Gotta Love Those BIG Dolls!

I may have mentioned that I love dolls! Ya think!!!!

I love just about every size and shape doll, but I do seem to have a preference for BIG dolls and woodcraft's. By BIG I mean 3, 4, or even 5 foot dolls or woodcraft's.

I love displaying the 3' or larger dolls and woodcraft's around my house during the various seasons and holidays. We have all the seasons covered and all the holidays, too.

It might be a large bear displayed, a sitting scarecrow, a sitting Uncle Sam, a large Santa, tall Santa and Mrs. Claus pair, a sitting bunny, a scarecrow on a pedestal, or even a large turkey. It could even be a large moose or BIG bunny.

Whether its a large doll standing in my sun room or on display in my hall I just love them. Sometimes its a self-sitter sitting on a pedestal in the corner of my kitchen.Sometimes it's a Frankenstein waiting for the kids on Halloween. You never know what I might decide to display or where I might place them.

Wherever they may be they are always a delight to see. And, each time I see one I can remember cutting the wood with hubby and putting the dolls together.

Whether I was painting them or gluing them or sewing their outfits I always seemed to enjoy them. My large dolls are a favorite of my husband and I and were made specifically to display around the house. I also suspect they are the favorites of some of my relatives.

One of my favorite BIG dolls that I made for my house is a bear that I named "Harry."

He's a 36" bear made from a Design Farm pattern and he is so cute you just want to hug him.

Right now he is proudly displayed in my front hall. He stands there quietly surveying all that is going on in our house. Harry never makes a fuss or disturbs anyone. He's just there to watch and observe.

One of the best things about a lot of the BIG dolls is that they are wearing some of my Grandson's baby clothes. So, when I look at the dolls it always brings back fond memories of my Grandson as a baby. They are what I consider to be sentimental keepsake crafts.

Harry is wearing my Grandson's baby jeans. If you look closely you can see the diaper snaps that run along the inside legs. Harry doesn't need to have a diapers changed - my Grandson definitely did.

Harry is also wearing one of my Grandson's thermal tops. His vest is lined and decorated with 3 triangle top pockets with buttons. It is also decorated with a tree with cotton puffs for snow and embroidered with zigzag stitching all along the edges.

He is wearing a large lined hunters cap with ear flaps. Harry's body is made of wood covered with flush felt. His feet are made from my brother's old white socks embroidered with DMC floss for ties. Harry's face is embroidered and he has large brown animal eyes and a lighter color plush felt for his snout and the inside of his ears.

I just love the expression on Harry's face. Sometimes he appears sad to me and sometimes he appears happy. You never know. I think he's just happy to be out and on display. I think I'll go and give him a BIG hug.

For Kim

A Love Of Art Brings Peace!
This is a story of a beautiful woman, a love of art and its ability to bring peace and comfort in a dire time of need. It is a story of love, courage, and peace. It is not a story with a happy ending. But, it is a beautiful story in that a love of art was able to bring peace and comfort to a mother, a daughter, a step-daughter, a wife, a sister, a daughter-in-law, a sister-in-law, an aunt, a granddaughter, a niece, and a friend who was dying of oral cancer at the age of 34. This is the story of my beautiful, beautiful step-daughter, Kim.

Kim was a beautiful, beautiful woman with an enormous amount of natural artistic talent. She was an artist who had developed a love of art and drawing as a very young child and who discovered that she had a natural ability for it. Her love of art was cultivated during her youth and her skills were honed all throughout school. When she graduated from high school she decided that she wanted to study art in college and applied to and was accepted by an art school.

However, getting married and starting a family sidetracked her college studies and she spent many years just raising her family. When she told us that she was pregnant with our 4Th grandchild we were thrilled. However, early on in her pregnancy she started to develop complications with her pregnancy and was told she would probably need complete bed rest for the baby to develop to full term. Well, full term was not meant to be and our grandson was born premature at 31 weeks. He would be in the intensive care unit for many, many weeks.

A couple of weeks before our grandson was born Kim had contractions and she ended up biting the back of her tongue. After he was born the cut in the back of her tongue just wouldn't heal so she was sent to a dental specialist who took a biopsy of the area. The news was devastating and the worst she could hear. She had oral cancer and the prognosis was bleak at best as it had already progressed to a Stage 4.

We were all devastated, none more so than Kim, as she was not in any of the groups that were at risk for this type of cancer and it was relatively rare. She was only 34 years old and was given a death sentence of, with treatment, at the most 3 years.

How do you tell someone who is 34 years old with 4 children, one a newborn in the intensive care unit, such devastating news? Kim handled the news with as much courage, strength, and fortitude as anyone I have ever known. At times she amazed me as she was more concerned with the impact her condition had on her family, her Father, her Mother, and the rest of the family than on herself.

