fired heARTs

'HEARTfelt friends' - Dolls for the VICTORIAN BUSHFIRE VICTIMS. I’d love for you to make something for me to share with the Victorian Bushfire Victims. On one of the early news reports there was a car, will a small child in it – had ash all on his face and hands, a snotty nose, tears streaming down his face, just babbling incoherently, (and he was probably about 4 or so and past babbling in any normal situation) – I JUST cried when I saw it.

I thought of our two darling Grandbabies and thought of how distraught either of them would be without their special ‘comforter’ (a teddy for one & a satin edged blanket for the other)…….and then I thought of all of the adults that would be feeling the same without their ‘special things’ (valuable or not)……..the idea of creating some ‘dolls’ to distribute to them came from wanting to do something meaningful.

Their more immediate needs of food and shelter and money are being taken care of by the emergency services and the government – but I am SURE that no one is thinking to make them beautiful things in a time of such ugliness. I am hoping this will be a significant thing for them over time.

My original thoughts were that it was a specific doll pattern that I created – but I am just not getting my head around that at the moment – with so many dolls out their – I didn’t want it to be the same – and all of my existing designs are a bit too cottagy for my liking now (I designed dolls for about 5 years in my country phase in the early 90’s) – so I’ll hand it over to you

any kind of doll you like – only criteria – 6” or less high and it has a FELT heart on the OUTSIDE – so it is HEARTfelt!

Be mindful of decorative add ons for anything that may be for children (though these won’t all be for children) – for kids it is best all cloth & embroidery (without beads) & for littlies the inclusion of satin always goes down well. (an old silk tie will work as long as it's really soft).

SO – cute, softie style, elegant, regular, irregular – over to you - I'm leaving it in your capable, imaginative and generous hands - youdo good!

When you have made it/them, could you name your creation, & upload the pics to the photo album, and lets wait & see where it ends up…….where your heart will bring love to someone else.

Make sure it has 1. HEARTfelt message of: ‘I love You’ or ‘You are Loved’ 2. name of this site: loveitforward.ning.com

which gives people the opportunity to respond & share the journey of your doll - and to perhaps in time, too, LOVE it FORWARD by either sharing their heart - OR passing on your doll.

When you have your dolls made, named, photographed & load in the photo gallery, send me an email and I will give you my postal address. I will take them in batches of 12-20 depending on how many I am sent.

IT'S ALL ABOUT TIMING WITH THIS ADVENTURE of the heART

we will need them quickly as possible as the people are currently living in tents – no houses, no schools for the kids to go to, no churches or police stations or anything (this isn’t EVERYWHERE – just in the worst hit areas) – although I am sure the need will go on for some time –they won’t stay there indefinitely – they will be dispersed as they find other places to live while their homes and towns are being rebuilt.

It is TOTALLY possible that you may send your heART out into the world – and you never hear anything ever again BUT –

it is better to have loved, and lost, than to have never loved at all.