Thursday, December 29, 2011

... welcome to my new visitors!!

I hope everyone is finding their holidays pleasant. They can be a bit of a burden sometimes which...isn't that just the most ridiculous thing?? Ohhh the irony! I received a wonderful greeting earlier this month from some lovely new dolls. A giant thank you goes out to Nancy in Florida!!! She sent in the most beautifully done dolls. You are saying..."Brenda, that's FANTASTIC, let's see"...I know, I wish i could share, BUT, I can't find my cord again for the camera. (alas, a common foible of mine) As soon as I find it, or, break down and purchase a new one, I will upload the pics that I have taken to share.
In the meantime, Happy upcoming year. I wish everyone the best that life has to bring....don't forget that can sometimes be wrapped in struggle...it's worth the unwrapping!!
Smiles to All,
Brenda

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

...the Australian Connection...

I received a letter today from Elizabeth in Australia.  Stop..backup... On Sunday we, Elizabeth and  I were contacted via e-mail by Jeannie Ward who works for a women's shelter in Sydney, she really loved our project and what we are accomplishing. On Oct. 9th, they are having a  "Community Cares Day" to help raise awareness of domestic/family violence and related issues. She invited us to be involved in some way.

OK...fast forward to today...
Elizabeth, our Australian CDP sponsor received her first doll donation in the mail! She is hoping that Jeannie will be able to display these with flyers for the  "Community Cares Day".  The timing could not have been any better.
It never ceases to amaze me how the powers that be deliver.
Now here is the photo Elizabeth included
These wonderful dolls are from a  well known Australian doll designer,  Delys Brady, who has donated part of her collection.  A lovely lady and a lovely gesture!
 Once again, thank you one and all for your participation and support for our project. It is because of every individual that our group is  such a success.
Smiles to All,
Brenda

Friday, September 9, 2011

...mystery solved

the unknown Artist is Lynette Cahill fromTucson, AZ. This is a direct quote from Lynette: 
 
"   I primarily make quilts and use the surface design techniques I have learned in the dolls.  Besides going to a good cause, the dolls give me the opportunity to finish something on a lot less time than a quilt and they are a good avenue for my slightly skewed sense of humor."
 
Lynette's sense of humor comes through and they are just wonderful. !! Thanks for solving the mystery
Happy Days to All,
Smiles,
Brenda

Thursday, September 1, 2011

good morning...donations given their due....

good morning to everyone! First off, this summer I received many wonderful donations that were not given note. So, here it is!!
a giant box full of comfort dolls from Colleen Cheshire...the box literally overfloweth, 126 comfort dolls to be exact!
Kudos our wonderful French Connection Jill McNeilly of bois-fleurie.blogspot.com. Thank you so much for such a wonderful donation. Your faces are just fantastic!
CA Haskell from Texas sent these wonderful gems! I so love that everyone is so different and so uniques with their dolls!

Next up...ugh...I don't know who these are from, I misplaced the card...BUT...I absolutely love these!!! all the wonderful different face beads and designs you incorporate are just a hoot!! Please, set me straight so that I may give you the artist a name.


If I have somehow missed someone, please let me know. The summer without internet was just enough of a snafu to throw-off this already off -kiltered blogger!

Smiles to All,
Brenda

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

...where does it go?

I find it incredibly hard to believe that we are already almost through the month of July! Where does it go? I hope everyone is enjoying their summer. I have found yet another new distraction. One of the vendors at the farmer's market in Culver Indiana has rescued some Alpacas. OK, right there, HOW COOL! (wait it gets better) If you have never felt unprocessed alpaca fleece, it is amazing. All I can compare is to is wonderful light cotton candy that doesn't get sticky and you can snuggle up with. I am completely serious, I have never been in contact with anything so delicious that ISN'T food.
Anyway, she shears her Alpaca's, washes, and then handcards the fibers (all of this is new verbage as I didn't know a thing 2 weeks ago), then, she hand spins on a spindle the fibers into yarn. Now, if you know anything about me, one thing you do know is that I am a "process" creator...just love a process. So, of course, I jumped in with both feet. She recommended the book "Respect the Spindle" which is wonderful. It is chucked full of photos, instructions, history, and just a variety of different ways to make yarn. I also highly recommend the book. I bought a spindle, which was made from a wooden toy truck wheel, dowel rod and hook, really, that simple...and off I went.
Believe it or not, that isn't the best part of the story...she is bringing me a pound, yes, a pound of unprocessed fleece. I will get to do all of the work. I can't wait to wash and card the fleece...I don't have any handcards yet though...can you say "Christmas Present"?
Smiles to All,
Brenda

Thursday, July 7, 2011

...excuses...excuses


This lack of internet is quite the adjustment! Quickly, here are the pics I promised. Thanks to everyone!!! The author of the piece Nicole Macdonald sent me a list of questions and asked me to answer and also send her pics. I must have sent 30 different pictures of everyones wonderful work. These are the pics that she chose to include. Once again, what a wonderful village we are.  I have been working on ball jointed dolls lately, which is a wonderful consumption of time. I am extremely fortunate to have summers off to really delve into creating. I will work on being more accountable and organized on this site...progress, not perfection!
Smiles to All,
Brenda

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

...just GIDDY...we've been Published!