We all rallied around Kim and set about trying to help where ever we could. We wanted to make sure that Kim was supported 24 hours a day as she needed pain medicine, help with her feeding tube, immediate chemotherapy and radiation treatment, and was quickly becoming unable to handle the day to day tasks of such a large family, let alone a newborn.

Kim underwent her treatment and the fatigue level was paramount. She didn't have a lot of strength and needed something that she could do when she was at home to take her mind off of the reality of her situation. She didn't want to just be sitting around so we talked about it and she thought of arts & crafts. Something she could do that she was really, really good at and that she loved that wouldn't zap her strength.

So, we scoured the craft stores and art stores and found some wonderful projects like sun catchers, watercolor kits, huge posters that you could color with acrylic pencils, picture crystallizing kits, and chocolate candy making kits.

Kim was a meticulous artist and everything had to be just right. For the Easter holiday we spent days melting and coloring chocolate so she could make Easter candy for the kids. We used toothpicks and Kim painstakingly spend hours on end apply tiny little bits of colored chocolate to her chocolate Easter eggs. They had be just right and once she was done they were works of art. When I watched her at times she seemed lost in what she was doing and for that I was grateful.

At other times Kim, her Mom, and I would sit at the dining room table coloring the two large posters that Kim absolutely loved. Again, she was meticulous so everything had to be just right. Kim was a huge Disney fan so one of the posters was filled with all the Disney characters she loved and the other was a huge vase of flowers. Hour after hour we would sit and just color. There was no talking at this point as that was no longer possible for Kim so we got her a typing pad so she could type out what she wanted to say. Sometimes she would tell me what section of the poster she wanted me to do. I always paid attention. If I didn't I'd find her finger pointing at the section she wanted me to do and the look she'd give her kids when they stepped out of line.

At other times Kim would be sleeping or undergoing treatment. Always when she was awake and had some strength she would want to work on her art projects. So we did. On sunny days we sometimes spent time on her front porch painting the sun catchers or the watercolors. Like all artists she always wanted everything done just so. And, the results were always remarkable.

We ended up burying our beautiful, beautiful Kim nine months to the day after our fourth grandson was born. She died peacefully in her sleep one night and for that we were grateful. There was absolutely no sign of trauma on her face - she just looked like an angel.

Several weeks after her funeral her Father told me he was so grateful that we had found the art projects for Kim to do. He said that at times when he watched her she seemed lost in her art and even for one brief moment on one day he could actually hear her humming. She was so completely absorbed in her art that the grim reality of her situation was completely removed for the briefest period of time. She was coloring and humming. Lost in her art like she was as a child. But, for that one period of time I am so grateful. Her love of art gave her peace and comfort even if it was ever so brief.

We framed all of the works of art that Kim worked on including the two huge posters and have them scattered throughout all our houses to serve as a tribute to our beautiful, beautiful Kim. They are reminders of a beautiful woman with a love of art who had the strength, courage, and fortitude to face a situation that most of us could barely imagine.

She faced it with more dignity and strength than any of us could and I promised her we would never forget her. Her story would be told as an example of beauty, love, dignity, strength,courage, and fortitude in the face of a dire prognosis. It is Kim's story and it is a story of love, courage, and peace. It is the story of a mother, a daughter, a step-daughter, a wife, a sister, a daughter-in-law, a sister-in-law, an aunt, a granddaughter, a niece, and a friend. It is my tribute to Kim for Memorial Day.


Copyright © 2007 - All Rights Reserved - Written By Linda Walsh.

Blogs as Heirlooms and Family Fun!

I've been giving a lot of thought lately to setting up another blog. Now I know what you're thinking. You've got to be thinking, "Another Blog for The Blogging Queen? You've got to be kidding? How many blogs do you need?"

Well, this really isn't a blog for me and my small business. It's more of a family heirloom blog. You see, I want to honor my Dad for his WWII service, and give the rest of the family (especially his grandchildren) a glimpse into his life while he was in the armed services. So, of course, I immediately thought the best way to do that was with a blog.

My Dad joined the Navy in April of 1943 and served until December 1946. He was as a Pharmacist's Mate assigned to the Marines. He fought in the Pacific area and was at the battle of Iwo Jima.

I have all of my Dad's papers from WWII, some of his war correspondence, and most of his pictures from boot camp forward. The wonderful thing about his pictures is that he wrote the names of his fellow servicemen on the back of the pictures. He was a "pack-rat" and saved everything. I guess I must take after him in that regard. I, too, save EVERYTHING!

So, I thought that as a tribute to my DAD I would set-up a WWII blog for him. That way his grandchildren and their grandchildren can see who their Grandfather was and what he did for his country.

