Giant thanks to the "Kindred Sisters Gathering Post Group"

I finally had a chance to sit down and careful unwrap the wonderful gems that came to my house to visit. (They arrived on Saturday, I'm a terrible hostess) How amazing...one after another. I know when they arrive at their final destination, they will be so loved. Once again, a giant thanks to Kelly of Mystical Entities, she made the large doll, and Beverly of Heartland Creations. If you'd like to see more of their work: ksgp on ebay,

http://www.mysticalentities.blogspot.com/ http://www.kindredsistersgatheringpostblog.blogspot.com/ http://www.kindredsisterssellingblog.blogspot.com/ and http://www.heartlandcreations.blogspot.com/

Looks like I will have some very special dolls to send out this Friday.

Thank to All and Smiles,

Brenda

A Great Thankyou!

New Arrival of Lovelies

I haven't had the "proper" time to sit down and look at our wonderful new arrivals. I unwrapped 2 of them, and ...let's just say, they are wonderful. I will post more later today, I just wanted to say that they have arrived and thank you so much ladies!!!
Smiles, Brenda

A Couple of sock creatures

I ran across this book, "Stupid Sock Creature" by John Murphy...wonderful! These won't be comfort dolls, but, may bring some sort of inspiration if not a smile to your face.

Smiles,

Brenda

New Comfort Doll..still in progress

My DF Susan turned me onto freemotion quilting. She has a fantastic jumbotron mega monster...but that's her gig, so that makes sense...myself...my little machine with my cool new table I made last week, and all the great products I bought for myself (sorry family, beanies and weanies for dinner this week)

This is the wonderful result for the project though, Base Quickies!!!

So... what I have done here is this: take a top piece,quilt batting and muslin back and outline freemotion syle the body. Continue and define the head and legs. I then defined the arms.

OK... then I tore a "dresslike" piece of contrasting fabric and stitched it on. (I'm not real thrilled with that, but oh, well...there will be more dolls!)

Next I cut around the figure, probably about a 1/4" or so away and placed that on the back material, switched out my thread on the machine and stitched away again. I left an opening on the bottom to insert lavender and polyfil. I've found if I just grap some lavender with my hemostats and stuff just like I would with polyfil, it is much faster. (I was using a "funnel" system which was just really slow). Then, just put her back under the machine and stitch her closed. She is either ready to send out like this, or you can spend some more time on her with embellishments.

I'm going to have to bead her somewhere...I just love the way it feels.

What is wonderful about this doll, is that she is really portable for the recipient, as well as quick for me to make, and as I said, I can now spend as little or as much time with the embellishments.

I hope this has given you ideas!!

Smiles to All,

Brenda

Phew...I'm back

OK, that last post was a bit "In your face". My husband asked what I was thinking, and didn't I think that was a bit too heavy? Well, maybe, but I had been wondering to myself, "what really am I trying to do here"....and, "Is it time well spent." The answer to the first is: help others, so the answer to the second question would be: most definetly YES!

A friend turned me onto this wonderful blogspot : freemotionquilting.blogspot.com This is Leah Day's blog and she is just amazing. I started my inquiry because I want to interpret my son's photos into quilted totes. Then, I got to thinking...why not do some free motion Comfort Dolls? I don't know...but, I won't know unless I try, so that is my next challenge doll for myself. I will post what I come up with.

Once again, thanks to everyone who is visiting this site, your comments, your dolls, and your support is turning this "baton hand-off" from Pat into my own . So, thank you very much.

Smiles and Hugs to All,
Brenda

Reality

Today, when I took my 11 minute, safe, reflective, and warm shower, 110 women were abused. I went to work for 2 hours and during that time 1,200 more women suffered under someone elses domineering hand. I came home for lunch, a delicious toasted tuna fish sandwich, with apples and walnuts, it took a total of 17 minutes to make and eat (I was hungry), lets add 170 more women in physical and mental torment. Now, it is One oclock in the afternoon, I'm warm and at home on my layover from work. I am safe. My point. What we do is important and so needed. Thank you for all that you do. I've had a bit of a lul in dolls coming in, as soon as I receive more, I will be able to send more out. By, the way one, of those woman, has already lost her life today. There will be 2 more by the end of the day.

With Sobering Smiles,
Love to All,
Brenda

Pretty Exciting News

Hello All,
I have some pretty exciting news to share with you. I have been contacted by Nicole McDonald who is the editorial assistant for Creating Country Threads magazine, an Australian country crafts magazine published by Express Publications Pty Ltd. She has asked to do an interview about our project for the magazine. Of course, I said yes. How wonderful to get more word spread about all your hard work. Just wanted to share the news.
Smiles to All,
Brenda