Yes! It's true! Creating Country Threads has a beautiful 3 page spread on our project. I'm not able to upload the article yet, as I'm posting from the library, but I should be able to upload pics of the article by the end of this weekend. Nicole contacted me last year about doing an article in the publication and we sat and asked and answered questions and really, I forgot about it. Well...thanks to newcomer, Fahy Rolfe, I realized that, WOW there is an article out there about us. Indeed, the next day in the mail I received my copy of the magazine. BEAUTIFUL!! The artwork is wonderful, the article, very true and well represented. Just a fantastic tribute to all of us! (I can't seem to get away from the exclamation points!!) This is just kind of like teasing you on Christmas Eve with just one small present without being able to open all the big Kahunas until later...sorry.

Now if that isn't just about enough wonderful news for one day...there is MORE...
Please help me welcome Elizabeth Beglin, she is going to be our Australian Comfort Doll Project Contact! I know, it is so cool! Elizabeth contacted me wanting to know if there were any specific Women's Shelters that I send to in Australia, as the postage to the States can be outrageous. No, there wasn't BUT...I threw it out to her that it would be wonderful if we had an Australian contact. She graciously accepted! So, now, we are on 2 continents....here they come more exclamation marks...!!!!!
I will get a standing page with Elizabeth's information on it soon, but in the meantime, Australia, here is her information:
Comfort Doll Project
c/o Elizabeth Beglin
 - 24 Bland Road, York, Western Australia, Postcode 6302
The email is - dolly.hugs@yahoo.com
Aren't Wednesday's GRAND : )

Giant Smiles to All, 
Brenda
PS: Pat thank you for what you started, it is such a privilege to keep it going
 

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

M.O.I

Yes, it does appear that I have been Missing On Internet.

I have to confess that as of this moment, I'm posting from the library, we don't have internet service this summer...rule #1: don't preview your post...just hit post...

OK first a thanks to everyone who is still checking in and following. You are wonderful! A giant WELCOME to all who are new! I'm waiting to hear back from a contact in Australia who may have some exciting news for us so....that's just a teaser for you guys. I'll fill you in when it's a true "Go".

Dear Patti, you are amazing. Once again I've received dolls from Patti. Folks, just to let you know, she is one of the most diligent of us on keeping dolls coming in, so, while reading this, if we could all just send some wonderful warm hugs of thanks her way...I know they would be well recieved.

Also, a huge HOORAA for....arrrrghhh...where's my piece of paper....ok...you know who you are...you sent the wonderful box full of 20+ dolls. (like I said I'm at the library and I forgot my list)...any way...I will make sure I get some pics and give credit where credit is due...the dolls are ALWAYS such a hoot!

So, that is all for now, I can't tell you how much everyone's involvement in this project means. I'm sure though, that you all do know, and that is how you have found your way here.

Love, Smiles, and Hugs to All,
Brenda

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

...it's almost like I won the lottery!

Today I was lucky enough to meet with a retired teacher and dollmaker. He suffers from a little dementia, and a little hard of hearing...ok..back story. A fellow OTS asked if I would be interested in doing some elder care for her father. Now, I'm not a nurse, or particularly like older people (not that I dislike them)...just not into elder care or any care...taking care of myself is more than a full time job in and of itself. So, after serious thought, I declined. Well, come to find out...HE MAKES DOLLS!!! I kind of put this back in my mind under the category..."hmmmm?" Fast forward to these BJD that I'm trying to figure out, banging my head against any soft surface (I'm not into self harm) and sure enough, out flies the filed elder care out of the "hmmmm" file. So, today we met. What great FUN!!! So many smiles, so much laughter, it was like coming home. I just loved it, and they seemed to enjoy having my sponge brain at the willing. One of the many things that struck me as "ahhh, the mother-ship" was that we were discussing something around the kitchen table, various items surrounded us: a peanut butter jar, a towel with my body pieces strewn, a pile of doll joints, a stack of papers, and when Carol needed a fine pointing object she reached into the coffee mug that held various items and pulled out a capped scalpel....AHHHHH!
Needless to say, I'm looking forward to spending time with my new friends and giving the daughter a break. I've indeed won the lottery!
Smiles to All,
Brenda

Monday, March 7, 2011

slowly but...not surely

This may look like I've not gotten very far...I've been fixing things like...the abdominal area, adding breasts...and trying to figure out how in the world all of this goes together. I've found a sight that has helped me a bit on the steps, but isn't very detailed. (Boy, I really wish I read Japanese!) Obviously, I'm not going to complete this perfectly, the leg joints aren't the way the are suppose to be, the doll isn't able to get to a full right angle...things like that...how deep the balls should go into the joints...how do the feet and hands get balled and then how does the hook work????..among other things of frustration....YET...it is coming along, and that I am extremely pleased with!!(what's the saying? Rome wasn't built in a day) : )
Smiles to All,
Brenda

Monday, February 28, 2011

...new news!