Also, by including the names of his fellow servicemen and women maybe someone else will be able to see a picture of their father or grandfather in WWII. Plus, with the ability to crop and enlarge the old photo's we'll all finally be able to see what everyone really looked like back then.

In thinking about this new blog I started to think about what a wonderful heirloom a blog could actually be. In fact, it could be quite a genealogical tool as well.

You see I am also a genealogy buff and have saved all of the old family pictures including all the old tin ones that they took during the 1800's. I said I was a "Pack Rat" didn't I? In any event, I have even scanned some of these into the computer. Believe it or not, but they scan beautifully and the detail on the enlargements is astonishing.

I actually scanned a tin civil war image of one of my great, great grandfather's into the computer and then cropped and enlarged it. What was astonishing about it was that I thought I was looking into the eyes of my Mother. They are exactly the same as her great grandfathers. But, we never could see that before because the tin images were too small and too fuzzy. It was amazing.

So, I also thought that when I had time (now that's a laugh!!!) I would love to set-up a family history blog to house all of these wonderful old pictures and to let all of my relatives see what their ancestors looked like. Let them all get to know some of their ancestors. And, what better way to do this then through a blog. That way it is online and always accessible to them no matter where they are located. An heirloom blog.

But, heirloom blogs don't just have to be about ancestors. The nice thing about blogs is that they are so easy to do and so flexible. They can be set-up as family blogs for all your current family members to add their pictures and stories to. Set-up as a way for families to stay connected no matter where they are in the world. A family fun blog that everyone can participate in!

And, just think about how wonderful it would be for future generations to see what their parents or grandparents said or added to the blog back when. What a great way for grandchildren to get to know their grandparents.

Blogs as heirlooms and as family fun! How great is that? Now if I could just find the time.

Has Anyone Noticed!

BLOGS, BLOGS, AND MORE BLOGS!

Have any of you noticed how many blogs there are now for individuals, crafters, small business, corporations, etc.?

Everyday when I'm listening to the news I hear someone say, "Just go to so and so's blog at....." And, I love hearing that!

That tells me that blogs have become more and more commonplace as tools for individuals and families to stay in touch, as tools for small businesses and their customers, as tools for the news media, as selling tools, and as tools for mainstream businesses. Everyone and their brother has a blog and I think it's FABULOUS!

What I also love is how many crafting bloggers there are out there. And, most are around my age - which I also think is FABULOUS!

If you key the word blog into Google you'll get 1,030,000,000 results. That's a LOT OF BLOGS.

There's a reason why blogs have been increasing in popularity exponentially over the past few years and it's because they are FREE, they are easy to use, they are extremely easy to update, and they are highly personal - which most customers LOVE. If you were to apply the reality TV versus regular TV analogy to blogs and websites you'd understand why reality TV and blogs are so popular. They are both highly personal and both involve people interacting with each other.

Plus, they can and do function for some bloggers as very professional websites. You can have your own domain name and you can use a shopping cart. In fact, I'd say that there isn't much you can't do with a blog. There is a way to do just about anything you want to. That makes blogs much more versatile than a website as they are much more flexible. And, they are a LOT easier to change and update.

The Internet is ever changing and to be in business on the Internet you need to be fluid and ever changing. That means utilizing what's popular with users and customers. BLOGS are extremely popular and easily adaptable to any kind of commerce, especially e-commerce and e-products.

I, personally, love shopping with someone who has a personal or small business blog. I love the feeling of getting to know the person I'm buying from. I don't know if you feel the same way, too, but I always feel more comfortable buying from someone who has taken the time to tell me something about their product(s) and their life or business. By doing so they make me feel feel more comfortable doing business with them. And, that's what writing blogs for small businesses does. Hopefully, if the blog reader is comfortable with the blog owner they will buy their product.

If they do that's FABULOUS! Bring on the blogs. The more the merrier!

Miss America - What's Your Talent?

When I was growing up in the 1950's the attitudes towards women were different than they are today. This was during the middle of the "baby boom" era when wives were still expected to be "barefoot and pregnant - baking cookies in the kitchen!" It was a time when society still held rigid ideas of what an ideal women should and shouldn't be - a time when the ideal women was defined as "Miss America!" Someone who had a beautiful figure, beautiful face, wonderful attitude, just the right amount of knowledge, and, of course, talent.

I like many other young women of my day faithfully watched the "Miss America" pageant on TV with my Mother. I would sit and dream of being "Miss America" until it got to the talent competition. Then, I would freeze. I'd think to myself, "I can handle everything except the talent competition! What would I do for talent?"

You see, I couldn't sing, or dance, or play an instrument. I could sew up a storm and sew rings around anyone I knew, but that wasn't considered talent. What would I do? Come out on stage with my sewing machine and give everyone sewing lessons? Or, show everyone all the clothes that I'd made? The audience would fall asleep.

