Lavendilly House

Lavendilly House is moving - please follow me to my new home.

noreply@blogger.com (Lavendilly House) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:48:00 +0000

Dear Friends of Lavendilly House - thank you for joining me on this blogging journey ... with three little children and all the sewing and felting I do I find it challenging to update all the blogs I have, so I am joining them all up. From now on all my posts will be over at my Lavendilly Blog. This blog has been going for several years, and I do invite you to have a look through the old blog posts for some interesting bits and pieces :)

Please do follow me over to www.lavendilly.wordpress.com and click to subscribe to this blog by email - there you will receive updates for new dolls, new doll kits, musings and reflections on parenting and early childhood, news about my work with Melissa Joss and Sacred Essence and also news about my work as an Authorized Marriage Celebrant.

Next year I am also re-starting my playgroup, and no doubt there will be a few updates about the fun and adventurous times we have together.

I will endeavour to move all your wonderful doll photos over to the new blog, and set up a gallery for everyone who has made a doll from a Lavendilly Doll Kit. You can also see photos there of my own dolls and expressions in felting.

Wishing you a joyful, creative and relaxing Christmas with your loved ones!
Jennifer

Repairing Old Dolls: Baby Hans visits the doctor

noreply@blogger.com (Lavendilly House) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 03:41:00 +0000

This is Baby Hans. He is the original Lavendilly Doll, made before my first child was born, 8 years ago. In that time he has been loved and hugged, left lying around, lost, done a bit of gardening and a bit of drawing too. He has been washed many times and has many a long soak in a nice warm (lightly bleached) bath. He is proof that Lavendilly Dolls last and are loved even when they are a bit grubby.

As you can tell though, from my daughter's unhappy face ... Baby Hans wasn't well. His arms and legs were loose and one leg had a seam coming undone, which required a handkerchief bandage until he could be repaired. Rosella was insistent that Baby Hans need urgent care, and wanted to hold his hand through the whole process. Such a good mother, there she sat, in her best gardening tutu, stroking his hair and singing to him softly while I patched him up. I am sure it made all the difference. It certainly settled me :)

With my tool kit nearby I was very gentle, and his leg felt much better soon. I talked to her about how her finger was stitched together by a doctor with a needle and thread when she was a baby and she had caught her finger in a door hinge. Macarbe conversation maybe, but this child is a bit melancholic and it seemed appropriate to share the experience with her baby. What I was a bit anxious about sharing with her, however, was the next part: re-attaching Baby Hans' arms and legs. They would need to be snipped off and re-attached with the doll needle.

The previous night, at my Craft Night, I was asked if I ever made the dolls while the children were watching. My answer was no - they might see bits of unfinished dolls, and they have seen me stuffing parts or making hair, but the bits that involve using those gigantic doll needles I have never completed in the presence of children. Those needles make me squeemish - I can't imagine the effect upon a child watching unattached limbs or a blind doll head being stabbed with needles as long as my hand!

It had to be done though, while the time presented itself, and I knew Rosella wasn't going to be entertained anywhere else until her baby was feeling better. She took it better than I did when I watched her have her finger stitched up at the hospital (I fainted on to the floor and had to lie there with my head on a pillow, while my baby presented her finger as if she was having a manicure!) My stoic daughter watched with interest, and said to me: "It doesn't hurt him mum. My baby is a doll."

Right. Ok.

I'm still not going to do it again.

Anyway, here's how he was repaired:

I snipped the joint thread between his legs and his body and pulled all the old threads out. If Rosella wasn't watching, and if I had more time I would have re-stuffed his legs a bit too. Then I threaded the doll needle (see what I mean about how long it is!) with a really long piece of strong linen thread (which I buy HERE). I took the needle straight through one leg, the body, through the other leg, and pulled it out the other side.

Then I inserted the needle about 1cm away from where it came out and brought it back through the 2nd leg, through the body and through the 1st leg, coming out about 1cm from where the thread entered the 1st leg. I pulled the thread tight and tied it in a double knot. Then I re-threaded each end of the linen thread separately and brought them back through the 1st leg, the body, and out the 2nd leg, where I tied them together tightly in a double knot.

Then I brought each of the ends out underneath the leg, close to where the joint was made and snipped the thread very close to the fabric, where the end will disappear into the stuffing and won't be left hanging out. Nice and neat.

