48. The doll's dream

First thing in the morning Tosia-Reddie asked me a question. It was about colours.

"What is your favourite colour? - she asked.

I was just thinking what to answer when Tosia-Reddie said. 

"As for me I like PINK. It is the loveliest colour on our planette."

Then she looked critically at herself and sighed deeply, because she had no pink clothes at all. Not a single item.

" You do not like this colour, do you?" - she glanced at me.

"No, why..." - started I - I like pink, but in small doses... I think."

Tosia-Reddie continued. - "When one looks at pink flowers with green leaves, they are so beautiful... I need a pink scarf or shoes or just a bootee. It's my dream."

"Well, if pink is your favourite colour, let's try and make something. Perhaps we should start with the bootees. They are easy to make." - I said.
And so I made her pink bootees using a LesPouPz pattern.

Then I decided to make her a new dress with pink little flowers and green leaves. I embellished it with a pinkish lace and two vintage mother of pearl buttons afterwards. It looked pretty and simple. 

Since I had a white corduroy with a delicate floral pattern I thought I might use it for bloomers.

A combination of pink and green is pretty I thought. (Well, nature probably does its best.) May I decide on a pink scarf and green hat? Well, as you will see I have made a warm shawlette in the end.

I saw a look of rapture on Tosia-Reddie's face. She saw a stack of CDs on the table. There are lots of them since we often listen to music. The dolly climbed up the pile and sat comfortably on the top swinging her legs with satisfaction.

Tosia-Reddie's dream came true.

("Pretty in pink" collection helped me get an idea.)

*

Tosia-Reddie is 14 inches tall. She is all made from natural high quality materials: a special swiss cotton jersey designed for dollmakers, clean washed sheepswool, hand embroidered face and certified mohair boucle for hair specially produced for doll making. I made her hair by crocheting the bouclez-loop cap with the use of Agnieszka Nowak's technique (Lalinda). Tosia-Rudzia comes with two sets of clothing. They are made from natural good quality materials: cotton, corduroy, velvet, wool and a combination of cotton and bamboo yarn. And she has a little basket for collecting treasures.

Tosia-Reddie has already found a lovely home where she will get lots of love from her new little friends.

*

Thank you for dropping by. Have a good day!

47. The beginning of a year

I wish this new year 2015 would be happy, healthy and creative for all of us!

And now I would like to introduce my new doll.

Her name is Tosia. (Just to explain that Tosia is a Polish diminutive of Antonina which is quite unusual since it is Nina in other languages.) 

Her hair is unruly. It sticks up in different directions for most of the time. .
And it has a lovely ginger colour of its own.

It seems Tosia's hair has foredetermined her character. 
Not only is she unruly and scatterbrained but also cheerful, amusing and dear. 

And yet I wonder if it is possible that all these advantages
and disadvantages can be derived from the fact that someone has such hair. Hmm..
.

Tosia has in her a bit of Anne of the green gables, 
but she would never ever change the colour of her hair.

One day we had a chat about her name.

"Tosia is a lovely name." - started Tosia, but then she added that it was a bit too short.

"We must add something to make it sound better." - she concluded.

"... for example?" - asked I.

"For example Tosia-Reddie." - She answered immediately and turned bright red. - "Just to emphasise the colour of my hair, you know."

"Yes, I understand... I did not know it was so important for you."

"Yes, it is, because when I think about my hair I am always in a jolly mood. So it is important, isn't it? - explained Tosia.

" Certainly. So from now on we have Tosia-Reddie." - I summed up.

A few days later we went to the department store to do some shopping. Afterwards we sat on the bench in a big hall to have a rest. I started tidying up Tosia-Reddie's hair with my fingers. Near us there was sitting a little girl with her Mom. I noticed that the girl was playing with a smartphone...

"Did the dolly want you to scratch her head?" Suddenly I heard a question.

I looked back and saw a girl standing in front of Tosia-Reddie. It was this little girl with the smartphone.

"Did the dolly tell you this?" - the girl enquired looking at me...

She amused me with her questions... (It did happen really. Well, to be precise, it came about at the craft fair ... not in the shop, but does this matter?)

*

Thank you for dropping by. 
I hope you have a nice weekend.

38. A forest lake

Do you remember when Marianne wanted a long dress? 