I could sew, I could craft like crazy, and I could design floral arrangements with the best of them, but that wasn't considered a talent. Well, if it wasn't talent I'd think to myself - I didn't know what was. There wasn't anything I couldn't make if I put my mind to it. Why was sewing and crafting not considered a talent? Just because it wasn't entertaining did that mean it wasn't talent?

The talent portion of the contest accounted for 1/3 of the contestant's overall score. In the talent portion of the competition contestants perform on stage before the judges and audience with the most common talents being singing, dancing, or playing a musical instrument. There have been other talents demonstrated like juggling, cheer leading, gymnastics, ventriloquism, drawing or painting. But, have you ever seen "crafting" or "sewing" as a talent?

So, I got frustrated and angry and gave up wanting to be Miss America. I resigned myself to being "talent-less!" As the years passed my creative juices continued to flow and I got better and better at sewing, crafting, and designing. At one point in my life everything I wore I had made. Then I got bored with making clothes for myself. I decided that I much preferred sewing smaller items like dolls as they took less time.

But, I never stopped thinking about "Miss America" and being "talent-less!" As the years passed I started to think that the ideal woman as defined by "Miss America" during the 1950's was so very wrong. The ideal was too confining and the talent criteria too restrictive. The talent parameters didn't encompass many of the other creative abilities of women and certainly didn't factor in all the different types of crafts that we have today.

So, I decided that women of all walks and ages are so gifted and talented in so many ways that it would be hard to define an "ideal" woman let alone set the criteria for "talent." I might be considered "talent-less" as far as the Miss America standards were concerned, but I was far from that as far as "crafters" standards were concerned.

By the standards defined in the 1950's Martha Stewart would be considered "talent-less!" I dare say most crafters would consider Martha Stewart to be the ultimate crafter with enormous "talent!"

I have changed a lot from the child who grew up with the 1950's ideals of a woman. If someone were to ask me today if I have talent I would not hesitate and would have a definitive and affirmative answer. I would only need to say three words that would define my talent.

Do I have talent? I absolutely have talent. "I'm a crafter!"


Copyright © 2007 - All Rights Reserved - Written By Linda Walsh of Linda Walsh Originals. Linda is a doll maker and doll pattern designer.

Nana - I NEVER Joke About CASH!

$$$$$
The statements that come out of the mouths of my Grandchildren always amaze me. Especially those that come out of the mouth of my Grandson " Nicky Noodles." But, sometimes you just have to keep yourself from bursting out laughing.

My Grandson and I were talking on the phone a few weeks ago about Easter and his First Communion. I, of course, asked him what he wanted for those two events and he immediately said "CASH!" "CASH!" I replied, "You're joking, right?" and he said, "Yes, Nana - I want CASH!"

I, of course started to laugh and replied, "You really are joking, right?" To which he said, "Nana, I NEVER joke about "CASH!" This out of the mouth of a seven year old.

My immediate reaction was "you're just like your Grandfather!" In fact, he's probably a chip off the old block. Maybe even a miniature version of his Grandfather! Heaven help all of us! (Just joking, dear!)

In any event, I decided that we would give him what he wanted for both of these events. However, I decided that I wanted to given him a "stash of cash" for his First Communion so I sent his Grandfather to the bank to get a bundle of 100 one dollar bills. I wanted the envelope with his First Communion card in it to be THICK. Just to see what his reaction was. I was going for the the "visual" effect that he would always remember.

After his First Communion was over I told him that we had a present for him and handed him a THICK envelope. He looked at the envelope and then looked at me with "HUGE" eyes and said, "Nana, is that all C-A-S-H in there?" I replied, " Well, you'll just have to open it up and see." So he ran over to a chair to sit down and open his envelope.

Well, I thought his eyes couldn't get any bigger, but they did. He couldn't contain his excitement when he say this HUGE "STASH OF CASH" and immediately ran over to his Father and said, "Dad, I'm RICH. I'm a millionaire!"

I, of course, padded myself on the back as the "visual" had the desired effect that I had wanted. My Grandson was thrilled with his Grandparents and had to show everyone what he'd gotten.

I was happy my Grandson was thrilled and hoped it would be an event he would never forget.

Perhaps, he might do the same in the future with one of his Grandchildren. I hope he does. But, then again, there's that statement, "Nana - I NEVER joke about "CASH!" Hmmmmmm..... Perhaps not.

The Little Girl Dresses!

Do you ever get that feeling that things were meant to be? When things are more than just a coincidence? I did, today. And, it had to do with "little girl dresses." Several discussions and designs converged today for me.

What am I talking about? Well, it has to do with some new patterns that I am designing, a discussion I had with my daughter-in-law, and my Grandmother's birthday, which was in June, shopping with my nieces, and my granddaughters turning 21 this year.

