Companions

I started making these dolls this summer, after our dog, Pig, died. She was always with me in my workshop, sometimes asking for attention, sometimes keeping an eye out of the window for looming threats, but always, always shadowing me. My heart was very achey when she passed, and I didn’t quite know what to with myself.

Without a plan, my hands started reaching for fabric and I began making some stuffed dolls. I’ve made these once before and it was really lovely just working with soft materials. It felt comforting, and had the bones of being something I could create sitting on my porch- the workshop just felt too lonely. I didn’t really know what they would look like- i just started sewing and then creating heads, hands and feet with clay.

They are actually quite huggable. They can sit on a shelf or hang on a wall.

I also needed some large babas to watch over me.

These were created the way I traditionally make dolls, with bodies made of clay and wire, but softened with layers of fabric. They are quite large. Baba Elise was in her garden picking stems when her crow friend perch on her head. Baba Lily, who always walked with her crow friend’s nest on her head was lucky enough to have her perch on her arm. Both dolls were made to hang on a wall and are about 35 inches long.

Once I had comforted myself with stuffed dollies and hanging babas, I was ready to make some dolls that had a life of their own and could comfort each other, not just me. So along came Baba Johanna and her friends. They are all created so that they can stand on their own and be pretty darn pose-able, similar to the dolls I make for stop-motion animation. Here they are gathering on the Solstice to make a beautiful fire, share some stories and maybe a snack or a sip of something. I think after a few sips, they also like to sing songs. Especially Jeremy, the pumpkin. He gets a little crazy.

Shop

The stuffed dollies and standing dolls are $325 each. The hanging babas are $600 each. All of these dolls will be available in my etsy shop tomorrow at 1 pm EST.

Substack Reader Exclusive

There will be one doll however, NOT in my shop! I am making this crow doll available only to you, my kindly Substack readers. Her cost is $250 with free shipping. She will go to the first of you who comments on this post after 1 pm EST tomorrow. I will reply to the comment and then we can privately work out payment details. If she is not sold by Monday, I will then put her in my shop. This is an experiment, and I will do my best to make sure it goes smoothly. Shortly after 1, I am taking my new dog, The Count, on a very long walk up to the mountains, so it may take me a little while to respond.

I hope you have all been having a beautiful autumn and have had at least one companion to help make this darkness a peaceful place, and I hope you have a spectacular Solstice, filled with light and a delicious something to snack upon.

xo

jana