Today I opened my email to find a letter from Lucy, she has made a dozen dolls to send in to the project. BUT, she didn't stop there. She looked around for a magazine to be an outlet for them. She found one! This is what she wrote:
"Sew News has decided to make them their 2012 charity initiative! What this means is during the entire 2012 year Sew News will have a spot about your charity as well as the template for my dolls in EVERY issue of the year as well as a constant initiative on their blog, facebook, and twitter sites. "
Of course, I've accepted this generous offer, I can only hope that we will be flooded with Comfort Dolls!!! This is a picture of the dolls that she has made and is making the template for...
One thing that I do think is extremely important with this acceptance is that we make sure that everyone realizes that there is no one "correct" Comfort Doll. These gals were made from Lucy's heart and she is willing to share with us to help others that may be blocked for ideas. Remember that wherever your heart takes you, it is yours to follow.
I am so excited to have this great outlet for our Project. Thanks to everyone.
Smiles to All, Brenda

Monday, February 7, 2011

...these boots were made for walking


A few more guests stopped by on Saturday. These gals came all the way from Wyoming. Thank you so much Charleen for your wonderful contribution! What I really love (besides the imagination, creativity and impeccable craftsmanship) about some of these gals is that they have boots on. All I can think of the lyrics " these boots are made for walking", and the wonderful courage that these women have.




Saturday, February 5, 2011

...my basket runneth over


Well, the ladies, and a few bugs, thanks Beveryly Torres of the Kindred Sisters Gathering Post, had a very busy day. First, the meet and greet. Everyone came out of their bags and packages and mixed together getting better aquianted. (Chrisine Amaryllis, your dolls are incredibly cordial, so they did all the hostess work). Next, they paired off with their traveling partners. The photos will show who hooked up with who and their destination:


#79 Family Crisis Center Terre Haute, IN

#80 North Central Indiana Rural Crisis Center in Rensselear, IN

#81 The Stepping Stone Shelter Michigan City, IN

#82 The Caring Place in Valparaiso, IN

 <>  #83 Haven of Rest Ministries in Akron, OH <>
#84 Family Service of Central Indiana in Lebanon, IN
 
After all their running about and pairing up, and then getting all their Comfort Doll tags, into the envelopes they went, all settled in for their flight, even if one flight was in their current city. For good luck, Ollie gave them all one last hug.
Smiles to All,
Brenda




Monday, January 24, 2011

...look who stopped by


I came home on Saturday to this mysterious box. I can't explain the feeling of anticipation and curiosity that overcomes me when I see a package marked "Comfort Doll ".  These little gals are who greeted me upon opening. As you can see on the second photo, Cathy backed each with some really fun fabric! These CD's were made by Cathy Holzer of Davenport Iowa. Giant thanks Cathy. My basket has gotten full again so it's time for me to get to work and get these wonderful dolls to their new loving homes.
I hope everyone is enjoying their first month of 2011, make it a good one, you deserve it!
Smiles to All,
Brenda
(aarrrrgh...blogger is having issues with uploading pics...so, I'll try again later...huh...now it's like you have a package waiting on your doorstep waiting to be opened too...feel the anticipation?)

Thursday, January 20, 2011

check out these eyes!

I was lucky enough to happen upon this post by Marin Lenz. She shared how she makes "glass" like eyes. So, I gave it a whirl....all I can say is HOW COOL! and of course a giant THANKS. These are my first set of eyes to use in an unknown doll somewhere down the line. Please take the time to check out Marin's blog and her wonderful work!
Smiles to All
Brenda

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

...Breeennnddaa...where are you?

Oh, there I am.
Yep, I'm still here and have set some new goals this year for my participation in the CDP. A basic is post more often. (I have to confess that working with a planner is one of my personal "lofty" goals this year, and believe me, it is a lofty goal, I struggle like crazy with this so called "tool" (can you sense my apprehension?)) But, goal it is!
The other is doing my own studies of dolls. Starting with a basic doll shape and then seeing how I can alter and manipulate the outcome with different embellishments and treatments. My hope with setting this goal; that it will help me kind of "force" my own creativity. I will then post my adventures with thoughts and photos of the work that I am doing.
So, there you have it, a brief synopsis of what I'm looking forward to this 2011! Post more, work more.
Happy New Year to All!
Let's start where we are...what a great place it can be.
Smiles to All,
Brenda