My Grandmother was born in 1896 and would have been 110 years old. Unfortunately, she passed away in 1975. While she is not here with us now she has left an indelible impression on me, my life, and my creativity. She has also left me with some wonderful memories. One of those has to do with "little girl dresses."

I must have been 4 or 5 and can remember standing in my room and looking up at the rack in my closet that held the "little girl dresses" that my Grandmother and Mother had bought for me.

They were frilly, flouncy, lacy, filled with tulle underskirt dresses and I just loved them. I could stand and look for hours at my dresses.

I, of course, wasn't allowed to touch them - I'd get them dirty. They were for our best occasions which I was hoping would be that day or the next day just so I could wear the dresses. Inevitably, a holiday or special occasion would occur and I would get to wear one of my dresses.

These were the type of dresses that you would twirl in and they would flounce out. I would just twirl and twirl and twirl in them. Around and around I'd go.

In our family room we had some steps right next to a sofa. When I was wearing one of these dresses I would love to stand on the steps and them jump down into the sofa. As I did my dress would fly up in the air like a parachute and then come landing down on me.

Of course, everyone could see my frilly underwear, leotards, slip, etc. when I did this - but, only for the briefest of moments. My Grandmother would "tsk, tsk" and would give me one of those looks of "that's not a lady like thing to do!" I'd just look back at her and smile. I just had to be me. And, then I'd look over at my Mother and she'd be smiling. She knew I just had to be me, too.

Why am I telling you this? Well, I was talking to my daughter-in-law on her way to work as she was stuck in traffic. She was telling me about her Grandmother who stored everything including all of her "little girl dresses" and all of her dance recital outfits. I told her I would love to see them and that she should never throw them away. I'd just love to takes a picture of all of them in a circle laid out in their glory.

I mentioned to her that one of the best shopping trips I had was a "birthday" shopping trip with my niece when she was about 5 or 6. She was so much fun to shop with. You never knew what she was going to do or what was going to come out of her mouth.

We, literally, spent hours in the dressing room while she tried on every frilly "little girl dress" they had, every outfit, hey - everything in the department in her size. She'd try it on then prance in front of the mirror, go outside to look at herself in the three mirrors, and on and on and on it went.

We filled two racks of clothes in the dressing room that day. When we were leaving we looked at the racks of clothes she had tried on and just laughed and laughed. I think we bought one outfit out of what had to be hundreds that she tried on.

During the conversation with my daughter-in-law I mentioned that my twin granddaughters and her niece's would be 21 this year. Where have the years flown?

I fondly recalled how I used to buy them frilly, fancy "little girl dresses." In fact,some of my favorite pictures are of them in their "little girl dresses" or in their dance recital outfits.

We, also, went on "birthday" shopping or "just visiting" shopping trips. They too, tried on many, many "little girl dresses" and other outfits and we always had a wonderful time. We called them our "shop til you drop" girls shopping excursions.

So what does all this have to do with worlds converging?

Well, right now I just happen to be designing and sewing "little girl dress" ornaments. I just happen to be talking about "little girl dresses" with my daughter-in-law. I just happen to be recalling fond memories of my Grandmother and my "little girl dresses." I just happen to be talking about shopping excursions with my niece and "hundreds" of "little girl dresses." And, I just happen to be picturing my twin granddaughters in their "little girl dresses."

Five generations of "little girl dresses." Of course, my Grandmother had THE BEST "little girl dress" as you can see from the black and white picture above.


So, I thought I would share some of my fond memories with you and share some of the pictures.

I don't think it's coincidental that I love Victorian dresses, that I loved staring at my own "little girl dresses", that I loved buying "little girl dresses" for my niece's and twin granddaughters, and that right now I'm designing and sewing some "little girl dress" ornaments. Nope, not coincidental at all.

My Grandmother has certainly left an indelible impression on me, my life, and my creativity. I hope I have done that with my own granddaughters and nieces.


As for my daughter-in-law, well, she is just going to have to get all those "little girl dresses" and dance recital outfits from her Grandmother. I need a picture for my Linda's blog.

Yup! I definitely need a picture of them in a circle laid out in their glory. "Little girl dresses" all laid out in a marvelous circle. Oh, Karen...............I need a picture of your "little girl dresses!" Oh, Karen...........

Some Easter Bunny Jokes For The Kids!

Everyone loves cute jokes. Here's a few Easter bunny jokes for the kids:

What does a bunny use when it goes swimming?
A hare-net.

Why did the Easter egg hide?
He was a little chicken!

How can you tell which rabbits are the oldest in a group?
Just look for the gray hares!
How do you make a rabbit stew?
Make it wait for three hours!

What did the bunny want to do when he grew up?
Join the Hare Force.