I thought it was one of her new fantasies she was always ready to make up
. She usually had many stories to tell especially on our evening walks by the sea. Most often we climbed the cliff. 

And when we approached the wooden stairs descending to the beach she sat at the top and looked at the sea glittering  down in front of us... 

Yes, Marianne liked the sea. 

**

On that day we went to the forest. When I stopped at the parking area, we saw a little forest lake nearby. Marianne ran to the small wooden pier, sat down and happily looked around. Oh, the place was so admirable.

Light blue clouds were mirrored in the water alternately with the reflections of the trees 

growing on the bank. We were enchanted by this stunning landscape.

When I looked around I had a feeling I had been here before. But no... the point is that the lake with the surroundings resembled another place with a very similar forest lake 
I had been to. Hence, the impression... Yes, it was there where I met Marianne. Just a moment, how did it happen..?

Oh, yes. I remember there was something wrong with my rucksack. I turned my head and saw little legs and arms sticking out of the rucksack. And then I noticed Marianne...

But now Marianne sits at the end of the pier watching reflections in the water and enjoying a quiet time beside the lake. Suddenly she saw an old spider's web. She settled herself opposite the web, leaned against the embedded post and started jogging the web lightly with her foot.

"Be careful, you will fall into the lake."

In answer she smiled at me knowingly. - "Do you remember?" I nodded and said to myself "very clever indeed".

"How did it happen that you were in my rucksack?"

"I came from a fairy-tale land. " - I heard her pleasant voice. 

"I asked you for a long dress, because once upon a time I wore long dresses.." 

I looked at her and Marianne, I could swear, she winked at me...

In a moment she wasn't here. She was running down the path to smell some forget-me-nots growing by the lake. It was all fairy-tale.

We had a lovely afternoon in the woods walking, listening, seeing and talking.

**

Thank you for stopping by.

Happy days.

31. The doll for Hania

The story about Little Fox moved me. On and on the doll was recollecting their games. 

I thought I could make her a little present to make her feel better.

Is this for me?,  she sked when I gave her a little scarf with a little fox. How lovely! He had exactly the same nose. It had white cheeks as this one. Now Little Fox will be with me. Thank you. She was pleased.

     

                                   ***

In the meantime I worried that I could not help Helen find Hania. Where is she..?

Well, one day I received an email from a lady. After exchanging a few electronic letters, she and I quickly came to conclusion that  we both  found what we were looking for. I found Hania, and the lady found the doll her little daughter named Hania could not forget.

Just imagine. On that very day when Helen was in the park and overheard Hania talking to her Mom, Hania noticed a fox. It was Little Fox who lurked near the bench where they both sat. As you remeber he had something in his little snout. "A doll!" - whispered Hania. - "Oh, gosh! I would like to get to know her. I'm sure we would like each other..." The little girl did not forget about the doll she saw for a moment in the park. Every day she talked a lot about her and her Mom promised to find her...

"You will have a wonderful home and a lovely friend." - I said to Helen when I finished telling her what happened and how Hania's Mom found us. I had to repeat it several times because Helen could not believe that she would meet Hania soon.

***

In the evening we watered our pot plants standing on the window sill. Helen looked through the window. The setting sun was turning her face gold. On her neck she had her foxy scarf 
I gave her the other day . She was a little wanderer. So precious.

Thank you for visiting us! Have a relaxing weekend."

30. A stroll on a beautiful day

It was getting warmer outside. The best time to be out for a stroll. I wondered if it was going to be Helen's first walk. Helen's? Yes, Helen's, because this was the name of our little new doll. 

You may ask  how we have discovered this. I should explain, though it was very easy. 

While the doll was admiring her new arms, Marianne asked her about her name. 

Guess!, the new doll said and she was laughing.

Sophie?, inquired Marianne.
The doll only shook her head and spread her arms helplessly saying, No, unfortunately not.
So maybe Tosia or Nela?
No, no, we hear her, He-len. I am Helen.

***

As we walk across the meadow close to the house, we sit on the last year's dry grass, observe trees covered in fresh catkins, and I look at Helen curiously. She intrigues me. I'm sure there must be a story about her,  I meditate. Almost each doll has her own story. What has happened to her? She is so cheerful and self-confident."

