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April's
Musings
April 2007
"Small Successes"
 Restarting
something is really a question of small successes—things
do not happen overnight—but little successes can build
on each other to create bigger successes.
In rebuilding our website I have had the chance to keep producing
our hand made dolls. This has been very important to me. I have
been worrying about how to keep these dolls going! These dolls
are made in Jaipur, Rajasthan India. That is a state known for
its crafts and beautiful artwork, embroidery and handwork...
Many skilled craftsman live there. These dolls are one of the
ways that those crafts remain alive and relevant. The skills
of the puppeteers are translated to the skills of the doll makers.
The company that makes the dolls is owned by two fine brothers—somehow
gentle like the life of the dolls, their attitude and style
and place of work resonates a peaceful atmosphere—just
a perfect birth spot for Chrissy, Mimi, Holly, Lulu, Molly and
Norwood the mouse. The dolls bodies are all cotton—all
hand stuffed, the heads, the arms, the legs and the bodies all
stuffed by a group of women working together. Even as we strive
for consistency—there is individualism to every doll.
Each woman will have a slightly different hand, a slightly different
pressure in filling the dolls. It is traditional for women to
sit on large mats, in a circle and work together, talking and
chatting as they make the dolls. The dolls full head of hair—all
made of yarn, black, brown, red, blonde, auburn—I try
to include all of the hair colors—is threaded through
with expertise by these same ladies. We make the hair long—trimming
it with scissors so that it is even, but plenty long for a little
girl to play with too. Little girls love to create their own
hair styles for the dolls, braiding the hair, making pony tails—or
chopping it short.
Most of the dolls have little toys or even little babies included
with them. They are inside little handbags or backpacks or pockets—all
of which are also handmade. There is one doll—the mommy
doll—that has three babies in her pockets. I deliberately
keep the hair color of those three babies different. There are
many children who do not look like their parents—I like
them to find themselves in my dolls too—and the babies
with the different hair color do that.
 A
pattern maker for the dolls' clothes create the patterns for
the tiny dresses and blouses, jackets and bloomers, shoes, sweaters
and hats that the dollies wear. Using the same printed fabrics
that I use for my girls dresses—I try and make combinations
that will delight a little girl—I watch the children play
with the dolls in the shops—first they take off the dresses—then
the shoes—they pull the pets out of the backpacks and
examine everything. I like them to have lots of things to discover.
The Tailoring team stitches up the little outfits, the ladies
stuff the little pets, and the little verses, unique to each
doll, are written by me, to give a little story to start girls
imagining their own stories. The eyes, the lips, are all embroidered
by hand. You know it is not easy to get every eye perfect and
every mouth sweet! The cheeks are rubbed softly with a little
pink rouge—to give a healthy glow to the little dolls.
These dollies, so lovingly made, have gone to many places—to
many homes, and to many occasions—they have been friends
to little girls moving to new towns, they have gone to school,
and spent overnights with grandma, they have traveled as far
as Japan- where we had an emergency call for a replacement—fast!
And they have slept in the beds of little girls all over the
world.
Sometimes these little dolls have been able to give a helping
hand to others—recently I gave a doll to an adult friend
of mine who is a doctor—she brought her to the hospital,
to the ward for child burn victims. Whichever child was holding
the doll got to tell their story, passing the doll to the next
child when finished. The newest patients spoke last, their parents
near by, the little dolly helping them express their feelings
and tell their story. I was so proud of my little doll [and
of my friend too!] The funny thing is many people who buy the
dolls are not buying them for somebody else—they are buying
them for themselves. They are buying as doll collectors or as
simply a confirmation of the child within themselves. I get
that too. Sometimes we are just girls. I think you can feel
how important the success and the continued availability of
these dolls are to me. I have been delighted to see the dolls
selling well in my three shops and on the web. In fact some
have already sold out. Not to worry we are sewing up more. This
year I am designing a doll to raise funds for the Giving World—and
that is good for many little girls! There is something more
to these dolls than just dolls—they are a good thing.
I am glad that you agree.
April
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