How are rabbits like calculators?
They both multiply real fast!
Why can't a rabbit's nose be twelve inches long?
Because it would then be a foot!
What do you get when you cross a rabbit with a spider?
A hare net!
Why did the bunny bang his head on the piano?
He was playing by ear!
Why did the man wear a rabbit as a hat?
He didn't want to harm a hare on his head!

Why does the Easter bunny have a shiny nose?
His powder puff is on the wrong end.

What are four hundred rabbits hopping backwards?
A receding hare line!
What did the rabbit say to the carrot?
It's been nice gnawing you!

Is it true that bunnies have good eyesight?
Well you never see a bunny wearing glasses, do you?
What is the difference between a crazy bunny and a counterfeit banknote?
One is bad money and the other is a mad bunny!

Why is a bunny the luckiest animal in the world?
It has four rabbits' feet

What do you get when you cross a bunny with an onion?
A bunion!

What do you call a bunny with a large brain?
Egghead!
What did the grey rabbit say to the blue rabbit?
Cheer up!
How does the Easter Bunny say Happy Easter?
Hoppy Easter
And, my personal favorite:

What kind of jewelry do rabbits wear?
14 carrot gold!
Happy Easter.

A Pupil, A Teacher, and The Crafting Community!

There is just something wonderful about crafting and being able to share your delight with crafting to anyone anywhere in the world. At least I think there is.

There is also something wonderful about helping another crafter and encouraging them to do what they want to do, but might be a little timid about it. After all, no one wants to look foolish. Do they?
Well, my answer to that is there is nothing that you create that you can look foolish for
Creating is creating and crafter's the world over understand this. Whether you are in India, South Africa, Australia, The United States, England, Germany, etc. crafting is crafting. Creating a doll is creating a doll. Designing a graphic is designing a graphic. Creative embroidery is creative embroidery. Crazy quilting is crazy quilting. Knitting is knitting. And, stitchery is stitchery. You get the idea.

The creation drive transcends boundaries and language. A beautiful doll created by a doll maker in India can be appreciated by any other doll maker the world over.

What sets crafter's apart no matter where they are in the world is the love of creating. The drive to not only make something, but to make it "your own."

When you make something "your own" you have set your ideas and creative imagination into the piece you have created. It becomes "beautiful" in your eyes and, hopefully, is appreciated by other crafter's who know what it is to create. So, how can you ever look foolish? My answer is you can't.
Last year a friend of mine, who makes the most wonderful dolls, wanted to try her hand at pattern making, but was a little skeptical that she could do it. Even though she had been in the craft business for 15 years she was still a little afraid and didn't want to look foolish. I, of course, encouraged her and gave her some helpful tips (at least I hope they were helpful) and told her to "GO FOR IT!" Well, she did and she hasn't stopped. She's been the energizer bunny ever since. Make that "the 2ND energizer bunny." Angie is "THE energizer bunny!"

Well, my friend has been involved with so many things since she got the confidence to do so that her creativity is in "overdrive." Along the way she's had a few questions and if I was able to help her I did.

Well, our online friendship developed to the point where she refers to me as "her teacher" and I refer to her as "my pupil." If you are a member of any of the crafting forums we belong to then you know who this is.

What is so wonderful about this story is that she has gone from 0 patterns to 18, has several websites, a crafting blog, a craft show E-Zine, and just bought a new online craft show website and a directory website. She's growing, and growing and growing. And, I couldn't be happier for her.

I know that she has helped others along the way as I have helped her. And, I hope, she will continue to do so which is what the "crafting community" worldwide is known for. We have a wonderful helping and contributing spirit amongst us that is rare and unique in today's day and age. We all help one another as we all appreciate the effort that goes into creating. And, by helping one another we all help "our crafting community" to grow. As the community grows we all benefit.

My motto is "What helps one crafter helps us all!" What could be better than that.

By the way, if you're wondering who my pupil is - it's Talena Bacon of Sew Cute Dolls & More, Sew Cute Doll Patterns, Mulberry Creek Mercantile, and Marketplace Craft Fair.

Copyright © 2007 - All Rights Reserved - Written By Linda Walsh. Linda is a doll maker and doll pattern designer.

The Lure Of The Leprechaun!

The lure of the leprechaun! Sounds ominous - doesn't it?

What do I mean by this? Well, what is it about leprechauns that makes people love them? What is their hidden attraction - their lure?

Is it their devilish nature? The twinkle in their eyes? Their dimples? Their rosy cheeks? Their sheer luck?

Maybe it's their tenacity? Their studiousness? Their lively spirits?

Or, the fact that they have little "pots of gold?" Hidden treasures and mischievousness?

Or, is it because they wear green outfits and live in the forest? Or is it because they are cobblers by trade? What?

So, what's the lure? Why do people far and wide love the little men in the green suits? (Almost sound like martians, doesn't it?) And, did they always wear green suits?