***

Helen tore off a blade of dry grass and started playing with it. I am looking for Hania.Will you help me?, she asked briefly. Well, I will try, of course... And who is Hania?, inquired I in turn.

She is a little girl I have met lately. I heard her asking her Mom for a doll. I liked her and I started listening to them. At once I thought I could be this doll. Why not?..

It was in the park, where I often played with Little Fox who was my friend. He usually put me into his little snout, lifted into the air and we ran together. It was fun... 

On that day after some time the girl's Mom said to her" "It's time for us, Hania. Let's go home!",  and off they went to the bus stop. I wanted to run after them, but I couldn't do anything. I just lay under the tree next to Little Fox , while they were moving away towards the bus approaching. I looked at Little Fox. He caught me with his teeth and we ran in their direction, but they weren't at the stop. They must have got on the bus and left. We stopped. I was very sad...

In a moment Little Fox started to run again. I felt he wanted to help me. Suddenly a group of children noticed us. They shouted at us. Little Fox got scared and he changed the direction. He ran into the wood where it was safer. Slowly the surrounding around us changed, there appeared hills. All of a sudden we began to fall down a steep cliff and found ourselves on a little beach in the end. 

It was frightening. What to do? 

There Little Fox noticed you with Marianne. We walked creeping behind you until you came to your house. A few minutes later Little Fox noticed Marianne in one of the windows. She was playing on the table. My Little Fox looked at me and slowly he tossed me onto your table. Yes...

***

Suddenly I remembered the day when I walked on the beach... I was with Marianne and I saw a fox running in front of us. Really. It was a blue little fox and he carried something in his snout. He looked frightened. Soon he disappeared. I have never met him again.

 Was your Little Fox ginger as most of foxes?, I asked Helen. 

No, not at all! What an idea, replied she, He was blue, grey-blue. Only his nose nad a tip of his tail were snowy and white."

Do you think about him?

Yes, sometimes.

***

We went to the meadow again late in the afternoon. 

Helen was holding a stick in her hand and wandered through the bushes in search of new adventures.

Do you think she will find Hania?

Thank you for visiting us! Have a lovely day.

28. All of a sudden

There is a new doll on my table.
She has been here for a short time and has no clothes yet. I like looking at her.
She makes me think of Sophie a bit, do you remember her?

So when I look at Marianne, my new doll, I see her rich dark velvety hair shining with different shades of brown. But after a while I discover in her hair plenty of navy, violet and claret-coloured streaks interwoven. Yes, her hair reminds me of something I cannot name at this moment.

Marianne is sitting on the table and we are looking at some fabrics spread all over to choose a few of them for her clothes. And we are talking at the same time.

"And d'you remember the name of the lake where we met for the first time?" - I hear Marianne's questioning voice.

I had no time to answer because all of a sudden I noticed there was something happening on the table...
   
What was that?

To our surprise there it was another doll.
She was near Marianne on the table, among the strewn cloths.

As a matter of fact she was not a doll, or being precise not a complete doll.
She was just a little trunk with her head only formed.

Oh dear! Now she is clambering slowly over the cloths.
So we help her a little, because otherwise she wouldn't manage.

"Look, she has neither eyes, nor lips, nor hands or legs. Help her. You must! - says excited Marianne.

"But what about you?" - I am asking her just in case, because I feel she is right.
"We were to make clothes for you."

"It doesn't matter? I will wrap up warm with a blanket and I'll be fine." - answers Marianne.
"I can wait."

"Well, well,..." - I think amused. - "What a nice doll she is. A true doll with soul ..."

And I say aloud. - "Very well then, she can't even tell us now how she arrived here, can she? And it's going to be an interesting story, I'm sure."

"Exactly." - confirms Marianne.

But after a while she is einquiring again. - "Did I look the same as she?"

"No. Come on Marianne, when we met, you were already a beautiful doll, and now let's help our new friend, right?" - I change the subject.

***

Our "little friend" cannot speak, but I am sure she understood every word of our whole conversation, because unexpectedly she starts bouncing on the table.

I glanced at Marianne. - "Wants to tell us she likes it, doesn't she?"

Marianne nodded her head watching the little one at the same time.

"Be careful, you'll fall down!" - suddenly she cried and caught "the doll".

Thank you for dropping in!