His arms received the same treatment, and he was looking much happier. So was Rosella :)

I trimmed his hair a bit (gave him the equivalent of a #3 buzz cut) and gave him a new mouth, as the thread of his old mouth had faded so much that you couldn't even see it. Then we gave him a bit of colour in his cheeks, which really made him look happy!

This was done by rubbing a bit of crayon on some paper and then lightly rubbing the paper in a circular motion on his cheeks. It is good to practice on a bit of unwanted fabric first.

All this took a bit of time, because as you can see my littlest assistant came along to sort through my toolbox. She's still in training, and actually, she isn't very helpful yet.

Baby Hans was returned to his mother and greeted with a big cuddle. Then Rosella said, now it is Baby Rosie's turn! Baby Rosie is even older than Baby Hans. She is stained and bald and her mouth wore off a long time ago. We had great fun working on her together ... but I will tell you about that next :)

Christmas Craft Classes - and felt for sale

noreply@blogger.com (Lavendilly House) — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 00:39:00 +0000

Lavendilly House has been crazy busy. It is pretty much madness around here from this time of year until Christmas ... and then a nice big long rest, which is great because I am generally really OVER making craft and felt by that time!!

In my attempt to catch hold of the madness and reign it in a little, I am scheduling craft activities to Monday nights where I will be at Silkwood School helping people make dolls and felts. I have been trying to craft during the day, but with my two youngest at home full time, as you can imagine ... little is being completed because one (the littlest one) is busy investigating the contents of my craft cupboard (and unable to resist the natural urge to stack and re-stack and then wander away with things she finds interesting - and she is so cute that I am unable to resist the urge to watch her do it) and the other one wants to help or do craft of her own, which of course means I do not finish the projects I need to work on! Unfortunately, recently this has included people's orders (thank you for your patience!).

Besides, at the moment I am finding it much more rewarding to actually be present with my little ones. Craft might have to happen at night, but I think I am at the space where I have to leave the house for it to happen or else I just go to bed and forget to do it!! So .. every Monday night is craft night now at Silkwood (except the Monday nights that Melissa and I are doing Sacred Essence - coming up on Monday 14th!)

Would you like some child-free time to start and finish a few little Christmas gifts? What would you like to make? Tell me and I will help you make it. Buy kits and materials from me or bring your own.

Come along and join me! Here are the details:

Monday nights (except the 2nd Monday of each month)

Silkwood Moonlight Prep Room

39 Shepherd Hill Lane

$10 per evening

7 - 9:30pm

Bookings to jennifer@lavendillyhouse.net

I've been spending my time making lots of felts to sell and display at the Goddess Conference, held recently on the Gold Coast. Some items were for display, and others were for sale. Here is a little selection of my favourites:

Sheela Na Gig - I made two of these and they both disappeared from my table in a jiffy!

(Yes - I will take orders, if you are still interested!)

Fire Elemental Meditation Mat - I made a large and a small and they have both sold.

(yes I will take orders!)

Earth Elemental Altar Mat. You can still purchase this one if you visit ETSY

The MUSE.

I love her. She has been a very inspiring presence for me in my studio, but now it is time for her to inspire others. You can find her at ESTY too.

Air Elemental Altar Mat - this one was a late comer to the conference so I am not sure anyone got to see her. She is a really pretty mat, perfect as a small meditation mat, a largeish centre piece for a table, or as a mat to create sacred space for your altar. Still for sale at ETSY.

The Secret of the Doll: Beauty, Truth, Goodness

noreply@blogger.com (Lavendilly House) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 10:03:00 +0000

BEAUTY

Waldorf dolls were inspired by the teachings of Dr Rudolf Steiner and by the doll-sculpting techniques of Kathe Krusse. They were originally very simple dolls possessing the barest essence of humanness in their features, for this allowed the child the freedom to connect to the doll’s beauty and spirit through their imagination. A lovingly-made doll with simple features has greater capacity to transform and connect in a child’s imagination. This doll can take on any expression and emotion the child needs in order to replay, process and heal their daily life experiences.