It's definitely something for everyone loves leprechauns, especially crafters. Of course, then again, crafters love just about anything that they can create. And, crafters love other crafters and leprechauns are shoemakers which makes them crafters after all. That's "crafters logic" for ya.

So, really, why do crafters love to create them? Is it their red hair? Is it because they are inherently lucky and we all hope some of that their luck will rub off on us? Or, is it because we can appreciate all their hard work and hard efforts to make their creations - shoes? What is it about these little men in green suits that lures us?

So, (surprise, surprise) that got me to thinking about the history of the leprechaun. If you're a reader of my Linda's Blog you had to see this coming a mile away. So, of course I had to find out - where did their legend begin?

According to Wikipedia.com - "In Irish mythology, a leprechaun (Modern Irish: leprechaun) is a type of male faerie said to inhabit the island of Ireland. They are a class of "faerie folk" associated in Irish mythology and folklore, as with all faeries, with the Tuatha Dé Danann and other quasi-historical races said to have inhabited Ireland before the arrival of the Celts."

As with many legends and folklore Irish legends are steeped in Celtic or Druid superstition and folklore that are handed down one generation to another.

Irish folklore, in particular is full of tales of fairies, leprechauns, banshees and other supernatural beings. Centuries ago it was believed that fairies lived in fairy forts which were large mounds of earth and that if you were to touch a fairy that would bring you bad luck.

Banshee's were female spirits who had long flowing hair and who wailed outside the home of someone whose was about to die. In rural Ireland to this day many people still believe in the banshee.

The most famous Irish fairy of all is, of course, the leprechaun. They are said to be aloof and unfriendly and busy themselves all day making shoes. They aren't easy to spot, but are industrious - stashing away all their money in hidden pots of gold at the end of the rainbow. According to legend, the only way to track a leprechaun is to follow the sound of a leprechaun hammering the shoes.

The image of the Leprechaun is that of a mischievous little old man who is 2' tall and a cobbler or shoemaker by trade. They are usually thought of to be rich, having buried many, many "pots of gold." According to legend, if you come across a leprechaun do not look away. If you do they will disappear. If you keep your eyes fixed on them they cannot escape or vanish. But, they are cunning and often can trick you into looking away.

In most of the folklore surrounding leprechauns they are characterized as harmless creatures who live alone or in remote locations. They like their solitude, but if engaged in conversation can be quite worldly. But, don't expect them to tell you where they've hidden their "pots of gold." They aren't likely to tell you that and will trick you before they do.

According to some legends leprechauns can be ill-mannered and cunning.

One interesting fact that surprised me was that in 1831 Samuel Lover wrote that the leprechaun wore a red coat, and Yeats in 1888 in his book entitled Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry describes the leprechaun as follows:

"He is something of a dandy, and dresses in a red coat with seven rows of buttons, seven buttons on each row, and wears a cocked-hat, upon whose pointed end he is wont in the north-eastern counties, according to McAnally, to spin like a top when the fit seizes him."

Now-a-days he wears a green coat or green frock and is synonymous with shamrocks and St. Patrick's Day. And all of that is synonymous with the Irish.

The Irish have celebrated St. Patricks Day for thousands of years. Surprisingly, the first St. Patrick's Day parade took place not in Ireland, but in the United States. Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through New York City on March 17, 1762.

Over the next several decades Irish patriotism amongst American immigrants flourished and parades and "the celebrating of the green" became synonymous with Irish American pride.

Millions of Irish immigrants started pouring into to the U.S. during the Great Potato Famine of Ireland in 1845. They soon came to realize that their sheer numbers had political clout. As a result, their voting block, known as the "green machine," became an important swing vote for political hopefuls. To this day in the U.S. annual St. Patrick's Day parades and breakfasts are a must-attend event for seasoned politicians and political hopefuls. And, everything, including the food is "green" in color.

So, as with most legends and folklore the legends become history and the folklore becomes tradition. Soon it becomes hard to tell the legends and folklore from the facts. So, are the Irish lucky (i.e. the luck of the Irish) because of the leprechauns or the leprechauns lucky because they are "Irish?" We'll never know.

"The luck of the Irish" has been a saying tossed around for decades, along with images of tiny green men, green beer and, of course, the four-leaf clover. Some say that the saying "luck of the Irish" doesn't infer luck at all - but, instead, infers "bad luck!" We'll never know for sure. In any event, if you are lucky enough to be Irish or to see a "leprechaun" maybe you'll soon be finding your own "pot of gold." Maybe that even means that if you're a crafter who makes them "you will soon find your reward for all your hard work!"

For crafters, leprechauns come in all shapes, sizes, and materials, They are short, fat, skinny, tall, made of cloth, wood, ceramic, plastic, etc. They can be made out of just about anything, but for sure, they are all mischievous. Whatever it is that lures us to make them - they are a delight to make.

