AWashiMa jiNJa

There are a lot of Japanese superstitions about dolls, and a good number of people in Japan seem to find them a little mysterious or frightening, believing that they have souls or the power to influence human lives. There are a number of shrines and festivals wherein people dispose of their old dolls and toys - they feel that if they just threw them in the garbage, the dolls' souls might come back to haunt them like ghosts.

Awashima jinja is a shrine for women and is famous for its enormous collection of dolls.

Every year on March 3rd, Awashima jinja is home to a doll festival called nagashi bina, in which boatloads of hina ningyo are launched into the ocean. As the boats are rocked by the waves, the dolls fall overboard and sink into the ocean. It is believed that the dolls will take away the sicknesses and bad luck afflicting their former owners, and the ritual has become very popular.

http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/awashima-jinja 

Love the ideas of rituals around dolls - sometimes our little gang wonder what will happen to our collections when we've 'outgrown' them.

Doo DAdS

epb getting together with Reets - from 'Reets Rags to Stitches'.  Still love Reet's designs.

Little 'doo dads' that elinor and Barb Willis have been playing with - you can tell Barb's I'm sure!!!

We're going to have a play with these here next get together.  

'SUturE SelVEs'

Jill Maas has been playing with friends - they needed a name and came up with 'Suture Selves' - very clever!  Cute little fellows under production.

DoLL FriENds aRe ForeVEr

Beryl Kelly (Dr. Beryl DME to those that know her) sent some great emails - and shame on me - they are over six months old and un-answered.  I've been catching up on a few jobs' that have been on the 'must do' list for some time.

Beryl was an active member of the Total Fabrication doll club of Canberra - but sadly the group has folded as people have got older or moved on.  

Beryl sent some photos of her fabulous creations from a couple of online workshops she did with Marianne.  The frog is called 'Mistaken Identity' because he has caught a fairy - and the fairy is from an ageing pin doll.

The horse has extra long legs because she called him 'A Tall Horse for a Long Journey'.  He is covered with gold paper serviette - and the saddle and bridle are also covered with serviette.  The stirrups are the wired edge of ribbon.

'You know these dolls have a mind of their own because this horse was normal size in a story book with a rider on his back.  However as he developed he grew tall legs and the rider got red hair and waved farewell.'

Beryl said she can highly recommend Marianne's class as 'she is a very talented woman and her instructions even over the Internet are very easy to follow'.  

Too much hard stuffing with Gloria Winer dolls has affected Beryl's thumbs - but she still loves her dolls and has been finishing some of her UFO's.  

The Bee is crochet and was created for a money raiser for The Biggest Morning Tea - and the caterpillar knitting and nursing her baby is from some odd bootees.

Beryl concluded - ''Better go, my Qld. daughter is staying for a couple of days and is de-cluttering the house, I feel so much better with a lot of house things going BUT hands off my 3 - Ha Haa material rooms. One is for quilting, one for sewing and dolls and one with books and books and stuff.

Got a shock the other day ,picked up an ordinary doll book and it was $69. Wow I must have millions of $’s in the house if I could only sell them. Or should I say “if I could part with them.”
It was always good to stay with Beryl as she is also a wizz in the kitchen - you could be sure of a delectable bread with hundreds and thousands for dinner.  Never did get that recipe!

We've been friends for many years - and as Beryl said - 'Doll friends are forever'.

 Went back in to this posting to see if I could get the font all the same size - but it has a mind of it's own.  Also asked Beryl for surname of doll designer.  

CEleBrate CLUTTER

Browsing the blog page and re-read the article by Dominique Browning on 'clutter' in the Oct 2015 posting.  I just love it!!!  It's worth checking out every now and again.  Have had a bit of a de-clutter - but several things I severed ties with I could have used since!  Need an extension.

A PeEK at ChRIsTiNE's CReAtioNS

It's always good fun looking thru the blogs of the creative - and just enjoyed a peruse on Christine Shivelly's - christineshivelys.blogspot.com 
It's worth bookmarking the site - and she has her work represented on Pinterest as well.  Aren't those faces fabulous - and beautiful craftwomanship!!!  Here's a sample ................

LaDY GrACe by JaNEt

Have been chatting to Janet Breuel, a stitching wizz from the US.  Janet is 70 - and started sewing when she was 8.  She has all of the 36" Lady Grace patterns and sent some photos of her amazing creations.  She lived off the power grid for about 11 years and the stunning outfits were sewn on an old treadle machine.  Now she enjoys two lovely Pfaff machines!!!!  Thanks so much for sharing your work with us Janet.  Very Inspiring!!!!