Waldorf dolls have become much more formed over the years, but my favourites are still the ones that just have eyes, but even the really formed Waldorf dolls are preferable to a lot of the dolls available to children at the moment. Popular dolls now have exaggerated features - heads impossibly big for their bodies, limbs that could not support such a head, facial features that are also too large. Not to mention the issue of body image and the misuse of marketing to children. These dolls, particularly for the girls, are often designed as an induction into teenage- and adult-hood, and yet are marketed to four and five year olds. Imagine what kind of nourishment they provide for the imitative growth of a child? Indeed, our children are entering adulthood long before they are emotionally ready.

I don’t believe however, as Dr Steiner indicated, that ALL formed toys and dolls are damaging to the growing child’s formative forces. Every little girl I know has fallen in love with a plastic baby doll at some point. We have one in our house who is lovingly dressed and tucked in beside the handmade baby dolls. While of course I believe handmade dolls to be the most suitable playmates for my children, balance is a healthy thing. There is a place for other toys. The attention and love given to a child’s special plaything is what imbues it with life and warmth.

TRUTH

Waldorf dolls emerged to serve as a plaything that supported children’s developing sense of self. The doll is a child’s support in development because it provides the child with another human experience. The doll, in a child’s image, is a child’s equal, friend, confidante, and a representation of another loving human being: someone who can receive and receive and receive and keep on receiving. The doll is a willing participant in every activity (what more could a mummy wish for?!), someone who listens and who will give you a hug whenever you need it.

Giving the doll to your child is more than presenting them with a toy – we are giving them a friend that they can model our behaviours with. It gives our children the opportunity to play out the role of adult to, and in their imaginations practice behaviours and replay scenarios for their own healing.

GOODNESS

Waldorf Dolls are so delightfully appealing and so lovely to hold and cuddle. Anything handmade is imbued with the love and labour of the maker – that is something worth having just there. You can be sure it is not mass produced, and once you have made a Waldorf doll you can appreciate the time and effort that has gone into the making of these sweet little ones.

Using natural fibres is a bonus too. Natural fibres are washable, they breathe and they retain and return the warmth of the one who is holding them. Natural materials are made from things that have had LIFE and provided they are not processed too much they retain that quality of life in their new form. Synthetic and plastic toys are made from chemicals that may affect our hormonal activity. Not hard to choose what I’d rather have my child playing with!

In our society now it is difficult to avoid synthetic materials for toys. Making our child a special doll with love and with materials made from Mother Nature will mean a lot to them, and it may not be their doll of choice to play with always, but it will still be a constant companion, and if treated with due respect to its ‘child-like’ nature then it will always be a healing presence in the playroom.

Little Banjilann

noreply@blogger.com (Lavendilly House) — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 11:34:00 +0000

Little Banjilann has already found a new home.

She came into this world for a young girl on the Gold Coast to love.

Her name is a Yugumbeh word meaning butterfly.

She's a darling, isn't she?

Ready For Some Fun!!

noreply@blogger.com (Lavendilly House) — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 01:13:00 +0000

Hi! I'm on my way to the Sunshine Coast to help a beautiful girl celebrate her birthday!!

Her mummy said she is a bit cheeky and lots of fun ... so I'm dressed ready for play! This is my favourite top, I especially like the frilly sleeves and green buttons.

And these little shoes are ready for skipping, dancing, running, jumping and climbing ....

My hair gets a little crazy when I play so I put my rainbow headband on. I love rainbows - don't you love rainbows?

Can't wait to get there!!

Creative Challenges!! Whale Sharks, Jungle Girl and Jemima

noreply@blogger.com (Lavendilly House) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 10:18:00 +0000

It was party day today!! All week we've been getting ready for a little household party for the newest four year old. He rather likes sharks so I was asked to create this wall hanging for his bedroom:

It is a whale shark, in case you can't tell! Yes, I know whale sharks are a LOT bigger (hence their name) and this little guy is all head and no body, but perhaps he is a four year old whale shark ...

In between working on the shark, we started making some costumes for his birthday party. It was a "J" themed party (his name is Joachim) and we had to think really hard to come up with some ideas to dress up in! Among the attendees we had a jailbird (with manacles, ball and chain), Julius Cesear, Jock the Scotsman, a jasmine flower (that was me), a jouster (as in a knight who jousts - my son of course), two jesters, two jungle girls, two joeys (baby kangaroos), two Jemimas (from Playschool) and a smack of jellyfish (yes, I checked, a 'smack' IS the correct collective noun for jellyfish!). Here is the birthday boy - a supersonic JET!!

