as a foundation, and it's staying. I might add a strip of the light blue thru it, to make it look more like shafts of light.

Speaking of crappy camera, i rang to get some progress on the repair time. They said 7 days, I waited 14! Sorry ma'am, they are waiting on a part from Hastings! HASTINGS! WTF!! Hastings is ONE day by courier, which I told them. Imbiciles. I want my camera back.

Gatherings: Open request for all,"Giving with your heart ,made from your hands"

Please click on the link, go to Pat's post, and link back to your blog. Even if you don't intend to contribute to this project, please help spread the word.
Sincere thanks
Jo in NZ

Comfort Doll #1

Here is my first doll for Pats Project. I thoroughly enjoyed stitching her. I took much inspiration from Leslie's tree spirit that I received. I focused on beading, which was fun. I have been watching 2007 Bead Journal Project blog and looking at all the great eye candy coming out of this event. Hundreds of people have committed to this venture...I'll need another day in the week to keep up with all those blogs!