And, if you do make a leprechaun doll - watch out. They can be mischievous and cause quite the stir in your household.

Happy St. Patrick's Day.

Some Irish Blessings For You

As St. Patrick's Day approaches please remember these Irish Blessings:

May your thoughts be as glad as the shamrocks,
May your heart be as light as a song,
May each day bring you bright, happy hours,
That stay with you all the year long
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May the Irish hills caress you.
May her lakes and rivers bless you.
May the luck of the Irish enfold you.
May the blessings of Saint Patrick behold you.
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May your blessings outnumber
The Shamrocks that grow.
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.
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May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light.
May good luck pursue you each morning and night.
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Wishing you a rainbow
For sunlight after showers—
Miles and miles of Irish smiles
For golden happy hours—
Shamrocks at your doorway
For luck and laughter too,
And a host of friends that never ends
Each day your whole life through!
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And, my favorite Irish blessing:

May you live a long life
Full of gladness and health,
With a pocket full of gold
As the least of you wealth.
May the dreams you hold dearest,
Be those which come true,
The kindness you spread,
Keep returning to you.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Who Doesn't Love Bunnies?

Who doesn't love cute, cuddly bunnies. Crafters and doll makers certainly do. When a crafter thinks of Easter or Spring they generally think bunnies and eggs. They're become a staple of Easter and Spring.

Why? Because like many other items crafters can do so many things with them. They can be Victorian, Primitive, Country, even Shabby Chic. They can be made of fur, cloth, wood, metal, just about anything. They can be colorful or bleak. They can have clothes or no clothes. They can be cuddly or firm. They can be standing, sitting, even hopping. They can be toys, dolls, knick-knacks, graphics, cartoons, candy, signs, pictures, etc. Just about anything you can imagine. The sky's the limit.

So, where did all the fascination and tradition of bunnies being associated with Easter and Spring begin. As with a lot of our traditions bunnies or really, hares have their origins in pre-Christian or pagan folklore. They served as symbols of abundant new life in the Spring. It was decided that Easter would always be the first Sunday following a full moon. So, since the moon was used to determine the date for Easter and the hare was the Egyptian symbol for the moon, hares became associated with Easter. Hares are nocturnal like the moon and carry their young for a month before giving birth, which is like the changing moon with its monthly full moon. It was also believed that the hare always kept its eyes open, watching the moon.

According to some pagan folklore, the Easter bunny was originally a large bird belonging to the goddess Eostre. To entertain her children she magically changed her favorite pet bird into a hare, which immediately laid colorful and magical eggs. So, because the Easter bunny was really a bird at heart he continued to build a straw nest and fill it with eggs.

Eggs were dyed and eaten during the Spring festivals in ancient Egypt, Greece, Persia, and Rome and were given as gifts to celebrate the coming of Spring. In all cultures the egg symbolizes the beginning of life or the universe. The early Christians didn't feel that the pagan custom of coloring eggs was harmful so they kept that pagan tradition and applied it to their own festivities. Some speculate that missionaries or Knights of the Crusades were responsible for bringing the coloring of eggs westward.

The earliest known reference to a modern Easter Bunny appears in German writings in 16th century Germany. In medieval times eggs were traditionally given at Easter to the servants. The first edible Easter bunnies were made in Germany during the early 1800's and were made of pastry and sugar.

In the 18th century, German settlers brought the Easter Bunny tradition to America. The white Easter Bunny was called "Oschter Haws" or "Osterhase" and brought gifts of chocolate candy to good children. The children believed that if they were good the "Oschter Haws" would lay colorful eggs for them in a nest the children had built, which was usually a hat or bonnet that was placed in a secluded place like the barn or the garden.

Placing the hats or bonnets in secluded places eventually lead to the Easter Hunts. On Easter morning the children of the house would join together in a search for the eggs that the Easter Bunny had hidden while they were asleep.

By the 19th century the Easter Hare became the Easter Rabbit. Plastic Easter eggs made their debut in the early 1960's with more than 1 million plastic eggs being purchased each year for Easter. American families would later change the tradition of the nest into using baskets and giving chocolate as well as money. And, today, we know how commercial all of this has become. Easter baskets are no longer just filled with candy eggs. It's amazing how a simple tradition has become such a commercial affair.

In any event, now you know why bunnies are associated with Easter and Spring. I suspect that crafters will continue with their love affair with bunnies for a long time to come. They're just so versatile. Besides, how can you not love a bunny? They're just so cute, so cuddly, so fuzzy, so warm, so....

Oh, here comes Peter Cottontail!
Hopping down the bunny trail,
Hippity hoppity, Happy Easter Day!"

Graphic courtesy of Becky at www.primsandstems.com