Here is one of the Jemimas ... my little baby (who had her first birthday last weekend). Now here is where some doll-making skills came in handy for me today ..... I crocheted her a little beanie and attached the wool for her piggy tales to that, so we could just put the hat on when she needed her hair. ....

it took a bit of convincing ....

but eventually she didn't mind very much.

And my other daughter went as a jungle girl. I am glad that I had some helpers to make her jungle vines. We hand felted strands of fleece into lots of 'vines' and I sewed them into a felt belt that I tied around her waist.

A few more on some hair bands for funky hair ... but of course she didn't want them in her hair but on her arms. Not a very charming photo ... and by this stage she had stripped off other parts to her costume but three-year-olds move quickly and this was the only photo I managed to take!

It was a really fun event .. and before it was over I took off my jasmine petal collar (made of felt - of course!) and put on my christmas elf hat and disappeared to a Christmas in July "Crafternoon Tea", which I have no doubt at all that you will read about on Mama Moontime tomorrow!!

It has been a week of creative challenges, that is for sure!

Little Bali Baby

noreply@blogger.com (Lavendilly House) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 00:18:00 +0000

I've just finished helping little Sophie arrive.

She came in a bit of a hurry in the end but every birth is different, isn't it?

Sophie has joined her family and is on her way to Bali.

She has a very loving mummy to care for her on the plane and make sure she feels safe and happy.

Safe journeying Sophie, Jaiah, Mythra, Lianne and Shaun. xx

Jundi

noreply@blogger.com (Lavendilly House) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 00:50:00 +0000

Jundi Lavendilly was born here in the bushland of Bonogin, and her name links her to this land. Jundi means 'true' in language of the Yugambeh community of the Gold Coast.

She was looking for a new home, but then she donated her dress to another doll who needed to be clothed, and so she stayed with me for a bit longer, helping me model new clothing designs, until she found a set of clothes that she felt really comfortable in ... we all know how important that is. She is now better dressed for walking in the bush and connecting with Mother Earth. She does have some shoes - but she preferred to be barefoot for these photographs.

Jundi wears an authentic amber necklace, a free gift that you can keep on Jundi, or wear it yourself (it is actually an adult-sized amber bracelet so you can decide who gets to wear it!). Amber is well-known for its healing properties and its positive effect upon young growing bodies. It is very affirming for one's sense of life and balance. It comes with a certificate of authenticity and you can find more like it from All About Amber.

Jundi was hand-made by me, and well-loved by me. I will miss her when she goes but I know she'll find herself a wonderful home. If you are interested in providing a loving home for Jundi you can find her at ETSY.

Little Rose, by Anne

noreply@blogger.com (Lavendilly House) — Thu, 19 May 2011 03:41:00 +0000

Here is another sweet doll, Rose, made by Anne from a Lavendilly Doll Kit. Anne received her kit during the stuffing drought (I have more stuffing now!), but had enough to make Rose with her own supplies. I love Rose's simple dress - just love a ruffle! and her hair is simply gorgeous! In return for sharing her story and the picture of her delightful hand-made, home-made doll, Anne receives a voucher for $5 off her next purchase.

I have been looking for a way to make a waldorf doll and I thought a kit would be a way to make a unique doll with less chance of messing it up. I wanted to make this doll for my daughter Aria Rose- she's 9 mths old and I wanted her first doll to be special- what's more special than one made by her Mama!

I already had wool for hair and stuffing so when I received the doll kit I was so excited I started putting her together that afternoon. The trickiest part was getting a neat seam on the neck- it's not too hard but I think I just need more practice hand sewing neatly : P

I also thought it would be cute to give her a tummy button and a bottom. I made Rose a dress and gave her to my baby who promptly gave her a big opened mouthed smoochy.

Welcome to the family Rose.

Anne

Kellie's Doll

noreply@blogger.com (Lavendilly House) — Fri, 06 May 2011 04:36:00 +0000

This is Kellie's doll, made from a Lavendilly House Doll Kit. Because Kellie shared her photo and story with us, she receives a $5 voucher towards her next purchase. Here is her story! Thanks for sharing Kellie!