25. Promise

It was Wednesday when I said goodbye to Sophie. First we went for a short walk
and then we only had to pack. Sophie was very excited. After all she was about
to start a new adventure in her life.

I hugged her and wished good journey. 

"You will have a wonderful friend". - I encouraged her. 

She waved her hand to me smiling. And she left.

***

I returned to our morning walk. We went to the sea. 

It was quiet with no trace of the recent strong winds at all.  We went up the stairs to the top of the cliff and looked around. In front of us there was a small clearing, where we noticed a big bird standing in the grass.

"Ohhh!" - cried out Sophie. - "What is it?"

"A goose". - I answered. - "She is a wild goose."

"How beautiful." - I heard Sophie ... I looked at her surprised. She was enchanted with the bird and started walking towards her. The goose suddenly got scared off and flew away on to the nearest tree. A moment later she flew farther, towards to the sea. She flew faster and faster until she disappeared...

On our way home Sophie showed me something - a green little hood.

"How did you get this?" - asked I.

"Found it in the clearing where the goose stood. It's like my hood, only much smaller. I'll give it to you if you like." 

I thanked her and imagined at once Beauty staying all this time around Sophie until she was sure Sophie chose staying here. She reminded me of Niels too. "I'll have to find him... I must.'

Thank you for your visit!

23.Beauty, and a brave little doll

Yesterday it was 6th December and it was Saint Nicholas day. On that day Saint Nicholas brings children presents in Poland. So I also prepared a little present for Sophie she was supposed to find in her bed just after waking up in the morning. But it turned out differently...

On the day before St. Nicholas day just before going to sleep Sophie found a book about birds and looked at it with interest. She was particularly interested in geese. I even asked her about it, but she did not seem to hear me. 

There was something else that attracted her attention. It was a little packet tied with a ribbon that lay under  her cot... Well, what to do. Sophie unwrapped her present and in it found a nightdress and some favourite sweets. 

She became very excited, as it was for the first time in her life that she got a present from Saint Nicholas. As a matter of fact it was the first present in her life too. Sophie immedaitely examined the nightdress and decided to put it on. After doing so she lay down on her cot comfortably. I though she would fall asleep, but I was wrong. 

Her eyes were wide open. I heard her telling her story...

22. Her favourite place

When we returned home after morning walk, Sophie immediately came up to her little bed.

I have already noticed  that Sophie likes sleeping. It is all because of her long journey that
brought her here. - I thought. I still knew little about her, because Sophie didn't want to tell me
her story.

So I waited. In the meantime Sophie's bed became her favourite place to rest and play.

And now she quickly started to climb up her bed too.

Sophie, hold on!  Take off at least your hood and scarf.

Oops! Where's my bootee?

Here it is! - cried out Sophie. And she played for a long time. It was soon lunchtime, when she realised that....

Thank you for visiting us!

21. A little hood and booties. A beginning of the story

"And how are you, Sophie? How are you doing? OK,  I'm fine". 

And then I could only listen to her endless stories about what happened in the morning, 

in the evening and at night. We have had such and alike talks  since Sophie came to us. 

Well, that she came is maybe not the adequate word. She appeared suddenly. 

When I asked her how she arrived and where she came from Sophie only smiled mysteriously. 

One day, however...

she asked me to make her a green little hood and red bootees. She wanted to look like her friend, 

a little gnome, she travelled with. I pricked up my ears. "And what happened to him? 

Where's he now?" - asked I. Sophie's answer was short. He just jumped into a white house, and she chose my window. As she was saying this, Sophie nestled herself in the sunlit chair and stretched. Hmmm, very interesting. I did not say anything. And then Sophie fell asleep. 

I wondered - "Have I got any red and green yarns? Well, let's try and find something."

I was beginning to think that my adventure with the little doll was becoming more and more interesting each day.

Soon the cap and bootees were ready, but Sophie was sleeping on and on. At last she woke up. Seeing a new hood she put it on immediately. She really liked it. So did I.

"And what are they? Bootees... red bootees. Just as I wanted them..." 

The little shoes walked down to Sophie and quickly jumped onto her little feet.

She admired them for a few minutes. Next she looked anxiously through the window just to be sure nothing exciting happened outside while she looked at her new shoes. 

It was quiet, she glanced at me.

I knew she wanted to tell me something. I waited...

Thank you for dropping in.