Pink Waldorf Angel

waldorf angel pink 1 copy, originally uploaded by germandolls.

This is such a cutie. I think everybody needs angel like that to watch over them...

5 Pastel Pocket Dolls

I finished this cute set of 5 pocket dolls in the wee morning hours before going to church today. I know it's Sunday and one should really rest. But my hands can never be still and must create every day. Just like breathing.

I love getting up early. I usually rise around 4 am. How about you? Are you an early riser.

 

The only problem is I get really tired around 2PM and need a nap. Not these little guys. They are all ready to play. What a happy blue-eyed bunch they are.

Hair like a Dream

candy outdoors 2, originally uploaded by germandolls.

I think her hair is lovely. It's the most beautiful yarn I have ever had the privilege to put on a doll.

Candycorn Yarn

Oh my! I received this most amazing beautiful handspun yarn in the mail the other day. I love the colors so much. It looks like the mountains in Colorado when they start changing colors. Have you ever experienced the intense golden yellows of aspen trees? Every leaf looks like a shiny golden coin. The bright oranges and browns are gorgeous, too.

 I swear my friend Anna who created the yarn does magic with colors. I hope you visit her shop and snatch up some of that beautiful yarn of hers.

Thanks so much, Anna! I adore everything you do.

Of course, I had to make a doll with it. My hands were itching all week to make a fall girl sporting this fancy yarn. Oh, she turned out so sweet. I want to keep her to myself...I will share some photos later today.

Field of Dreams

Last night we watched the movie Field of Dreams with the family. It's a rather old movie from 1989. I have been wanting to see it for many years, hearing people use references from it in different places on many occasions. Now I know why...

Field of Dreams is the story of a 36-year-old Iowa farmer named Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) who keeps hearing voices telling him "to build it." Build what? It takes him a while to figure it out. The voice is asking him to build a baseball field. Everybody thinks he is totally nuts. Especially the other farmers. But once he builds the baseball field, dead baseball players from the past start appearing and playing baseball in his field. It is a magical field. Only certain people can see it. Only the people who are believers can see it.

Ha, I love it. I won't get into the rest of the story. If you have not seen this movie you should definitely rent it. It was so perfect for me to see at this time and place in my life.  I think this movie is about lost chances and giving up on dreams. Often people have to give up on their dreams because of circumstances - lack of money, skill, opportunity. Ray's father had to give up on his dream of being a baseball player because he had to support his family. Ray's whole life is overshadowed by the fact that he never made peace with his dad after a fight.

What do we make of our dreams in life? How do we find our true calling? I often feel like Ray when it comes to my art and my little doll business. My "field of dreams" is to make a living doing what I love best. The problem is that many people around me don't see it or understand it. Some flatout think it's nuts. How do you keep your dreams alive against all odds?

I keep hearing this little voice in my head. If you keep making art,  they will come and buy it from you. I will be able to make a decent living as an artist some day, right?

Just got to keep believing in your dreams.

What are your dreams? Have you found your true calling? If not, I hope you are surrounded by a family who loves and supports you no matter how crazy and farout your dreams seem...

Go play outside!

blond Pumpkin baby 2, originally uploaded by germandolls.

Finally the weather is cooling down. Looking forward to playing in the leaves...

Hope

It's a sad day. Every year on September 11th we can't help but remember the sadness from 11 years ago. Odd how we never forget the little details of a horrible day. What we did and what we ate that morning. Like most families in the US we were sitting down having breakfast - getting ready to take our boy to preschool. Life in America was good and felt very safe. Then things changed within minutes. News came from the radio and we turned on the TV. One could almost feel the shock waves going through the air from one side of the Nation to the other.

My daughter's class watched a movie in her social studies class yesterday. There was a boy in her class who was born on that day. That would be a hard date of birth to have...

Really strange to think that that could me my child. My daughter is exactly six months older than the boy in her class. How would you celebrate your birthday on that day? And then my thoughts start drifting back to yet another child. Do you remember that little girl named Christina Taylor Green who also shared this birthday. Her life ended when a madman shot her at a political event in Arizona last year.

Some days are harder than others. The sadness just seems to take hold of one and it's like you almost can't breathe thinking of all the evil in this world.

But we have to keep hope alive and take care of our babies every day. Hug them tight every night. And never forget the victims! Sweet Christina, you will never be forgotten!

Celebrating Sweet Babies

It's been 14 years since I brought my first child into this world. Our boy is celebrating his 14th birthday today. I cannot help but feel a bit melancholic.

To make the funk go away I finished another doll. I am calling her Babette. Have you ever seen the movie Babette's Fiest? You can read the long convoluted plot summery on Wikipedia.
The name seems appropriate because Babette is the sweetest person ever.

I am so sick of reading the papers, watching TV, and even Facebook,  listening to people talk about the upcoming elections. I wish there was a button where one could just blend it all out - delete any talk about politics. I find the hate mongering so incredibly depressing and lowering to the spirit.

Since I am not eligable to vote nobody needs to worry about my opinion anyways. What I think will not make a difference in 60 days. But I wish that people would stand back once in a while and listen to themselves talk. Why are you so angry all the time? Whatever happened to kindness and generosity?

Go watch the movie Babette's Fiest! We all need more Babettes and sweetness in our life and hit delete button when it comes to hate. I'll keep adding sweet dolls to the world's population. It is a lot more productive and uplifting.

Happy Birthday, Babette! Happy Birthday my sweet babe, Jonah!

Reading to my GermanDolls

I just received a CD with photos of a most adorable customer of mine. I can't get over how great these are. I will probably use them on my website.

 

 

Makes you wonder what story they were reading? When is the last time you got that excited about a book?

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, the Magic of Childhood!

 

 

Rusty, a Waldorf style Elf Doll

Rusty the Elf 2, originally uploaded by germandolls.

A sweet little Elf Baby I just made is saying "Hi" today. Hope you are having a good day and enjoying some cooler weather. I am certainly ready for fall. Hence the fall colors on this doll.

Biggest Ball of Twine

Well, I have had it. Whenever I turn around or leave my little studio unattended invisible hands appear to be reaching for my dollmaking twine/thread and steal it. Or am I just imagining this? Fact is that supplies keep shrinking. Yet when I ask the family: Who keeps taking my dollmaking thread - nobody wants to admit to  being the guilty part. But how come the ball is getting so small?

I say: People, this is serious business! If I don't have any thread I can't make dolls. Big dolls, small dolls. They all are made with this stuff. It's like taking the flour away from a baker...Grrr....

So this weekend I went out and bought me the biggest most giant ball of thread I could find. I am not sure how many thousands of meters this thing has. It is HUGE! There is no way the kids and husband can take it all.

What are they using it for anyways? I know some of it went to dog leashes for various stuffed animals. Then there was this tennisball in the yard. It had a whole in it that went all the way through, from one side to the other. Did they shoot the ball? Somebody had tied some of my dollmaking string to it. I suppose it was used as a weapon of some sort....It's a good thing I don't have my eyes everywhere all the time. Ignorance can be bliss.

So from now on I will just not worry about it. They can take all they want. This giant ball will last forever. I am pretty certain of it...

I am happy to announce the winner of my Doll Giveaway. Her name is Miryam W.

I will try and contact you today via your Blog since you did not leave an email for me. Hope you see this and enjoy the news.

Congratulations, Myriam!