My First Waldorf Doll

I have just finished making my very first waldorf doll. I can't remember where I saw them but they caught my eye and I HAD to make one. So after lots and lots of searching on the internet I found a kit.

It arrived in the mail and I couldn't wait to start. Following the steps of the website i manages to stuff the head & shape it. Next was the body then arms. Once they were all done it was time to stitch the eyes, I was worried they wouldn't turn out great, but I was very impressed with myself. It was now time to do the hair, and thanks to a very helpful tutorial It was quite easy.

I made this for my 6mth old daughter, who LOVES to play with her hair (and pull it out) so I have had to reinforce it. I think I love it more than she does. May have to make one for myself ;)

Elemental Altar Mats

noreply@blogger.com (Lavendilly House) — Thu, 05 May 2011 01:40:00 +0000

You may have noticed that I've put doll kits on hold for a little while - besides waiting for the necessary materials (a bit of confusion in the ordering and delivery process!) I have also hurt my back and so sewing the kits can only happen in short bursts at the moment :(

Yes, I slipped down the stairs and bashed my bum on the lower stair. It was quite a shock! So I've been taking it easy while I heal. I've been relaxing with a bit of embellishing for the commission that I fortunately finished felting before I bumped my way down the stairs. As always I have had a bit of help from the little people I live with. The littlest likes to be right in the thick of things, or as the case may be .. right on top of things ... while I am working on them.

But this one did some beading beside me and made a little beaded snake as a distraction. We worked together with her singing (to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star):

"I am making a beady bead.

I am making pretty things.

Yes I am.

Pretty things, in my hands.

I am making a beady bead

I am making pretty things."

I was very impressed with her impromptu rhyming!

So here is what I have made. They are altar mats as gifts to women who have passed through an initiation in the Sacred Feminine. Each one represents the elemental sign of each woman:

This one is the AIR mat. With feathery blanket stitch to finish the edges, and four feathers stitched on to represent the four winds. I am very pleased with how this one came together - it was one of those ones that I thought wasn't going to work while I was making it ... but despite myself it came together. It looks so much better in real life than in the photo.

This one is WATER. It turned out a bit more energetic is design than I intended it too. It was raining at the time, I wonder if that had anything to do with it?! It is embellished with shells and beads. The heart is a symbol associated with the element of water - linking it to the capacity to feel.

This one is a FIRE mat. It was the first one I made and I fell in love with it. It is so warm and energetic. The ability to create and nurture with wisdom from the sun. Embellished with lapis lazuli and citrine stones. I felt so 'on fire' when I made this that I went on quickly to make the next fire mat.

This one wanted to be cut into flames. The pentacle star motif is the source of power from which the flames are burning. I hope it can be a source of power for the woman who receives it too.

Doll-Making Workshops for Term 2 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Lavendilly House) — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 02:39:00 +0000

I've had a bit of interest recently in workshops for making the Waldorf Dolls. I've decided that Thursday Mornings next term will be Doll-Making mornings. Just now I am ensuring that I will have enough materials to make the kits but I anticipate that I will be ready to begin classes by Thursday 12th May and they will run from 9:30 - 11:30am.

The classes will run over 4 weeks and they will be child-friendly for little ones (I will have my two little ones at home). It may be easier and preferable for you to make other arrangements for your little ones so that you can concentrate on making the dolls, but the option to bring them is available.

The cost for doll-making classes is the price of the kit (large $40, medium $35, small $20) plus a $10 tuition fee per session. You may not need to come for the four weeks - you may finish yours sooner than that!

In the classes I will teach you how to form the shaped head of the doll and you will learn techniques for hand-stitching, correct stuffing of dolls and making doll hair. You will need to supply your own yarn for the hair of your doll as this is not included in the kits. I am happy to supply patterns for doll clothes, however we will not be making the clothes in these sessions.

You can secure your place at the workshop by purchasing the kit for your doll as a non-refundable deposit prior to the commencement of the classes.

Please contact me soon to secure your place in the workshop, so that I can have your kit ready for you when we begin!

