...WE ARE OVER 100!...

...WE ARE OVER 100!... Look yous guys, we did it, we are over 100 strong, 102 to be exact! A giant thanks to everyone for your support and good wishes.

I am always in awe of not only the time that you put into making your dolls, but then taking the time to sit down and jot a little note. It is such an honor to be able to receive and read your wonderful stories. I just got a note from 2 sisters who get together on Tuesdays to sew. They have read sewnews for years and saw the project. How wonderful that they were able to have this to share with each other, and then to us.

Little Gals waiting to get a new home

Now, I'd like to take a moment and share with you what a discovered, well, to be honest, after the first few batches of dolls. This wonderful pattern is missing an important element. A mouth. These dolls are headed to people who have been abused for using their voice, or who have never been able to appreciate their own voice, and the dolls need to reflect the importance of being able to speak. So, my volunteers and I have been adding mouths to these beauties. (I know, why didn't I say anything earlier??? I too have my own "speaking" issues in play.)

  Before anyone has a chance to say, "..but I can't make a mouth", let me assure you that YES YOU CAN! This is all we do.

one dot left

   All we have done is made 3 red dots, two on the top, one centered underneath and then drawn with a micron pen (or any other non-bleeding marker) a line through the center and then outlined the upper two dots, and the lower dot....and viola! A mouth in which to speak, to laugh, to cry, to sing!!

now one dot right

now the 3rd dot under those

squiggle line between

outline top and bottom 

TADAA!

Please, do not let the mouth stop you from making these gals. If you just don't feel comfortable doing it, please send them without and I will continue giving them their voice.

Another GIANT thanks to all!!

Smiles to All,
Brenda

...never forget

You are worthy. You are not your family's drama. You are not limited by the borders of your hometown. You are not a story in history books. And you can be more that the sum total of your life's experiences. "You must be a lotus, unfolding its petals when the sun rises in the sky, unaffected by the slush where it is born or even the water which sustains it!" If we tell it like it TIZ, we remember the words of the late great Tupac, "It's like if you plant something in the concrete, you ain't gonna say "damn, look at all the scratches and marks on the rose.." you gonna be like "DAMN! a ROSE grew from the CONCRETE?" We've made it through some stuff ya'll. Today, it feels good to stop and say so. Now is our new beginning. Together, we grow vibrant, healthy, delicate and strong. [Lotus Quote: Sai Baba, Photo: Tina Turner]