Heidi goes to the Beauty Parlour

noreply@blogger.com (Lavendilly House) — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 04:36:00 +0000

This is Heidi. Heidi is well loved by three-year-old Malli and in the process of being well-loved she became a bit dirty. So Mumma washed her carefully and gently but as she dried Heidi seemed to get dirtier and dirtier! Every time she was washed new brown stains seemed to seep from inside and nothing Mumma tried would make them go away!

Heidi ended up with a rather dirty face (or - as I joked - an impressive five o-clock shadow!).

It isn't really the look that Malli and her Mumma wanted for Heidi, and I daresay Heidi wasn't impressed either. I think Heidi might have been made with sheeps wool that might not have been thoroughly cleaned before stuffing. In the process of giving Heidi a bath, the dirty residue from the wool may have been seeping out and staining her pretty face.

So I took Heidi home with me and asked her if I could make her pretty again.

I began by helping her take off her hair.

And then I chose a piece of left over fabric the same colour as the rest of Heidi and pinned over the stains.

I stretched it nice and tight as I stitched it in place, being careful to use tiny invisible stitch along her neck line so that the extra layer of fabric wouldn't be noticeable. The stitches around the scalp I kept well behind the hair-line so that they wouldn't be noticeable either.

Beautiful skin again!

As her face emerged, I tried to help her features look the same as before - but she really wanted to smile this time. I think she likes being pretty again.

A few more new strands to her hair, a quick trim, and a new dress.

What fun at the beauty parlour!

Jundi Lavendilly

noreply@blogger.com (Lavendilly House) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 09:37:00 +0000

This is Jundi Lavendilly.

'Jundi' is a word from the Yugambeh language meaning 'true'.

Jundi is looking for a new home.

She has two dresses, a pair of white frilly pants, some shoes and some goregous red-brown hair.

Could she come and live with you?

Jundi came to life from one of my large Lavendilly Doll kits.

It was soo much fun making her hair. At one stage it was all dreadlocked because there was so much of it I had to braid it to keep it out of the way so I could finish it!

In the end Jundi told me she didn't want dreadlocks though.

Jundi currently lives at Lavendilly House - but if you are interested in taking her home you can find out how at Lavendilly Fibre Arts Shop Now. This is a Facebook shop - if you are not a Facebook member you can contact me through this website instead.

The Owl Takes Flight - a meditation mat in progress

noreply@blogger.com (Lavendilly House) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 10:34:00 +0000

The inspiration - beautiful owl by Sharon McLeod

The design was sketched a few times, and then tentatively laid out.

Fleshed out.

Changing every time I visit. She remained at this stage for several weeks, poised for flight in the corner of my bedroom, waiting for the opportunity to be released. I quite like her there, but one cannot keep wild things contained for long.

She came alive and took flight - all the way to Canberra.

No piece of felt is completed without this part of the team - my mascot, cheerleader and floor mopper.

Rainbow Easter Eggs - Lavendilly Style!

noreply@blogger.com (Lavendilly House) — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 08:18:00 +0000

Eggs are a symbol of Easter because of the potential they contain within them. Little miracles, each egg holds within the gift of new life - life in all its colourful glory!

Here is a little egg, waiting to realise its potential. Plain and white, this needle felted egg is waiting for you to decorate it and bring it to life at Easter time, to hang upon your Easter tree, place on your seasonal table, or to hide for your little one to find on Easter Sunday.

A lovely gift and a great alternative to chocolate at Easter!

There are five little do-it-yourself needle felted eggs, snuggled in a rainbow nest of fleece (and with one felting needle) for sale in my Facebook ShopNow page - only $10 each and currently with free postage for customers in Australia.

Custom Made Doll Wigs

noreply@blogger.com (Lavendilly House) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 00:54:00 +0000

I have just finished making a wig for a doll that is to be a Knight. It worked beautifully and I hope the person who receives it will send me a photo of their completed doll!

This doll wig is curly blonde hair - made by unravelling knitted wool. It took two 50g balls of yarn, knitted to make the hair for this wig and then I attached the yarn strands to a crocheted cap. It was a bit of work, because first I had to knit the yarn before I unravelled it!

Making a crochet cap for the hair is (to me) the fastest way to attach hair, and also the most secure. It is also satisfying for those little ones who like to make different hair styles, as the individual strands are not stitched into a style onto the head of the doll.

Crochet is super easy and one of these days I'll get around to a tutorial on the very basic crochet needed to make these caps ... but as I don't follow a pattern when I make them, I"ll have to sit down and think about what I do when I make the next one! For now you can look at ideas for hair styles HERE on this blog, or order a wig from me.

I am happy to crochet the base cap for you so that you can attach your own hair strands for your doll's hair. Alternatively I can make the whole wig for you.

This wig cost $30 because it is made with merino and also due to all the knitting involved to make it curly.

A straight-haired wig will be $20,

and the crocheted cap on its own will be $5.

Afra's Play Mats

noreply@blogger.com (Lavendilly House) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 00:25:00 +0000

Afra contacted me shortly before Christmas to purchase fleece so that she could make her children some playmats for their presents. She recently shared some photos of the two play mats she made. Afra is pretty new to felting and I reckon she's painted some pretty beautiful landscapes here!! One is a farm play mat, and the other is an icy Arctic wilderness.

cold, isn't it?

Looks like lots of stories and adventures just waiting to happen :)

What do you think?

Hope for the Qld Floods

noreply@blogger.com (Lavendilly House) — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 05:52:00 +0000

This is HOPE!

Hope was made from one of my doll kits by Peggy from Fluffy Bubs and her clothing was made by Donna from The HeartStrings Boutique.

Peggy and Donna donated her to an on-line auction on Facebook called the Firefly Collective - and she sold for $151! The money raised from her sale will be donated to a charity involved in assisting people affected by the recent flooding in south east queensland.

Such wonderful news!

I love hearing about the travels of my little kits.

FELTING FOR THE FLOODS

noreply@blogger.com (Lavendilly House) — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 23:39:00 +0000

Queensland is in shock with the surprise of the floods, but I am sitting here in my home in the Gold Coast Hinterland perfectly comfortable and enjoying the sunshine while I know many are wrecked and absolutely devastated by the loss of life, homes and property.

My husband is helping clean up with the Rural Fire Brigade, but I'm here with the children and we haven't got much except clothing to donate. I'd love to help raise some money. Will you help me?

I am offering a free felting workshop to learn the technique of resist felting. Come and make a bag that you can either purchase for yourself or donate to raise money for the floods. 100% of the money raised will be donated. I don't make a cent from this unless you would like to purchase more fibre to make your own bag at home.

Places will be limited so bookings are essential. If it is a successful workshop I will repeat it in February.

FREE FELTING WORKSHOP

FRIDAY 28 JANUARY

9:30 - 2:30

Address supplied upon booking.

jennifer@lavendillyhouse.net

From Daughter to Earth Mother

noreply@blogger.com (Lavendilly House) — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 04:12:00 +0000

This stunning felted picture was made by Year 10 student Jessica for her mum Rebecca as a Christmas present. It almost didn't get made! Jessica contacted me several times to try and arrange a time to felt with me, and several phone calls (and one beach holiday) later we just squeezed it in right before Jessica and her family were due to go camping before Christmas. I am so pleased we managed to find that time, as Jessica had to pretend she was going to a friend's house in order to make it with me. The afternoon we finished I came down with a surprise fever that lasted until Christmas so we literally did slip it in (I recovered well and Jessica didn't get sick, in case you were wondering!)

Jessica spent some time drawing her design first, and choosing the colours she wanted to use. It helped that she already had an idea of what she wanted to make for her mum but, as always happens, the design created itself as she laid out the fleece, and as it was felted.

The background was created with combination of Indigo and Plum Duff fleece that we hand-carded as we laid it down. As Jessica intended it to be a wall-hanging, we only used two light layers of fleece.

The Earth Mother's sublime dress was made with a hand-dyed silk hankie that we spread out and needle felted into place, however in the process of felting the lustre was lost, so we spread out another one when the felting was finished and needle felted it on. And now the dress not only glimmers and shines, but it has shape and body that was lost previously when felting.

Scraps of yarn were also used for the earthiness of her dress, and white silk was needlefelted on to the moons afterwards to bring them to life.

Isn't She something?

I can't wait until my daughter is old enough to make me an offering like this! It was really lovely having Jessica work creatively in my home. The sand-flies didn't make the task easy for her: after all the rains we had the little midgies were biting everywhere and were even coming through the flyscreen when I closed up the house in the attempt to work in peace.

Jessica, you are the first receive the $5 gift voucher from Lavendilly House in 2011. Thank you Jessica and Rebecca for allowing me to share your photo and story!

Win a Gift Voucher - send me your photos!

noreply@blogger.com (Lavendilly House) — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 07:00:00 +0000

As of January 1st 2011 I will be offering a $5 voucher* for your photographs and accompanying stories that you send in to showcase your dolls or fibre art projects.

I'm pretty busy here with my three children (I share a house with another family who also have three children, so that is 6 all together) and when I'm not driving children to school, breastfeeding the baby, feeding/reading to the three year olds, cleaning/sorting or cooking, then I am sewing up doll kits and wrapping fleece into pretty bundles - not a lot of time left over for my own creative pursuits but I am pretty happy to potter along with my various projects. I'm never without something creative to do, but I have come to accept that it takes me longer to bring things to completion now. I am no longer the one-woman felting factory that I used to be!!

The problem with pottering, however, means that I do not really have enough wonderful pictures and stories of my own to post on a regular basis and so I am grateful when people send me photographs of their own fibre art - more so when it comes with a juicy story of its becoming.

* Conditions, of course, apply (as indicated by the *!). I will offer the voucher to someone different every time. To be eligible you will need to send me at least 2 photographs of your doll or felting project and a story of how it came to life, how it is loved and used and how it is has enriched your life - because that is why I started this business. I want to celebrate life's beauty every day.

I just love seeing photos of your projects being used and loved, but of course understand if you do not wish to put pictures of your children up for public viewing. You could try to artfully photograph them from behind, or the side (partially obscured), or from a distance.

The voucher will be redeemable for a year and is only for the purchase of products offered at Lavendilly House: through this blog, my etsy store, or if you are local to the Gold Coast, from the door of Lavendilly House itself.

Who is going to be first?

The Little Mermaid

noreply@blogger.com (Lavendilly House) — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 07:19:00 +0000

So much rain has fallen over the Gold Coast this Christmas that Ariel the Mermaid was able to swim all the way to our house for Christmas!

I think the freshwater must have had an effect on her hair, because it is blonde now, although it still has bits of seaweed in it. Her eyes have also changed from sea-green to a pretty blue. We've got nice water here :)

She's a pretty tough girl too! Although she must have been pretty tired swimming all that way from the ocean she submitted to lots of cuddles before she was an unsuspecting participant in a whirlpool ride as my daughter spun her round and round and round for most of the morning. By her tail, by her hair ... by her arms. I was reassured to see that she was still smiling at the end of that dizzy experience, and glad to see she was still in one piece.

When it was clear that Ariel needed a rest and was missing her home, my daughter found the nicest place for her to lay down for a while. Mother Selkie of the moon waters cradled her in her arms and sang her soft selkie songs of wildness and freedom and change and joy ...she was pleased to have a little one to hold.

Ariel is so agreeable. She says it is ok for me to use her pretty body as a pattern to create some more mermaid friends. Keep a look out at etsy over the next few months and to see when the mermaids start appearing. Or check here. I'll let you know when they come. I'm taking a bit of a sewing break for a little while ... you'll see that etsy has only fleece on it now as all my doll kits (and extras) sold out over Christmas ... but I'll get back into it when the school holidays are over.

To read about my 2-gift Christmas, click over to lavendilly, my other blog (one of many!)
Merry Christmas and a happy, crafty new year to you all.
Jennifer

Felicity's Felted Journal Cover

noreply@blogger.com (Lavendilly House) — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 06:10:00 +0000

This post is with thanks again to Felicity - my recent felting has been limited to Christmas stockings for children - and touching up an old felt that I have been working on for a year or two (or three). Photos coming soon :)

Felicity made this cover to hold her visual diary. It is made with the resist felting technique - where a plastic layer has been placed between layers of fibres so they do not felt together, creating a pocket. There is some calculations involved when making it to fit a book so that you get the right size.

Generally we say that you need to take in to account that your final felt will have shrunk by about 1/3, so the resist pocket will need to be measured up to 1/3 larger than the item that will go inside it.

It is a great Christmas gift idea ... but I will have to start earlier for next years gifts I suppose!